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Downtown Dallas has transformed into an independent live-work-play community of its own.

This is in contrast to the past when it turned into a ghost town after 5 p.m. on weekdays when thousands of office workers trooped home. Besides the glassy skyscrapers of its business zone, Downtown Dallas contains much of the city’s artistic, cultural, and gastronomic treasures. If you are looking for a great place in Dallas to live on your own, raise a family or retire, our real estate agents can help you choose the neighborhood that best suits your needs.

Related: Cost of Living in Dallas, Texas

About Downtown Dallas

Besides serving as the Central Business District, one of the largest art districts in the country is right here in Downtown Dallas. Thanks to a constant flow of investment, old buildings are being transformed into shiny mixed-use developments attracting new shops, bars, and restaurants to the city center.

Some of the top attractions in Downtown Dallas include the Dallas Museum of Art, the Dallas World Aquarium, and the Reunion Tower. If you have school-age kids, you may want to budget for some private schools because the school district isn't the best in Dallas. However, an amazing lifestyle makes up for the lack of exceptional schools.

Arts District

The Arts District is nestled between Downtown Dallas and Bryan Place in the heart of the city. Spanning 68-acres and spread over 20 square blocks, the Dallas Arts District is considered the largest urban arts complex in the nation. A rare jewel that is the centerpiece of the region’s cultural life, the District is home to the largest collection of Pritzker Prize-winning buildings that enhance the downtown Dallas skyline.

Marvel at the sleek design of the the24-story state-of-the-art One Arts Plaza overlooking the Dallas Arts District. The mixed-use complex combines residential, office, retail, and restaurants. For visual arts, the Dallas Museum of Art showcases local and international works spanning different styles, cultures, and times. The Nasher Sculpture Center offers something different with a variety of intriguing metal monuments as well as works by international artists including Miró and Matisse. Art enthusiasts will find plenty to adore at the galleries of the Crow Museum of Asian Art.

Just north of the district is the long and narrow Klyde Warren Park. Here, residents of all ages gather to enjoy the outdoors at the innovative green space stretching along Woodall Rodgers Freeway. Other must-see gems include the half-acre sculpture walk adjacent to KPMG Plaza and a nineteenth-century Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe. You can even hop on the M-Line trolley to one of several stops in the area or travel the area by bus.

Main Street District

Measuring a mere two city blocks, the narrow Main Street District is one of the smallest urban districts in all Downtown Dallas. Despite its small size, it’s the spine of downtown Dallas, connecting many of the adjoining entertainment and business districts. Main Street is a good example of the ongoing revitalization in Dallas. Previously a concrete row of relics from 1950s, Main Street is today a bustling promenade of shops and bars, with apartments and condos gazing on the street from above. While many of the older buildings have been preserved with custom renovations, some older buildings are still waiting for a facelift. This makes the area ripe for savvy entrepreneurs to come in and set up a storefront.

During the day, the streets are bustling with working professionals, government workers, and a steady stream of tourists. Victory Park is also a popular daylight destination for most folks. As night falls, the foot traffic dissipates as the crowds' troop into different hotspots and clubs. For a night on the town, the Pegasus Plaza has become a gathering place of sorts for residents and visitors alike. If you love being right in the middle of the action, living in Main Street District is an option. However, most people prefer to come here for work or play, before retreating to one of Dallas’ many suburbs for a quiet night at home.

West End

A stroll through Downtown Dallas’ West End is in many ways a stroll back in time. You’ll find red-brick buildings instead of skyscrapers. Meanwhile, trees line the sidewalks inviting pedestrians to slow down and enjoy themselves. Lit with old-style street lamps, Market Street is West End’s central corridor. Despite its gentrification, West End Historic District has preserved its rich history as the origin of Dallas. In 1978, the District was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Sixth Floor Museum, the Old Red Museum, the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial, the Dallas World Aquarium, and the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education & Tolerance all call the West End home. With that in mind, West End is one of the largest tourist areas in Dallas catering to over seven million tourists each year. Thanks to this influx, the West End District is home to plenty of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues to cater to the crowds.

In addition to tourists, the West End also attracts millennials, techies, and start-up businesses. What’s more, its home to the Dallas Innovation Alliance and the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (the DEC). With that in mind, the West End District has undergone several versions of change since the assassination of JFK. The result has been a mixed bag of success and failure.

The Farmers Market District

Established in 1941, Farmers Market District is nestled among the skyscrapers and the hustle and bustle of the city. At the heart of everything yet still detached from it all, the district overflows with nutritious produce and the collective fruits of the region's farms. From commonplace carriage-drawn wholesale businesses, the market transformed into a center for dairy, farm-fresh vegetables, and more.

Filled with a collection of historic buildings, apartments, and contemporary townhomes, the Farmers Market District is a great place for people who want easy access to Downtown Dallas and the hustle and bustle that define the area. On days you don’t feel like cooking, you can walk across the street from your spacious home at Taylor Lofts and grab a fresh meal to go.

Whatever you fancy be it Mexican, Indian, Ethiopian, Italian, or even Vietnamese cuisine, the Farmers Market offers a wide variety. People who both work and live downtown can enjoy a car-free lifestyle. Commuting is a breeze as Farmers District is the central hub of DART’s light-rail and bus systems.

Related: Things to Do in Dallas

The Wrap Up

When it comes to new-age urban living, the districts in Downtown Dallas allow residents to live, work, and play all in one location. Integrating eco-friendly features, public transportation, resort-style amenities, and of course stylish housing are all part of the real estate market. This combination has made Downtown Dallas a popular destination for homebuyers. If you’re looking for the hottest live, work, and play urban-style communities, VIP Realty offers a good place to start your home search.