Things to see in Dallas

The Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex is a huge diverse area with many things for everyone to do and see.

There are countless places to shop, sight-see and be entertained. I have a separate journal dedicated to places to eat in the Dallas metropolitan area.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

A car is almost a must in Dallas. The metropolitan area is huge, and the public transit system is up-and-coming.

You can arrive by air at either the Dallas/Ft Worth International airport (located far west of Dallas), or at Dallas Love Field located near downtown.

The Fairmont Dallas is in downtown Dallas, in the Arts district, very close to the Mort Meyerson Center (home of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra), and the Dallas Museum of Art.

The Fairmont is also close to the entertainment districts of McKinney Avenue and the touristy West End district.

The Fairmont is world-class. We stayed there to celebrate our anniversary. They have a "Romance Package" that includes a room, champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, and breakfast either in the lavish Pyramid Restaurant, or "Private Dining" (room service).

During our visit, there were multiple huge Christmas parties and a wedding, so the valets (parking is $18/day) were very busy, and it took a few minutes to park.

They have a grand entrance, and we were promptly greeted and checked in. We were also upgraded to a suite, which is very special at the Fairmont.

Our suite (Room 600 and also called the Davy Crocket Suite) was large, well furnished, and we enjoyed it. It had 3 separate heating controls, so we made it very comfortable.

Each night on our return, the bed was turned down and mints placed on the pillows. This suite is located in the south tower.

The general decor is conservative but lavish. The lobby is wall-to-wall marble, with huge marble columns. They have huge meeting/party rooms, an in-house florist, several retail gift shops, and at least one art gallery/exhibit.

They have an olympic-size pool on the terrace level, a fitness center, and discounts into the YMCA across the street.

The service was flawless, from check-in to check-out. All wake-up calls and room service (breakfast) went like clockwork. In fact, one morning our 7:30 am wake-up call was received at THE EXACT MOMENT as the knock on our door for our 7:30am breakfast room service! We laughed for 10 minutes!

We had drinks and snacks in the lobby bar both nights, and the service was good, and the atmosphere very comfortable with overstuffed chairs and sofas.

Each Christmas, this Fairmont decorates the lobby with a large Gingerbread house (architected and baked by their pastry chef) that children can enter and write letters to Santa. Each year, the Fairmont grants one childs Christmas wish.

They also decorate the lobby with model trains, built to the themes of multiple countries.

Very nice. My pictures couldn't do this great place justice, so one of them them is from their web site, www.fairmont.com.

The Renaissance Worthington Hotel (owned by Marriott) is in downtown Fort Worth's Sundance Square, which is home to much of Fort Worth's entertainment and nightlife. We got a very reasonable rate of $129 the weekend night of our stay.

The Renaissance Worthington is a contemporary 12-story building (and over 500 guest rooms) that stretches across three blocks in downtown Fort Worth. The ends of the building are shaped like stair steps, and the hotel is built right over Houston Street, so downtown traffic literally drives right through the hotel, making it the dominant focal point of Sundance Square.

The Renaissance is definitely a full-service hotel. It has several restaurants, a nice cocktail lounge, 24 hour room service, fitness center and concierge level. It is located in very cool Sundance Square, and a short walk to many other restaurants, museums, shopping and entertainment.

Our King room was nice, with a unique floor plan. All the rooms face the hallway at an angle, resulting in bedrooms and bathroom that are not square, which is a neat change. The room was spacious with a desk, large table and two chairs, and all business conveniences such as voice mail, data ports for modems, speakerphones, etc. The rooms have mini-bars if you don't want to go out. The pictures I took were from the roof of the nearby Caravan of Dreams.

The lobby has painted murals of Texas heritage themes, including cattle drives, since Fort Worth was once a huge major center for livestock.

The Renaissance Worthington Hotel is located in downtown Fort Worth. To get there from the Dallas Fort Worth International airport, take 114 West to downtown Fort Worth, and follow the signs to Sundance Square, or turn left at Houston Street and you can't miss it. Their phone number is 817-870-1000.

The Dallas Arboretum is recommended for anyone that enjoys flowers and plants. I took a visiting family member who is a huge plant buff, and they loved it.

See informative web site at www.dallasarboretum.org. The photos in this journal are from their web page, except the one of the rear of the DeGolyer Mansion.

The Arboretum is near downtown Dallas and sits on White Rock Lake. The Arboretum was formed by combining the DeGolyer (prominent Dallas oil family) Mansion and the adjacent Alex Camp estate. It is owned by the City of Dallas and operated by the Dallas Arboretum.

Although our visit was during horrible weather on November 24th, I was amazed at the number of flowers that were in bloom in the outdoor gardens (there is no indoor conservatory).

If it rains while you are there, you can retreat to the on-site cafe, well stocked gift shop, and/or to one of the indoor guided tours they have on the grounds.

We toured the DeGolyer Mansion when the rain started. It is a 1940's house that is 21,000 sq ft. It was beautifully decorated for Christmas. It really got me into the holiday spirit (without the crowds at the malls). The volunteer guide was extremely friendly and knowledgeable.

After the rain, we walked through many gardens, that contained every family (so it seemed) of plant, flower and tree except succulents/cactus. The grounds are truly beautiful, and this is a popular place for weddings.

In addition to their great web site (which includes directions, maps, and searchable database of plants), they have an information phone line (214-327-4901) that provides additional information, such as what is currently in bloom, and any special events.

I look forward to returning during other seasons....even if I don't have family visiting from out of town.

Stonebriar Centre Mall is the newest mall in the area. It has been open about 3 months. It is in Frisco, a far north suburb of Dallas, at the north west corner of Preston and SH 121. Go north and Preston and you won't miss it.

Stonebriar is a 2 level indoor mall with a wide range of stores (over 100). Merchandise includes shoes, apparel, specialty apparel, health and beauty, electronics, jewelry, toys, services, and etc. There is a 3rd level for an AMC 24 Theater.

Anchor stores include Macy's, Foley's, JCPenney, Nordstrom, Sears, and Galyan's is still under construction.

There are 3 restaurants, a large food court, and other food scattered throughout the mall.

Like the Galleria (see separate journal entry), Stonebriar has a public ice skating rink, but Stonebriar is set up for hockey, with glass screens, nets, and scoreboard.

Stonebriar provides plenty of rest areas throughout the mall with nice leather chairs and sofas, a major benefit in my opinion. They also have a large kids play area (see picture from Stonebriars web site). In addition to the play area, they have a full-size carousel (merry-go-round).

We had no trouble finding parking near a Foley's entrance. For information, directions, and phone numbers for each retailer, call 972-668-MALL or visit http://www.mallibu.com.

The Galleria is not to be missed if you love to shop at premier department stores and/or fancy specialty shops. It is located at the intersection of the LBJ Freeway (635) and Dallas Parkway (Tollway) in North Dallas.

The Galleria has over 200 stores and dozens of restaurants on 3 levels, and a well-heeled clientele. It has an open architecture that is highlighted by a public ice skating rink at the main intersection of the mall.

Anchor stores include Macy's, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and a Westin Hotel (shopping vacation?). They have many other well-known and little-known shops selling mens, womens and/or childrens apparel, accessories, art, cosmetics, eyewear, electronics, gifts, jewelry, luggage, music, shoes, sporting goods, toys, etc.

During the holiday season, they have a HUGE and beautiful Christmas Tree prominently displayed in the middle of the ice skating rink.

We had no trouble parking in the Galleria parking garage even on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. They also have valet parking available (complementary for the handicapped).

Some of the pictures are from the Dallas Galleria web site. Bring comfortable shoes and lots of money.

Collin Creek Mall is an indoor, 2 level mall in Plano, Texas right on the west side of I-75 between Plano Parkway (exit 28) and 15th Street (exit 29). There is a lot of parking available.

This place is big. Anchor stores include Foley's, Sears, JCPenney, Dillard's, and Mervyn's.

If they don't have what you want, there are well over 100 other stores that carry mens, womens, and/or childrens apparel, accessories, shoes, toys, jewelry, sporting goods, electronics, books, cards, gifts, luggage, home furnishings (you get the idea).

There is a large food court typical of other malls, and 2 sit-down restaurants...a Luby's Cafeteria, and Tino's Mexican Restaurant (which is excellent). There are other restaurants outside the mall on the service road facing I-75.

The common areas in the mall are spacious, and loaded with smaller merchants in kiosks, and an area with free internet access. There is a small kids train, and a place to visit Santa.

Like every other mall, it is currently decked out for Christmas.

For shop-until-you-drop types, they have a free membership to a Premier Shopper Club, which offers (seasonal) free gift wrap, coat check, shopping bags, and kid strollers.

For more information, they can be reached at 972-422-1070. They also have an informative web site at http://www.collincreekmall.com

Within Irving Texas, Las Colinas (The Colonies?) is a planned community and business development. It is an area of several thousand acres containing office buildings, restaurants, and a nice Omni hotel. In the surrounding area (it is not clear where Irving ends and Las Colinas begins), there are a lot of beautiful upscale condominiums and apartment communities.

Running through Las Colinas is the Mandalay Canal, a man-made canal connected to a man-made lake, creating a very attractive setting for the area businesses and residences. The Mandalay Canal and area around the canal create a European market appearance and environment. The canal is lined with trees, and was originally lined with upscale European emporium-style shops.

If you haven't visited Las Colinas in a few years, or your travel guide/information is out of date, you will notice that the area has seen a significant evolution in recent years. The shops that once lined the canal are now occupied by (non-retail) businesses. The nice water taxi service that was once available through the canals and around the lake was discontinued. There is a light rail service that connects the area's office towers with the Mandalay Canal, but it may only operate during weekday business hours.

During my visit on an early Sunday afternoon, the Mandalay Canal was all but deserted. With no one else around, the retail shops now gone, and the restaurants apparently catering exclusively to the weekday lunch crowd, I almost felt like I was trespassing.

Despite this evolution, the Mandalay Canal is still very pleasant to visit. Just don't expect to shop on the canal. While you are here, you can also visit the nearby popular Mustangs of Las Colinas sculpture (see other journal entry).

To find Las Colinas and the Mandalay Canal, you can take the 635 (LBJ) Freeway to the Valley View exit east of the Dallas/Ft Worth International airport, and go south to O'Connor. Turn left on O'Connor and turn right on Las Colinas Boulevard. The canal is surrounded by street parking and parking garages.

The Mustangs of Las Colinas are a bronze sculpture of nine wild mustang horses galloping through a water fountain that creates the illusion that they are splashing water as they run.

The Mustangs are a popular North Texas landmark, and a memorial to Texas heritage created by Robert Glen in 1984.

The Mustangs are said to be the world's largest equestrian sculpture. The sculpture is located in Las Colinas in the large courtyard of Williams Square--a large office building.

Las Colinas is a planned community within Irving, Texas, close to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. To get there from the airport, take the north airport exit to Highway 114 East toward downtown Dallas, exit and turn left on O'Connor. Look for the Williams Square office towers (and the sculpture) on the left. There is street parking and a parking lot directly across the street.

Phone number is 214-748-4801

The West End is a historic warehouse district that has been restored and converted into one of Dallas' most popular attractions. It has several square blocks of museums, restaurants, shopping, bars, clubs, and cafes.

The West End is in downtown Dallas, and is (approximately) bordered by Main Street to the south, Woodall Rogers Freeway to the north, Field Street to the east, and Record Street to the west. Market Street runs north/south between Field and Record streets through the heart of the West End, and dead ends at Dallas Alley and the West End Marketplace (see other journal entry).

Although the buildings are warehouses converted into restaurants and nightclubs, they have preserved the history of some of the buildings, which date back to the 1900's.

The West End is a popular place for tourists and for locals to take visitors from out of town. It is colorful, has a lot of energy, and there is something for everyone. There are all types of restaurants, bars, cafes, and night clubs in the West End. Horse-drawn carriage rides are very popular.

To find the West End, go downtown and follow the signs, and at night, look for the neon lights of the West End. From north of downtown, take the Dallas Tollway (by far the best way to drive north or south through Dallas) until it ends, and after the tollbooth, stay left, go through one light, and follow the signs to the right.

The West End is a block away from the JFK 6th Floor Museum. Also near downtown are lower Greenville Avenue and McKinney Avenue.

Phone number is 214-748-4801

The West End Marketplace Shopping and Entertainment Center is a restored warehouse converted to an entertainment complex filled with several dozen retail shops, cart vendors, food, arcade, and an outdoor stage.

It has 5 levels, including a large arcade (called Tilt) in the entire basement and part of the ground level. Additionally, there are 4 levels of souvenir, gifts, antiques and food shops. The top level has a bar, a mall-like fast food court, and an indoor minature golf course. Open escalators take you from one level to another (elevators are also available).

The West End Marketplace is adjacent to both the very popular Dallas Alley entertainment complex of nightclubs and a Planet Hollywood restaurant/bar. Both are located at the end of Market Street in the heart of the West End, and all its action.

The West End is popular and crowded on weekend nights. Street parking (metered) is available (but limited), but there are several parking lots (fee) and one large parking garage in the area.

Among all the nightclubs and bars for adults, the West End Marketplace is a good place to take kids. In addition to the arcade and miniature golf, watching one of the merchants make fudge candy is a popular attraction. There are a lot of security guards on duty, including Dallas Police Officers, to minimize the chance for trouble.

Old City Park is Dallas' first city park. It was first established in the 1800's as a park and in the 1900's became a historical park to preserve the architecture and history, and represent daily life in the North Texas region. Prior to its use as a park, the site was resident to Indians.

Old City Park contains a village of about 27 buildings from around Dallas dating between 1840 to 1910. They have guided tours available twice a day. We opted to self-tour (there is no difference in admission cost). The park is situated on 13 acres of nice sweeping landscape with colorful wildflowers and a dirt road for the merchants.

If you turn left from the ticket office, you can tour the buildings in descending order of age. This starts with a log cabin (the Miller Log House) from 1847. There are also period buildings (most with furnishings) of merchants, including a Dentists office (c 1905), Hotel (c 1902), Doctors office (c 1890), the 1905 Citizen's Bank, an 1886 Railway Depot, and 3 general stores.

The park also has several former residences from this period. Most notable is the Sullivan House from 1885. When we walked inside, there was a tour in progress (by well informed volunteers), so we joined it. I'm glad we did, because they pointed out many interesting connections between the furnishings and the Sullivan family. The house had dual (gas/electric) lighting, and had a bath with running water added much later. There were personal pictures and original furniture as well.

This park provided endless opportunities to explain to my young daughter about how different life was back then compared to now. For example, the Railway Depot (and its freight room) allowed me to explain the importance of the railroads to the economic growth of our country. They have a working farm that demonstrated that they couldn't run to the grocer like we do now.

Old City Park is very nice and often overlooked. It was a great history lesson for me, and having my young daughter with me made me stretch even more to think what life was like before airplanes, email, and strip malls. Their phone number is 214-421-5141.

Dallas Farmers Market (214-939-2808) is a large collection of retail and wholesale merchants in downtown Dallas, that set-up huge stands 7 days a week, all year around except Christmas and New Year's Day. It was established in 1941.

They have a huge selection of all fruits, vegetables, and vegetable and decorative plants and flowers. They all look fabulous. It looked like watermelons and asparagus were in season during our visit (April 2001). I didn't see any great deals, but if you are looking for quality and freshness, this is the place. If your not looking for anything, you can enjoy a day out, and see lots of local color. As far as I could tell, prices were comparable to supermarkets (tip: go right before closing for the best deals). The merchants provided us many tastes of their fresh fruits.

The fruit and vegetable stands are set-up under 4 huge pavilions out of the hot Texas sun. The decorative plants and flowers merchants are outside the pavilions where there is plenty of sun, and they do a great job raising them. It is neat seeing so many plants in bloom at the same place. There is one enclosed pavilion that has mostly furniture and home accessories. Next to Pavilion 2 is the Caesar Chavez Plaza, which has food and drink vendors.

Dallas Farmers Market is situated on 12 acres in downtown Dallas, at the corner of Harwood and Marilla streets. You can't miss it. There are other farmers markets around the metropolitan area that are closer and more convenient, but this market is much larger, and it has restrooms, ATM's (tip: bring cash) and other conveniences.

Pioneer Plaza is a 4+ acre city park in downtown Dallas created (opened in 1995) to capture Dallas' western heritage. To do this, artist Robert Summers created a series (about 3 dozen) of spectacular and larger than life bronze longhorn steer and cowboy sculptures that collectively (and very effectively) recreate a cattle drive, in a park setting of plants, trees, water stream, and waterfall. Pioneer Plaza is one of the world's largest bronze monuments.

Pioneer Plaza is located downtown at the corner of Young and Griffin streets, between the Dallas Convention Center and Dallas City Hall. The location of the park was near the original Shawnee Trail, and the site of many cattle drives.

The longhorn steer and cowboy sculptures are situated on a long hill, that looks amazingly like a cattle drive by 3 cowboys of a herd of longhorn steers. The steers are "running" down a long hill and through a water stream. One cowboy is on attentive vigil high above the herd (think of Jack Palance as Curly in the movie "City Slickers").

The sculptures and the setting are very detailed. Each longhorn steer has a brand (Big D - what else?) visible, and has other details. The cowboy sculptures are also detailed...the detail in the boots (including spurs that spin) and saddle were all there. The angles of the sculptures makes it look like they are really running.

Pioneer is very popular. During our visit, people were posing non-stop with or on (despite numerous signs to stay off) the sculptures. Since the walkway is made of gravel, I wouldn't wear sandals. My daughter had to constantly take her sandals off to remove pebbles. An excellent no-cost activity.

The Interurban Railway Museum is a small museum in Haggard Park that is in the old train station building that was used on the old electric railway that ran between Dallas and Denison from 1908 until 1948, after cars became the primary mode of travel. The City of Plano restored and converted the building into the museum in 1990. You can't miss the restored train car outside next to the museum.

The museum contains lots of railroad artifacts from the Interurban Line, and information on the history of Plano, all in the original brick and wood frame train station.

There are exhibits of antique maps of the train routes and train schedules. They also have antique phones and morse code terminals used to communicate. There are old photos of the trains and all the train stations on the old Dallas to Denison route. There are separate exhibits of old railway uniforms and equipment used in the station, including an old mechanical adding machine.

Haggard Park is a nice city park that provides a nice setting for the museum and the surrounding area. One focal point of Haggard Park is an old country-style gazebo that is popular for picnics and weddings (by reservation through the City). Another highpoint is a sparkling pond with a fountain in front of the park. Additionally, the park has a large plaything for kids to climb on, and swings, grills, picnic tables, and public restrooms.

In the adjacent historical downtown area, there are many galleries, stores, boutiques, and antique shops to visit nearby. The downtown area is currently enjoying a rennaissance of new businesses, new urban housing and a mass transit light rail station.

The Interurban Railway Museum is located in Haggard Park in downtown Plano at 901 East 15th Street. To get there by car, take US 75 to Plano (north of Dallas), exit at 15th Street, and go east. Haggard Park will be on the left in about 4-5 blocks. Look for the large gazebo and outdoor antique railway exhibit. Free parking is available east of the museum and across 15th Street in City Parking lots. Museum hours are 1pm-to-5pm on Saturday, and from 10am-to-2pm Monday through Friday. There is no admission fee, but donations are appreciated. Their phone number is 972-941-2117.

The Ballpark in Arlington is home to the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball. The ballpark was built in 1992-1993 at a cost of $191 Million, and opened in 1994.

The ballpark was designed after great ball parks built in the early 20th century, and Texas architecture. The baseball architecture is seen in the exposed steel beams and a home run porch in right field. The Texas architecture is seen in the Lone Stars at the top of the steel beams, and on the side of all aisle seats.

The ballpark is more than just a place for Texas Ranger home games. There is "Legends of the Game" baseball museum behind Home Run Porch in right field; a children's learning center; a 650 seat kids ballpark; a 12 acre lake; and a grass amphitheater. Additionally, there is a four-story office building between the left and right outfields. The first floor has retail shops and ticket windows, and the second and third floors are commercial office space (what a place to work!). The Rangers' management occupies the fourth floor.

The ballpark in Arlington is an open-air ballpark, with natural grass fields. It seats over 49,000 people (in green plastic chairs with cupholders) on five levels...lower deck, lower suites, club level, upper suites, and upper deck. There is also an upper and lower deck in the home run porch in right field, and bleacher seating (general admission) in center field. Home Run Porch has ceiling fans installed to provide much needed relief from the Texas heat.

Additionally, there are 120 suites on the lower and upper levels, each named for a baseball hall-of-fame player. Throughout the ballpark there many spaces for ticketholders in wheelchairs. There are also elevators and escalators available throughout the ballpark.

There are 75 concession stands (food and service are fair) on all levels, and lots of food and drink vendors roaming the stands. There is also a TGI Fridays behind home run porch in right field with a view of the field, that is open all year around.

Tickets are $5 to $40, and can be purchased at the main ticket office, near the first base entrance, or ordered by phone at (817) 273-5100. Parking is available ($8 or $20 for valet) in nine different parking lots. After you park, the entrances to the ballpark are located in the four corners of the building at the First Base, Home Plate, Third Base, and Center Field entrances.

The ballpark in Arlington is located at 1000 Ballpark Way in Arlington, Texas, at the corner of Randol Mill Road and Ballpark Way, about 30 minutes west of Dallas on Interstate 30. To get there from Dallas, take I-30 West and exit at Six Flags Drive or Ballpark Way, and turn right and follow the signs.

The American Airlines Center is Dallas' newest sports arena and home to the Dallas Mavericks (Basketball) and Dallas Stars (Hockey). There are also concerts and other events held there.

The American Airlines Center was completed in 2001, at a cost of $350 million dollars. The 840,000 square foot arena sits on 72 acres, and seats about 20,000 people. The American Airlines Center combines beautiful architecture with technology to create a very impressive sports venue and entertainment complex.

Technology is used throughout the facility, from hundreds of TVs, flat screen monitors, and high-speed internet access, to the Times Square-like scoreboard inside the arena and all the audio-visual effects.

There is a huge panoramic scoreboard and sound system hanging high in the center of the facility. It has 8 huge screens and numerous smaller ones, and is said to weigh 80,000 pounds. Hanging above it is an awesome panoramic sound system. Additionally, there is a video display that runs around the entire arena.

The outside architecture uses brick, limestone and granite and sweeping arches across the top of the building. American Airlines Center has four main entrances and exits on all sides of the center.

Inside, the levels of seating are directly over each other instead of progressively further from the playing field (or stage), resulting in seats that are closer and have better views.

I was lucky enough to be a guest in one of the many luxury suites. They are very nice it was a real treat for me. It is better than sitting in your living room watching live sporting events...with food and drink service, seating for 24, and high-speed internet access.

Millions of dollars worth of art from five different artists are generously placed throughout the inside and outside of the center.

If you are looking for food, drink, and sports team souvenirs, you won't have any problem finding any of them. There are dozens of concession stands with pizza, cotton candy, hot dogs, nachos, etc, and there are places that specialize in Mexican food, a Pub, Italian food, and Texas Barbeque.

The American Airlines Center has public tours that are probably the best way to see everything the center has to offer. This was not an option on the Saturday of my event.

American Airlines Center is adjacent to Downtown Dallas (to the north) and convenient to all major Dallas highways and thoroughfares for easy access. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has bus and train stops at American Airlines Center, but we had no problem getting there driving.

To get there from north of downtown Dallas, take the Dallas Tollway south until it becomes Harry Hines Boulevard, and turn right on Payne Street.

The Centre at Preston Ridge is a large outdoor shopping center (on over 50 acres), that is way too big to be called a strip mall, but it is not what I consider a mall either. The Centre at Preston Ridge shopping center has many shops of all types, from small specialty shops and boutiques (in 18 separate buildings), to a HUGE Target (discount store) Supercenter that combines their discount store with a grocery store. However, the stores are not what make The Centre at Preston Ridge special. After all, there are countless places to shop throughout the Dallas/Ft Worth metropolitan area. Rather, it is the setting it is built in.

The Centre at Preston Ridge is built around the theme of Texas heritage, with its location (Preston Ridge) on the Shawnee Trail. This is done in the form of several conspicuous tall white stone towers with historical plaques explaining various aspects of this time (1830's to 1890's) in Texas history. More notable (and more conspicuous), are the very nice sculptures of a cattle drive, cattle that are separate from the drive, a lone cowboy mounted on a horse, and best of all, sculptures of cowboys sitting around a campfire near a man-made pond and a stagecoach.

Imagine what a cattle drive going through a modern shopping center must look like, and you start to get an idea of what The Centre at Preston Ridge looks like. There are also many restaurants in The Centre at Preston Ridge. From some of them, you can sit outside and enjoy looking at the sculptures nearby while you are eating (if the Texas heat is not too great).

The Centre at Preston Ridge is located north of Dallas in Frisco, on Preston Road, north of Stonebriar Centre Mall (see other journal entry). To get there, take Preston Road (also known as Texas 289) north of Dallas, through the city of Plano to Frisco, Texas, and it will be on the left about a half mile north of Highway 121.

If you are interested in the history of Texas cattle drives, there are even better sculptures and exhibits you can see at Pioneer Plaza in downtown Dallas, and the sculptures and memorials in nearby Central Park (see my journal entries) in the Frisco Bridges development, which is very close to The Centre at Preston Ridge.

Central Park is an 8-acre public city park in the Frisco Bridges development in Frisco, Texas (a far north suburb of Dallas). Central Park has large sculptures of a cattle drive, situated among water fountains and man-made creeks and ponds. Central Park commemorates "The Oldest North-South Trail," the Shawnee Trail that led settlers and cattle drives in the 1800's through what would become Frisco, Texas.

The park has documented historical facts and quotes from the cattle drives on the Shawnee Trail all over the park on flat stones and on all the stairs that lead to the highest point in the park. The dozens of facts and antedotal quotes are too numerous to list, but I will include one of each....."It's the far-off cows that wear the biggest horns"....."Over 350,000 cattle per year were driven up the Texas cattle trails for 28 years."

The focal point of Central Park is a round plateau at the highest point in the park, that has walls with memorial plaques, and two water fountains that feed man-made creeks lined with large red rocks that gently cascade and meander down the front and rear of the park to man-made ponds.

Downhill in all directions from the plateau, there are sidewalks and creeks that flow down to the edges of the park, through beautiful landscaped gardens with trees, shrubs, flowers, cactus, and big red rocks. It is a very nice setting. From the front of the plateau, there are about ten large sculptures visible from the street that look like a cattle drive along the man-made creek coming down the small hill. The sculptures include two cowboys on horseback driving about eight (or so) cattle up the Shawnee Trail.

Central Park also has ponds, an amphitheater, and a picnic area. Although the park is very nice and scenic, it is very new and the trees are small, so there is limited shade to provide relief from the Texas heat.

Central Park is located north of Dallas in Frisco, right behind the huge (1.6 million square foot) Stonebriar Centre Mall (see my journal entry). To get there, take Preston Road (also known as Texas 289) north of Dallas, through the city of Plano to Frisco, Texas and turn left at Gaylord Parkway (you will see the white stone Frisco Bridges markers). Central Park will be near the corner of Gaylord Parkway and Parkwood Boulevard.

If you are interested in the history of Texas cattle drives, you should also see Pioneer Plaza in downtown Dallas (see my journal entry), and the sculptures and memorials in The Centre of Preston Ridge shopping center, which is in Frisco and very close to Central Park.

The Plaza of the Americas is a 25-story office building in the central business district in downtown Dallas that is adjacent to a huge atrium with retail shops, restaurants, gift shops, a large ice skating rink, and a world-class 400+ room Le Meridian Hotel. The inside of the building is incredible...white marble is used everywhere, including the floors, walls, crown molding around the roof and more.

The focal point of The Plaza of the Americas is the incredible huge atrium that all the offices, businesses, retail shops, and hotel face, and containing the ice skating rink. It is a huge wide open space, with 3 glass elevators, glass roof panels, and lots of windows and daylight.

There are several lunch places in the atrium, including a delicatessen, several fast food places, and a Tex-Mex restaurant and bar called J. Pepe's. The ice rink is very elegant and fits with the rest of the office building, posh hotel, and its fountains and marble. The ice skating rink offers public skating and lessons.

The Plaza of the Americas is located at 700 North Pearl Street in downtown Dallas. Their phone number is 214-720-8000. It is close to the Arts District, Dallas Museum of Art, Pioneer Plaza, Farmers Market, and other attractions. The Le Meridian hotel would be a great (but pricey) place to stay if your visit to Dallas will be to the downtown area. If you are already downtown and have some time, The Plaza of the Americas is worth a look, and maybe lunch. I wouldn't make a special trip downtown just to visit however.

The "Old Red" Courthouse is a historic and stately courthouse in downtown Dallas, that was built in 1892 out of red sandstone, hence its distinctive color and affectionate nickname. "Old Red" has Romanesque style architecture with spires on each corner of the building (our young daughter called it a castle), and beautiful arched entrances. Inside, the building has intricate tilework, grand arched hallways, and colorful glass windows over the entrances.

Right now, the building is being renovated, and is vacant, except for an incredibly useful "Dallas Visitor Information Center" on the ground floor. They have lots of free brochures and maps of area sights, and of sights around town and around Texas. There is also a continuous playing video on Dallas and her sights and attractions. There are also helpful employees to answer questions, provide directions, and make recommendations.

You won't have to go far to begin seeing the Dallas sites and attraction. "Old Red" is within two blocks of the JFK Memorial Plaza, The Sixth Floor Museum, Dealey Plaza, The Grassy Knoll, Reunion Tower, and the Historic West End entertainment district.

Old Red is said to be the fifth courthouse to occupy the site (the others have either burned or been outgrown) since Dallas' first courthouse was built in a small log cabin in 1846 by John Neely Bryan. Bryan donated the land for the courthouse.

The Old Red Courthouse is located in downtown Dallas at 100 South Houston Street across from Dallas' historic West End District. Their phone number is 214-571-1301. The "Dallas Visitor Information Center" on the ground floor is worth the stop alone...the neat old building it is in is an extra bonus. When you arrive downtown, make this your first stop.

Dallas Alley is the focal point of Dallas' historic West End entertainment district (see other journal entry). Dallas Alley is a group of night clubs and bars in immediate proximity to each other on one side of the alley entrance to the West End. You pay one cover charge and have access to any or all of the night clubs. To ensure everyone has a good time, the clubs are diverse, and include live music and dancing.

Dallas Alley is a great place to go with a group of people, since you can move around from one club to another into completely different environments/atmospheres. The crowd is generally young and attractive, the energy high, and the music loud. The nightclubs to choose from include Alley Cats (a piano bar), Catz (or Katz?) (a karioke bar), 110 Neon Beach (Top 40 dance music), and Bell Bottoms (opening around September 2001 with 1960's and 70's rock music).

Out in front of Dallas Alley, a large courtyard is shared with the West End Marketplace (see other journal entry), where I have enjoyed many free concerts, including national acts, all for the price of parking and drinks (if you want them). There is a lot of parking all around the West End, mostly in parking lots (about $3-$5 fee), but you may get lucky and find street parking (metered and enforced during the day, but free at night).

The West End and Dallas Alley is enormously popular for locals and visitors. At night, Dallas Alley comes alive with music, dancing, neon lights, and high energy fun, with something for everyone (children and teens should visit the adjacent West End Marketplace while adults play at Dallas Alley).

To find Dallas Alley, go downtown to the West End, to where Market Street dead-ends, and you can't miss it. From north of downtown, take the Dallas Tollway (by far the best way to drive north or south through Dallas) until it ends, and after the tollbooth, stay left, go through one light, and follow the signs to the right. Their phone number is 214-720-0170.

The John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Plaza was built to honor the late US president, assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963. The memorial is plain, simple, and unassuming by design at the request of the family. Although the memorial looks like a tomb, it is not (Kennedy is buried at Arlington Cemetary near Washington DC). It was designed by architect Philip Johnson.

The memorial is a white concrete square structure, with an open roof that is about thirty feet tall, and fifty feet square. It is entered on the north side of the memorial up a short walk. Inside, there is a black granite square with name John Fitzgerald Kennedy carved in it, which are the only words in the entire memorial. Outside, the square the memorial is on is surrounded by trees. On the afternoon of our visit, we saw and spoke with Dallas Police Officers mounted on horseback that were cooling off in the shade of the trees.

Although local Dallas government officials began planning the memorial just after Kennedy's death, the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Plaza was not dedicated until June 24, 1970 (almost seven years after his death) due to politics and other public works projects.

However modest, a visit is guaranteed to be a sobering reminder of Kennedy's assassination, death, and long investigation. The general public's interpretation of the design of the memorial is said to be often misunderstood, and as more and more people visited looking for information or answers, it created a need that resulted in the creation of The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. The Sixth Floor Museum now manages the memorial.

The John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Plaza is located at Main and Market Streets in downtown Dallas, near the spot that he was shot and killed in November 1963. It is also near Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum, which is the former School Book Respository, when he was shot from. It is within eyeshot of Reunion Tower, and "Old Red" (the old Dallas Courthouse next door), and easy walking distance to other attractions.

The Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park is located just inside Fair Park, the home of many other attractions (The Science Place, Museum of Natural History, Smirnoff Music Center, Fair Park Music Hall, and more), and the State Fair of Texas. The Aquarium resides in an Art Deco style building that was built in 1936 during the Texas Centennial celebration.

The Aquarium is part of the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department. The Aquarium has a collection of about 6,000 animals, including salt and freshwater fish, reptiles, and more. The animals live in a series of (about 100) viewable tanks ranging in size from 3 feet wide by 3 feet tall, to very large floor to ceiling tanks that are 15 or more feet wide.

The highlight of the Aquarium (currently) is their showcase of species from the Amazon River, including large piranhas. Other notable things in their collection include a tank of upside-down jellyfish, a pair of walking batfish, a very bizarre looking alligator snapping turtle, a five-foot-long electric eel, ugly six-foot-long alligator gars, and lots more.

The Aquarium also has special events and attractions. At 2:30pm every day except Monday, you can watch talks on different topics of aquatic life, and see animal feedings. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday you can watch the feeding of piranhas (they have several large ones).

There is a small viewing area into the Aquarium's research area, where they conduct ongoing conservation and research projects, including a breeding lab for rare and endangered species.

The Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park is in Fair Park, and to get to Fair Park from north of downtown, take 75 Central Expressway south, it turns into 45 South, exit 45 south at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and turn left onto it. Take MLK until it ends and you are there.

Their phone number is 214-670-8443, and they are open daily from 9am to 4:30 pm.

Reunion Tower is a landmark on the Dallas skyline, built adjacent to (and operated by) the 1,122 room Hyatt Regency Dallas. Reunion Tower is a 50 story, 560 foot tower in downtown Dallas with a 118 foot sphere at the top. The sphere is covered with lights that when turned on at night, provide a light show for all of downtown to see.

The sphere at the top provides three levels of activities, reached by fantastic glass elevators, that take you up or down the entire height of the tower in just over a minute. If you prefer the stairs, there is an 837-step stairway.

The first and lowest level of the sphere is The Lookout, a panoramic public observation deck ($1 kids, $3 adults). As you walk around the tower on this level, there are signs that point out the major places/things you can see in each direction. I hope to come here to see July 4th fireworks!

The second and intermediate level is home to Antare's Restaurant (named after the brightest star in the Scorpio constellation). They are open for lunch (casual), dinner (jackets requested at dinner), and Sunday brunch. Reservations are recommended. The panoramic restaurant slowly rotates about once an hour, providing great views of Dallas and the surrounding areas, day and night.

The third and highest level of Reunion Tower is The Dome, a cocktail lounge that rotates (Cocktails with a twist and a turn) at the same rate as Antares.

Not matter which level you visit, Reunion Tower provides views of everything downtown, and depending on the weather, views of Dallas suburbs and major sights. You can easily see Reunion Arena (next door to the south), and its replacement to the north, the American Airlines Arena/Center. You can also see Texas Stadium to the west....it is home to the Dallas Cowboy's of the National Football Leaque (see other journal entry). To the north you have vantage points of Dealey Plaza, the JFK Memorial, the Sixth Floor Museum (in the old School Book Respository), and the famous grassy knoll.

If your visit to Dallas is to work or play in downtown Dallas, this Hyatt is very well situated. No matter where you are staying or what you are doing in the Dallas metropolitan area, a trip up Reunion Tower is a must-see must-do during your visit. While you are at Reunion Tower there is much more you can see and do nearby. Dealey Plaza, the 6th Floor Museum, the modest JFK Memorial, and "old red" City Hall (with an excellent visitors center) are all in easy walking distance of Reunion Tower. There is much more to see downtown within short driving distance of Reunion Tower. You can visit Fair Park, the Dallas Aquarium, The Plaza of the Americas, the West End entertainment district, historic McKinney Avenue, Farmers Market, and Pioneer Plaza. I have journal entries on many of these sights.

The Trammell Crow Center/Building is a large office building in downtown Dallas, built, named after, and owned by developer Trammell Crow. I left the exploring of the inside of the building to the hundreds of workers (after all, I am on vacation). The grounds outside and the permanent Asian exhibit are the real attractions.

There are about 30 bronze sculptures around the building and grounds that comprise the "Trammell Crow Bronze Collection." While walking through the grounds you can enjoy soothing music being played through inconspicuous speakers hidden throughout the grounds. The collection has mostly traditional/classical pieces. In the front of the building facing Harwood Street, is a huge (larger than life) sculpture of a horse.

On the lower level entrance facing Flora Street, there is a permanent indoor exhibit of "The Crow Collection of Asian Art." It is an exhibit that showcases various selections from the Crow family art and antiqities collection from China, Japan, India, and other Asian countries. Currently on exhibit (until May 2002) is "Man, Animals and Nature in Asian Religions." The exhibit is closed on Mondays, but you can visit the grounds around the building anytime.

On the sidewalk on the rear corner of the grounds at the corner of Flora and Olive streets, is a another neat sculpture owned by Trammell Crow that was created by J. Seward Johnson. It is called "The Right Light," and it is an image of an artist (a painter) working on a painting on an easel, with an artist's kit with brushes and tubes of paint on the ground next to him.

The Trammell Crow Center is located at 2010 Flora Street in downtown Dallas at the corner of Harwood and Flora Streets. Their phone number is 214-979-6430. It is adjacent to the Arts District, and close to the Dallas Museum of Art, Pioneer Plaza, Farmers Market, and other downtown sights. If you are already downtown and have some time, The Trammell Crow Center is worth a look, but I wouldn't make a trip downtown just to see it.

Traders Village is a large open air flea market with 1,800 indoor and outdoor vendors on over 100 acres. Traders Village is open every Saturday and Sunday from 8am to dusk all year long. Every weekend, the market becomes a small city. The RV park and campground next door fills up with vendors, and Traders Village comes to life.

You can literally find just about everything here. There are a lot of permanent vendors set up in "stores" at Traders Village selling new merchandise. However, the majority of them sell used merchandise. You will find everything from car parts to a family pet. Vendors range from someone selling junk out of the trunk of their car, to indoor stores that are air conditioned where you can buy new new clothes, carpet, furiture, etc.

There are also carnival rides for kids, and food and drink everywhere, which provides a state fair environment to the flea market. To make it easy for shoppers, there are ATM machines, stroller and wheelchair rental, plenty of restrooms and parking, and mobile beer merchants. Traders Village also holds/hosts special events such as dog shows, car shows, chili cook-offs, antique auto shows, and championship barbeque contests.

As a place to sell things, Traders Village provides potential business owners with a low risk way of starting a business, whether turning a hobby into a business, or opening a new location for an existing business. You can also have a one-time garage sale at Traders Village.

For me, the draw isn't the vendors or their wares at all. The people watching is unbelievable. There is such a large cross-section of society walking around that it is fascinating to watch everyone. Lots of people bring wagons with coolers of beer and soda, but the beer vendors driving around in golf carts don't charge too much. You also get to see people bargain with the vendors which is amusing. So I don't go to Traders Village to shop. I go for the low cost entertainment, and to get the family out of the house...and if you happen to find something to buy...better yet.

Traders Village is located at 2603 Mayfield Road about half way between Dallas and Fort Worth in Grand Prarie (a southwest suburb of Dallas). To get there from downtown Dallas, take I-35E south to SR 67 and continue south to I-20. Take I-20 West and exit at Great Southwest Parkway and turn right. Turn left on Mayfield Road, and you will see Traders Village on the right. From the Dallas/Ft Worth International Airport, take the south airport exit to State Highway 360 and exit at Mayfield Road and follow the signs.