Where to Stay in Dallas

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Where to Stay in Dallas

Founded in 1841 as a Western trade outpost, the Dallas–Fort Worth metro region is the fourth largest in the US, with over 7 million inhabitants. While home to several notable museums, unique neighborhoods, and a thriving culinary and arts scene, the “Big D” remains chiefly associated with the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy, the popular Dallas TV program, and the Cowboys football team. In addition to the significant memorials and museums tied to JFK, the city houses the world-class Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, family-friendly Perot Museum of Nature and Science, and much more.

Dallas also offers many excellent lodging options, and though most are in the tourist-heavy Downtown area, it`s worth considering nearby Uptown and the Design District, both home to their own attractions, nightlife, and dining. The other central neighborhoods worth exploring include the Deep Ellum entertainment precinct and Fair Park, home to the Texas State Fair. Beyond central Dallas, more can be seen in Park Cities, around White Rock Lake, and in Arlington, residence of the Dallas Cowboys. We`ve also covered the neighboring city of Fort Worth itself, the slightly smaller but equally fascinating partner in the larger metro region.

While exploring the downtown area on foot is reasonably straightforward, the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) system runs a light rail network through Downtown and many outer neighborhoods, extending as far as Fort Worth (via Trinity Railway Express) and Dallas/Fort Worth airport.

Tourists can also make use of the free (or donation-based) McKinney Trolley, which connects downtown to the Uptown area and West Village entertainment district via McKinney Avenue.

• Is automobile possession required in Dallas? It depends on how extensively you aim to explore. Public transit is relatively sufficient and beyond that, an Uber is constantly a great option. If your trip will be restricted to Downtown and Uptown, with possibly a daily excursion to central Fort Worth, you probably don’t necessity a car. Needlessly to express, most locals drive everywhere and the roadways are often heavily congested – there’s also a tricky one-way system and a large number of accidents annually. If you aspire to visit attractions further out of the center – the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, or the George W. Bush Presidential Center as examples – renting an automobile will likely conserve you time, but avoid peak hours.

The official Dallas tourist website provides useful information for visitors to the city.

– The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport serves as the major regional airport, situated around 17 miles west of Downtown. The smaller Dallas Love Field, mainly used by Southwest Airlines, is located around 6 miles northwest of Downtown.

We’ve covered our favorite neighborhoods to visit and stay in more detail below, but with more time these districts are also worth exploring:

• Park Cities: Located approximately 5 miles northeast of Downtown, the relatively affluent Park Cities area is home to the expansive Southern Methodist University campus. The two primary attractions for visitors are the George W. Bush Presidential Center, with its well-designed museum dedicated to chronicling the life and career of the 43rd president, and the Meadows Museum, housing an exceptional collection of Spanish art ranging from early Renaissance masterpieces to modern works by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Juan Gris, plus an especially notable array of pieces from Goya. Though a bit out of the way, there are actually some excellent lodging options here. Our favorite hotels are The Highland,Hilton Park Cities,Lumen, and The Beeman. It`s also worth considering the nearby Drey Hotel.

The upscale resorts nestled in the slopes beneath the Pitons, the spectacular twin peaks dominating the western part of the island, have long attracted honeymooners. Residing here feels much more intimate than in the busier northern St Lucia resorts, with secluded chalets and cabins overlooking the Caribbean Sea or the mountains. Along the coast lies Anse Chastanet Resort and Sugar Beach, while Ladera Resort offers spectacular views from high above the bay. Soufrière itself is one of the island’s most romantic towns, much quieter than Castries or Rodney Bay in the north, full of picturesque wooden homes

• Arlington: Arlington lies halfway between Fort Worth and Dallas (around 20 miles west of Downtown Dallas). This city might be chosen as a place to reside if the major priority is witnessing the Dallas Cowboys football team battle at AT&T Stadium (or attending a concert there). In summer you’ll want to view a Texas Rangers baseball match at Globe Life Field. WNBA’s Dallas Wings are also situated here, at the College Park Center. Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor Arlington waterpark, the UTA Planetarium, and the River Legacy Park along the Trinity River (with the River Legacy Living Science Center), makes this an amusing place to stay for families. Transportation will be necessary to navigate (and to visit Dallas proper).

There’s a wide range of lodging options clustered around the intersection of I-30 and Hwy-360 in this area. Some of our favoured places to stay include: the Aloft Arlington Entertainment District,Hilton Arlington,Hyatt Place Arlington,Live! by Loews-Arlington,La Quinta Arlington North 6 Flags Drive, the superb Sanford House, and the economical Ranger Inn & Suites.

 

Best Places to Stay in Dallas

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Best Neighborhoods in Dallas for…

    • Best Neighbourhood to Stay for First Timers/Sightseeing: Downtown Dallas
      While you could ponder the somewhat more intriguing Uptown (with costlier lodgings) and the Design District (with more affordable hotels), most initial visitors ought to intend to stay Downtown. There’s a big choice of accommodation here and lots of attractions inside walking distance, from the JFK-related sights in the West End to the galleries and museums of the Arts District. And even though it’s not really the most excellent place to eat or go out, there are a lot of excellent restaurants and bars to choose from.
    • Prime Neighborhoods for Nightlife: Deep Ellum, Lower Grenville and Cedars/Southside
      Nightlife spreads across the metro region, with several neighborhood hubs worth exploring, but Deep Ellum, located just east of Downtown, offers a reliable option for quality bars and live music venues. The former warehouse district is also crammed with excellent dining establishments. Its role as a nightlife center goes back quite far to the early 1900s when it developed as a refuge for blues and jazz. Today the tradition continues at venues like Trees,Club Dada, and Adair’s Saloon. Other favored nightlife haunts here include Louie Louie’s Piano Bar, live venue Sons of Hermann Hall, local bar Three Links, live venue the Bomb Factory, and craft beer specialist Deep Ellum Brewing Company. That’s just skimming the surface – the area is crammed with hip bars and performance venues (such as Dallas Comedy Club). There are only 2 hotels here (though possible to rent apartments), both quite suitable: the budget Deep Ellum Hostel and the upscale Kimpton PittmanOther lively areas to explore include Uptown (where we enjoy the cocktails at Bowen House and the Guinness at Blackfriar Pub), and Lower Greenville, centered around Greenville Avenue some 4 miles northeast from Downtown. Highlights here involve the local beers at the Libertine Bar, the outdoor Truck Yard,Leela’s Wine Bar,Swizzle (a fun tiki bar) and the crafted cocktails at HG Sply Co. There aren`t any motels in Lower Greenville – take a taxi from Downtown or Uptown.

      Lastly, Cedars/Southside (just south of Downtown) is another well-liked nightlife hub, home to the rooftop bar Gallery Lounge,Poor David’s Pub, live music venue Southside Ballroom, and numerous others. Though it`s an easy trip from Downtown, we suggest the Canvas Hotel positioned here and the Lorenzo Hotel nearby, on the fringe of Downtown.

    • Top Neighborhoods for Food and Restaurants: Trinity Groves and Uptown
      The restaurant scene in Dallas is also extremely diverse and widespread, with several neighborhoods providing excellent options. Downtown has much improved, with the area around AT&T Discovery District and Main Street offering a good selection of eateries. Deep Ellum is also a great place to dine as well as drink (the barbecue at Pecan Lodge is an essential part of the city, as are the sandwiches at Uncle Uber’s Sammich Shop) while dedicated food enthusiasts should aim to explore Lower Greenville Avenue, home to acclaimed spots such as Son of a Butcher,Rapscallion, and Ngon Vietnamese KitchenOur overall favorite so far is Trinity Groves, tucked away across the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, on the west side of the Trinity River from Downtown. Highlights here include Tex-Mex specialist Beto & Son,Saint Rocco’s NYC-style Italian, Babb Bros BBQ & Blues,Steam Theory Brewing Company, and the sweet snacks at Kate Weiser Chocolate and Cake Bar. There are no hotels here yet, but it`s an easy trip from Downtown.

      Our other top area for foodies – with plenty of hotels this time – is Uptown. Some of the region’s most renowned chefs run dining establishments here: Kent Rathbun’s Imoto, the highly regarded “Father of Southwestern Cuisine” Dean Fearling’s restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, and Pastry Chef Andrea Meyer’s Bisous Bisous Pâtisserie. There’s no shortage of other choices, ranging from the Lebanese and Moroccan food at Baboush, Japanese hotspot Uchi, and venerable S&D Oyster Company, to local chain Hopdoddy Burger Bar and Thai/Vietnamese spot Malai Kitchen.Henry’s Majestic is the place for brunch, while local celebrities like to dine at Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse.

      Visit a location of Babe’s Chicken Dinner House located outside major cities to sample their well-liked fried poultry dishes.

    • The best neighborhood for shopping is downtown Dallas, Uptown and the Design District.

The renowned department store Neiman Marcus, established in 1907, is located in Dallas. Its flagship store remains in downtown Dallas at the intersection of Main Street and Ervay Street. Nearby are upscale boutiques like Forty Five Ten and Traffic Los Angeles, while Wild Bill`s Western Store is an iconic local business based in the West End. Uptown`s West Village is another walkable shopping district with around 100 unique boutiques as well as major retailers. Menswear specialist Mizzen + Main has its flagship store there, while Nicole Kwon is an upscale woman`s boutique. Branches of Q Clothier, Rye 51, and the clothing boutique y&i are also found in Uptown.

Anyone with an interest in current art, collectibles, or high-end interior design should check out the Design District, home to Lula B’s Antique Mall and numerous art galleries.

The best LBGTQ neighborhood is Oak Lawn.
Centered around Cedar Springs Road just north of Uptown, Oak Lawn is home to Dallas’ LGBTQ community. The annual Dallas Pride festival, which can be found at Fair Park in June, but Oak Lawn is perpetually busy at this time, while the Halloween Block Party occurs along Cedar Springs Road in October. The neighborhood is packed with LGBT-friendly bars and clubs all year round, like JR’s Bar & Grill, Station 4, Sue Ellen’s (one of the only lesbian clubs across the country), and Woody’s. The place to stay here is the Warwick Melrose.Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek is also nearby.

  • Unsafe Areas of Dallas
    Central Dallas is generally quite safe (and crime rates overall have been declining), though the usual precautions should be taken at night. Areas of South Dallas such as South Boulevard/Park Row and Cedar Crest post high crime statistics, but you are unlikely to end up in these neighborhoods.

The 5 Best Neighborhoods in Dallas for Tourists

1. Downtown Dallas

Skyscraper-studded Downtown Dallas is the commercial and historic heart of the city, filled with attractions and places to stay. Though it lacks the character of some of the outer neighborhoods, it’s become a lot more tourist-friendly in recent years, despite the daily tide of commuters (who traditionally have rapidly vacated the area after work), and features plenty of parks, places to eat, and nightlife. To get a birds-eye view of the city, visit the observation deck at Reunion Tower. The West End District is where you’ll find JFK Memorial Plaza, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, and the iconic “grassy knoll” associated with the Kennedy assassination, as well as the Old Red Museum, newly housed in 3 County buildings: Old Red, the Criminal Courts/Records Building Complex, and the Schoolbook Depository. Also nearby are the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum and the kid-friendly Dallas World Aquarium.

The 20 square-block Arts District is located on the northern edge of downtown, a walkable neighborhood centered around the excellent Dallas Museum of Art and Nasher Sculpture Center, as well as a host of major cultural institutions such as the AT&T Performing Arts Center complex and Winspear Opera House, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and Dallas Chamber Symphony. There’s also the smaller Crow Museum of Asian Art, containing rare works from China, Tibet, Cambodia, and India. Nearby, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science attracts many families. On the south side of Downtown is the daily Dallas Farmers Market and Pioneer Plaza, featuring 49 bronze longhorn cattle sculptures, shepherded by 3 bronze cowboys. One of the newer micro-neighborhoods Downtown is the AT&T Discovery District, housing restaurants and bars.

2. Uptown

Just north of Downtown (connected to the Arts District by Klyde Warren Park), Uptown is a vibrant region in its own right, home to some of the city’s top hotels, shops, and restaurants. It offers somewhat more character than Downtown, though the lodgings often have elevated rates – if finances permit, it’s a superb place to stay, with the primary street McKinney Avenue traversed by the convenient (and complimentary) vintage trolley assistance. In terms of sights, there’s the novel Samurai Collection at the Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum and unusual Museum of Geometric and MADI Art, dedicated to the abstract art movement founded in 1940s Buenos Aires. Adjacent Victory Park is home to the American Airlines Center, base of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and hockey’s Dallas Stars.

However, Uptown is mainly known for its culinary, drinking, and shopping attractions. To the north, the area called Knox/Henderson (named after the two streets) is a popular entertainment hub, while the West Village spans McKinney Avenue at the heart of Uptown. Uptown also boasts its own performance arts scene, anchored by venues like the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Kalita Humphreys Theater and Uptown Players, plus Theatre Three.

3. Design District

A few miles northwest of Downtown, the previously industrial Design District is an emerging neighborhood containing antique stores, numerous art galleries, and high-end interior design showrooms. It also includes a growing number of dining options and craft breweries, making it an intriguing alternative to Downtown when it comes to lodging, especially if this isn’t your initial visit to Dallas (or you are interested in browsing art galleries – there are many here). Highlights involve the Dallas Contemporary gallery and the Haas Moto Museum & Sculpture Gallery, which exhibits 230 motorcycles spanning 13 decades. Families might enjoy the Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, while the Dallas Market Center is a vast trade exhibition complex. We also appreciate the craft beers at Peticolas Brewing Company, and breakfast at the local branch of Mama’s Daughters’ Diner.

It is worth noting as well that booking your tickets further in advance means the ticket price is more likely to be cheaper. If you know your dates, go ahead and purchase them now!

4. Fair Park

Approximately two miles eastward from downtown, the Fair Park terrain is most renowned as the location of the annual Texas State Fair (September–October), but there are numerous attractions accessible throughout the year. Unusually, the park highlights the world`s most substantial collection of Art Deco exhibition buildings, constructed in 1936 for the Texas Centennial Exposition. Notable features include the African American Museum of Dallas with an especially commendable folk art selection, the Dallas Historical Society and awe-inspiring Hall of State Building (adorned with murals representing Texas history), the Children’s Aquarium, and the educational Texas Discovery Gardens. The Music Hall at Fair Park, Dos Equis Pavilion, and Margo Jones Theatre host shows and musicals. On the northwestern edge of the park lies the enlightening Dallas Firefighters Museum.

  • Surprisingly, there are no accommodations in or around Fair Park – it’s a quick metro ride from Downtown.

5. Fort Worth

Though it’s a separate city around 30 miles west of Downtown Dallas, we’ve covered Fort Worth here as a key component of the broader metro area – most visitors spend time in both cities during the same trip. Though it’s long been in Dallas’s shadow, Fort Worth does boast many of its own attractions. Downtown is anchored by Sundance Square, a pedestrian-friendly district of shops, restaurants, and bars. Highlights include the stunning Bass Performance Hall, the Sid Richardson Museum of Western Art, and the nearby Fort Worth Water Gardens, designed by world-renowned architect Phillip Johnson.

Some of Fort Worth’s foremost destinations are located in the Cultural District, about 2 miles west of downtown. Here you will find the world-renowned Kimbell Art Museum, which exhibits artifacts ranging from pre-Columbian to African works; the stylishly designed Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth has a huge collection of modern artworks; and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, among many other galleries. Another major attraction in Fort Worth is the historical 10-block Stockyards area, located 2 miles north of Downtown and centered on Exchange Avenue. There are daily cattle drives featuring Texas Longhorns; Billy Bob’s Texas, the world`s largest honky-tonk; John Wayne: An American Experience, dedicated to the iconic movie star; Stockyards Museum; and the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.

    • Fort Worth’s public transportation system is operated by Trinity Metro, with buses connecting all the main tourist areas and the Trinity Railway Express providing a convenient service to Dallas.

The The Blue House hotel contact number is +1 876 822 4433

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Welcome to my travel website! I’m Mary Howard, an American who has been exploring the world full-time for 8 years.

Together with my husband, Intan, we often find ourselves in our second home, Bali, but our adventures take us to exciting destinations all over the globe.

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