The Lone Star State
By R. Couri Hay
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is often overlooked as a travel destination. While there’s a lot of buzz about people and tech companies flocking to Austin, the state’s capital, Dallas is actually a much bigger draw. In 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Dallas-Fort Worth, with a total population of 8.1 million, had the highest numerical growth of any metropolitan area in the U.S.
The sprawling city boasts the country’s fourth highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies, behind only New York, Chicago and Houston. The DFW metro houses the most colleges and universities in Texas, and the UT Southwestern Medical Center, among the world’s top healthcare institutions, is home to six Nobel Laureates.
In short, Dallas is one sophisticated town, and with so many newcomers, the region is bursting with energy and there’s plenty to do, for all ages and tastes, from fine arts to fine dining to rodeos and square dancing.
I had a ball on my recent trip – my first – so read on for what to see and do and where to eat and stay.
Cornelia Guest Ranch
One new Dallas resident is Cornelia Guest, a lifelong New Yorker, daughter of legendary socialites Winston and C.Z. Guest whose BFFs in her teenage debutante years included Truman Capote, Andy Warhol and fashion designer Halston. Cornelia, an award-winning equestrian, actor, designer, and author, is an animal rights activist and a longtime board member of the Humane Society of New York.
She decided a few years ago to move her nonprofit animal sanctuary, Artemis Farm Rescue, from upstate New York to Texas, where land is plentiful, and the weather is warm. Although she had visited Houston while promoting her cruelty-free line of bags and jackets, Guest had never spent time in Dallas, so decided to check it out, and quickly found a house. “I’ve never been one of those people that research things endlessly. I plan pretty quickly,” she said. When the pandemic arrived shortly after, it turned out to be good place to hunker down; she could walk her dogs everywhere, stores and restaurants remained open, and it wasn’t cold.
At her home in Dallas, Guest has an assortment of dogs and cats, and her 19-year-old African Sulcata tortoise, Socrates. “This tortoise hated New York so much in the winter. He’d stick his head out and look at me like, what is wrong with you? I am an African Sulcata, I am not from the North Pole.” Guest bought a 450-acre spread in East Texas for her animal sanctuary, which she is still developing. corneliaguest.com
Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek
Brad Pitt, Cindy Crawford & Tennessee Williams
I stayed at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, and it was exquisite. I’m not the only one raving about this Big D grand dame – it was Travel + Leisure readers’ top pick in Dallas-Fort Worth last year. This classic, palatial property is considered by many to be America’s finest hotel.
Nestled in the leafy Turtle Creek neighborhood, the Rosewood Mansion is so named because it was, literally, a mansion, steeped in history. Its wealthy cotton-merchant owners toured Europe with their architect, sourcing antiques, and luxe materials and fixtures like Italian marble columns, 19th-century Spanish cathedral doors, stained glass windows and a ceiling inlaid with 2400 separate pieces of wood. Completed in 1925, the opulent Italian Renaissance style manor house had the first private elevator in Dallas. In 1981, it was converted into the very first Rosewood Hotel, the renowned group of hotels that today boasts luxury properties around the world.
Through the years, the estate’s 143 rooms and suites have hosted high-profile guests like President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tennessee Williams, Cindy Crawford and Brad Pitt. The elegantly appointed terraced rooms are enormous, from 450 to 1350 square feet – as the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas.
Its Mansion Restaurant, with French-inflected American cuisine, is a Dallas destination itself, popular with locals and visitors alike; the Mansion bar is an icon in the city, ideal for everything from young professionals gathering for after-work cocktails to romantic evenings for two. The entire venue became an instant classic when it opened and continues to be a Dallas magnet today. Its location in a quiet, swanky neighborhood, is perfect for out-of-towners as it is just minutes from downtown Dallas and close to the city’s lively Arts District and other attractions.
rosewoodhotels.com
Fort Worth Stockyards
The Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District is one of the region’s top attractions. It’s a living museum, a tribute to the area’s past, with real-life Wild West activities like daily cattle drives and Championship Rodeo with cowboys riding and roping broncos. The rodeo here is first class and not to be missed! Chow down like a ranch hand at restaurants serving specialties like beef tenderloin and rabbit-rattlesnake sausage.
Test your two-stepping skills at Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s largest honky-tonk at 3 acres in size.
History buffs will enjoy the Stockyards Museum, in the former Livestock Exchange building, featuring an extensive collection of artifacts from the Old West era. The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Texas Trail of Fame pay tribute to rodeo culture, illuminating the historical figures and Old West lifestyle of yesteryear.
There’s plenty here for kids to enjoy, like riding on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad and visiting the Cowtown Cattle pen Maze.
fortworthstockyards.com
1883: The “Yellowstone” Prequel
Meanwhile, with the city’s recent growth, there is plenty to do in the area surrounding this historic neighborhood. Mule Alley, in a newly developed complex of abandoned mule barns, is home to hip shops, restaurants and trendy drinking spots. 1883, the Yellowstone prequel, filmed here, with West Exchange Avenue serving as the main center of action. One restaurant, Hooker Grill, retained the production’s alterations to its front deck after filming wrapped, including the sign reading “The Texas House of Liquor & Sport.”
Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que
This legendary Texas barbecue mecca began in 1962 in Llano, and now has five locations, luckily including Fort Worth. But the Cooper’s folks still do things the same way today, cooking the meat cowboy-style in the open pit over direct coals. It’s all about the meat here, and you can choose from brisket, sausage, smoked turkey, enormous pork chops or gigantic ribs served on trays with butcher paper. Line up for the sides including coleslaw, potato salad and bread for sopping up that delicious sauce. A condiment bar offers pickles, onions and unlimited beans. It’s all beyond yummy!
coopersbbq.com
George W. Bush Presidential Library
The George W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum, opened in 2013 on the Southern Methodist University campus, offers an in-depth look at a highly significant period in U.S. history. It’s true, we tend to think back on recent times with rose-colored blinders on – who doesn’t remember the warmth of W and Laura Bush graciously welcoming their successors, the Obamas, to the White House?
But a visit to this most interesting presidential archive reminds us of the harsh realities the Bush Jr. administration faced – Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 financial crisis, and, most notably, the September 11 attacks.
While the library is more of a research facility, the 14,000 square foot museum is a must-see when in DFW. Bush’s life is detailed, from his youth through his tumultuous presidential years, and interactive exhibits allow you to test your mettle at resolving a crisis in a situation room or live out your presidential dreams behind the desk of an Oval Office replica.
A portion of the museum is dedicated to America’s First Ladies, with memorabilia all the way back to Martha Washington. The 9/11 exhibit, complete with artifacts, is especially moving.
Outside, the 23-acre property comprises a park with native Texas landscaping of open prairie, mesquite trees and bluebonnets in spring.
georgewbushlibrary.gov
The Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden
A beautiful oasis in the city, the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden offers 66-acres of outdoor beauty on the banks of White Rock Lake. Think nature trails, sculpture gardens, water features and lush floral displays. There are seasonal events like Dallas Blooms in spring, with dazzling displays of tulips, daffodils and the like; in fall it’s spectacular autumn flowers, plus pumpkins and gourds. If you love gardens this is a perfect afternoon.
dallasarboretum.org
Dallas Museum of Art
Since its founding in 1903, the Dallas Museum of Art has grown to become one of America’s top 10 largest museums with a permanent collection of over 24,000 works from around the world. The DMA’s vast trove spans centuries, with pieces from Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Mediterranean. Highlights are its collection of 19th and 20th-century European art with names like Van Gogh, Monet and Picasso, as well as contemporary art and decorative art and design.
A must-see is the Reves Collection, a series of works belonging to Texans Wendy and Emery Reves in a recreation of the couple’s French abode, Villa La Pausa, which was originally built by Coco Chanel. The museum building itself is a gem, designed in the 1970s by Edward Larrabee Barnes. In 2023, the Madrid-based architectural firm Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos was selected to revamp the existing facilities and the surrounding campus.
dma.org
“Lord of the Pies”
In fact, no less an authority than Time Out named Emporium Pies THE best pie shop in America in 2023, referring to them as “Lord of the Pies” – which is one of the shop’s whimsically named desserts. (It’s an absolutely fabulous deep-dish apple pie with cinnamon streusel.) Other popular items on the menu are the Smooth Operator (French silk chocolate atop a pretzel crust), and Ebony and Ivory (a buttermilk chess pie rippled with chocolate hazelnut swirls).
The pies are handmade from scratch with local ingredients and shipped with beautiful floral packaging – perfect for gifts. Menu items change with the seasons, so there’s always something new to try.
emporiumpies.com
Dallas Zoo: Gorillas, Giraffes & Lions
The Dallas Zoo, the oldest and largest in Texas, is a real gem. Founded in 1888 with two deer and two mountain lions, the zoo now shelters over 2,000 animals from more than 400 species on its 106 acres. There are large animals like elephants, gorillas, giraffes and lions and smaller creatures like frogs and snakes.
The Wilds of Africa section recreates the habitats of that continent’s animals including African penguins, chimpanzees, saddle-billed storks and okapis. Weather permitting, you can take a monorail ride through the Africa exhibit, at treetop level.
Interactive programs include giraffe feedings, zookeeper talks, and in the aviary, children can feed birds, which perch on your hand or shoulder. Other activities are pony rides, a petting zoo, and a playground with a stream for splashing around in.
dallaszoo.com
Bishop Arts District
National Historic Landmark
The vibrant Bishop Arts District has a unique blend of historic charm and modern sophistication, its onetime warehouses now filled with an eclectic mix of boutiques, restaurants, live music and art galleries. This district in Dallas’s Oak Cliff neighborhood was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1990, when the area was in decline. Today, it’s the perfect place for an afternoon of retail therapy at independent shops. Browse furniture and local artwork at Neighborhood, unusual gifts and design items at Bishop Street Market and We Are 1976, and your next read at Wild Detectives bookstore. Check out the shop that sells Christmas ornaments with a Texas vibe all year around. I brought home a longhorn steer and a cowboy on a horse for my tree as mementos of my adventure!
Bishop Arts District is also a haven for foodies; popular spots are Hattie’s for Southern cuisine, Italian at wildly popular Lucia, and Lockhart Smokehouse for BBQ. Satisfy your sweet tooth at Dude, Sweet Chocolate and the acclaimed Emporium Pies.
bishopartsdistrict.com