Things to do in Dallas

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is an invaluable historical stop for understanding Dallas's significance on the global stage. Located inside the former Texas School Book Depository, this museum documents the devastating events on November 22, 1963, from the very spot where shots were fired to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. Even those not typically drawn to museum exhibits will find the audio guide narrations and historical films of the events surrounding President Kennedy’s Dallas visit profoundly gripping. Stepping onto the museum's seventh floor, visitors can stand beside the actual window from which history was made while pondering the impact on Dallas and the wounds still felt across generations of Americans. This sensitive and comprehensive chronicle of JFK’s final moments is among the fun things to do in Dallas for domestic and international tourists.

With over 20 glittering venues spanning opera, theatre, music, and art, visiting the largest urban cultural arts district in the U.S. tops fun attractions on Dallas's list. Visitors immerse themselves in touring world-class institutions like the Dallas Museum of Art and its ever-rotating exhibits, experience the stirring Dallas Symphony Orchestra at the idyllic Meyerson Symphony Center, watch musical theatre spectacles in the sleek Winspear Opera House or bold contemporary drama inside the sculpturally striking Dee and Charles Wyly Theater. Public art installations at the Sammons Center for the Arts and along Flora Street, coupled with a myriad of street festivals, concerts, and special exhibitions held across 19 contiguous city blocks, fulfill any creative appetite while spending days discovering the dynamic Dallas Arts District.

Housing over 24,000 pieces spanning world cultures and 5 millennia, from African folk art to contemporary American design, the formidable Dallas Museum of Art collections offer endless avenues for fascination, reflecting the city’s elevated sophistication. Special exhibits bring everything from Pompeiian body casts to cartoons and fashion retrospectives in rotating displays that excite repeat visits. Interactive family galleries introduce children to engagement and learning through a play-based approach to the world of art. At the same time, guided tours, lectures, films, and other public programs further enrich adult patrons eager to maximize their experiences at Dallas’s most expansive cultural jewel. 

Stretching across Dallas like a green ribbon lies the verdant Katy Trail, a leafy linear park following the path of the old Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad corridor. Cyclists, joggers, walkers, and skaters flock to this beloved wild space, which provides a natural urban escape amongst skyscrapers. The 3.5-mile trail connects Uptown to Downtown while passing through beautiful residential areas filled with public art. Visitors can break their exercise to relax under shady oaks in Reverchon Park in the middle of the trail or visit the adjacent American Airlines Center, catching sports events and concerts alongside completing this iconic walk for tourist activities in Dallas, Texas.

The magnificent Old Red Museum building is the only Romanesque civic structure in Dallas, which was constructed in 1892. Once the original Dallas County Courthouse and later headquarters for the Dallas Federal Reserve, this architectural jewel now serves as a dynamic history hub using multi-sensory exhibits to trace Dallas’s development from past to present innovations across commerce, technology, and culture. Visitors seeking what to do in Dallas can gain interactive insight into the city's changing face through immersive tours that bring pivotal moments alive using sounds, objects, and visuals.

Soaring 470 feet above downtown Dallas, the sphere-shaped Reunion Tower delivers breathtaking 360-degree panoramas of the city from its open-air observation deck. Visible for miles owing to a series of exterior LED lighting, this Dallas icon built in 1978 provides visitors unmatched elevated views of landmarks like the Trinity River, Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, Dallas Arboretum, and downtown skyscrapers from pads on the building’s exterior. A blend of information displays illustrating Dallas history and descriptions of visible structures interspersed with telescopes for fine detail make touring this vantage an essential for-your-bucket-list attraction.

With over 230 stores spanning luxury brands to mainstream labels across 1.9 million square feet, the glamorous NorthPark Center is a must for avid shoppers exploring top things to do in Dallas, Texas. The property dazzles patrons with stunning gardens, public art pieces, and unique architecture amidst fabulous shopping discovered in stores like Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci, and Prada, alongside Apple, Zara, and Crate & Barrel. With special events from celebrity visits and seasonal shows to dining, NorthPark provides one-of-a-kind retail therapy sure to delight serious fashionistas.

Klyde Warren Park is a sprawling 5.2-acre deck park nestled in downtown Dallas. This cherished community green space offers many engaging activities, boasting over 1,300 free events annually. There's something for everyone, from revitalizing yoga sessions to enchanting jazz nights beneath a canopy of majestic trees. Experience tranquility on the plush Great Lawn, enveloped by the vibrant blooms of My Best Friend’s Garden. Families delight in the kid zone and dog park while botanical garden spaces and winding walking paths beckon exploration. Savor the diverse culinary offerings from the food trucks, adding a dash of flavor to your leisurely day out. Revel in the urban oasis seamlessly connects Uptown to Downtown, providing a haven for tourists and locals alike on weekends.

Topgolf infuses gaming and sports through its unique, high-tech spin on golf driving ranges, bringing addictive fun activities in Dallas TX, to all ages. Track microchipped golf balls showing instant on-screen stats of your shots on one of three floors alongside enjoying drinks and food. Try out clubs for free and take lessons at this giant complex, which offers fantastic indoor and outdoor hitting bays equipped with comfy loungers when not teeing off. Great for solo practice, group tournaments, or date nights as a novel, all-weather activity under Dallas's top attractions.

You can’t visit Dallas without partaking in the rowdy fun of a Cowboys game in their $1.3 billion mega-stadium that seats over 80,000 fans. Opened in 2009 in Arlington as one of the crown jewels hosting Super Bowl XLV, frenzied game-goers enter the retractable dome into displays with the Cowboys' five Vince Lombardi trophies and an expansive team Hall of Fame and museum. Massive ceiling trusses, gigantic monitors, and open concourses give the high-tech stadium a spectacular scale. From rocking the stands during player introductions to holding breath through big plays and then erupting in celebration after touchdowns, spending a Sunday in this temple to football fandom makes for an electrifying Texas tradition of cheering America’s Team to hopeful triumph once more!