Your trip to Dallas is on the horizon, but how can you make the most of each day? Dallas is one of the most vibrant cities in the United States, so it can be hard to choose between activities. But not to worry. While the city has something for everyone, these are the Dallas tourist attractions no one should miss.
5 Dallas Tourist Attractions for First-Time Visitors
You can visit your favorites on repeat visits or branch out and explore other areas of the city. But first-time visitors can't go wrong with these five tourist attractions in Dallas, Texas.
Explore Interactive Exhibits at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science
The Perot Museum makes learning fun with highly interactive displays that bridge the distance between education and play.
You'll want to explore everything the museum has to offer, but highlights include:
- Life Then and Now Hall. In addition to checking out huge dinosaur skeletons, you can spy on real-time paleontology work and take in displays that recreate life millions of years ago.
- Sports Hall. Explore the limits of the human mind and body with exhibits that let you analyze the biology and physics of dinosaurs, superstars, and yourself. Active visitors can even train like an athlete in the Motion Lab exhibit.
- Engineering and Innovation Hall. Play with the science behind music, building, and machines. Check out the ChallENGe Lab, where you can give your creativity a workout. And you might even consider taking a class in its series of free workshops.
- Dynamic Earth Hall. Experience extreme weather, touch a cloud or a tornado, and make your meteorological predictions in front of the camera.
- Children's Museum. The littlest members of your party can dig for dinos or crawl around a miniature version of the Dallas skyline. Get them interested in art and nature with designated spaces.
Don't forget about visiting exhibits put on by major organizations, such as National Geographic. Offerings change every few months, so check the museum website before you go.
The Perot Museum is also close to Dallas's Arts District, and its proximity to other museums could set you up for a whole day of fun.
Enjoy 360 Degree Views at Reunion Tower GeO-Deck
Take in all the Dallas, Texas, tourist attractions at once from 470 feet above the ground. The GeO-Deck at the Reunion Tower lets you explore the city in all directions. It's the perfect place to take a selfie. Or just relax and enjoy the view.
There's no bad season to visit Dallas, but average weather reports mention year-round clouds and winter winds. Try to visit the tower on a clear day for the best view, and watch out for inclement weather, which may cause the tower to close.
Dive Deep Into History at the George W. Bush Presidential Museum
Dig deep into twenty-first-century history at the George W. Bush Presidential Museum. There's ample material about the 43rd presidency and the eight years of Bush's two terms. But the absolute can't-miss exhibit covers the most important event of the Bush presidency: the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
You can also explore artifacts of Bush's presidency, including many gifts from international leaders to the United States. Or get a taste of life in the White House with unique behind-the-scenes displays and a replica of the Bush Oval Office. You'll also discover other contemporary pieces and temporary exhibits.
While you're in the neighborhood, take a walk through Native Texas Park on the grounds of the Bush Center. With more than 600,000 square feet of green space, the park restores a piece of the native prairie to tourist attractions in Dallas.
Learn From Educational Displays at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
Few Dallas itinerary stops are more important than the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. It reminds us of the importance of tolerance and humanity; the repercussions when fundamental human rights are ignored are too terrible.
Permanent exhibitions include:
- Bear Witness to the Holocaust. This sprawling exhibit covers every aspect of the atrocity. Highlights include an authentic WWII boxcar like those that transported Jews from their homes to concentration and death camps and personal testimonies from local Dallas survivors.
- Human Rights Wing. The journey continues in a wing devoted to the many lessons the world learned — and failed to learn — from the Holocaust. Displays cover the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Ten Stages of Genocide.
- Pivot to America. The final permanent exhibit covers the ongoing struggles for equity in America with kiosks devoted to different groups and individuals. It challenges participants to reflect on history, engage with the present, and confront their biases.
Special exhibitions change regularly. Past ones include displays on the Civil Rights movement in the South, Japanese internment camps, and Anne Frank.
While you're in the West End Historic District, you might also check out the nearby Reunion Tower GeO-Deck. Or head down the neighboring Main Street for some of the city's best food.
Embark on a Guided Backstage Safari Tour at the Dallas Zoo
Dallas Zoo — the oldest and largest zoo in Texas — is one of the top Dallas tourist attractions for a reason. It offers more than a hundred acres of animal habitats and learning opportunities for the whole family.
With so much to see, you'll want to plan your trip beforehand. You can feed the giraffes in the Giants of the Savanna section, look at hippos above and below the water at Simmons Hippo Outpost, or visit the Rainforest Adventure.
Or you can sign up for the Backstage Safari tour. Feed apples to an elephant, help train the hippos, and attend a private Wild Encounters show. Plus, all proceeds go to the zoo's conservation efforts, so you know you're supporting a worthy cause.
Save During Your Next Dallas Visit
No need to ask, "What are the best tourist attractions in Dallas, Texas?" The Dallas CityPASS® ticket bundle helps you identify the top hotspots and save money at each.
With one purchase, you'll get admission to:
You'll also get admission to two of the following:
It's the perfect way to explore the best of this amazing city.
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:
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