According to Mcat-test-centers, Dallas is the third largest city in the state of Texas after Houston and San Antonio and the most important travel destination in the state. Together with Fort Worth, Dallas has an extension of 100 km and about 4.5 million residents.
The development of the city of Dallas began in the 19th century with the cultivation of cotton and the discovery of petroleum. Around the city, fertile black earth soils provide the basis for growing maize, wheat and cotton. Today Dallas is the financial capital of the state. Dallas was founded in 1841 by John Neely Bryan, a lawyer and entrepreneur from Tennessee.
Dallas has become known worldwide through two events in particular:
- the assassination attempt on the American President John F. Kennedy, which has not yet been clarified (see Sixth Floor Museum),
- through the television series of the same name “Dallas”, one of the first and most successful soaps around the villain “JR”, played by Larry Hagman, and the South Fork Ranch.
Landmarks
Reunion Tower (website): With 50 floors and a panoramic view over the city.
Dealey Plaza: Named after former publisher George Bannerman Dealey, the location where the assassination attempt on President John F. Kennedy took place. Allegedly, the President was shot dead by Lee Harvey Oswald from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository on nearby Elm Street.
Sixth Floor Museum (website): Museum and exhibition in honor of JF Kennedy, about his life and work as well as the assassination on him on the 6th floor of the former school book administration, the place from which Kennedy was shot.
Dallas Museum of Art (website): Collection of native American art, pre-Columbian and early African art, as well as works by Henry Matisse, Claude Monet, John Singer Sargent, and many more
Pioneer Plaza: Group of 70 bronze longhorns and cowboys, the largest sculptural sculpture in the world. This was the beginning of the historic trail that was used to drive cattle in 1854.
Historical Plaza: Old Red Courthouse, built in 1890 in the Romanesque Revival style.
John Neely Bryan Cabin: A reconstruction of the cabin built by the Dallas founder in 1841. In the following years it served first as a school, then as a church. The current reconstruction was completed in 1936.
JF Kennedy Memorial: Memorial to the 35th President. Intended as a place for meditation with soundproof walls and open to the sky for spiritual communication.
Old City Park (OCP): Buildings dating from 1840-1910 including a farm, Victorian houses, railroad depot, general store, doctor’s office, and restaurant.
Fair Park (website): The State Fair of Texas, the largest folk festival in the USA, takes place here every October. The park is also the site of numerous events. Open year round except the week before the State Fair. The park is home to eight museums and a Vietnam monument. Attractions include the Age of Steam Railroad Museum, Dallas Aquarium, Hall of State, Dallas Museum of Natural History, Science Place and Planetarium, TI Founders IMAX Theater, African American Museum, Smirnoff Music Center, Texas Discovery, the Women’s Museum and the Music Hall. In the music hall, also home to the Dallas Opera, musicals are performed from June to August, as well as matinees on the weekends.
African American Museum: (website): One of the largest African-American collections in the United States.
The Woman’s Museum (website): The latest technology is used to remember women who have had a lasting impact on American history.
Museum of Nature & Science (website): Nature and the origin of life, with over 280,000 exhibits the largest collection of Texan animal life.
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden (website): Botanical garden with an emphasis on trees on the shores of White Rock Lake. In addition to an ornamental garden, there is also a fog garden and a wildflower path.
Southfork Ranch (website): Home of the famous oil dynasty from the television series Dallas. While Bobby, JR and Miss Ellie never lived here [the series was shot in the studios], the ranch is a reality and attracts millions of visitors each year for a guided tour of the mansion and gardens. Deli (barbeque and Tex-Mex) & souvenir shop. You can also take a train that starts at the Visitor Center to travel around the entire site.
Nasher Sculpture Center (website): The Nasher Collection is recognized worldwide as one of the leading collections of sculpture of the 20th century. It contains works by Calder, de Kooning, Matisse, Miro, Picasso, Rodin, Serra and many other artists. The latest addition is a dramatic painted fiberglass sculpture by Jonathan Borofsky that is 30 meters (100 feet) tall.
Crow Collection of Asian Art (website): The collection includes more than 600 paintings, art objects made of metal and stone, and major architectural works from China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia.
Shopping and entertainment
Greenville Avenue: In the northeast of the city, many pubs and cafes.
McKinney Avenue: The historic McKinney Avenue Trolley takes visitors to McKinney Avenue. Historic buildings with galleries and shops.
Swiss Avenue: Stately residences in the prairie style, through Art Deco to Tudor and Spanish Renaissance styles.
Highland Park Village (website): Spanish-style shopping center
Deep Ellum (website): Very close to downtown Dallas, the center of extravagant Dallas life.
West End Historic District (website): Surrounded by Marquet St, Pacific Ave, Woodall Rogers & McKinney Ave. Restaurants, shops and nightlife districts. This turn of the century warehouse district west of downtown is now home to more than 80 shops, 40 restaurants and dozen of nightclubs.
Shopping malls
Shopping malls belong to this city like oil to Houston. There are countless opportunities for shopping. Advertising slogan: What you can’t buy in Dallas can’t be found anywhere else.
North Park Center (website): Mixture of shops, architectural highlights, restaurants and works of art or galleries.
Valley View Center (website) & The Galleria (website): One of the world’s largest shopping centers with over 200 shops and restaurants, an ice rink, 5 cinemas and luxury hotels.
Dallas Farmers Market (website): Dallas Farmers Market is open year round. More than 150 traders sell their fresh fruits and vegetables every day.
The Shops at Willow Bend (website): With 150 stores, the Shops at Willow Bend are another shopping attraction in Dallas, opened in 2003.
Weather and climate
The main season for visitors is summer. The most pleasant travel times are spring and autumn, as it can get very hot in midsummer. In the summer months, the thermometer can climb over 40 degrees. July and August are the months with the least amount of precipitation, but it is not high.
- January (2.3 – 13.3 degrees)
- February (3.5 – 15.5 degrees)
- March (7.2 – 19.4 degrees)
- April (12.7 – 23.8 degrees)
- May (17.2 – 28.3 degrees)
- June (22.2 – 32.7 degrees)
- July (23.8 – 35 degrees)
- August (23.8 – 35 degrees)
- September (19.4 – 31 degrees)
- October (13.9 – 26.1 degrees)
- November (6.6 – 18.8 degrees)
- December (3.4 – 14.4 degrees)
