Dallas is weird. Not "keep Austin weird" weird, but a different kind of strange. People come here expecting nothing but concrete, cowboy hats, and maybe a reference to a certain 1963 tragedy, and then they're blindsided. They find a 68-acre botanical garden that looks like a Mediterranean fever dream. They find a world-class sushi bar tucked inside a 1920s gin building. Honestly, if you think you know this city based on a TV show from the '80s, you're missing the point.
The real list of things to do in Dallas TX isn't just about checking boxes. It’s about navigating the sprawl to find the soul.
The Art Scene Isn't Just for Snobs
Most people head straight to the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA). It's great. It’s huge. It’s also free, which is probably the best part. But if you want to actually feel something, walk across the street to the Nasher Sculpture Center. It is a sanctuary. The indoor-outdoor flow makes you forget you’re surrounded by skyscrapers.
Then there’s the Crow Museum of Asian Art. It’s quiet. Contemplative. It has a sculpture garden that feels like a secret, even though it’s right in the middle of the Arts District.
If you’re visiting in 2026, you absolutely have to hit the Changing Perspectives Block Party in June. It’s this massive, chaotic, beautiful explosion of circus arts and music on Flora Street. They’ve got these performers called SWAY! who do shows on 20-foot poles. It’s terrifying to watch but impossible to look away from.
Deep Ellum and the Murals
Deep Ellum is where the city’s grit lives. It's the historic home of jazz and blues.
- The Traveling Man: A three-part sculpture of a giant silver robot.
- Live Music: Check out Trees or The Bomb Factory.
- The Murals: They are everywhere. Literally everywhere.
You’ve probably seen the "Giant Eyeball" downtown. It’s 30 feet tall. It’s right across from The Joule hotel. It doesn't "do" anything except stare at you. It’s weird, it’s iconic, and it’s peak Dallas.
Where to Eat (And Where Not To)
Everyone will tell you to go to Pecan Lodge for BBQ. They aren't wrong; the brisket is life-changing. But the line is a nightmare. If you don't want to spend three hours of your life standing on a sidewalk, try Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Q. It’s just as good, maybe better, and it feels more like a local secret.
Dallas just got its first MICHELIN stars recently. Mamani in Uptown is the current "it" spot. It’s French contemporary, it’s expensive, and the Honeynut Squash Agnolotti will make you want to cry. If you can actually snag a reservation at Tatsu Dallas in Deep Ellum, do it. It’s a 10-seat omakase counter. It’s intimate. It’s slow. It’s the opposite of the "bigger is better" Dallas stereotype.
The "Clubstaurant" Phenomenon
Uptown is booming with places like Delilah—what people call "clubstaurants." It’s a supper club. No photos allowed. It’s where you go to see and be seen, usually on a company expense card. Not my scene? Maybe. But it's undeniably Dallas.
Getting Outside Without Leaving the City
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is the heavy hitter here. It’s 66 acres on the edge of White Rock Lake. If you’re here in the spring, the "Dallas Blooms" festival puts half a million tulips in the ground. It’s overwhelming.
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For something a bit more rugged, head south to Cedar Ridge Preserve.
- It’s 633 acres.
- It’s managed by Audubon Dallas.
- The Escarpment Trail actually has elevation changes.
Yes, elevation in Dallas. I promise.
Then there’s Klyde Warren Park. It’s a park built over a highway. Think about that for a second. They decked over Woodall Rodgers Freeway and put in food trucks, a dog park, and yoga spaces. It’s the connective tissue between Downtown and Uptown, and it’s basically the city's living room.
The Sports Obsession is Real
You can’t talk about things to do in Dallas TX without mentioning the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Dallas is hosting the semi-final. The energy in the city is already vibrating. AT&T Stadium (Jerry World) is technically in Arlington, but Dallas claims it. It’s a temple to excess. Even if you don't like football, the sheer scale of the video board is worth the tour.
If you prefer something faster, the Dallas Stars play at the American Airlines Center. Hockey in the desert? Basically. The "Victory Green" jerseys are everywhere during the playoffs.
Hidden Gems You Actually Care About
- The Wild Detectives: It’s a bookstore in a house in Bishop Arts that serves booze. It is the perfect place to hide from the Texas heat.
- Coombs Creek Trail: Go find the gnomes. People hide little gnome figurines in the trees along the trail in Oak Cliff.
- Bonnie & Clyde’s Graves: They’re buried in two different cemeteries (Crown Hill and Western Heights). It’s a bit morbid, sure, but it’s real history.
- The Samurai Collection: Tucked away above Saint Ann restaurant in the Harwood District. It’s one of the largest collections of samurai armor outside of Japan. And it’s free.
The Truth About the History
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is the one everyone knows. It’s heavy. It’s well-done. It chronicles the JFK assassination with a level of detail that is almost haunting. But don't stop there.
Go to the African American Museum at Fair Park. It has one of the best collections of African American folk art in the country. Or the Holocaust and Human Rights Museum downtown. Dallas has these deep, layered histories that get overshadowed by the "glitz and glam" image.
Actionable Tips for Your Trip
Stop trying to walk everywhere. Dallas is a driving city, though the DART rail is okay for getting between major hubs like Mockingbird Station and Downtown.
What to do right now:
- Check the calendar: If it's the first Tuesday of the month, the Dallas Zoo is only $8.
- Book early: If you want to eat at Tatsu or Mamani, you need to be on their reservation site the second slots open.
- Stay in a neighborhood: Don't just stay in a generic hotel downtown. Look at the Bishop Arts District for a 1920s bungalow vibe or Lower Greenville for a walkable, neighborhood feel.
- Pack for four seasons: I've seen it go from 80 degrees to 30 degrees in six hours. It’s not a joke.
Dallas doesn't hand its best parts to you on a silver platter. You have to go looking for them. You have to drive past a strip mall to find a five-star taco joint. You have to hike through a nature preserve to see the skyline from a distance. But once you find it, you realize the "concrete jungle" myth is just that—a myth.