When planning my trip to Dallas, I found a lot of different pieces of advice as to what I should see and do. After visiting I thought it would be great to make a list of the thing I thought were must-do’s!
1. Dude Sweet
As a (self-proclaimed) chocolate connoisseur, being on vacation is the perfect excuse to buy some chocolate. Dude Sweet is a chocolate shop located in the Bishop Arts district and has the most unique types of chocolate! It is all dark chocolate but their interesting flavor combinations will surprise you. And, they give out samples of whatever kind you want to try! I never would have purchased the chocolate with bleu cheese if they didn’t suggest it and let me sample it…and it was amazing!
2. Deep Ellum
Deep Ellum definitely seems to be an area that is becoming popular in Dallas. Deep Ellum has a sort of industrial charm, with a lot of businesses currently there as well as a lot of places in the process of being added. There is a wide variety of bars/breweries, stores and art to check out!
One of my favorite was a shop called Jade & Clover. They had a large selection of cute little cacti, as well as an area to create your own terrarium. If I didn’t have to fly home, I totally would have made one!
3. George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum
The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum (also known as the George W. Bush Presidential Center) was one of the highlights of the trip. You could spend hours in this museum because there is so much to see, especially if George W Bush is one of your favorite presidents. The museum takes you through George Bush’s entire presidency, detailing his life and the life-changing decisions he made for the American people. My favorite part was the 9/11 section of the museum as I think this was one of the most important times during his presidency. I also really enjoyed that the museum had a variety of video clips, interactive activities, and even games for children!
4. Dallas Farmers Market & The Shed
The Dallas Farmers Market is a must-see! It is not a traditional farmers market, but more of an indoor building with vendors including eateries and shops. Outside of one of the entrances is a wall of unique artwork, and to the side is The Shed.
The Shed is an covered outdoor area that is more of a farmers market. When we visited there were a handful of people selling fruits, vegetables and house plants. We were visiting in late September, so there were a lot of pumpkins as well!
5. 6th Floor Museum
Embarrassingly enough, I didn’t pay too much attention in high school History classes, so I wan surprised that the two museums we visited were my favorite part of the trip. I learned a lot about the life of John F Kennedy, his presidency, and his assassination. The most interesting thing about the museum is it is in the building where the assassin killed John F Kennedy as his car was driving down the street right outside of the building. It was interesting to see the video remake of JFK’s car driving down the road in the parade, looking right outside of the windows of the 6th floor where the sniper was watching on the day of JFK’s assassination.
Unlike the George Bush Library, which had a variety of ways to display information, the 6th Floor Museum is mainly an audio tour. I personally don’t like audio tours because they can get a little boring, but I still loved the tour! On some sections I listened to the audio and other sections I just read the written descriptions.
6. Lockhart Smokehouse
When you visit Texas, you have to try some Texas barbecue! There are a lot of options to choose from, but we ended up trying Lockhart Smokehouse because of the good reviews and easy parking compared to some of the other nearby locations.
When you walk into Lockhart Smokehouse you will see the seating area upon entering, as well as a bar. To order food, walk to the back of the restaurant and there will be people available to take your order. You have to order meat by the pound and the sides come in a few sizes. Try to get your group to agree on some items because the price of the meat per pound can add up very quickly!
Our favorites were the brisket, Mac & cheese, and ribs.
7. Emporium Pies
When I go on vacation, one of my main focuses is to find places to eat, as you can probably tell by this post so far! I loved Emporium Pies for its unique atmosphere and fun flavors. They have a variety of pies to purchase by the slices, and you can order to eat-in or to-go. There are a few locations located in Dallas, including in Deep Ellum and the Bishop Artis district. We ordered the Lord of the Pies and the Nannerz!
8. Dallas State Fair
Although the fair is open all year, I suggest going if it’s open when you’re visiting! Going to another state’s fair is fun because you can see how different it it compared to yours. For example, the vendors at the Dallas State Fair don’t take cash. For food and drinks you have to buy “Coupons” which are tickets, and it looked like you had to buy some kind of card for the games.
The Dallas State Fair was a ton of fun but it was very hot, so make sure to wear sunscreen and wear cool, comfortable clothing!
I know how tough it can be making plans for a place you’ve never been to. I hope this post helps you decide what to add to your list of things to do, or what to skip!
