Big Times in Big D
Dallas,
Texas, has just about everything a vacationer would want, and all of it is
done on a grand scale. There are huge shopping malls, luxury hotels and cosmopolitan
museums, restaurants and theaters to rival any in the country, but that doesn’t
mean Dallas has let go of its western and southern roots. Outlying areas provide
enough wide-open spaces to please your inner cowboy, and you’re sure to find
a healthy dose of Southern hospitality and plenty of sunshine whenever you
visit.
If
you come in late September or early October, don’t miss the State
Fair of Texas for everything from roller coasters and corn dogs to the
auto show, livestock shows, petting zoo and free-flight bird show. And, of
course, 52-foot-tall Big Tex will be there to welcome you to the fair. Despite
its name, the Dallas World
Aquarium offers much more than fish. It is a wonderful trip through the
rainforest, a spiraling walk from the treetops down to the forest floor and
then under the ocean with a look at all the flora, fauna and fish that make
their homes there. Of course there is also the Dallas Museum of Art, the Frontiers
of Flight Museum and the Railroad Museum among others. For hands-on fun with
a little learning thrown in, you can’t beat the Science
Place/Museum of Nature and Science. It is located in Fair Park, so don’t
miss it if you’re coming to the fair.
For sports fans, Dallas offers something for everyone. The four-time Super
Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys play at Texas Stadium, and I highly recommend
beautiful American
Airlines Center for Dallas Mavericks basketball or a fast-paced, thrilling
game of Dallas Stars hockey – IF you can get a ticket. You can also shop there
for Stars and Mavericks team memorabilia.
The AAC is not far from the
West End which features a huge variety of attractions, shopping and dining.
If
you’re looking for something a little off-beat but still fun and don’t mind
a short drive out of town, you might want to make your way to Louis
Tussaud’s Wax Museum and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Odditorium for a collection
of the strange, the fascinating and the unbelievable. A little farther out,
and you’ll find Six
Flags Over Texas featuring rides, shows, food and a ton of fun. Nearby
Hurricane Harbor is the largest water park in North Texas. And, for baseball
fans, The Ballpark at Arlington is just next door for MLB action.
I couldn’t begin to mention everything there is to do here in Dallas, but
there’s something for everyone, including a Big D welcome!