Overview
Denton is a city in Texas. It is a college town which forms the northern tip of what is known as the Golden Triangle, the other two points being Dallas and Fort Worth, approximately equidistant to the southeast and southwest.
5 sights · 5 things to do · 18 places to eat · 9 bars & cafés · 6 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Denton
Acoustic Lawn Jam
On the Hickory side of the courthouse. Every Saturday from 10AM to 1PM weather permitting, folks bring their fiddles, guitars, banjos, and mandolins for a free-for-all jam session.
Bayless-Selby House Museum
A Victorian house from the 1880s offers a glimpse of local history.
Historic courthouse and the Courthouse–on–the-Square Museum
Denton's courthouse, built in 1896, houses a museum collection of heirlooms, pottery, and weapons, all artifacts of local history.
One O'Clock Lab Band
University of North Texas' world-famous group offering jazz performances.
UNT on the Square
An arts and meeting space devoted to presenting UNT arts programming in service to the university and to the community at large. UNT on the Square also houses the UNT Institute for the Advancement of the Arts.
Denton Arts and Jazz Festival
Every spring - usually the last three days of April - Denton hosts the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival, a city-sponsored event that brings over 200,000 people per year for live music, food, drink, crafts, and recreation …
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 96°F; winter lows dip to about 35°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Oct and May. (climate data from nearby Fort Worth)
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.
- DFW Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth — 23 mi away (major hub). Directions
- DAL Dallas Love Field, Dallas — 30 mi away (major hub). Directions
The nearest airports with commercial service are Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Love Field (DAL).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Acoustic Lawn Jam, Historic courthouse and the Courthouse–on–the-Square Museum, UNT on the Square
- Lunch Beth Marie's Old Fashioned Ice Cream
- Afternoon 35 Denton, Denton Holiday Lighting Festival
- Dinner Mi Casita
- Evening Andy's Bar & Grill
Day 2
- Morning Bayless-Selby House Museum, One O'Clock Lab Band, Denton Arts and Jazz Festival
- Lunch New York Sub Hub
- Afternoon University of North Texas Sky Theatre Planetarium, Thin Line
- Dinner Fuzzy's Tacos
- Evening Dan's Silverleaf
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
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.
Get in
By plane
The nearest airports with commercial service are Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Love Field (DAL).
By public transit
There are no long-distance trains to Denton, although Amtrak serves nearby Dallas/Fort Worth with its Texas Eagle service. What Denton does have is good commuter rail service from Dallas via the A-Train. The A-train departs every hour on the hour from Downtown Denton Transit Center and Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton during off-peak hours and on the hour and half-hour during peak hours. The full journey to/from Carrollton takes about 45 minutes. Note that the A-Train does not run on Sundays.
Trinity Mills Station offers connections to the DART Green Line, which runs southeast to Love Field and downtown Dallas.
To get to Denton from Love Field by public transit, take the DART shuttle bus on the lower level to Inwood/Love Field Station. From there, take the Green Line to Trinity Mills and transfer to the A-Train.
To get to Denton from DFW International Airport, take the DART Silver Line from Terminal B to Downtown Carrollton Station. From there, take the Green Line to Trinity Mills, just one stop to the north, and transfer to the A-Train.
Alternatively, you can take the DART Orange Line from Terminal A to Bachman Station. From there, take the Green Line to Trinity Mills and transfer to the A-Train. Taking the Silver Line is usually a bit faster, though, depending on where you fall in the schedule.
DCTA says it plans to extend the A-Train south to Downtown Carrollton Station for a direct connection with the Silver Line at some point in the future, but don’t count on it happening soon.
Downtown Denton Transit Center is located at 604 E Hickory St, just east of downtown, and is connected to local buses.
By car
Denton is situated on I-35 at the point where it splits into 35E, heading southeast to Dallas, and 35W, heading southwest to Fort Worth. Depending on the traffic, it takes about 30-45 minutes from either. If you are coming from Oklahoma City it takes around 3 hours. State Highway 380 also connects Denton to Decatur 30 minutes west, and U.S. 75 30 minutes east. Denton Enterprise Airport (DTO) is within the city limits of the City of Denton, only four miles from the central business district and 15 minutes north of the Texas Motor Speedway, but does not offer airline service.
By bus
Greyhound offers service to Denton, with a station in the northwest corner of town adjacent to I-35.
Get around
The Denton County Transportation authority runs several bus routes throughout the day. There is also a free shuttle service for UNT, TWU, and NCTC students. Although it is best to rent a car in Denton, you can easily use the buses. See the Denton County Transportation Authority.
See
See Acoustic Lawn Jam
On the Hickory side of the courthouse. Every Saturday from 10AM to 1PM weather permitting, folks bring their fiddles, guitars, banjos, and mandolins for a free-for-all jam session.
See Historic courthouse and the Courthouse–on–the-Square Museum
Denton's courthouse, built in 1896, houses a museum collection of heirlooms, pottery, and weapons, all artifacts of local history.
See UNT on the Square
An arts and meeting space devoted to presenting UNT arts programming in service to the university and to the community at large. UNT on the Square also houses the UNT Institute for the Advancement of the Arts.
Do
Do Denton Arts and Jazz Festival
Every spring - usually the last three days of April - Denton hosts the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival, a city-sponsored event that brings over 200,000 people per year for live music, food, drink, crafts, and recreation at the Civic Center Park. Big-name performers and bands such as Arturo Sandoval and Tower of Power have performed at the Festival.
- PolaCon. A convention celebrating instant film (Polaroid, Instax, etc.) and new and innovative ways of making art with it. The Instant Film Society now also hosts events in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area, but Denton was the original location. Typically held around October.
Buy
Denton's historic town square has several good antique and specialty shops.
Eat
Budget
Eat Beth Marie's Old Fashioned Ice Cream
After a meal at one of the square's restaurants, head to the south side of the courthouse for some freshly made ice cream in a parlor straight out of the 1950s.
Eat Mi Casita
Small Mexican restaurant with decent lunch and dinner but excellent breakfast burritos.
Eat New York Sub Hub
This long-time Denton institution serves up some of the best sandwiches around. There is a second location at 305 W University Dr.
Eat Fuzzy's Tacos
Unusual taco creations including Fish Tempura tacos.
Mid-range
Eat Andaman Thai
Best Thai food in Denton. Just off the square.
Eat Fera's
Good Italian food in a unique setting. The garlic rolls keep the locals coming back.
Eat Greenhouse
Sandwiches, burgers, seafood, and many vegetarian options in classy atmosphere with occasional live music.
Eat LSA Burger Co.
Great hamburgers in a Texas music themed setting.
Eat La Mexicana
Very authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex, 5 blocks south of the square on Locust. The lunch specials are very popular with the local Mexican community. Try the tilapia.
Eat Metzler's
A take-out joint specializing in barbecue and tradition German sausages.
Eat Mr. Chopsticks
Fantastic Chinese and Thai dishes. The sesame chicken and the almond chicken are scrumptious.
Eat Thai Ocha
Great Thai Food. Local restaurant with great service and affordable food. The curry & noodle dishes are fantastic.
Eat Yummy's
Popular Greek and Mediterranean restaurant.
Splurge
Eat Hannah's Off The Square
Casual fine dining restaurant.
Eat I Love Sushi
Sushi and sashimi, plus other favorites like teriyaki and tempura.
Eat Loophole Courthouse Spirits & Eatery
Eat Trail Dust Steak House
Very famous steakhouse in the country east of town. If you wear a necktie, it may be cut off with scissors by the staff. Occasional live music.
Drink
Drink Andy's Bar & Grill
Busy bar and music venue right on the square.
Drink Dan's Silverleaf
One of the best live venues in the DFW area.
Drink Rockin Rodeo
The local honky-tonk.
Drink Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studio
In the warehouse district east of downtown, this garage venue hosts a lot of great national acts that skip even Dallas.
Drink Lone Oak Bar & Grill - Holiday Inn Hotel
Great Bar & Grill located in the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites.
Fry Street area
These establishments are all easy to spot from the corner of Fry Street and Hickory. It is legal to drink alcohol on the street here until 2:30AM, provided that it is not in a glass container. It is illegal, however, to carry alcohol onto the UNT campus grounds across the street.
Drink Cool Beans
Sports bar with many TV screens, darts, a rooftop patio, and frequent live music by mostly local acts. Try their unique hamburgers. Happy hour specials until 7PM.
Drink The Drink
Live music from great local bands.
Drink Lucky Lou's
A happening college bar with pool tables inside and a large outdoor patio in front. Happy hour from 9 to 11PM.
Sleep
Stay Best Western Premier Crown Chase Inn & Suites
74 guest rooms each with pillow top mattresses, cable satellite television with HBO and high-speed Internet access. Complimentary full breakfast. Additional amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, exercise facility, hot tub and cocktail lounge. Business travelers will appreciate the quality meeting, banquet and conference facilities.
Stay Comfort Suites at the University of North Texas (Comfort Suites @ UNT)
Closest hotel to the University of North Texas. A 100% smoke free hotel with large spacious rooms with either 1 King size bed or 2 Queen size beds that includes free wired and wireless high speed internet access. All rooms include microwave and refrigerator along with a free hot breakfast 6:30-9:30AM.
Go next
- Any destination in Dallas or Fort Worth is easily accessible as a day trip.
- Go shopping at the outlet mall just north of town, or at another one 25 minutes north in Gainesville.
- Lake Ray Roberts is 20 minutes north of town. Facilities are minimal however. Follow Locust street north out of town and watch for the sign pointing out the turn to the right.
- Denton makes a convenient place to stay for events at Texas Motor Speedway a few miles south of town towards Fort Worth.
Nearby
Lewisville
City / town · 12 listings · 14 mi away
The Colony
City / town · 13 listings · 17 mi away
Frisco
City / town · 14 listings · 18 mi away
Southlake
City / town · 10 listings · 19 mi away
Coppell
City / town · 1 listings · 19 mi away
Grapevine
City / town · 18 listings · 20 mi away
Carrollton
City / town · 20 listings · 23 mi away
Addison
City / town · 49 listings · 25 mi away
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