As mentioned in another post, we are kicking around taking a train to Dallas right after Chistmas and before New Years. Someone told me they get a lot of snow? Is Dallas a good town to sightsee and if so, what do you think is good attractions to see beside JFK things? I may stay at the Lawrence Hotel.
Is Dallas a good touristy town?
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There's Fair Park with a lot of museums and you can get there by the light rail as well as the Dallas Zoo.
The west End has some nice places as well as the House of Blues, you could also get on the Trinity Railway Express to Ft Worth for the stockyards although that does not run on Sundays
John
The west End has some nice places as well as the House of Blues, you could also get on the Trinity Railway Express to Ft Worth for the stockyards although that does not run on Sundays
John
Eric308
Lead Service Attendant
Dallas averages LESS than 3" of snow a year. Don't even think about that. Here's a link for some things to do. http://www.tripadvisor.in/Attractions-g55711-Activities-Dallas_Texas.html Ever consider New Orleans? A lot more fun. City of New Orleans goes right there. French Quarter is just blocks away.
:hi: Not sure when the Cotton Bowl Football game is next year, :unsure: but large crowds ride the DART trains to the Fairgrounds when the Cotton Bowl Football Game is, might effect Hotel Prices?? The McKinney Avenue Street Cars, Free, are neat to see/ride! Lots of
high end stores/resturants/clubs etc.) Lots of cities are cutting back on Christmas decorations, but Dallas used to be great for Lights/Decorations etc. As was said the Original Nieman Marcus Dept Store Downtown is worth a Visit! (bring $$$ or Credit Cards!! :lol: )
Just getting a Pass and riding DART and TRE is a great way to spend a day! And I agree that Ft. Worth is definitely worth a day, as was said just not Sunday! Getting out to Arlington where Cowboy Stadium (and the Texas Rangers Stadium/Six Flags etc.) requires a car so thats not practical! saxman and boxcar817 both live in the Metroplex and are members here, they give good advice! Rember to use hotels.com/bookaroom.com/priceline or whatever to compare good deals, the Lawrence is convient and adequate, as was said its an older place thats remodeled, just dont pay over about $75 a night for it! You can Google up lots of info on the Metroplex/they are big boosters and tourist friendly!!!
I would take all the info given in your first post and this one and make a plan. The Lawrence would be a budget friendly and very close to Dallas Union Station (meaning walkable) also it is right across the street from the JFK museum and the West End is a few blocks away. DART is Dallas s transportation link with trains and busses that will get you almost anywhere in Dallas The TRE is trains that runs from Dallas to Ft. Wort and in between.I would make plans to visit both cities as they both have great museums and fun things to do, the Stockyards in Ftw. has a daily cattle drive right down Main St. evey day. As I said the weather is usually fair in Dec.sometimes in the 60s and 70s. We don't get alot of snow, but if we do, it may snow one day and be in the 70s the next.I would check into the dates of the Cotton Bowl as Jim mentioned it does get hectic and probably more expensive. So google up what you're interested in(Saxsman and the others had alot of good info) and come on down
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Thanks. Maybe this person who told me about lots of snow was confused. Has anyone on here stayed at the Lawrence? I got a price of $71 for a one queen bed and $88 for a corner room (better view)? Oh by the way, we took the train to New Orleans last Christmastime and plan to go there this May for a cruise.
I stayed at the Lawrence a few years ago. No problems at all. The staff was friendly. They had a shuttle van which I used to get to Fair Park, though now I gather the light rail will take you there.
cirdan
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Dallas certainly has plenty of stuff to see.
As a whole the twon isn't espcially stunning but there are some nice bits. There is a heritage trolley running along McKinney Avenue using genuine vintage trolley cars. That area also has a lot of attractive shops and things so you can combine riding the trolley with shopping.
The trolley connects with the DART light rail system and DART takes you straight to the Amtrak station.
The grounds of the State Fair are also worth viewing (also on the DART system). Firstly there is a railroad museum there with a Big Boy, a Centenniel, a GG1 and lost of other period items of rolling stock.
Also the rest of the state fair is interesting for its art deco architecture which has been restored recently. In town there is an art museum which is not so big as to be boring but big enough that you can find something of interest. On certain days they hold jazz concerts there.
As a whole the twon isn't espcially stunning but there are some nice bits. There is a heritage trolley running along McKinney Avenue using genuine vintage trolley cars. That area also has a lot of attractive shops and things so you can combine riding the trolley with shopping.
The trolley connects with the DART light rail system and DART takes you straight to the Amtrak station.
The grounds of the State Fair are also worth viewing (also on the DART system). Firstly there is a railroad museum there with a Big Boy, a Centenniel, a GG1 and lost of other period items of rolling stock.
Also the rest of the state fair is interesting for its art deco architecture which has been restored recently. In town there is an art museum which is not so big as to be boring but big enough that you can find something of interest. On certain days they hold jazz concerts there.
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Been to the Lawrence. Nice hotel. But it's been several years.
There is a lot to do in Dallas, and it can range from cheap fun to expensive pampering.
For the cheap, I agree with jimhudson. My family LOVES to take the DART train to CityPlace - Texas' only Subway station. Then we ride up two huge flights of escalators and exit to the West. From there, the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority runs vintage trolleys on old original Dallas streetcar track. We like to get off at Lemmon Avenue and have lunch at the Hook, Line & Sinker - a great place for fish, crawdads when they are in season, oysters on the half shell, beer & the most incredible shrimp cocktails. Then we return to the trolley for a 5 minute ride back to CityPlace.
Back at Union Station, you may want to enjoy a very elegant dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Five Sixty Restaurant located at the top of Reunion Tower. Unfortunately the cheaper access to the Observation Deck is closed indefinitely.
The West End hosts the first Spaghetti Warehouse and the first TGIFriday's. Weekends can have some fun streetside dining and entertainment - some outdoor seating overlooks the DART rail for those railfans out there.
Another HIGH society dining establishment that I've enjoyed is the The French Room at the Hotel Adolphus. It can be pretty pricey at around $130 per person for a multi course dinner. That's without booze and caviar. But the location is phenomenal. The Hotel is an extraordinary sample of Art Deco architecture and features the Pegasus that is the Symbol of Dallas (and Mobil Oil). If you want something a bit more affordable but elegant, try the afternoon tea instead.
Of course, you can go to the Sixth Floor Museum right outside Union Station and see where Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly shot John F Kennedy from (my wife knew his wife, and she still proclaims his innocence).
The Age of Steam museum is now officially called Museum of the American Railroad. Go see it while it's still at Fair Park. It is currently being relocated to Frisco, where there is no rail access to get to it. In fact, many of the museums at Fair Park have been or are fixing to be relocated. Maybe that mentality will start to shift now that they have DART access...
That really doesn't even scratch the surface. If you want to enjoy the most that Texas Rail has to offer, enjoy Dallas and ride around on the Dart. You may want to get off at Mockingbird where they have an Arts Festival movie theater and other eclectic restaurants.
As mentioned before, Fort Worth is nice, too. It's the polar oppositte of Dallas, being much more country, rustic, and cowboyish. Not a lot of transit there to ride, so you'll be bussing around quite a bit. But ALL busses and trains in Dallas and Fort Worth are included in the 2-zone all day pass.
Go. Enjoy!
There is a lot to do in Dallas, and it can range from cheap fun to expensive pampering.
For the cheap, I agree with jimhudson. My family LOVES to take the DART train to CityPlace - Texas' only Subway station. Then we ride up two huge flights of escalators and exit to the West. From there, the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority runs vintage trolleys on old original Dallas streetcar track. We like to get off at Lemmon Avenue and have lunch at the Hook, Line & Sinker - a great place for fish, crawdads when they are in season, oysters on the half shell, beer & the most incredible shrimp cocktails. Then we return to the trolley for a 5 minute ride back to CityPlace.
Back at Union Station, you may want to enjoy a very elegant dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Five Sixty Restaurant located at the top of Reunion Tower. Unfortunately the cheaper access to the Observation Deck is closed indefinitely.
The West End hosts the first Spaghetti Warehouse and the first TGIFriday's. Weekends can have some fun streetside dining and entertainment - some outdoor seating overlooks the DART rail for those railfans out there.
Another HIGH society dining establishment that I've enjoyed is the The French Room at the Hotel Adolphus. It can be pretty pricey at around $130 per person for a multi course dinner. That's without booze and caviar. But the location is phenomenal. The Hotel is an extraordinary sample of Art Deco architecture and features the Pegasus that is the Symbol of Dallas (and Mobil Oil). If you want something a bit more affordable but elegant, try the afternoon tea instead.
Of course, you can go to the Sixth Floor Museum right outside Union Station and see where Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly shot John F Kennedy from (my wife knew his wife, and she still proclaims his innocence).
The Age of Steam museum is now officially called Museum of the American Railroad. Go see it while it's still at Fair Park. It is currently being relocated to Frisco, where there is no rail access to get to it. In fact, many of the museums at Fair Park have been or are fixing to be relocated. Maybe that mentality will start to shift now that they have DART access...
That really doesn't even scratch the surface. If you want to enjoy the most that Texas Rail has to offer, enjoy Dallas and ride around on the Dart. You may want to get off at Mockingbird where they have an Arts Festival movie theater and other eclectic restaurants.
As mentioned before, Fort Worth is nice, too. It's the polar oppositte of Dallas, being much more country, rustic, and cowboyish. Not a lot of transit there to ride, so you'll be bussing around quite a bit. But ALL busses and trains in Dallas and Fort Worth are included in the 2-zone all day pass.
Go. Enjoy!
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cirdan mentioned the fairgrounds at Fair Park, the Texas State Fair runs in Oct. which is a nice time to visit as well.
Thanks for all the help so far. We will be there the week after Christmas so I am not sure, would the fair grounds have anything going on at that time?
Do they have any old mansions there to tour? We love those things also.
We are cheap so we probably won't eat at the nice places some of you mentioned but maybe we will look at it?
Do they have any old mansions there to tour? We love those things also.
We are cheap so we probably won't eat at the nice places some of you mentioned but maybe we will look at it?
daveyb99
OBS Chief
Fort Worth is MUCH better.
Downtown
Stockyards
Better Museums
Train to Grapevine - another GREAT town
Less Chaos.
Downtown
Stockyards
Better Museums
Train to Grapevine - another GREAT town
Less Chaos.
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The TRE runs starting at 5:50 am westbound(to Ft. Worth) and the last train eastbound back to Dallas is at 9:47 weekdays. The trip takes approx. one hour. It runs with almost the same schedule on Saturday. Just no service at all on Sunday
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FriskyFL
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The Cotton Bowl is played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. It hasn't been played in the stadium of the same name since 2010 game. Speaking of Cowboys Stadium, the tour is well worth the time and money, the place looks like a billion bucks and puts our lowly Sun Life Stadium to shame. Alas, no rail or any other public transportation to Arlington, you'd have to rent a car or take a cab.:hi: Not sure when the Cotton Bowl Football game is next year, :unsure: but large crowds ride the DART trains to the Fairgrounds when the Cotton Bowl Football Game is, might effect Hotel Prices?? The McKinney Avenue Street Cars, Free, are neat to see/ride! Lots of
high end stores/resturants/clubs etc.) Lots of cities are cutting back on Christmas decorations, but Dallas used to be great for Lights/Decorations etc. As was said the Original Nieman Marcus Dept Store Downtown is worth a Visit! (bring $$$ or Credit Cards!! :lol: )
Just getting a Pass and riding DART and TRE is a great way to spend a day! And I agree that Ft. Worth is definitely worth a day, as was said just not Sunday! Getting out to Arlington where Cowboy Stadium (and the Texas Rangers Stadium/Six Flags etc.) requires a car so thats not practical! saxman and boxcar817 both live in the Metroplex and are members here, they give good advice! Rember to use hotels.com/bookaroom.com/priceline or whatever to compare good deals, the Lawrence is convient and adequate, as was said its an older place thats remodeled, just dont pay over about $75 a night for it! You can Google up lots of info on the Metroplex/they are big boosters and tourist friendly!!!
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mfastx
Service Attendant
Well, Dallas DID get a lot of snow last year. (I think they got something like 16 inches, with a 14 inch snowfall once) But that is an anomaly. So maybe that person just heard about last year's major snowfall.
Yes. Arlington sucks in the public transit areana (though I really loved living there).The Cotton Bowl is played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. It hasn't been played in the stadium of the same name in years. Speaking of Cowboys Stadium, the tour is well worth the time and money, the place looks like a billion bucks and puts our lowly Sun Life Stadium to shame. Alas, no rail or any other public transportation to Arlington, you'd have to rent a car or take a cab.:hi: Not sure when the Cotton Bowl Football game is next year, :unsure: but large crowds ride the DART trains to the Fairgrounds when the Cotton Bowl Football Game is, might effect Hotel Prices?? The McKinney Avenue Street Cars, Free, are neat to see/ride! Lots of
high end stores/resturants/clubs etc.) Lots of cities are cutting back on Christmas decorations, but Dallas used to be great for Lights/Decorations etc. As was said the Original Nieman Marcus Dept Store Downtown is worth a Visit! (bring $$$ or Credit Cards!! :lol: )
Just getting a Pass and riding DART and TRE is a great way to spend a day! And I agree that Ft. Worth is definitely worth a day, as was said just not Sunday! Getting out to Arlington where Cowboy Stadium (and the Texas Rangers Stadium/Six Flags etc.) requires a car so thats not practical! saxman and boxcar817 both live in the Metroplex and are members here, they give good advice! Rember to use hotels.com/bookaroom.com/priceline or whatever to compare good deals, the Lawrence is convient and adequate, as was said its an older place thats remodeled, just dont pay over about $75 a night for it! You can Google up lots of info on the Metroplex/they are big boosters and tourist friendly!!!
The Cotton Bowl Stadium is still home to the Red River Shootout, though that's in October, not after Christmas.
Though this may not be practical for the time of day it runs, but you can take Amtrak to Ft Worth and TRE back. Of course, when the conductor checks your ticket, he'll look at you like a goof for not taking the TRE (note: Amtrak is NOT covered by the day pass). If you plan on going or returning at mid-day, you can certainly ride Amtrak in one direction for a quick 100 AGR points.
Um cowboy stadium is not that old, the cotton bowl was played at fair park 1937-2009The Cotton Bowl is played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. It hasn't been played in the stadium of the same name in years. Speaking of Cowboys Stadium, the tour is well worth the time and money, the place looks like a billion bucks and puts our lowly Sun Life Stadium to shame. Alas, no rail or any other public transportation to Arlington, you'd have to rent a car or take a cab.:hi: Not sure when the Cotton Bowl Football game is next year, :unsure: but large crowds ride the DART trains to the Fairgrounds when the Cotton Bowl Football Game is, might effect Hotel Prices?? The McKinney Avenue Street Cars, Free, are neat to see/ride! Lots of
high end stores/resturants/clubs etc.) Lots of cities are cutting back on Christmas decorations, but Dallas used to be great for Lights/Decorations etc. As was said the Original Nieman Marcus Dept Store Downtown is worth a Visit! (bring $$$ or Credit Cards!! :lol: )
Just getting a Pass and riding DART and TRE is a great way to spend a day! And I agree that Ft. Worth is definitely worth a day, as was said just not Sunday! Getting out to Arlington where Cowboy Stadium (and the Texas Rangers Stadium/Six Flags etc.) requires a car so thats not practical! saxman and boxcar817 both live in the Metroplex and are members here, they give good advice! Rember to use hotels.com/bookaroom.com/priceline or whatever to compare good deals, the Lawrence is convient and adequate, as was said its an older place thats remodeled, just dont pay over about $75 a night for it! You can Google up lots of info on the Metroplex/they are big boosters and tourist friendly!!!
Being that I live in Grand Prairie, I surely recommend coming over here to see a concert at the Verizon Theater, or at our historic Uptown Theater. And of course, Trader's Village, the worlds largest flea market is open every weekend. Acres and Acres of flea market wonder........
There is Mockingbird station at the DART red line with an Angelika theater for artsy0fartsy movies and great nightlife. Nothing special going on at Fair Park in early Jan, though.
Downtown Ft. Worth is worth the trip over.......and check out the Korean Trade District on the Green Dart line at Royal Lane....great wholesale prices on darned near everything in the world.
And there is wonderful local music in the South Side at Lamar area, Gilley's, Poor David's and Opening Bell Coffee.....at the Cedars station of Dart red or blue lines, across the street from the Dallas Police Dept, so it is quite safe.
There is Mockingbird station at the DART red line with an Angelika theater for artsy0fartsy movies and great nightlife. Nothing special going on at Fair Park in early Jan, though.
Downtown Ft. Worth is worth the trip over.......and check out the Korean Trade District on the Green Dart line at Royal Lane....great wholesale prices on darned near everything in the world.
And there is wonderful local music in the South Side at Lamar area, Gilley's, Poor David's and Opening Bell Coffee.....at the Cedars station of Dart red or blue lines, across the street from the Dallas Police Dept, so it is quite safe.
I want to thank you all for your help. We are gambling and booked a junior suite at Hotel Lawrence for $93. I looked into the Hyatt Regency (can come close to some of the prices) but they didn't have all the perks that Hotel Lawrence does. Also the Hyatt seemed way too big for my liking. Now I will be booking soon on the train. We aren't doing a roommette so I hope I am not sorry. 4p.m. to ll:30 a.m. coach ride. Trying to keep it as cheap as possible. The roommette prices are kind of out of wack for the holiday season. I didn't want to spend $700 or so for a overnight trip. Silly thing is that I am spending $600 for a overnight trip to New Orleans later next year but this seven hundred plus was not to my liking and the fact that you can cancel coach up to that day helps a lot when you live in Illinois and might have bad weather.
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