Dallas
Travel Guide > North America > USA > Southern United States > Texas > Dallas
Introduction
When you think of Texas, you think of cattle, wide-open spaces and dirt lanes. But Texas also calls to mind the cities it's famous for - San Antonio, South Padre, Corpus Christi, Austin, Houston and, last but not least, Dallas. Dallas is the third-largest (as estimated by the United States Census Bureau on 1 July 2006) city in the state of Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The city covers 385 square miles and is the county seat of Dallas County.
Neighbourhoods
Sights and Activities
If you like the nightlife, Dallas' arts and entertainment district Deep Ellum is for you. Many streets in Deep Ellum are blocked off on the weekends, but finding parking isn't a problem. Full of all kinds of music (rap, rock and indie music are the most popular), Deep Ellum has quite a collection of clubs to choose from. With art galleries, restaurants, tattoo parlors, live music venues, bars, and dance clubs, you're sure to find something in Deep Ellum to interest you.
If you're traveling with kids, or a nature/animal lover, the Dallas Zoo, Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and Dallas World Aquarium are good places to visit. If you're up for the short ride into Grapevine, they hold several carnivals/festivals: Main Street Days Outdoor Adventure and GrapeFest. If you want to take a trip to Ft. Worth, there's the Kimball Art Museum, Ft. Worth Zoo and the Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens. Dallas also hosts the State Fair of Texas.
There are also several choices in the way of culture and art. Dallas Museum of Art, Amon Carter Museum, Bass Performance Hall, Majestic Theater, Dallas Opera, Kimbell Art Gallery and Museum of Nature and Science.
Events and Festivals
Weather
Dallas has a humid subtropical climate, yet this part of Texas also tends to receive warm, dry winds from the north and west in the summer. Winters are generally mild, with typical daytime highs between 50 °F and 65 °F and nighttime lows between 30 °F and 50 °F. However, strong cold fronts known as "Blue Northers" sometimes pass through Dallas, plummeting nightly lows below 30 °F. Snowfall is seen on average 2-4.5 days out of the year and snow accumulation is typically seen at least once every winter. A couple of times each year, warm and humid air from the south overrides cold, dry air, leading to freezing rain, which often causes major disruptions in the city if the roads and highways become dangerously slick. On the other hand, daytime highs above 65 °F are also not unusual during the winter season. In sum, extremes in weather are more readily seen in Dallas and Texas as a whole than along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, due to the state's location in the middle of the U.S.
Spring and autumn bring pleasant weather to the area. Vibrant wildflowers (such as the bluebonnet, Indian paintbrush and other flora) bloom in spring and are planted around the highways throughout Texas. Springtime weather can be quite volatile, but temperatures themselves are generally mild. The weather in Dallas is also pleasant between late September and early November, and unlike springtime, major storms rarely form in the area.
Getting There
By Plane
There are two airports in Dallas.
Dallas Love Field (IATA: DAL, ICAO: KDAL, FAA LID: DAL) is Dallas' second-largest airport and is about five miles from the center of Dallas. DAL was the main airport for Dallas until DFW was open. With only three runways and twenty gates, DAL obviously isn't as busy as DFW - which some people would prefer. Keep in mind that this means less airlines use it as a hub, and due to the Wright Amendment, it can only serve certain areas.
DFW Airport (IATA: DFW, ICAO: KDFW, FAA LID: DFW) is Dallas' largest airport, and is about fifteen miles away from the center of Dallas. This is the airport most people use, although it can be more expensive. Located between Dallas and Ft. Worth, it gives the traveler easy access to Grapevine, Southlake, Ft. Worth, Dallas, Euless and Irving. It is the largest, and main, hub for American Airlines; it is also the largest hub for American Eagle.
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This is version 24. Last edited at 6:11 on May 15, 08 by GeoBot (+58). 4 articles link to this page.
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