Looking for the best things to do in Dallas? Locals point visitors to the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, Klyde Warren Park and the Arts District, the Dallas Arboretum, and the music and murals of Deep Ellum and the Bishop Arts District. Here’s how Dallasites actually spend their time, by area, by night, by budget, and by who you’re with.
Things to do in Dallas, by area
The Arts District & Klyde Warren Park
The largest urban arts district in the country: the free Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, the Perot Museum, and the deck-park over the freeway, Klyde Warren Park.
Dealey Plaza & Downtown
The Sixth Floor Museum tells the JFK story; Reunion Tower’s GeO-Deck gives the skyline view.
Deep Ellum
Dallas’s live-music and mural district — bars, venues, tattoo shops and street art east of downtown.
Bishop Arts District (Oak Cliff)
A walkable pocket of indie shops, murals and some of the city’s best restaurants.
The Dallas Arboretum & White Rock Lake
Gardens, seasonal displays, and a lakeside loop for walking and biking.
Things to do in Dallas at night
Deep Ellum for live music, Uptown and Lower Greenville for bars, and Bishop Arts for dinner and drinks — plus rooftop views around downtown.
Indoor & rainy-day things to do in Dallas
The Perot Museum, the free Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher, the Dallas World Aquarium, and the Sixth Floor Museum.
Free things to do in Dallas
- Klyde Warren Park
- The Dallas Museum of Art (free admission)
- The Katy Trail
- Dealey Plaza
- The Bishop Arts murals
Things to do in Dallas for couples
Klyde Warren Park and the Arts District, a Bishop Arts dinner, the Dallas Arboretum, and drinks with a view at Reunion Tower.
Things to do in Dallas with kids
Family wins: the Perot Museum, the Dallas World Aquarium, the Dallas Zoo, and Klyde Warren Park.
What Dallas locals actually recommend
Which districts are worth your evening, where to eat beyond the chains, the best local events — that comes from people who live here. On Neighborhood Nurturers’ Dallas community, real Dallas neighbors answer “what should I actually do this weekend?” Join your Dallas neighbors free →
Frequently asked questions
What are the top things to do in Dallas?
Locals send visitors to the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, Klyde Warren Park and the neighboring Arts District (the free Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher, the Perot Museum), the Dallas Arboretum, and the music and murals of Deep Ellum and the Bishop Arts District.
What is there to do in Dallas at night?
Dallas nights center on Deep Ellum (live music and bars), Uptown, Lower Greenville, and the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff. Rooftop bars and the view from Reunion Tower round it out.
What can you do in Dallas when it rains?
Head to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, the free Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, the Dallas World Aquarium, and the Sixth Floor Museum.
What are free things to do in Dallas?
Klyde Warren Park, the Dallas Museum of Art (free general admission), the Katy Trail, and Dealey Plaza are all free.
What are the best things to do in Dallas for couples?
Klyde Warren Park and the Arts District, dinner and shops in the Bishop Arts District, the Dallas Arboretum, and drinks with a view at Reunion Tower.
What are fun things to do in Dallas with kids?
Family favorites: the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, the Dallas World Aquarium, the Dallas Zoo, and Klyde Warren Park’s lawn and food trucks.