World City Guide

Mini Guide of Dallas

City Overview

Dallas is a young city with all the vigour of youth. Effigies of modern architecture rise like glass trees out of the downtown area. In 1841, it was simply a plan of 20 streets on the 256 hectares (640 acres) of south central America, claimed by a Tennessee lawyer, John Neely Bryan. Today, it is the ninth largest city in the USA and the eastern half of the ‘Metroplex’ – the western ‘other half’ being Fort Worth.

As with so many great cities in the USA, railways were the key to a sudden blossoming of a former outpost. As a frontier post of the ‘Wild West’, Dallas established its reputation as a place for entrepreneurs and go-getters. The infamous Doc Holliday started out here as a dentist, before moving on to ‘alternative’ employment. In the 1870s, two railroads (the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Line and the Texas and Pacific Railroad) met at Dallas, creating the catalyst for the city’s rapid development as a trade centre.

Before any financial and primary industry arrived, however, the Neiman Marcus store put Dallas on the fashion map in 1907. In 1914, the Federal Reserve Bank was established and Dallas Love Airfield was developed in 1927. Then ‘black gold’ made its mark. A prospector named ‘Dad’ Joiner struck oil 160km (100 miles) east of Dallas in 1930, leading to the development of the East Texas Oilfield. Dallas was already a financial and business centre and so could easily become a focus for the nascent oil industry. Never content to rest on its success, Dallas has always kept up with technological advances. In 1958, the integrated-circuit computer chip was invented here, leading to a whole burgeoning of industries in ‘Silicon Prairie’.

Despite all its business acumen, Dallas is not a city that sneers at having fun. The frozen margarita cocktail and the Tex-Mex chicken fajita are both Dallas innovations. Unfortunately for Dallas, despite all its zeal and innovative energy, it will always be remembered for one, if not two, shootings. The first and most shocking occurred on 22 November 1963, when President J F Kennedy was assassinated in his convertible limousine in downtown Dallas. The second shooting may only have been fictional but, when J R Ewing was shot by an unknown killer in the TV series Dallas, it caused upheavals and whisperings in all the 96 countries where it was screened.

But Dallas (the city) is always looking to the future. Transport again proved to be a new stimulus for development when, in conjunction with Fort Worth, the decision to build a new and huge airport (DFW) was made, fulfilling John Neely Bryan’s original idea of creating a powerful inland port and cultural focus. In true Texas fashion, this is a city meant for superlatives and mind-boggling statistics. Dallas has more shopping centres than any other US city, while the world’s largest bronze monument stands at the Dallas Convention Center, which is itself big enough to accommodate not only a whole baseball field but also the longest recorded hit of a home run, which flies well beyond the turf.

Whether visited in the mild winters or hot summers, when air conditioning is an absolute necessity, Dallas offers true southern hospitality, be it in a humble apartment or in the Mansion on Turtle Creek, ranked in 2004 as one of the world’s top hotels by CondeNast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Harper’s Hideaway Report among others. And with a 10th of its workforce in the hospitality industry, Dallas is always a welcoming city.

Getting There By Air

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Tel: (972) 574 4420/8888 (recorded information).
Website: www.dfwairport.com

The airport is 30km (18 miles) from Downtown Dallas, about 30 minutes by road. It has four passenger terminals (A, B, C and E) that carry around 60 million passengers per year. From here, any major US, Canadian or Mexican city is only four hours away.

Airport facilities: All the terminals are well served by a range of eating and drinking outlets, gift shops, bureaux de change, a barber’s shop and ATMs. Tourist information is available, as are all the major car hire firms – Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National and Thrifty.

Transport to the city: Visitors should remember that the Dallas-Fort Worth conurbation is locally referred to as the ‘Metroplex’. Taxis are found on the upper terminal level. Otherwise all other ground transport is found on the lower level, where there is a general transport information office (tel: (972) 574 5878). Several shuttle services operate from the airport including Big Tex Shuttle and Classic Shuttle, which have been acquired by Yellow Checker Shuttle (tel: (214) 841 1900 or (817) 267 5150; website: www.yellowcheckershuttle.com), City Shuttle (tel: (214) 760 1998; website: www.cityshuttletx.com), Discount Shuttle (tel: (817) 267 5150) and SuperShuttle (tel: (817) 329 2001; website: www.supershuttle.com).

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Fort Worth’s The T provide rail service to the airport via the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), Monday to Saturday. A shuttle bus connects with the TRE station at Centreport, 5 minutes from the airport. (tel: (214) 979 1111 or (877) 657 0146 (toll-free); website: www.trinityrailwayexpress.org). Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) provides express service to Remote North Parking via the 202 bus (tel: (214) 979 1111; website: www.dart.org). Many hotels operate their own courtesy shuttle service.

Dallas Love Field (DAL)
Tel: (214) 670 6073.
Website: www.dallas-lovefield.com

Located 10km (6 miles) from Downtown, this was the sole city airport until DFW opened in 1974. Today, it is a regional airport served by national airlines.

Airport facilities: These are limited to eating places and basic shops. Car hire is available from all the major providers, such as Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz and National.

Transport to the city: All ground transport is found at the main terminal lobby and baggage-claim area. DART (tel: (214) 979 1111; website: www.dart.org) bus 539 goes to downtown Dallas 0600-2230. Taxis are also available.

Approximate flight times to Dallas: From London is 9 hours 30 minutes; from New York is 4 hours 15 minutes; from Los Angeles is 3 hours 15 minutes; from Toronto is 3 hours 35 minutes and from Sydney is 17 hours.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

The motorway (interstate and freeway) network in America is very good. The general rule for numbering on US freeways and interstates is that the odd numbers go north-south and the even numbers go east-west over their whole length, although at any single, localised point it may seem different. Interstates are indicated by the letter ‘I’, while ‘S’ and ‘L’ stand for ‘spur’ and ‘loop’ respectively.

Driving is on the right. The speed limits on the different motorways can vary – the general maximum is 90kph (55mph) but some rural interstates allow limits of 110kph (70mph). Town residential areas can be as slow as 30kph (20mph), with specifically posted limits near schools. It is illegal to pass a yellow ‘School Bus’ when it is stationary with its lights flashing. It is possible to turn right on a red light, after stopping to check that it is clear. Seatbelts are obligatory for frontseat passengers. Prosecution for drinkdriving is severe – the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.10%.

The minimum driving age is 16 years. A British driving licence is valid but a temporary International Driving Permit is also a good idea, as it carries a photograph. Third party insurance is mandatory, although it is highly recommended for driving visitors to ensure that they have adequate travel medical insurance, as the cost of medical treatment in the USA is huge. Petrol (‘gas’) is two to three times cheaper in the USA than it is in Europe, and it is cheaper in Texas than in many other states. Virtually all ‘gas stations’ are open 24 hours a day on main roads and operate a prepay system, using a credit card at the pumps – otherwise, it is necessary to make yourself known to the cashier.

The American Automobile Association – AAA (tel: (800) 222 1333) provides information and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries. It is necessary to report a serious accident to the authorities – Accident Report (tel: (214) 670 4455) and Accident Investigation (Follow-up) (tel: (214) 670 6954).

Emergency breakdown service:
AAA (800) AAA HELP/222 4357

Routes to the city: Dallas is encircled by a motorway link road – to the north and east it is the I-635 (the LBJ Freeway), the south the I-20 and to the west it is the L-12 (north part) and S-20 (south part). Various interstates meet this beltway and pass on towards the city centre. The ones that go right across the city are the north-south I-35, which goes to Austin and San Antonio in the south and the east-west I-30, which goes to Fort Worth in the west. The other major interstates are I-75 (the Central Expressway) from the north, the I-67 from the southwest, the I-80 from the east, the I-175 and the I-45 from the southeast, which links to Houston.

Driving times to Dallas: From Austin – 4 hours; from Houston – 4 hours; from San Antonio – 6 hours.

Coach services: Greyhound Buses (tel: (800) 229 9424 or (214) 655 7082; website: www.greyhound.com) operate out of the bus station at 205 South Lamar Street (tel: (214) 655 7082). The facilities are limited to a caf, ATMs, vending machines and toilets with disabled access. Greyhound operates coaches throughout America.

Getting There By Rail

A good standard of service, with modern networks and rolling stock, is provided by Amtrak (tel: (214) 653 1101 or (800) 872 7245; website: www.amtrak.com), which uses Union Station, 401 South Houston Street (tel: (214) 653 1101), on the western side of Downtown. Facilities are limited to a caf, ATMs, vending machines and car hire.

Rail services: The two major routes out of Dallas are northeast to Chicago on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and southwest to San Antonio with connections available to other destinations.

Getting Around

Public Transport
It is impossible to enjoy Dallas without some form of transport, partly because the city is too spread out but also because the heat is oppressive for much of the year.

Public transport buses and trains are operated by the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) authority (tel: (214) 749 3278; website: www.dart.org). The urban light railway and the commuter line, which are separate lines in the south and north, combine to form a single route in the Downtown area. The system operates 0400-2400.

Bus tickets must be purchased with exact change in cash. Alternatively, prepaid tickets and day passes can be purchased from vending machines at the station. Day passes may be purchased in advance on-line at www.dart.org.

DART has joined forces with the volunteer-run McKinney Avenue Transit Authority to operate the historic M-Line Streetcar, providing free, daily transit service in downtown and to connect downtown with the Uptown neighbourhood. Schedules and detailed route information are available (tel: (214) 979 1111 or (214) 855 0006; website: www.mata.org or www.dart.org/mline.asp.

Taxis
Taxis operate 24 hours. Three of the main cab companies are Checker Cab and Yellow Cab of Dallas, both at the same depot (tel: (214) 426 6262), and Terminal Cab (tel: (214) 350 4445). A tip of 10% is expected.

Driving in the City
Driving in downtown Dallas at the weekends is feasible for the visitor, since the streets are relatively quiet. Morning and evening rush hour in the week is just the opposite and very frustrating – this is to be avoided.

The Dallas downtown is essentially on a north-south grid layout, although north of Pacific Avenue, the grid is skewed slightly and angled more on a northwest-southeast axis. The same happens south of Young Street. Circling the whole Downtown is a freeway, known as the Central Expressway at the northeast corner and east side, the Thornton Freeway at the southern edge, becoming Stemmons Freeway up the west side and then Woodall Rogers across the northern edge.

There are two toll roads in Dallas. One is the North Tollway, which goes from Downtown up into Collin County. There are tolls at various points along it. Exact change is necessary and can be thrown into a wide coin-catching basket. Locals will have automatic toll smart-cards attached to their windscreens, so they appear to be going through without paying. The other toll road is the Mountain Creek Bridge in southwestern Dallas County.

There are meters and parking lots all over Downtown, which can be expensive, except at weekends. Visitors should read meters carefully as timings will be enforced.

Car Hire
A foreign driver's licence, provided that it is in English, is valid in Dallas, although an International Driving Permit is also a good idea, as this carries a photograph, unlike the British driver's licence. Insurance will be part of the hire arrangement, although drivers should check what this entails. The minimum age for hiring a car is usually 21-23 years.

Car hire is available from Alamo (tel: (800) 327 9633; website: www.alamo.com), Avis (tel: (800) 230 4898; website: www.avis.com), Budget (tel: (800) 527 0700; website: www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: (800) 800 3665; website: www.dollar.com), Enterprise (tel: (800) 261 7331; website: www.enterprise.com), Hertz (tel: (800) 654 3131; website: www.hertz.com) and Thrifty (tel: (800) 847 4389; website: www.thrifty.com). For something with a real local flavour, visiting drivers should try Exotic Car Rental of Texas (tel: (214) 764 4110; website: www.rentexoticcars.com/dallas.html) or Rent-a-Wreck of Dallas (tel: (214) 398 7368 or (800) 944 7501; website: www.rentawreck.com/texas.html).

Bicycle Hire
Although Dallas is not the ideal city in which to cycle, bikes are available for hire from Jack Johnston Bicycles, 9005 Garland Road (tel: (214) 328 5238; website: www.jackjohnstonbicycles.com).

Business

Business Etiquette
Americans can often be less formal than Europeans (both in dress and manners) but here in the ‘Deep South’, it is harder to anticipate the norm. Dallas regards itself as stylish and sophisticated and there is already a tradition of formality in the south, however, Texans can dress exceptionally informally, even looking to the newcomer like TV cowboys. The degree of office formality often reflects the nature of the business – banking and legal professions will be more formal than computer (‘Silicon Prairie’) and media companies. Americans quickly use first-name terms, while still remaining focused on the business in hand. As a visitor, there is nothing wrong in being as formal as in Europe and then relaxing once the attitudes of the host have been established.

Punctuality for business meetings is expected – visitors should always allow for traffic delays and aim to arrive with five to 10 minutes to spare. Meetings can be at all times of the day, even a working breakfast or an evening meal, which can be a relaxed social affair or a more formal business meal. If clarification is necessary, Texans won’t mind being asked. Americans are generally very tolerant over personal needs with regard to diet, so visitors should not worry about making this clear when choosing from a menu. Alcohol consumption is treated as a personal choice, neither necessary nor obligatory. If invited to a colleague’s home for dinner, a small gift (such as a bottle of wine or something from one’s own country, a neatly wrapped box of chocolates or similar confectionery) will often be appropriate as a gesture of thanks. A ‘thank you’ card can also be sent by post after the event.

Business hours are from as early as 0800 in weekdays, although 0830 is more likely. The working day usually ends around 1700. Working late is nonetheless common, nor is it unusual for people to be working well into the night or over the weekend. Business cards are commonly exchanged at meetings and e-mail is a favourite means of communication.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
Dallas’ most unfortunate distinction for more than 40 years has been that of owning the place where one of the most popular presidents in history was killed, so it’s not surprising that one of the most popular sites to visit in the city is Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum, below. But there are also many happier places to visit downtown, the heartbeat of this vibrant commerce center and home of the Arts District. The Dallas Museum of Art is the perfect place to begin a cultural exploration, followed by a tour of the Nasher Sculpture Center. Considering taking in a concert at the Meyerson Symphony Center or a touring Broadway show at the Majestic Theater.

Tourist Information
Visitor Information Center of Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau
Old Red Courthouse, 100 South Houston Street
Tel: (214) 571 1000/1300/1301 (24-hour events hotline) or (800) 232 5527.
E-mail: info@dallascvb.com
Website: www.dallascvb.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1700, Sat and Sun 0900-1700.

Other offices are located at Union Station and the Reunion Tower.

Passes
No tourist attraction discount passes are currently available.

Key Attractions

Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum
It is impossible to come to Dallas without hearing about 22 November 1963. President J F Kennedy was assassinated as his car passed by the ‘grassy knoll’ at Dealey Plaza, having been shot from the sixth floor of what was then the Texas School Book Depository building, now the Sixth Floor Museum. The Plaza is simply an outdoor grassy area on the north side of Elm Street, surmounted by a white stone, unadorned platform where people go for a few quiet and thoughtful moments. The museum, which is the most visited attraction in Dallas, gives full details of JFK’s life and times, a minute-by-minute account of events on the infamous day, exhibits, over 400 photographs, video footage and an audio tour.

The actual JFK Memorial is Downtown on Main Street and Market Street, at the Dallas County Historical Plaza, and was designed by New Yorker Philip Johnson, a Kennedy family friend. Visitors who want to know more should visit the Conspiracy Museum, 110 South Market Street (tel: (214) 741 3040), for a fascinating look at assassinations, cover-ups and the theories surrounding other famous US presidential and related killings, including JFK’s.

411 Elm Street
Tel: (214) 747 6660 or (888) 485 4854.
Website: www.jfk.org
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800.
Admission charge.

Fair Park
Fair Park’s 111 hectares (277 acres) was created in 1936, for the Texas Centennial Exposition. There is too much to do in one day, or even several days, as it comprises museums, concert facilities, theatres and other venues. It is best for tourists to choose what they wish to visit in advance and combine that with a stroll through the park, as the central promenade has murals and sculptures.

Through its four vaulted galleries, the African-American Museum fully details African-American art and history from pre-colonial times to the present day, with permanent and temporary exhibitions. The Museum of Natural History has 60 dioramas of Texas flora and fauna, Texas dinosaur exhibits (including a huge protostega sea turtle around 90 million years old) as well as various temporary exhibitions. The Science Place and IMAX Theater incorporates the Planetarium, all in a hands-on complex with over 350 exhibits. The Women’s Museum is the parks newest opening.

The Park also contains the Dallas Horticulture Center (tel: (214) 428 7476), Cotton Bowl Stadium (tel: (214) 638 2695), Hall of State (tel: (214) 421 4500; website: www.dallashistory.org), Dallas Aquarium (tel: (214) 655 1444; website: www.dallas-zoo.org), Age of Steam Railroad Museum (tel: (214) 428 0101; website: www.dallasrailwaymuseum.com), Texas Vietnam Veterans War Memorial (tel: (972) 579 9430) and the Fair Park Music Hall (tel: (214) 565 1116).

1300 Robert B McCullum Street
Tel: (214) 670 8400.
Website: www.fairparkdallas.com
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Free admission.

African-American Museum
3536 Grand Avenue
Tel: (214) 565 9026.
Website: www.aamdallas.org
Opening hours: Tue-Fri 1200-1700, Sat 1000-1700, Sun 13-1700.
Free admission.

Museum of Natural History
3535 Grand Avenue
Tel: (214) 421 3466.
Website: www.dallasdino.org
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1200-1700.
Admission charge.

The Science Place
1318 Second Avenue
Tel: (214) 428 5555.
Website: www.scienceplace.org
Opening hours: Tue-Fri 0930-1630, Sat 0930-1730, Sun 1130-1730 (Sep-May); daily 0930-1630, Sat 0930-1730, Sun 1130-1730 (Jun-Aug).
Admission charge.

The Women’s Museum
3800 Parry Avenue
Tel: (214) 915 0860.
Website: www.thewomensmuseum.org
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1200-1700.
Admission charge.

Dallas Museum of Art
The permanent collection galleries at the Dallas Museum of Art are spacious, allowing full appreciation of the exhibits, which cover different types of art from ancient to modern times, from the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. Of particular significance is the Wendy and Emery Reves Collection of Impressionist paintings. The museum shop is worth a visit for unusual gifts and souvenirs.

1717 North Harwood Street
Tel: (214) 922 1200 or 1803.
Website: www.dm-art.org
Opening hours: Tue-Wed, Fri-Sun 1100-1700; Thu 1100-2100.
Admission charge; free Thu 1700-2100.

Fountain Place
In such a landlocked city, this square is attractive, with its impressive water displays and its calming trees and streams. There are 172 ‘blubber fountains’ (low dome-shaped fountains), while the Central Court Fountain has 360 fountain heads. Around 2.25 million litres (0.5 million gallons) of water pass through the plaza and at night, coloured lights play on the shimmering cascades. The huge, 60-storey glass building is part of the design and is based on a prism, a favourite theme of architect I M Pei, who also designed the glass pyramid outside the Louvre in Paris (France, that is, not Texas). There are other designs by Pei around the city and discovering them makes a good theme for an unusual exploration. The Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla Street (tel: (214) 670 5111), which houses Henry Moore’s largest bronze sculpture, is one example. The Morton H Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora Street (tel: (214) 670 3600), is another.

1445 Ross Avenue, at North Field Street
Tel: (214) 855 7766.
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Free admission.

Wilson Block Historic District
The Wilson Block is an entire block of houses on Swiss Avenue, which Henrietta and Frederick Wilson acquired in 1899. They proceeded to build six homes on the land. The Preservation Center, based in the Wilson House, their own Queen Anne home, is open to the public and introduces the district through walking tours, film and a resource library. The district contains many houses from the same period, another particularly striking one being the Arnold House.

Further out, along Swiss Avenue (beginning at block 4800) is another historic district, the Upper Swiss Avenue Historic District (website: www.sahd.org), from La Vista to Fitzhugh Avenue. Here visitors can see more early 20th-century mansions in various styles, such as ‘gingerbread’, ‘prairie’ (after the school of architects developed by Frank Lloyd Wright) and Italianate.

2922 Swiss Avenue
Tel: (214) 821 3290.
Website: www.preservationdallas.org
Opening hours: Tues-Fri 1000-1600, Sat 1000-1400.
Free admission.

Further Distractions

Nasher Sculpture Center
Downtown Dallas’ cultural wealth got yet another boost in late 2003, when the Nasher Sculpture Center opened near the Dallas Museum of Art. Here you’ll see what is essentially an indoor-outdoor art museum and a serene oasis of visual beauty that serves as home to the collection of 20th-century sculpture belonging to Dallas developer Ray Nasher. There is a lovely flow between interior galleries and the garden, opening to the sky and filled with dramatic installations and native foliage. Among dozens of artists whose work is featured are Claus Oldenburg, Pablo Picasso, Auguste Rodin, Joan Miro, and Jeff Koons.

2001 Flora Street
Tel: (214) 242 5100.
Website: www.nashersculpturecenter.org
Opening times: Tue-Wed, Fri-Sun 1100-1700, Thu 1100-2100
Admission charge.

Afternoon Tea at the Adolphus Hotel
The Adolphus Hotel, with its baroque splendour, is the place to seek respite amidst downtown’s hubbub. The epitome of old-style southern refinement, the hotel was built in 1912, by Adolphus Busch, the Missouri beer magnate. In its day, it was not as imprisoned by modernity as it unfortunately is today, hemmed in by other buildings. Inside, however, the city may as well be on another planet. High tea, in the English style, includes the hotel’s own scones topped with Devonshire cream and raspberry marmalade, finger sandwiches, fruit tarts and hand-dipped chocolate truffles.

1321 Commerce Street
Tel: (214) 742 8200.
Website: www.hoteladolphus.com
Free admission.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
The city layout favours non-pedestrian tours, as does the summer heat. However, specific institutions have their indoor walking tours as well as occasional outdoor ones, such as with the Wilson Block Historic District (see Key Attractions) operated by the Preservation Center, 2922 Swiss Avenue (tel: (214) 821 3290; website: www.preservationdallas.org).

Bus Tours
A bus tour is an excellent way for visitors to understand how the city fits together, without having to battle the traffic and one-way systems. Grayline Tours (tel: (972) 263 0294 or (866) 767 9849; website: www.grayline.com) offers a variety of air-conditioned bus tours in and around the city, with professional driver-guides. Their three-hour ‘Dallas Landmarks Tour’ offers pick up from local hotels. Eagle Tours Inc / Longhorn Tours (tel: (972) 721 0545) offer a similar service.

Other Tours
Dallas Historical Society Tours (tel: (214) 421 4500 ext. 105; website: www.dallashistory.org/activities/tours.htm) take place on specific dates in spring and fall. Among the most popular are the ‘JFK Tour: In the Steps of Lee Harvey Oswald’ and ‘The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde Tour.’ These tours, led by local historians into the neighbourhoods with rich heritage, typically depart the Hall of State in Fair Park at 900 and return at 1400. Lunch is included in the fee.

Excursions

For Half a Day

Southfork Ranch: It is impossible to visit Dallas without hearing a reference to the eponymous TV series. JR and his family’s lifestyle can be experienced ‘on location’ at Southfork Ranch, 3700 Hogge Road, Parker (tel: (972) 442 7800 or; website: www.southfork.com). Situated about 48km (30 miles) north of the city, visitors can reach Southfork by driving east along Parker Road, which is exit 30 of the North Central Expressway (Highway 75). Not missing any opportunity to create a winning product, there are tours of the Ewing mansion, refreshments at Miss Ellie’s Deli, gift shops, clothing stores, a tram tour and even a ‘Dallas’ Museum, which houses the ‘actual’ pistol used in the ‘actual’ killing of the infamous JR. Admission charge.

For a Whole Day

Fort Worth: To see how the other half lives (the other half of the Metroplex, that is), visitors should spend a day in the adjacent twin city known as ‘Cowtown’. Adjoining the conurbation on the west side of Dallas, with the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport joining the two, Fort Worth began as a military outpost before developing into a transport centre for shipping cattle from the surrounding ranch lands. Today, this remains an important albeit much smaller industry in a prosperous and dynamic city.

The Stockyards National Historic District was the hub of the cattle industry and is now a mixture of wooden sidewalks, cowboy paraphernalia, entertainments, shopping, eating and drinking. Walking tours of about 90 minutes are available and the Tarantula Railroad runs a steam train to and from Grapevine, which is back towards DFW Airport. For a real taste of the ‘Wild West’, the best time to visit Fort Worth is between late January and early February, when the 17-day Southwestern Stock Show and Rodeo (website: www.fwstockshowrodeo.com) is held. Despite its ‘Cowtown’ nickname, Fort Worth is a cultural city and contains plenty of notable museums. Of particular interest is the new Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell Street (tel (817) 738 9215 or (866) 824 5566; website: www.mamfw.org), the nation’s largest such museum after that in New York, featuring the architecture of Japan’s Tadao Ando and works by Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol and Francis Bacon.

Fort Worth can be reached by car on the I-20 or Route 183 – also known as the Airport Freeway. The Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau, 415 Throckmorton Street (tel: (817) 336 8791 or (800) 433 5747; website: www.fortworth.com), provides further information.

Sport

Shopping

For many people, ‘Dallas’ means ‘shopping’. The city’s motto, after all, is ‘if it can’t be found in Dallas, it can’t be found anywhere’. This is where Neiman Marcus, 1618 Main Street, began its fashion business in 1907, as an ‘exclusive woman’s ready-to-wear store’. Today, all manner of big names have gravitated around it, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Rodier Paris, Tiffany & Co and Lord & Taylor. The huge department store chain, JC Penney, also originated in Dallas.

Not content with numerous huge malls and shopping centres containing all kinds of individual and chain shops, there is now the Dallas Market Center, just to the northwest of the downtown area, either side of the Stemmons Freeway (I-35). On completion, it was the biggest wholesale trade complex in the world, with its eight different buildings turning over US$7.5 billion in annual retail sales. Other malls to spend some ‘retail-therapy’ time in are Galleria, modelled on Milan’s Vittorio Emanuelle and even housing an ice rink, at the north side crossroads of the Dallas North Tollway and the beltway I-635, and Highland Park Village, with its Spanish-inspired design. Others to look out for near the Downtown area are Crescent, Inwood Village and Snyder Plaza. At DFW airport, there is the enormous Grapevine Mills. The malls are usually open daily. These huge malls are, of course, packed full of restaurants, fast food outlets, entertainments and coffee shops.

On a more human-scale approach to shopping, there are antiques and crafts shops scattered throughout the Downtown, as well as in the Uptown neighbourhood along McKinney Avenue, which is also good for general browsing. There is a large Farmer’s Market, just west of Downtown, at South Harwood Street and Marilla Street.

Given Texas’ ‘Wild West’ image, anything to do with cowboys, rodeos and cattle ranching is a typical local gift. Otherwise, the latter day image of the town is big business, especially oil. The two come together in the abiding icon of Southfork Ranch and its infamous resident, JR.

Sales tax is 8.25%.

Culture

Dallas lays claim to the biggest urban Arts District (tel: (214) 953 1977; website: www.artsdistrict.org) in the US. Founded in 1983 and located on the north side of the town, the district includes the Dallas Museum of Art (see Key Attractions), the Morton H Meyerson Symphony Center (the major performing arts venue in Dallas) at 2301 Flora Street (tel: (214) 670 3600), and the Arts District Theater, 2401 Flora Street (tel: (214) 922 0427).

To obtain tickets to cultural events, visitors should contact the individual venues, by telephone or via their website. Useful information points include the weekly Dallas Observer (website: www.dallasobserver.com) and a cultural website (www.dallasculture.org).

Music: The Dallas Opera (tel: (214) 443 1000/43; website: www.dallasopera.org) plays at the Fair Park Music Hall, Fair Park, 909 First Avenue (tel: (214) 565 1116), all year. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (tel: (214) 692 0203; website: www.dallassymphony.com) is based at the Morton H Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora Street (tel: (214) 670 3600), but also gives free performances in various parks throughout the summer. Also based at the Morton H Meyerson Symphony Center is the Dallas Wind Symphony (tel: (214) 565 9463; website: www.dws.org) and the men’s chorus, the Turtle Creek Chorale (tel: (214) 526 3214; website: www.turtlecreek.org). The range of classical music performances available is represented by the Dallas Bach Society, 2300 Auburn Avenue (tel: (214) 320 8700; website: www.dallasbach.org), the Dallas Chamber Orchestra (tel: (214) 321 1411; www.dallaschamberorchestra.org) and the Dallas Classic Guitar Society (tel: (214) 528 3733).

Theatre: The Dallas Theater Center (tel: (214) 526 8210 or 522 8499 (box office); website: www.dallastheatercenter.org) is based at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Boulevard (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright) but also performs at the Arts District Theater, 2401 Flora Street (tel: (214) 922 0427). Theatre Three, 2800 Routh Street (tel: (214) 871 3300), and the Majestic Theater, 1925 Elm Street (tel: (214) 880 0137), a restored 1920s movie palace and vaudeville hall, are other options. The type of theatre presented ranges from mainstream shows to fringe theatre.

Dance: The Texas Ballet Theater (tel: (214) 369 5200; website: www.texasballettheater.org) performs, along with the opera, at Fair Park Music Hall (see Music above) and the Majestic Theater (see Theatre above). The Dallas Black Dance Theatre, 2627 Flora Street (tel: (214) 871 2376; website: www.dbdt.com), performs highly acclaimed modern dance. For a Hispanic flavour, there is the Anita N Martinez Ballet Folklorico, 4422 Live Oak Street (tel: (214) 828 0181 or (888) 223 0191; website: www.anmbf.org).

Film: Apart from the usual range of mainstream cinemas, there are also two specialist venues – The Granada Theater, 3524 Geenville Avenue (tel: (214) 824 9933; website: www.granadatheater.com), a 1940s ‘movie theater’ with a dinner menu and drinks, and the IMAX Theater, 11819 Webb Chapel Road (tel: (972) 888 2629). The Inwood Theater, 5458 West Lovers Lane (tel: (214) 764 9106; website: www.landmarktheatres.com), Angelika Film Center, 5321 E Mockingbird Lane, (tel: (214) 841 4700; website: www.angelikafilmcenter.com), and The Magnolia, 3699 McKinney Avenue (tel: (214) 764 9106; website: www.landmarktheatres.com) show arthouse movies.

Movies that have been filmed in Dallas over the years include Bonnie and Clyde (1967), RoboCop (1987), JFK (1991), The Bridges of Madison County (1995), The Apostle (1997) and Batman and Robin (1997).

Literary Notes: It is not easy to find specific references to Dallas in literature. Most writers speak more generally of Texas. One early example is Amelia E Barr’s Remember the Alamo (1888), in which a mixed Anglo-Mexican family in San Antonio overcomes its own cultural differences while tensions mount between revolutionary Texans and the Mexican government. The short story, Last of the Troubadours, by O Henry (first published in the July 1908 issue of Everybody's Magazine) deals with a strolling minstrel in turn-of-the-century South Texas and divides the world into three types of people – the barons, the troubadours and the workers. Neither of these accounts is easy to come by, except in special library collections.

Again taking the wider Texan theme but this time from a child’s perspective, is Janice Jordan Shefelman’s A Paradise Called Texas (1983), about searching for a better life when Mina and her parents leave Germany in 1845 and travel to Texas. The story is based upon the author’s own family history. Simone de Beauvoir travelled in Texas in 1947 and wrote her whole US diary as America Day by Day (1954). Her route through the state took her from San Antonio to Houston. She observed: ‘Texans are proud to be Texans. They have the reputation of being the biggest braggarts in America, and they even brag about this. In their vast territory they’ve gathered all the world capitals: Paris, London, Madrid, Toledo, St Petersburg, Moscow & and some can even be found more than once.’

Dallas has also been celebrated in song. The 1956 Big D, by Frank Loesser (1910-1969), composer of Baby, It’s Cold Outside, has this to say:

You’re from Big D
My, oh yes, I mean Big D, little a, double l, a-s
And that spells Dallas, my darlin’, darlin’ Dallas
Don’t it give you pleasure to confess
That you’re from Big D
My, oh yes!

Nightlife

The bars, restaurants and clubs in Dallas run the gamut of styles (be that musically, gastronomically or sartorially) which is hardly surprising from the city where the frozen margarita and true spicy Tex-Mex food were invented. If you want to find the cowboy boots, big hats, country ballads, barbecues and massive sides of steak, then, of course, they are here. Being adjacent to the Deep South, there is also plenty of jazz, blues, rock’n’roll, heavy metal and piano bars, as well as French cuisine, Italian, vegetarian, huge sandwiches, burgers and ribs. With over 5,000 restaurants, Dallas claims to have four times as many eateries per person as New York.

The main areas to explore in and near Downtown are as follows: the West End, particularly Dallas Alley, 2019 North Lamar Street, which houses a variety of clubs and restaurants; Deep Ellum, where the legendary Blind Lemon Jefferson was a regular performer; the Uptown district called McKinney Avenue and nearby Greenville Avenue, both just north of downtown. A club labelled as ‘private’ may well simply be in a ‘dry’ part of town and so nominal membership is required to allow them a ‘liquor’ licence. Most bars are open until 0200, with the minimum drinking age being 21 years. The average price of a drink is US$5 in bars and clubs.

The weekly Dallas Observer (website: www.dallasobserver.com) and weekend entertainment sections in the Dallas Morning News (website: www.dallasnews.com) and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (website: www.star-telegram.com) provide listings information on nightlife in Dallas.

Bars: Greenville Avenue’s contrast in bar styles is shown by the sophisticated cocktail atmosphere of Mick’s (located at 2825) and ironically, since Mick is usually a name associated with Ireland, the darts-throwing, raucous, Irish-owned ambience at The Dubliner (located at 2818). Pubs are often spots that offer good eating as much as drinking. The Old Monk, 2847 North Henderson Avenue, is a few minutes from downtown and offers simple, wholesome dishes, such as steamed mussels and fish and chips. As it is everywhere else in the US, small breweries with a pub on the premises, known as brew-pubs, have caught on. Two Rows Restaurant and Brewery, 5500 Greenville Avenue, offers wood-fired pizzas to complement its barley micro brews. Main Street Brewing Co, 2656 Main Street, will show you how they do it.

Casinos: There are no casinos in Dallas, as gambling is illegal in the state of Texas.

Clubs: As well as nightclubs, Dallas has quite a tradition of ‘Gentlemen’s Clubs’, which can range from the cabaret style of Cabaret Royale, 10723 Composite Avenue, to the Baby O’International, 4908 Greenville Avenue, with happy hour buffets and cigar parties. The dance scene thrives at such places as Blue, 1930 Pacific Avenue, a sprawling spot with a VIP lounge, 16 bars, hot DJ spins, and a dress code; and Lizard Lounge, 2424 Swiss Avenue, with varied music styles with star DJs

Live Music: Many ordinary bars have live music and the Deep Ellum is a good area to head for. Don’t be fooled by the names of some venues, the Gypsy Tea Room, 2548 Elm Street, does have a tea room but it also has a concert room for live country and rock music bands of both national and local reputation. Trees, 2709 Elm Street, is one of the oldest live music venues with a rock‘n’roll penchant in a warehouse-style interior. The favorite pick for blues is The Bone, 1701 North Market Street.

City Statistics

Location: State of Texas, central southern USA.
Country dialling code: 1.
Population: 1, 199, 809 (city); 3,693,501 (metropolitan area).
Time zone: GMT - 6 (GMT - 5 from first Sunday in April to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 110 volts AC, 50Hz; flat two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 6.5C (43.5F).
Average July temp: 29.5C (85.5F).
Annual rainfall: 856mm (33 inches).

Special Events

Dallas Symphony Run, fun run, Mar, begins and ends at the Morton H Meyerson Symphony Center
Irish Fest (website: www.ntif.org), largest music festival in Texas with more than 47 different bands, Mar, Fair Park
Annual Dallas Video Festival (website: www.videofest.org), presenting innovative video work, Mar, Dallas Theater Center
St Patrick’s Day Parade, 17 Mar, Greenville Avenue
Deep Ellum Art Festival (website: www.meifestivals.com/deepspr.html) Apr, Deep Ellum
Annual USA Film Festival AMC, Apr, Glen Lakes Theater
African-American Festival Concert, (website: www.dallassymphony.com) featuring African-American composers and musicians, May, Morton H Meyerson Symphony Center
ArtFest, (website: www.dallasartfest.com) celebration of local arts, May, Fair Park
Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration, Dallas celebrates its rich Mexican heritage, 5 May, Fair Park
Hispanic Festival Concert (website: www.dallassymphony.com), featuring Latin American composers and musicians, Jun, Morton H Meyerson Symphony Center
African-American Heritage Festival, celebration of the culture and heritage of African-Americans, Jun, Old City Park
Shakespeare Festival of Dallas (website: www.shakespearedallas.org), Jun, Samuell-Grand Park
Hoop It Up, the largest three-on-three basketball tournament in the nation, Jun, West End Historic District
Annual National Indian Pow Wow, tribes from around the nation celebrate a weekend of dance, arts and crafts and tribal council meetings, Sep, Traders Village LTD
Annual Greek Food Festival, Greek food tasting, dancing, tours of the church, Sep, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
State Fair of Texas (website: www.bigtex.com) Sep-Oct, Fair Park
Turkey Trot, popular Thanksgiving Morning run, Nov, through the streets of Downtown Dallas
Holiday Tree-Lighting Festival, day-long family entertainment, culminating in turning on the lights of the giant Holiday Tree, Nov, West End Market Place
Candlelight Tour, village decorated in turn-of-the-century style, Dec, Old City Park
White Rock Marathon (website: www.whiterock-marathon.com) Dec, from Downtown Dallas to the White Rock Lake area
Jingle Bell Run, fun run, also includes a costume contest, Santa Land for children and a post race party, Dec, Downtown Dallas
Cotton Bowl Classic New Year's Eve Parade, Dec, Arts District to the West End Community

Cost of Living

1 American Dollar (US$1) = 0.52; C$1.25; A$1.28; 0.77
Currency conversion rates as of May 2005