Before You Go
Coordinates | 32.7767°N, 96.7970°W
Baton Rouge to Dallas | 429.8 miles
Driving Time | 6 hours, 21 minutes
Why Dallas?
Everything is bigger in Texas, and Dallas is no exception. This big city can entertain, educate, and delight just about anyone. A truly metropolitan area, Dallas offers food and fun for the sophisticated, for the country folk, for the couples, and of course, for the kids. Whether you are craving a taste of Texas BBQ, a glimpse of modern art, a moment of thrills, or a game of your favorite sport, Dallas will satisfy. Pack up your family or schedule a couple’s trip and head northwest for a weekend to remember.
Where to Eat
The Rustic | 3656 Howell Street | Dallas, TX 75204
For savory and delicious homestyle food prepared with farm-fresh local ingredients in the heart of uptown Dallas, The Rustic is your place. With a relaxed casual atmosphere, The Rustic is a place where anyone can feel at home. You can enjoy Texas food and drinks while listening to live music all on the patio in Pat’s Backyard, named for country star Pat Green. The patio has beautiful oak trees, comfortable picnic tables, and fire pits, a perfect spot for all seasons. ■ therustic.com
Rise | 5360 W Lovers Lane | Dallas, TX 75209
It’s soufflé all day every day at rise n°1, a 92-seat salon de soufflé and wine bar, located in the heart of Dallas. This relaxed bistro focuses on the soufflé–the masterpiece of French cuisine–in a comfortable, casual environment. You can enjoy a fluffy, savory soufflé of ham and Gruyere, or a sweet chocolate soufflé. They’re so delicious and light, you’ll probably want both. Curl up with your soufflé of choice while reading a recycled classic from the in-house library. ■ risesouffle.com
Smoke | 901 Fort Worth Avenue | Dallas, TX 75208
For some tried and true Texas flavors, Smoke is the place to go. The restaurant centers on low and slow food that has soul and heritage served with a spirit of hospitality. The mouthwatering food will create that final flavor that lingers. Choose between an array of smoked meats, sandwiches, breakfast dishes, and desserts to fill your Texas-sized appetite. ■ smokerestaurant.com
What to Do
Enjoy some fun in the sun surrounded by awe-inspiring gardens and a kid-sized pioneer village at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, which is situated on White Rock Lake just outside of the Dallas city center. Grab some yummy food to go and spend a day with your kids on the beautiful land of 66 acres where opportunities for exploration are endless. ■ dallasarboretum.org
Get your rollercoaster face ready and plan a day at the classic theme park, Six Flags Over Texas. Located in Arlington outside of Dallas, Six Flags offers multiple thrilling roller coasters, shows, carnival games, and restaurants. Buy an all-access fast pass or a day pass and enjoy all Six Flags has to offer. ■ sixflags.com/overtexas
If your family loves mixing scientific discovery with entertainment, then the new Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a definite must. Located in Victory Park near Downtown Dallas, this new science facility offers dozens of engaging exhibits and experiences like Story Time Under the Stars, Scribbles and Dribbles, or Budding Scientists. ■ perotmuseum.org
While in Dallas, a visit to the stunning art museums must be on your to-do list. The Dallas Museum of Art is one of the 10 largest art museums in the country and offers a global collection in addition to many exhibits. For an experience with modern art, travel over to Fort Worth to be amazed by the The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. This architectural stunner features over 3,000 works collected since 1945. ■ dma.org and themodern.org
Dallas is a professional sports mecca. Whether your favorite is hockey, basketball, football, or baseball, Dallas has the right team for you. Catch a Dallas Mavericks game or Dallas Stars game during the spring. You can also tour the spectacular AT&T stadium even when the Cowboys are not playing. It’s worth seeing. ■ mavs.com; nhl.com/stars; attstadium.com/tours
Tap into your inner cowboy (or cowgirl) and hit the trails at River Ranch, a 600-acre equestrian facility–located within minutes of Downtown Dallas. The ranch offers all levels of guided horseback rides to individuals through the picturesque Great Trinity Forest, the largest urban bottomland hardwood forest in the country. ■ riverranch-texashorsepark.com
Who doesn’t love playing in a gorgeous park in the middle of downtown? You and your family can do just that at Klyde Warren Park, a nationally acclaimed five-acre downtown oasis. You can enjoy fitness sessions, dance lessons, lawn games, children’s entertainment, musical performances, and film screenings. ■ klydewarrenpark.org
