I think that most people who aren’t from the area tend to think of Dallas as being a lot like it was portrayed on the TV show with people walking around in tall cowboy hats and cowboy boots. You will see a lot of cowboy boots and a few Stetsons but Dallas can be surprisingly cultured, contemporary and even formal when the occasion calls for it as well. In that regard, it’s a surprising blend of two cultures: laidback and western while reserved and formal at the same time.
There’s so many things to do in Dallas it’s really hard to describe them all. I think it really depends on what interests you because the Big D as they like to call it has just about practically anything you might want. The most well known mall, the Galleria, has great shops and an ice skating rink. If you’re into shopping, you could happily while away several hours or an entire day there.
If you prefer to go with the theme park and amusement park route you could spend several days at the parks in Dallas and not do anything else. Schlitterbahn is a great water park that is good for those really hot days when the temperature can and does climb over 100 degrees. The last time I was there it was late August and the temp was 111 at 5 in the afternoon. No kidding. One of the great things about this water park is that while they do have a great little snack bar/concession stand, they will also allow you to bring in your own food, which helps a lot. You can bring in coolers with ice and soda as well as sandwiches; whatever. They just ask that you not bring in alcoholic beverages and glass containers for obvious reasons.
Six Flags is another amusement park. It seems like Six Flags amusement parks are practically all over the place now, but they started in Texas so I think Dallas retains some kind of pride over that. They have a lot of rides, shows and events at this particular site and change out the shows and events every so often, so you don’t ever feel like you’re seeing the same thing over and over if you go back again.
If you’re looking for something a little more cultural, there are tons of museums to see; everything from history to art. The zoo and the aquarium are also good places to spend a couple of days wandering around. Just be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring along a big bottle of water and plenty of sunscreen.
And, of course, last but not least; if you’re into the whole sports thing (I’m not, but I guess plenty of people are) you could probably quite happily spend almost an entire week seeing all the sports related stuff in Dallas and the DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) area. Besides the obvious Dallas Cowboys there is also the Mavericks and the Mesquite Rodeo, which is a great event even if you don’t like sports.
