Dallas

Dallas, with a population of more than 1.3 million residents, is the ninth largest city in the United States and the third largest in the state of Texas. It is an impressive melting pot of culture and character. Boasting high-end luxury hotels, innumerable fine dining spots, and one of the busiest airports in the world, Dallas maintains an upscale ethos reflected by an affluent population, world-class museums, and a shimmering modern skyline. Its history was marred by the infamous assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, but there is more historic and contemporary heritage to be discovered in the city. As a center of the oil and cotton industries in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Dallas was a classic American boom town and remains one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. Dallas fell victim to its own success in the automobile era, becoming a prime example of urban sprawl as highways strangled its city center, but has been trying to reinvent itself since the turn of the millennium. For the metropolitan region, see the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. === Welcome World Cup fans === Dallas is one of the 16 North American cities hosting matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Games in the region will be played at the massive AT&T Stadium in Arlington, located roughly halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth. Here are a few helpful tips for visiting football fans: AT&T Stadium is about 20–25 km from Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), and a taxi or Uber ride usually takes 25–45 minutes, depending on traffic. The closest convenient hotels are in Arlington, especially around the Entertainment District, which includes Globe Life Field, Six Flags and several mid‑range hotel chains. Many visitors also choose to stay in Downtown Dallas, which offers a wider selection of hotels, museums and restaurants, and is about 25–35 minutes from the stadium by car. For travellers seeking luxury accommodation, the best hotels are in Uptown Dallas, Downtown Dallas, and Las Colinas (in Irving). These areas are known for high‑end dining, modern hotels and lively nightlife, and are typically 20–35 minutes from the stadium by taxi or Uber. Fans looking for a more relaxed atmosphere may prefer Fort Worth, which has a walkable downtown and the historic Stockyards district. Dallas–Fort Worth is a car‑oriented region, and the easiest way to get around is by Uber, Lyft or taxi, especially for stadium travel. Public transport exists but is limited for reaching Arlington, as there is no direct rail service to AT&T Stadium. On match days, rideshare demand will be high, so allowing extra time before and after games is essential. Within Dallas itself, the DART light rail is useful for reaching Downtown, Deep Ellum, and other central neighbourhoods. Dining options are plentiful across the metro area. Uptown, Deep Ellum, and Bishop Arts in Dallas offer some of the best restaurants, cafés and nightlife, while Arlington’s Entertainment District has many casual dining options close to the stadium. Fans wanting a taste of Texas culture will find classic barbecue and Tex‑Mex restaurants throughout the region. == Districts == == Understand == It is virtually impossible to neatly categorize Dallas. It is a wonderful place with an immense and diverse set of attractions, food and people. From the posh, ultra-modern Uptown and Victory developments, to the old-world elegance and upper-crust attitude of Turtle Creek, to the "real life" feel of largely-suburban North Dallas. The home of Erykah Badu, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Chicks, Norah Jones, and St. Vincent, Dallas is an eclectic place with cultural influences from all over the South and West. === Tourism information === VisitDallas (Dallas Convention and Tourist Bureau), 325 North St. Paul Street, Suite 700, ☏ +1 214-571-1000. There is much information on their site, and you can also contact them individually or via an email form on this page. (updated Aug 2021) === Climate === Being in the American South, Dallas has a subtropical climate with mild winters, hot summers, and a very wet spring and fall in between. In winter and summer it can also be a very dry place, as it receives warmer, drier weather from the Mojave Desert in the west and the Great Plains in the north. Winters are generally mild, with average highs in the 50s and 60s F (10-20 °C) and average lows around the freezing mark. It often snows in Dallas a couple of times a year, and there is the rare day when temperatures will not get out of the 30s F (0-5 °C), but for the most part winter is just drier and cooler. There is, however, the danger of freezing rain and ice storms. Spring and fall bring very pleasant temperatures, but spring is also known for its storms. Because Dallas lies within Tornado Alley, springtime weather can be quite volatile and severe storms often occur. Summers are hot with mostly low humidity, with temperatures often surpassing 100 °F (38 °C). Heat indices typically average around 100 °F (38 °C) during the day and 79 °F (26 °C) at night; but heat indices can climb up to 110 °F (43 °C) during the day and remain above 85 °F (29 °C) at night on some particularly hot and sweltering days. Average rainfall in Dallas is 37.1 inches (942.3 mm) per year, and average snowfall is about 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) per year. == Get in == === By plane === ==== Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport ==== The sprawling Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW IATA), halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth (equally inconveniently for both), is American Airlines' largest hub and is served by all other major domestic carriers. Various shared-ride shuttle services are available, with door to door pickup and drop off, costing ~$30 for ~20 miles (~30 km), which will get you to most places. Like all major airports in the United States, you can easily hail a cab outside of any terminal by following the signs for the taxi stand, and most car rentals and chain hotels have courtesy shuttles. The DFW Airport DART station is outside terminal A on the lower level and offers a direct light rail connection to downtown. To get there, take an escalator to the airside SkyLink tram (fastest way) to Terminal A. If you have baggage to claim, claim it, then take an orange Terminal Link bus on the lower level of any terminal to Terminal A. From there, follow the yellow signs for DART light rail. Once at the station, take the Orange Line to downtown, where you can transfer to any other line. Alternatively, you can take a DART bus in the opposite direction to CentrePort/DFW Station on the TRE and catch a commuter train to downtown. Be aware, however, that the TRE runs only once an hour during most of the day. Using DART is covered in more detail in the Getting Around section. ==== Love Field ==== 1 Dallas Love Field (DAL IATA). Dallas' original airport, and the home base of America's largest low-cost carrier, Southwest Airlines. Alaska Airlines and Delta have some flights here, in addition to Southwest. Together, they operate to most major destinations in the continental US. When DFW Airport opened in the 1970s, the U.S. federal government passed the Wright Amendment, a law that restricted flights to/from Love Field to within Texas and its neighboring states. Scheduled passenger service to Love Field was expected to end. Thanks to Southwest's rapid and sustained growth, however, it never did. The Wright Amendment was gradually repealed from the 1990s to 2014, and DAL has grown even faster since then. Love Field is within the city limits, not far northwest of downtown. Due to the city's strategy of promoting DFW only, a rail link has never been built to DAL, but you can take the Love Link bus (DART route 524) from Love Field to Inwood/Love Field Station, served by the Green and Orange Lines. There are also various shared-ride shuttle services available which offer door-to-door pickup and drop off. They cost ~$30 for ~20 miles (~30 km), which will get you to most places. Private aviation As a major hub for American oil & gas industries, and serving as home to several Fortune 500 headquarters and regional offices, Dallas is a major business jet center. There are hundreds of planes based at private airports in Dallas and surrounding areas, including corporate aircraft and privately owned luxury planes. Many of these planes are available through charter operators and air taxi companies that provide shuttle flights, with the most common routes flown between Houston or Oklahoma City. Air charter brokers such as Alliance Air Charter and Private Jets Dallas offer access to charter planes in Texas across the country. Aircraft can range from twin-engine propeller planes to luxury Gulfstreams and executive aircraft. There are several Dallas-area airports focused on private and business aviation, including Addison Airport (FAA LID: ADS), Dallas Executive Airport, formerly known as Redbird Airport (FAA LID: RBD), Arlington Municipal (FAA LID: GKY), Mesquite Metro (FAA LID: HQZ), Lancaster Regional (FAA LID: LNC), Grand Prairie Municipal (FAA LID: GPM), Terrell Municipal (FAA LID: TRL), and more. === By train === Two Amtrak routes serve Dallas/Fort Worth: The Texas Eagle between San Antonio and Chicago The Heartland Flyer between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City. Amtrak trains call at the Dallas Union Station, a beautiful and grand historic building dating back to 1916 when trains were the main mode of long-distance transportation in the United States. From Fort Worth, you can reach Dallas via either Amtrak's Texas Eagle, which runs daily, or the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) commuter rail line, which runs from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas with stops in Irving and close to DFW Airport. TRE trains run every half-hour during rush hour and every hour outside it, and take just over an hour for a full journey from Fort Worth to Dallas. Note that TRE trains do not run on Sundays. Amtrak's long-distance trains are slow and unreliable, and can run hours behind schedule. Most track is owned by the private freight railroads, and while private freight trains are legally required to pull over for Amtrak passenger trains, this is hardly ever enforced. In practice, Amtrak trains frequently pull over to allow long, slow freight trains to pass. Arriving from Houston involves a train change of five or more hours in San Antonio. However, Amtrak offers views and legroom that you can't get while flying and a unique laid back experience that you can't get while driving. If you want to meet people, taking the train is one of the best ways to do it. That being said, if you're short on time, flying is a better option. === By car === To get to Dallas from Oklahoma, take I-35 then I-35E at the fork, or US 75 south. From Houston, take I-45. From Austin, take I-35, then I-35E at the fork. To get here from Louisiana, take I-20 west. Dallas is the junction-point for most cities within a 200- to 300-mile (300- to 500-km) radius, with good road service to and from. Any road map of the United States should have enough information to get you into Dallas with no problems. === By bus === Greyhound. The terminal is near the center of downtown at 205 S. Lamar. Buses also run to and from Shreveport on the weekends, sponsored by the casinos in that city. These are more geared toward locals seeking to get their gambling fixes, but ask around if you're interested. ECHO AFC. Independent bus charter with full-size motor coaches, shuttle vans, luxury sedans, and SUV's. Travel within DFW, beyond to other Texas destinations and across North America. Great for group travel, private chauffeuring, or corporate charter buses. El Expreso. Mexican trans-border bus line, also serving destinations throughout the southeastern United States. The bus stop is at 1050 N. Westmoreland St. #124 in Dallas. Autobus Americanos. Mexican trans-border bus line with service to various points in Mexico. The bus stop is at 627 N Westmoreland St in Dallas. Turimex Internacional. Mexican trans-border bus line with service to various points in Mexico. The bus stop is at 501 E. Jefferson Blvd in Dallas. Omnibus Mexicanos. Mexican trans-border bus line with service to various points in Mexico. The bus stop is at 201 E. Jefferson Blvd in Dallas. Vonlane. Luxury coach service from Austin and Houston. (updated Feb 2026) == Get around == === By car === The car is by far the simplest and most reliable way to get around Dallas. Local rental companies offer better prices, but national chains offer more convenient locations and return policies. As in most cities, the worst traffic is in the direction of the city center during the morning and away from it in the afternoon. The roads where rush hour is the worst, especially in the mornings, are I-35, US-75 (where what would be a 20-minute trip without traffic can become a 1-2-hour trip with traffic), and the stretch of I-635 between them. ==== The grid ==== Dallas' street system is built on three nested grids. The smallest grid, running west-by-southwest to east-by-northeast, covers only the central business district and neighborhood of Deep Ellum in downtown. The next-largest grid runs southeast from Love Field through downtown and South Dallas to end at the 7,000-acre (30-km2) Great Trinity River Forest, the largest urban hardwood forest in the nation. The rest of the city and most of the suburbs roughly adhere to a simple north/south by east/west grid of one-mile (1.6-km) square blocks. ==== Highway nicknames ==== US-75 is also called or "Central Expressway," or "Central," and changes into I-45 south of Downtown. The road east of downtown that connects US-75 and I-45 is officially called I-345, though it is usually simply referred to by one of those names. The Mixmaster is a hectic and confusing 5-mile (8-km) stretch southwest of Downtown where I-35E and I-30 briefly merge into a single highway. Woodall Rogers Freeway (TX-366) is the 2.6-mile (4.2-km) highway that forms the traditional northern boundary of downtown, connecting I-35E in the west to U.S. 75 in the east. I-635, the highway that runs the north and east perimeter of the city, is also called LBJ, or Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway. There are two branches of I-35: I-35E, which runs north-south through Dallas; and I-35W, which runs north-south through Fort Worth. They merge at Denton in the north and Hillsboro in the south. I-35E is called I-35, Stemmons Freeway, and just "Stemmons," but rarely by its official name. TX-114, the highway that runs from I-35E to DFW Airport, is also called John W. Carpenter Freeway, or Airport Freeway. === Public transportation === Dallas Area Rapid Transit, or DART, runs an extensive light rail network and dozens of bus routes. The light rail system hits many tourist destinations around downtown and connects to many of the suburbs, but generally works best for commuters. Buses will get you almost anywhere from the train stations, but are slow, very infrequent during off-peak hours, and not always reliable. Dallas also has four commuter rail lines: the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), which links downtown Dallas to downtown Fort Worth TexRail, which links DFW Airport to Downtown Fort Worth the DART Silver Line, which links DFW Airport to Dallas' northern suburbs, including Plano, Addison, and Carrollton and the A-Train, which runs from near the end of DART's Green Line to Denton, a northern exurb of both Dallas and Fort Worth. As Texas culture and the urban sprawl of the Metroplex strongly encourage the use of cars, locals will generally be unable to help you use public transportation, but you can get an excellent trip plan by visiting the DART website, calling their information phone number (☏ +1 214-979-1111), or using DART's GoPass app, through which you can also buy and use mobile passes. ==== DART fares ==== Bus drivers will check passes upon boarding, but light rail trains operate on the honor system, with infrequent random pass checks that occur most often during rush hour. This doesn't mean you can ride without a pass - fines for being caught without one can be quite steep. You can pay any local DART fare (except the GoLink on-demand service) by tapping a contactless credit card or NFC-pay-enabled device (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, etc.) to the blue and gray contactless readers at stations and on buses when boarding or transferring. Just tap your card or device to the reader and you will automatically be charged for the cheapest pass that meets your needs - just use the same card each time you board so the system knows it's you and you aren't overcharged. Traditional paper passes are available at all DART rail stations for cash or card. Keep your pass until you get off in case your train is fare-checked. All passes are valid for unlimited travel and transfers on DART buses and trains (plus the TRE, up to D/FW Airport) until they expire. If you want to ride the TRE past the airport or take the A-Train to Denton, you'll need a regional pass. Regional passes cost 50% more than local passes, but are valid on Fort Worth and Denton's transit systems as well as on DART. You can buy mobile passes in DART's GoPass app. To use a pass you bought in the app, you must activate it before you board your bus or train. ==== Reloadable fare cards ==== The awkwardly named GoPass Tap card can be purchased from many area convenience and grocery stores as well as the DARTMart at Akard Station. It works the same as the other passes, but is reusable - simply tap it on one of the blue and gray card readers at stations or on buses as you board/transfer instead of buying a new ticket. The card itself is free, but you must load it with at least $6 (the price of a day pass) to start. You can check its balance and reload it with cash or credit/debit card by tapping it on the yellow reader on a station ticket vending machine or else on the GoPass website. If you're planning on staying in Dallas for a while and using DART often, the card or the app is your best option. Visit the GoPass site for more information. ==== E-scooters ==== One dockless e-scooter company operates in Dallas, Lime, which has a mobile app that can be used to find and rent nearby scooters. == See == Dealey Plaza in Downtown Dallas was the site of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The Sixth-Floor Museum maintains a collection of artifacts related to JFK and his assassination. The JFK Memorial Plaza is a stark but elegant space for quiet reflection on the President's life. Dallas City Hall in Downtown Dallas is an imposing Brutalist edifice by famous architect I.M. Pei. Recognizable to film buffs as OCP headquarters from the movie Robocop, which was mostly filmed in Dallas. Klyde Warren Park is a trendy park Downtown Dallas decking Woodall Rogers Freeway for three blocks in the Arts District, and has food trucks, a high-end café, and occasional outdoor performances and readings. === Museums === Most of Dallas's museums are found Downtown. Clustered together are the Dallas Museum of Art, which has exhibits from all historical periods from antiquity to the present day, the Nasher Sculpture Garden, and the Trammell Crow Collection of Asian Art. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a large science museum featuring permanent educational exhibits that are mainly geared toward kids. At the airport is the Frontiers of Flight Museum, which has dozens of aircraft and hundreds of artifacts from many time periods on display. === Outside of Dallas === Most of Dallas's professional sports teams play in Arlington, just to the west of Dallas, including the Dallas Cowboys (the famous NFL football team), the Texas Rangers professional baseball team, the Dallas Wings WNBA (women's basketball) team, and the Arlington Renegades who play during the spring in the second-level United Football League. FC Dallas Major League Soccer team plays in the northern suburb of Frisco. == Do == State Fair of Texas - A large part of Dallas' culture and probably its biggest attraction, the State Fair is hosted annually for three weeks around September and October. More than anything, the Fair is known for its fair food, most of it deep-fried. Heated competitions held for the best-tasting and most creative of these have seen deep-fried incarnations of practically every food (and drink) imaginable. Concoctions can range from delectable (Fried Peaches and Cream and Fried Jerk Chicken) to bizarre (Fried Jello, Fried Dr. Pepper) to downright disgusting (Fried Butter). The Fair's iconic mascot, Big Tex, is a 55-foot-tall (17-meter-tall) cowboy who smiles, talks, and waves at fair-goers, and the Texas Star Ferris Wheel, the tallest in North America until 1985, is a fairground institution. There is also a huge array of commercial shows and marketplaces, including a large car show. More traditional attractions include a wide assortment of carnival games and rides, rodeos, pig racing (yes, pig racing), and livestock shows. Fair Park itself is the architectural jewel of the city - its Depression-era buildings were constructed in a stately Texan spin on Art Deco not found anywhere else in the world. Try to avoid the second weekend, when UT and OU play their annual football game. Students from both colleges flood the Fair that weekend and lines and parking are horrible. Speaking of parking, it's best to park for free at a DART station and ride the train to Fair Park Station to avoid the hassle and expense of on-site parking. White Rock Lake. Escape the city bustle for a stroll at this large park in East Dallas. This is really a beautiful getaway, but locals would tell you to avoid driving around here at night — ghosts haunt the waters. Golf - There are a lot of wonderful courses in the Dallas area. The city boasts five municipal courses with reasonable greens fees. Of these, Tenison Highlands in East Dallas and Cedar Crest in South Dallas offer the best test of golf, and can be the most crowded, especially on weekends. There are any number of terrific daily-fee public courses in the D/FW area as well. == Buy == Shopping is big in Dallas. In days of yore, folks would come from all over the country to shop in Dallas' exclusive shops. Popular shopping malls include the Galleria and NorthPark Mall in North Dallas and the West Village in Uptown, among others. A bit further afield is Grapevine Mills in nearby Grapevine. Amazing malls can also be found in Plano, Frisco, and other suburbs, including Stonebriar Mall and the Shops at Willow Bend. Half-Price Books. Used bookstore chain headquartered in Dallas, offering secondhand books, music and video, with offerings varying by location. The flagship store is in East Dallas, with one other Dallas store and nine more in the Metroplex area. Neiman Marcus was founded in Dallas, supplying dresses and diamonds to debutantes and family scions. The downtown flagship store remained a popular destination for visitors and locals alike until its closure in 2025, and the NorthPark Mall location is the chain's most successful. === Groceries and other basics === The major supermarket chains in Dallas are Kroger, Tom Thumb (which is owned by Safeway), Albertson's, and Fiesta Mart. Walmart has several stores in Dallas, most of which are also open 24 hours, and some Tom Thumb and Kroger stores in Dallas are open 24 hours as well. 7-Eleven convenience stores (the first of which was in Dallas) are abundant and open 24-7, but they have limited selection and high prices. Many specialty and organic supermarkets such as Whole Foods Market, Central Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Trader Joe's can also be found throughout the area. Due to its large expat and immigrant population, Dallas also features a large variety of ethnic grocery stores, including Indian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, and of course, Mexican. These tend to be found in North Dallas, Northwest Dallas, West Dallas, and in the suburbs of Carrollton, Garland, Irving, Richardson, Plano, and Frisco. == Eat == Areas with high concentrations of restaurants include the following: Beltline Road through Addison and North Dallas, just north of I-635, has perhaps the most restaurants per-capita in the U.S. If there is a type of food you like then you can probably find it there. Greenville Avenue running north to south in East Dallas, has many restaurants along its length, particularly in Lower Greenville. Knox and Henderson streets (the "Knox/Henderson" neighborhood), off US-75 Uptown have many laid-back, stylish restaurants. McKinney Avenue is the heart of Uptown, with a wide variety of quality establishments. The West End in the northwest part of Downtown has a good mix of original local restaurants and successful chain establishments. The Bishop Arts District of South Dallas, one of the city's more bohemian spots, is full of unusual and innovative restaurants. Dallas has a good number of its own chain restaurants which have become quite successful in the area, offering unique local flavors. Spring Creek Barbeque. Spring Creek Barbeque has 15 Texas style restaurants across the North Texas area. The menu is very simple. Beef, ham sausage, turkey, chicken, and ribs are available for entrees (you can have combinations also). Side items available are corn, beans, potato salad, cole slaw, and baked potatoes. In addition, fresh homemade bread rolls are served with each dish and more are delivered to your table during each meal. Cristina's. Several DFW locations. Lunch specials are very reasonably priced. Service across all of the family owned and operated locations is blindingly fast no matter the location. The chips and salsa are arguably some of the freshest and best in the Metroplex. A unique signature menu item is the "Queso Flameado" where the server melts cheese by fire tableside and then wraps the gooey cheesey goodness in several freshly made tortillas. Main Street in Downtown has seen major improvements over the last few months, with plenty of places to eat and to play. Highly Recommended. Don't forget to stop by the City Tavern for a longneck or two. === Neighborhoods === West End - This is an attractive enough historic neighborhood with buildings in a turn-of-the-century redbrick vernacular—the notorious School Book Depository is one of them—in the northwest quadrant of downtown. The area is mostly popular with suburbanites and tourists out for dinner and a quick stroll around the neighborhood but has a number of bars as well. Deep Ellum is a district of bars, dance clubs, music venues and tattoo shops east of downtown on Main, Elm and Commerce streets. It is a hipster haven for young people and a weekend destination for music lovers of all ages, and is named for being on the far ("Deep") end of Elm Street ("Ellum.") Uptown and McKinney Ave - This is where Dallas' beautiful people go to see and be seen. Trendy to the nth degree, this neighborhood contains very upscale, fashionable clubs. Lower Greenville has many older drinking establishments. Downtown is home to a burgeoning nightlife district and upscale restaurants. Addison has some famous drinking spots tucked in among its many restaurants, notably The Flying Saucer. == Drink == Uptown, the area bound by Haskell on the north, Woodall Rogers Freeway on the south, Turtle Creek on the west and Central Expressway on the east, is where Dallas' beautiful people go to see and be seen. Trendy to the nth degree, this neighborhood contains very upscale fashionable clubs. Some of the hottest clubs, such as Candleroom, are private. If you want to check out one of these places be sure to go with someone that is a member or have a concierge call ahead for you. Republic is also cool nightspots, with no membership required. No shorts, jeans, team jerseys, tennis shoes, or flip-flops. === Beer, wine and liquor stores === If you're looking to fill a mini-fridge or cooler with your own beverages a bit of planning might be required. Alcohol is only sold in certain parts of the city and in certain suburbs so getting to a liquor store can involve some travel. Also, Texas' liquor laws specify that any store that sells liquor cannot open on Sunday nor stay open after 9PM any other day. Stores that sell beer and wine cannot sell either from midnight to noon on Sunday. A smartphone app that locates liquor stores (and shows their hours) is very useful as many of those stores in the Dallas area tend to be well inside neighborhoods as opposed to along highways, and hotel desk staff can tell you if you're in a 'wet' or 'dry' area of Dallas. Liquor stores can become quite crowded after 8PM (especially on Saturday) and remember to be extra-alert after dark. In 'wet' areas beer and wine is easily and safely available at grocery stores. === Additional resources === For useful information on Dallas' nightlife, food, and music-scene offerings, pick up a free copy of the Dallas Observer, the local alternative weekly, at many places around town (particularly in Downtown) or check out GuideLive (an offshoot of the Dallas Morning News) online. == Sleep == Individual listings can be found in Dallas's district articles The heaviest concentrations of hotels can be found in North Dallas along I-635 and North Central Expressway and in Northwest Dallas along I-35E, while Downtown offers more high-end accommodations. Some travelers may find it more convenient to stay in Irving closer to DFW airport, in Arlington near the amusement parks, or in one of the northern suburbs such as Lewisville, Carrollton, Plano, or Richardson. == Stay safe == Tourists should avoid anywhere south of the Trinity River at night (and maybe even during the daytime), with the exceptions of North Oak Cliff, the Bishop Arts District, and Fair Park. There is little to see outside those areas anyway. South and West Dallas are mostly low-income, high-crime residential and industrial areas: as in any such area, know where you are going, stay there, and don't dawdle or wander, especially at night. Avoid Downtown's Government District at night (the few blocks around City Hall). It's not inherently dangerous, but it has a lot of homeless people running about. Stick to West End and the Arts District. Uptown and North Dallas are generally safe after dark. Police officers in Texas are kind and helpful for the most part, and they will generally find ways to make you feel safe. Sadly, this does not (always) apply to police officers in Dallas. Texas law can be strict, but the Dallas Police Department is notorious for its ferocious zero-tolerance attitude to even the slightest of misdemeanors. When approached by a local police officer, listen, cooperate, and speak carefully at all times. Also, avoid driving on the highways after 2AM on weekends, when all the bars have just closed and many tipsy drivers are in a hurry to get home. In the event that you fall victim to identity theft while visiting Dallas, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) operates a major field office in Dallas. == Connect == == Cope == Dallas Public Library, 1515 Young St, ☏ +1 214-670-1400. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Public library with a large central branch downtown and smaller branches all around the city. Address and phone number listed are for central branch. Chapel of Thanks-Giving, 1627 Pacific Ave, ☏ +1 214-969-1977. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays. Unique and beautiful interfaith chapel in a park in the downtown central business district. Kadampa Meditation Center Texas , ☏ +1 817-303-2700. Offers relaxation meditations and meditation classes to increase inner peace at 4 locations in Dallas. === Consulates === Belgium (Honorary), 1308 Dandury Dr, Mansfield, ☏ +1 817-229-4259. Canada, 500 N Akard St Ste 2900, ☏ +1 214-922-9806, fax: +1 214-922-9815, dalas-gr@international.gc.ca. El Salvador, 1250 Mockingbird, Suite 240, ☏ +1 214-637-1500, fax: +1 214-637-1106. Honduras, 2520 W Irving Blvd, Ste 400. ☏ +1 214-347 4441, hondurasdallas@hotmail.com Peru, 13601 Preston Rd., Suite E650, ☏ +1 972-234-0005, toll-free: +1 972-498-1086. Germany (Honorary), 325 N Saint Paul St Ste 2300, ☏ +1 214-752-3684, fax: +1 214-761-1700, whart@hartlawintl.com. Italy (Honorary), 6255 W Northwest Hwy, ☏ +1 214-368-4113, fax: +1 214-768-1418, vdenardo@mail.com. Mexico, 8855 Stemmons Fwy, ☏ +1 214-252-9250, fax: +1 214-630-3511. Netherlands (Honorary), dallas@nlconsulate.com. Royal Danish Consulate, 2100 McKinney Ave, Ste 700, ☏ +1 214-661-8399, fax: +1 214-661-8036. Royal Norwegian Consulate, 4605 Live Oak St, ☏ +1 214-826-5231. Peru. Sweden, 3808 Miramar Avenue, ☏ +1 214-521-2312, fax: +1 214-522-0148, dallas@consulateofsweden.org. Switzerland (Honorary), 2651 N Harwood St, ☏ +1 214-965-1025, fax: +1 214-871-0879, dallas@honrep.ch. South Korea, 14001 North Dallas Pwky., Suite 450, ☏ +1 972 701-0180. == Go next == Head to Arlington for a day of fun at Six Flags Over Texas or Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, the best waterpark in the area. Don't forget the sunblock. Denton, half an hour north on I-35E, has a charming historic town square, and an off-the-cuff nightlife scene driven by the city's disproportionately large number of musicians. Joe Pool Lake lies to the southwest of the city, 4 miles (6 km) past Grand Prairie. There are two popular parks to camp at along the shoreline, including Cedar Hill State Park and Loyd Park. The most popular day use park on Joe Pool Lake is Lynn Creek Park. Lake Texoma is a popular spot an hour's drive north on US-75, on the border with Oklahoma. Go to Mesquite see a rodeo show at the Mesquite Championship Rodeo. Parker and the Southfork Ranch made famous by the TV series "Dallas". An easy day trip from Dallas. Tours run 364 days a year (except 25 Dec). Waco, an hour south on I-35, has a number of attractions including the Dr. Pepper Museum and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame.