Overview
Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District of the city of Dallas. Traditionally defined as the area within the belt of freeways surrounding the centre, it is now deemed to have expanded to an area known as Uptown, north of the Woodall Rodgers Freeway thanks to the new walkable Klyde Warren Park, while in the east the center spills across US-75 into the Deep Ellum neighborhood.
Downtown includes most of Dallas' extant historic buildings, its modern skyscrapers, and the majority of its historic institutions. There are no official administrative subdivisions of Dallas, but a local organization, Downtown Dallas Inc., took it upon itself to redefine, develop and advocate the interests of Downtown.
14 sights · 5 things to do · 13 places to eat · 6 bars & cafés · 8 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Downtown
Dallas World Aquarium
More than just an aquarium, this unique zoo tour starts at the canopy level of a rain forest. Visitors wind their way down past many types of animals to find the aquarium at the bottom.
Reunion Tower
One of the defining landmarks of the Dallas skyline, has been renovated. There is an observation deck and restaurant at the top of the distinctive ball-shaped tower.
Klyde Warren Park
In many ways this park is redefining the city's character. The Klyde Warren Park is a privately-funded public space over the underground section of the Woodall Rodgers Freeway which forms the northern boundary of Downtow…
Dallas City Hall
Constructed in the early 1970s, the City Hall of Dallas is a unique architectural monument, shaped by its architect I.M. Pei as an inverted pyramid placed in the centre of a large open plot of land. While constructed of …
Dallas Museum of Art (DMA)
World-class art museum downtown befitting Dallas' status as a center of the oil, finance, and technology industries. Exhibits from all historical periods from antiquity to the present day. General admission is free; only…
Nasher Sculpture Center
This collection of sculpture provides a fantastic outdoor oasis in the heart of the downtown arts district. The Renzo Piano designed facility pulls in the surrounding light and energy of the district but does not overwhe…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Feb–May, Oct–Nov. Summer highs reach about 97°F; winter lows dip to about 38°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Oct and May. (climate data from nearby Dallas)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- DAL Dallas Love Field, Dallas — 5 mi away (major hub). Directions
- DFW Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth — 16 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Klyde Warren Park, Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), Nasher Sculpture Center
- Lunch Nobu
- Afternoon Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
- Dinner Old Warsaw
- Evening Dragonfly at Hotel ZaZa
Day 2
- Morning Dallas World Aquarium, Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
- Lunch Y.O. Steakhouse
- Afternoon Old Red Museum of Dallas County History and Culture, Reunion Tower
- Dinner RJ Mexican Cuisine
- Evening Draft Media Sports Bar and Lounge
Day 3
- Morning Undermain Theatre
- Lunch Pepe and Mito's
- Afternoon Dallas Mavericks
- Dinner Café Brazil
- Evening Sons of Hermann Hall
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
There are tons of restaurants, or a couple dozen anyway, including Dick's Last Resort, Hooters, and what was the original Spaghetti Warehouse. There are several popular local establishments as well. This area does not make the list of must-see places in Dallas but is a convenient place for dinner or a drink if you are already in the area.
The area around West End (North Market Street) and further east along Main Street are the best places to start looking. On Sundays check out the food vans parked long the road by Klyde Warren Park.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Uptown is the young, affluent area bounded by I-35E to the west, US-75 to the east, Woodall Rodgers (and central Downtown) to the south, and Turtle Creek to the north.
Deep Ellum, named for its place on the far eastern ("Deep") end of Elm Street ("Ellum"), consists of a 5- to 10-block-long stretch along Elm, Main, and Commerce streets east of Central Expressway. It can be reached easily via Commerce or Main Streets, northern parts of Dallas via Central Expressway to Good-Latimer, or eastern parts of Dallas via I-30 to First Ave/Exposition Ave.
Local information
- Downtown Dallas business association website
See
See Klyde Warren Park
In many ways this park is redefining the city's character. The Klyde Warren Park is a privately-funded public space over the underground section of the Woodall Rodgers Freeway which forms the northern boundary of Downtown. With greenery and performance/event spaces, it is one of the rare places in Downtown which allow outdoor recreation and enhances walkability towards Uptown. It is named after a living person, the son of its primary benefactor, Dallas billionaire Kelcy Warren.
See Dallas City Hall
Constructed in the early 1970s, the City Hall of Dallas is a unique architectural monument, shaped by its architect I.M. Pei as an inverted pyramid placed in the centre of a large open plot of land. While constructed of uncovered concrete, the building is not obnoxiously brutalist, as the colour of the concrete was carefully chosen to match the earth tones of the surrounding grounds. Unusual when constructed, it now provides a unique retrofuturistic vibe, which lent it to star, e.g. in Robocop as a dystopian corporate headquarters.
Museums
See Nasher Sculpture Center
This collection of sculpture provides a fantastic outdoor oasis in the heart of the downtown arts district. The Renzo Piano designed facility pulls in the surrounding light and energy of the district but does not overwhelm. The indoor-outdoor collection of renowned Dallas collector Raymond Nasher is truly astounding. Ask about the combined admission ticket to see the Nasher and the Dallas Museum of Art, directly across Harwood St.
- Trammell Crow Collection of Asian Art - A smaller museum, also adjacent to the DMA, featuring rotating collections of Asian art. At the bottom of the pyramid-topped Trammell Crow building. Admission is always free.
See Old Red Museum of Dallas County History and Culture
Tells the story of the development of Dallas County from pre-historic times to the present day. This museum opened in May and the quality of the exhibits and explanations is unusually high. Very much worth a visit if you want to understand the historical context of Dallas. In the restored 1892 Courthouse Building, a few minutes' walk from the Sixth Floor museum.
See Perot Museum of Nature and Science
The Dallas Natural History Museum relocated to this spectacular building funded by Ross Perot, a former Presidential candidate and local billionaire. It is a large science museum featuring permanent educational exhibits that are mainly geared toward kids but may also be entertaining for adults, plus more serious temporary exhibits that appeal more to adults.
See Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
An unfortunate part of Dallas' history is that it is the site of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The Texas Book Depository is the site where shots were fired by Lee Harvey Oswald, and the museum is on the sixth floor of the same building, with an extra exhibition on the seventh. It is a moving experience with videos, full-wall descriptions and photographs, along with artifacts from the event. The museum's gift shop is in a different building.
Do
AT&T Performing Arts Center
Traditional performing arts in Dallas are housed in a complex of purpose-built objects next to the Klyde Warren Park. Construction was financed by private donations over the 2000s, and design attracted architects of international fame, with every building an architectural point of interest in itself. The major performing arts companies moved to the new buildings, each bearing a name of its principal sponsor, while also leaving space for guest performances, which provides for busy and varied schedules.
Do Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre
Unorthodox in its design, the Wyly Theatre has its functions "stacked" one upon another, creating a relatively tall twelve-storey block, covered with anodized aluminium rods on the outside, with main stage seating for up to 600 spectators. The home company is the Dallas Theater Center.
Apart from the above, the square between the opera and symphony hall is sometimes used for outdoor performances and named Annette Strauss Square for the former mayor of Dallas who championed the arts.
American Airlines Center
The American Airlines Center is a large arena that can seat more than 20,000 people, depending on the arrangement and event. It is most known as the home field for Dallas' basketball and hockey teams. The brick retro arena is just north of Downtown, adjacent to the Victory Park DART and TRE (Trinity Railway Express) rail stations, at address 2500 Victory Ave.
See Dallas Mavericks
Dallas' professional basketball team, playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Ticket prices vary from $10 up to $240 for a seat very close to the action. In 2011, the team won the NBA championship. Though the centerpiece of that team, Dirk Nowitzki, has long since retired, the Mavs remain relevant thanks to Luka Dončić.
Other activities
Buy
There are some good antique stores in the Knox-Henderson area.
Eat
There are tons of restaurants, or a couple dozen anyway, including Dick's Last Resort, Hooters, and what was the original Spaghetti Warehouse. There are several popular local establishments as well. This area does not make the list of must-see places in Dallas but is a convenient place for dinner or a drink if you are already in the area.
Central Downtown/West End
The area around West End (North Market Street) and further east along Main Street are the best places to start looking. On Sundays check out the food vans parked long the road by Klyde Warren Park.
Eat RJ Mexican Cuisine
Kind of classy Mexican food in the West End. Try the quail.
Uptown/McKinney
It must be said that a bona fide "foodie" would be remiss to skip the fabulous restaurants that line McKinney Avenue and environs -- if there's one arena in which Dallas merits its own pretentions to "world-class" status, it's in its varied, creative restaurants, where quasi-celebrity chefs hold forth with true flair. Just to the north of McKinney is the Knox-Henderson area. It is similar but more laid-back. The west side of highway is Knox Street. This is just on the edge of Highland Park, and it features a plethora of home-decorating boutiques as well as eateries and watering holes. Cross the freeway and Knox becomes Henderson -- bastion of hip but laid-back eateries, check out Fireside Pies for one.
Eat Bread Winner's
Good Cinnamon Bread. Great customer service.
Eat Gloria's
El Salvadoran/Tex-Mex in Dallas with many locations.Great food & Margaritas. Try a Meltdown. Very cheap.
Eat Mi Cocina
Excellent Tex-Mex. Great frozen margarita. The flagship restaurant is Highland Park Village. Mi Cocina has other locations throughout Dallas.
Eat Nick & Sam's Steak and Fish House
A great steakhouse with very good service, be sure not to miss the bone-in filet. Dark, romantic atmosphere. Dress code enforced. It also has a great bar scene for anyone over thirty that wants something a little more sophisticated.
Eat Old Warsaw
French dining with a distinctly old-fashioned feel. A Dallas institution since 1948.
Eat State & Allen
A place for a quick cocktail, or impeccably prepared food accompanied by a selection from an impressive wine list.
Eat Las Palmas
Amazing Tex-Mex with dimmer light.
Deep Ellum
Eat Cane Rosso
Excellent pizzas for main course and desert.
Eat Café Brazil
The Deep Ellum location of the Dallas favorite.
Eat Pepe and Mito's
This restaurant truly has some of the best Tex-Mex in Dallas. Try the tacos norteños, the fried taquitos, or the shrimp enchiladas verdes. You can't go wrong; there's not a bad choice on the menu. Everything is homemade, even the chips & sauce.
Drink
Central Downtown
Drink Draft Media Sports Bar and Lounge
Uptown
Drink The Nodding Donkey
A casual place to drink beer and eat some good southern style food with your friends.
Drink Concrete Cowboy (McKinney Avenue Area)
A party bar. Unbelievably crowded on the weekends and extremely popular. Typical 20s-30s crowd.
Drink Dragonfly at Hotel ZaZa
In Uptown Dallas, Dragonfly is a trendy bar and lounge that attracts an eclectic mix of Hollywood celebrities and world travelers. Open year round, the lounge offers a chic, poolside retreat.
Deep Ellum
Drink Club Dada
Shows W-Su. One of the oldest live music venues in Deep Ellum. They have a nice patio in back.
Drink Sons of Hermann Hall
On the far east edge of Deep Ellum. This venue hosts live music of all types from local and national acts.
Sleep
Mid-range
Splurge
Stay Magnolia Hotel
Re-opened in 1999 and is in the oldest high-rise building in downtown Dallas. Adorning the top of the building is a red lighted Pegasus, which is a permanent fixture in the Dallas skyline. The hotel offers great features, location and amenities, such as: complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks, breakfast and cookies and milk at bedtime.
Get in & around
By train
- DART serves Downtown Dallas with several light-rail and commuters lines running through downtown with lines running in all directions. The furthest commuter lines run to Denton and Fort Worth (with a stop just south of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Other lines go to Plano, Richardson, Garland, and south Dallas.
- To get to Deep Ellum on DART, take the Green Line to Deep Ellum or Baylor Stations.
- Street parking in Deep Ellum is free during weekday business hours, but the meters are active on nights and weekends, and there are several pay lots in the area.
- The free-to-ride M-Line Trolley (streetcar) runs from the northern part of Downtown straight through the middle of Uptown, where it connects to DART's Uptown Station (Blue, Red and Orange Lines.)
- Amtrak has a station on the west side of downtown and shares a station with DART's commuter rail lines and 2 of the light-rail lines.
By car
Several expressways meet in downtown Dallas, forming a loop around the neighborhood. I-35E (going south to north) and I-30 (going east to west cross I-45 (from Houston), US-75 (to Sherman and Tulsa), and Woodall Rodgers (connecting I-35E to US-75.)
Nearby
Irving
City / town · 31 listings · 9 mi away
Duncanville
City / town · 6 listings · 11 mi away
Mesquite
City / town · 9 listings · 12 mi away
Grand Prairie
City / town · 16 listings · 12 mi away
Richardson
City / town · 5 listings · 12 mi away
Addison
City / town · 49 listings · 12 mi away
Garland
City / town · 9 listings · 13 mi away
Carrollton
City / town · 20 listings · 13 mi away
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