This is a guest post by Shilpa Balakrishnan who was featured in our Off the Radar Travel Interviews on her travels to Bali, Indonesia. She gives us great insight on Exploring Dallas on a Budget
Dallas, Texas, is not only considered a sports town, it’s also a bustling city known for performing arts, history, and food, as well as a shopper’s paradise. Whether you visit during summer or winter, you’ll find no trouble in staying busy in the city of glitz and glamour.
Museums and More
Dallas Dealey Plaza Photo by Kash Janjua via Trover.com
If you’re staying in any of the hotels in downtown Dallas, you have a lot of exploring to do. If you have an eye for architecture and sculpture, head to the City Hall. Relive history by visiting the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealy Plaza to learn about the assassination of John F. Kennedy through video footage and photographs.
An Eye for Art
Admission to the Dallas Museum of Art is free. View the museum’s collection of more than 23,000 pieces of art from various parts of the world. The museum features works of decorative art as well as 16th-century Spanish textiles and Chinese export porcelain from the 17th century. From the Dallas Museum of Art, walk across Harwood Street to the Crow Collection of Asian Art that displays significant pieces of jewelry and artifacts collected by the Crow family.
Visitors can also sign up for tours of the special exhibitions at the Meadows Museum and South Dallas Cultural Center.
Parks and Gardens
To get away from the city’s hustle and bustle, the locals take a morning stroll along White Rock Lake. The park features an arboretum, the Audubon Society Bird Watching Area, a museum, and outdoor activities like kayaking. At Bachman Lake, you’ll get to see a variety of geese and ducks as well as a close-up view of airplanes landing and taking off. For rides and arcades, head to Sandy Lake Amusement Park.
Affordable Places to Stay
With a multitude of hotels and B&BS, Dallas offers exceptional accommodations that are close to tourists attractions. Many locals rent out their properties through Airbnb, which is another option to not only score rooms at surprising bargains, but also to gain insider tips on the city.
Memorable Meals and Bargain Drinks
Sit down for an old-fashioned feast at Pecan Lodge, known for the most sumptuous brisket in town. For steaks, head to Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Lombardy Lane or Al Biernat’s on Oak Lawn Ave. After a satisfying meal, try the soufflé at Rise No.1 on Lovers Lane.
Dallas is home to pubs that offer drinks at great rates. Happy hours are mostly between 4 p.m and 7 p.m. At Cork, enjoy wine for $5 on Tuesdays. You can also enjoy cocktails for as little as $2 at Nodding Donkey.
Getting Around Town
The best way to explore the city is by renting a car. However, the city offers an excellent transit system operated by DART. From the Fort Worth Airport, take the 500 bus that stops at the Belt Line Station, and take the Orange Line Light Rail that heads directly to downtown Dallas. There is also trolley service that stops at most tourist attractions.
Dallas is a big city that can be had for bargain prices. With a bit of planning, you can enjoy your visit here without busting your budget.
Shilpa Balakrishnan is a travel writer who enjoys writing about her travels to offbeat places – explored from a local’s perspective. She holds a master’s degree in Finance, but rather uses the math lessons to plan a trip on a budget. Apart from writing for her website The Satori Saga, she also works for Hipmunk on the City Love Project and you can follow her on Facebook and Twitter. She also shares her experiences through illustrations inspired from her travels.
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