One of Texas's most recognizable landmarks is the Reunion Tower. The Reunion Tower features a bright, round sphere on top of a tall, thin structure. If you're traveling to Dallas and want to see the city's best sights, then the Reunion Tower's observation deck, GeO-Deck, is where you want to go.
The GeO-Deck sits atop the tower and offers the best 360-degree view for miles. The GeO-Deck is an indoor and outdoor observation deck that lets you uniquely soak in the city. Read on for a closer look at the Reunion Tower, Dallas's most recognizable landmark.
The Iconic Reunion Tower: A Dallas Landmark
The Reunion Tower is a great vantage point for seeing the beautiful Dallas skyline, but it also has a rich history. The Reunion Tower first opened its doors to the public in April 1978. At the time when The Beck Group built the tower, it was the largest building to ever be included in an urban development plan.
It is now the 15th-tallest building in Dallas, with the observation tower standing 561 feet in the air. The name for the building originally came from a utopian community called La Réunion, a 19th-century French settlement in an area nearby. When the tower opened, a sports radio station broadcast the announcement from the top.
The Reunion Tower is a popular tourist attraction, and locals also enjoy visiting for the various activities that take place at the GeO-Deck. Commonly called "The Ball" by locals, it features 259 LED lights around the geodesic dome. The lights can be seen from as far as 15 miles away at night during the light shows.
The tower has been featured on television shows like Dallas and Walker, Texas Ranger, as well as the film RoboCop. The GeO-Deck is a reasonably new addition to the tower, having been introduced to the public in 2013 during significant facility upgrades.
Experiencing the GeO-Deck: An Interactive Experience
The Reunion Tower's GeO-Deck has two floors. The inside deck offers an interactive experience. The amazing views from the GeO-Deck are fantastic day or night, but seeing the view at night is magical when the city lights come to life.
The Reunion Tower offers a special "Love is in the Air" package for a date with two tickets to the GeO-Deck and wine with glasses that you can take home as keepsakes. If you want to take the romance up a notch, the tower offers an "I DO! Reunion Package" for a small wedding or even an elopement vows package at the GeO-Deck Dallas.
The top floor is home to the Reunion Tower restaurant, Crown Block. The restaurant serves fine seafood and steak as well as plant-based cuisine. Crown Block features prime beef, seafood, sushi, local ingredients from nearby ranches and farms, and seafood from the Gulf of Mexico. The restaurant has an extensive wine list, too.
You can enjoy exceptional food with panoramic skyline views at Crown Block. Crown Block also doubles as an event space, which is excellent for private receptions and other special events.
Elevating Your Experience: The Ride Up
There are stairs that go up to the Reunion Tower observation deck if you want some exercise. But if not, the elevator is the way to go. The trip in the elevator up the GeO-Deck lasts 68 seconds. You get to travel up 50 stories with an amazing view as you ride up. Once you make it to the top, you'll immediately notice the panoramic views extending all the way to Fort Worth.
The 360-Degree Panoramic View
At the rotating 360-degree GeO-Deck, you can experience the Dallas skyline from 470 feet in the air. This observation deck offers breathtaking views in every direction. Twenty interactive touch screens around the deck are known as "The Halo." The Halo touch screens offer an interactive experience like no other.
For example, you can engage with interactive pictures of Dallas's historic landmarks and even control the cameras outside the tower to see more of the city in real time. This feature allows guests to explore local museums, landmarks, restaurants, and other hidden gems in the town with the help of the cameras.
You can also check out a video about the JFK assassination near the tower at Dealey Plaza. The touch screens also feature a simulation of the light shows that the building produces.
High-Definition Zoom Cameras for Closer Views
The observation deck offers high-definition zoom cameras to see the city up close. Using the control features of the Halo screens, you can zoom in on various places around town and see them closer.
Telescopes are lined up around the outside of the deck for better sightseeing. You can also grab photo ops then, at the kiosk, choose a background you like and send the picture to your email. You can make memorable moments at the GeO-Deck that you'll treasure forever.
Tips for Visiting the Reunion Tower GeO-Deck
Here are some tips for when you visit the iconic Reunion Tower GeO-Deck:
- Make sure to have your Reunion Tower photos taken by the staff. It's free and a fun way to remember your visit.
- If you're not a fan of heights, don't look straight down. Instead, enjoy the high-definition telescopes or the cameras and look around.
- Plan ahead and check online to see if any special events are taking place that could make the Reunion Tower busier than usual or cause the hours to change.
- Try to visit The GeO-Deck twice: once around sunset and once at night, to see the skyline and the city lights at night.
- Grab a bite to eat at Crown Block, and remember to check out the dessert bar and watch the pastry chefs whip up some tasty creations.
Enjoy Amazing Views of the Heart Of Downtown With CityPASS®
You can truly get the best view of the heart of downtown from the GeO-Deck at the Reunion Tower. So if you're planning a trip to Dallas, Texas, and stopping at the Reunion Tower GeO-Deck, you can save money with Dallas CityPASS® tickets. Dallas CityPASS® tickets include admission to the Reunion Tower GeO-Deck and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, as well as two additional experiences you choose. You'll save at four popular things to do in Dallas so you can enjoy every moment of the visit.
Dallas Lodging
To get the most out of your stay in Dallas, we recommend finding lodging near Dallas's top attractions. Use this map to find the right lodging for you:
Booking.comHeader Image Courtesy of Reunion Tower GeO-Deck