A Tourist's Guide Of Things to Do In Dallas

Being the 9th largest city in America, and the 3rd biggest in Texas, it is no wonder there are endless opportunities in Dallas for fun,, shopping, musical vunues of every variety, dining establishments of countless cuisines representing every area on the globe, cultural exhibits, and major sporting events.

Top Ten Attractions In Dallas (From Trip Advisor)

Thousands of reviews and recommendations from Trip Advisor offer up the best attractions for tourists in Dallas.

1. Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

2. Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center

3. Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park Dallas

4. The Sixth Floor Museum/Texas School Book Depository

5. The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum

6. Klyde Warren Park

7. Dallas Museum of Art

8. Nasher Sculpture Center

9. Dallas World Aquarium

10. Perot Museum of Nature and Science

Professional Sports:

Dallas Cowboys (NFL)

Though the Cowboys are still called America's Team, it belongs to Jerry Jones, both good and bad. The good? Their new Mega-Stadium in Arlington is Super Bowl Worthy, although he moved out of Dallas 20 miles down the road to Arlington. (of course, the original Cowboys played in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, but they moved to Irving soon after, and now to Arlington). The bad? Cowboys have won only 1 playoff game in the last 16 years or so. Jerry Jones insists on remaining the General Manager, which has drawn critics as hot as the summer temperature here in Dallas.

Texas Rangers (MLB)

Baseball season is here, and the Rangers, also located in Arlington near the new Cowboy Stadium, have had much more recent success than the Cowboys. Back to back World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011, spurred a surge of fan excitement and record setting attendance figures. With a highly rated farm system, the Rangers' long term prospects are good, unlike the mediocrity of the Cowboys. For baseball fans, watching a Ranger game is a great experience in their fine ballpark, and their AA minor league team has a fine ballpark just north of Dallas in Frisco where avid fans can watch the next wave of Ranger stars play.

 Dallas Mavericks (NBA)

The Mavericks have been led by Dirk Nowitzki for many years, and the 12-time All Star is beloved in Dallas. The hard-core loyal fan base is led by their number one fan, team owner Mark Cuban, who parlayed a web startup company into billions and bought the Mavericks because he loves the sport. The Mavs won an NBA Championship in 2011.

Best Live Musical Venues

From up-and-comers to the likes of Lyle Lovett and Robert Keen, here are 5 of the best live music venues to see great musical artists in Dallas.

1. Palladium Ballroom

2. Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie

3. The Kessler

4. Granada Theater

5. Bass Performance Hall

Best Restaurants

No matter what your taste buds are craving, Dallas offers up fantastic cuisine in every category. Here are some of the best options.

Steaks: If it is Prime, aged beef you salivate for, Big D is loaded for bear (though they don't serve bear meat to my knowledge!).

1. Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House

2. Pappas Bros. Steakhouse

3. Ocean Prime

4. Al Biernat's

5. Bob's Steak and Chop House

Barbecue: Oak and hickory smoked brisket abounds everywhere in Texas, and Dallas has its share of good ones.

1. Hutchins BBQ

2. Hard 8

3. Pecan Lodge

4. Lockhart Smokehouse

5. Angelos

Tex Mex: With so many choices, it is hard to list just five. Some of these go back decades.

1. Pepe & Mito's

2. Avila's

3. Mena's Tex-Mex Grill

4. Tupinamba

5. Mexico Lindo

Asian

Thai, Japanes, Sushi, Asian Rim...choices abound. Here are 5 of Dallas consumers' favorites.

1. Bangkok City

2. Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck

3. Tei-An Japanese and Sushi

4. The Blue Fish

5. Royal Sichuan

To sum it all up Dallas is one of the greatest cities in America, with world class amenities no matter what you are looking for.