Visit to Dallas

[Lukedoncic]

Sorry, LONG time board member, but had to set up a new account as I forgot my old password, but I was formerly PaulGasol and Dereknowitzki on older boards…

Anyway, after 20 years of following the Mavs it looks like I’ll FINALLY be able to go to Dallas (live in Japan) next season!

It’s a little early, I know, but I’m so excited to finally get the chance to come!

Any recommendations in terms of places to stay or places to eat and visit?

Unfortunately I saw on Reddit the other day that Dallas is one of the most disappointing cities to visit… hope it’s not the case!

[KillerLeft]

Sorry, LONG time board member, but had to set up a new account as I forgot my old password, but I was formerly PaulGasol and Dereknowitzki on older boards…

Anyway, after 20 years of following the Mavs it looks like I’ll FINALLY be able to go to Dallas (live in Japan) next season!

It’s a little early, I know, but I’m so excited to finally get the chance to come!

Any recommendations in terms of places to stay or places to eat and visit?

Unfortunately I saw on Reddit the other day that Dallas is one of the most disappointing cities to visit… hope it’s not the case!

Awesome!

This might not interest you so much if you're not American, but I've noticed the area where President Kennedy was assassinated seems to be a pretty big draw for my out of state friends. We locals tend not to think about that so much. In fact, I've never checked it out, myself.

[Mavs32]

Dallas has very good shopping. I suggest NorthPark Mall or if you have a rental car you should go up to Frisco area and go to Legacy West or Grandscape.
Addison Improv, House of Blues, Kennedy Memorial (not much to it but worth seeing once).
if you have kids, the perot museum is fun
for food here are some great places
BBQ: Pecan Lodge (get there early because the line gets long), Slow Bone
Dinner: Nick & Sam's, Knife, Bob's plus lots of very good mexican food
Lunch: Eatzi's, Maple and Motor (has the best burgers), Campisis Pizza are some of my favs

Im sure there are lots of great places others can suggest but those are some off the top of my head.

enjoy your trip.

[Mavs32]

Also, i don't recommend staying right downtown. There are so many places to go outside of the actual city of Dallas that finding a place in North Dallas or even closer to DFW makes sense because then you are more central and if you have a car you can visit great places like the fort worth zoo, the stockyards, grapevine or the Colony area.

[SleepingHero]

Congrats!

Dallas has plenty of stuff to do, especially if you love food. It's a massive city, so expect to drive everywhere and deal with some unfortunate traffic.

It's not like Orlando/New York/LA in terms of attractions, but if you want to do something for a day the Dallas zoo and the Dallas aquarium are pretty fun! You can also go to Reunion Tower and check out some cool views and even eat in the ball.

If you like to drink, lower Greenville has a bunch of bars and its a very artsy fartsy place. Deep Ellum has a bunch of clubs in terms of nightlife. The Church is an experience if you enjoy EDM music.

Dallas has the JFK memorial and museum if you like history. I find it a bit depressing so I've never gone.

If you're going while the Mavs are playing then you have to see them play. The Cowboys stadium is also a marvel so go check them out if you are okay driving a little bit. Rangers just won a world series but I always found baseball to be boring and in the Texas heat pretty exhausting. 

In terms of food, I got a lot of recommendations:

Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum is by one of the best bbq I've had in my life. Only problem is that the line can get outrageous at times. 

Royal China has some incredible Chinese food. 

Nick and Sams is a delicious steak house and if you want to people watch, almost every NBA player likes to go eat. 

Medieval Times is a fun night out if you want dinner with a show. It's also pretty expensive and the food is whatever, but where else can you go watch some jousting?

Thats all I got for now. Hope you have a great trip!

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I think that Reddit comment was spot on. There’s no particular reason to visit Dallas. It’s a good place to live because it offers all the things a big metropolitan city can offer and the cost of living is (or used to be) affordable.

We have a lot of restaurants and bars. Texas has really good BBQ and steakhouses. Hopefully you like beef.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Awesome!

This might not interest you so much if you're not American, but I've noticed the area where President Kennedy was assassinated seems to be a pretty big draw for my out of state friends. We locals tend not to think about that so much. In fact, I've never checked it out, myself.

I live right by there. Used to take out of towners for a quick visit to the grassy knoll and then go to the Reunion Tower restaurant. It used to rotate and had amazing views. Unfortunately, it no longer spins.

[SleepingHero]

I live right by there. Used to take out of towners for a quick visit to the grassy knoll and then go to the Reunion Tower restaurant. It used to rotate and had amazing views. Unfortunately, it no longer spins.

You're kidding me! That was the best part of the Ball. 

I haven't eaten there in maybe 20 years so I may have to withdraw my recommendation on it if it no longer spins.

[DallasMaverick]

Sure!

Fly in to DFW, then take the MegaBus to Austin.

[BoredAssistant]

An employee got injured badly by the rotating floor and sued so I doubt we see Reunion Tower spin again.

Surprised no one mentioned Winstar Casino or Choctaw which are not that long a drive from Dallas. Seems to be the place where people from out of town like to visit in my experience. Also there is air conditioning now at Rangers home games. Never been though.

[Scott41theMavs]

It's been 25 years since I lived in Dallas, but three things in addition to what others have said which I presume are still worth it:
1) Cafe Izmir,
2) The Kimball Art Museum in Fort Worth, and
3) The Botanical Gardens in Dallas.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Nick and Sams is a delicious steak house and if you want to people watch, almost every NBA player likes to go eat. 

Just to make this an even more Mavs-y sort of event, Dirk has claimed Nick and Sams to be his favorite restaurant in Dallas.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Nick and Sam’s is good if you want a Vegas like experience with famous people and attractive women. Very club like experience. Good place to entertain millionaire athletes. Extremely loud. Drunk $30k millionaires. They always make you wait 45-60 minutes after your reservation time to seat you.

Now that I’m over 40, you couldn’t pay me to go there. Now that Dirk is also old and has kids, I doubt he ever goes there. They have a bone in filet on the menu named after him.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Need to know how old OP is. Single and interested in nightlife? If he wants foodie recs or popular/trendy places.

[Knutsen]

I think that Reddit comment was spot on. There’s no particular reason to visit Dallas. It’s a good place to live because it offers all the things a big metropolitan city can offer and the cost of living is (or used to be) affordable.

We have a lot of restaurants and bars. Texas has really good BBQ and steakhouses. Hopefully you like beef.

He‘s from Japan so he knows the global benchmark of beef - Texas must deliver!

[rocky164]

Nothing wrong with Pecan Lodge, other than the lines, but I prefer Terry Black’s BBQ

[rocky164]

Also, in general, Ft. Worth has better tourist attractions: Ft Worth zoo, stockyards including John Wayne museum, museum and art districts. If you want the “cowboy” experience, Ft Worth has it. Dallas has the better nightlife. And as already mentioned, don’t forget Dallas Cowboys stadium and Texas Rangers ballpark in Arlington, as well as 6 Flags amusement park if you have kids.

[Lukedoncic]

Thank you so much to everyone who replied! Really helpful!

Just because a few mentioned it, I do live in Japan, but I’m actually English (I’ve literally never met another mavs fan in real life). I’m mid-thirties and I do have kids, but for this trip, I’m going with a couple of friends from England; one a lakers fan (I know, I know) and one general NBA fan. And yes, I have had to BEG my wife to let me go!

We’ll probably only be in Dallas for three days, so I’ll try and cram in as much as possible!

As people have said, I’m leaning more towards staying in Fort Worth, and then taking a bus into Dallas for just one day to check out the JFK memorial (good call) and obviously watch a Mavs game!

I had a brief look at home games, and I’m hoping I’ll be able to get a reasonably good seat for $250-ish? If anyone’s in the area on that night and wants to grab a beer after the game with a couple of English guys, I’m sure we could sort something out

I’m thinking to spend one day in Fort Worth, and check out the stockyards, and all that cool stuff, and then a 3rd day, I’m really not sure yet. Still checking out things in metroplex area.

I do like a drink and I’m a big blues guy, so I really want to check out some good bars and maybe a little music. Hopefully some places with a more local vibe, rather than big chain places.

As for food, I can’t wait to try some of the BBQ and tex-mex! I’ll be doing things on a budget, so I think Nick and Sam’s is off the table, so I’d love some recommendations for lesser known (and cheaper) places if you know any!

It’s still far away, and I obviously can’t book anything until the schedule is released in August at the earliest, but closer to the time, I’ll probably have some more questions for you, if it’s ok

[SleepingHero]

If you have a chance to try In-N-Out, some of the best fast food burgers money can buy AND they're cheap too. Make sure to look up the secret menu and get it animal style!

[meistermatze]

Well I will chime right in as I am planning a spontaneous trip to Dallas as well, IF they make at least the play-ins and have home-court at least there.

A question to all the posters here: How can I best get tickets and how much will it be approximately (in regards to usual prices)?

As I have been to Dallas twice, I would recommend doing this from a tourist perspective (I am from Germany):

- Visit the farmer's market and have some nice local food and drinks
- go to Deep Ellum at night and enjoy the bars
- visit the Dirk-Mural and take a basass picture like I did last time
- go to the game eraly and have a drink at the AAC plaza with view on Nowitzki-Way and his statue (I was there when they retired his jersey and took a picture with Followill )
- Go up Reunion Tower and enjoy the view (fuck the expenses)
- Go to the Kennedy-Assassination Museum
- have Texas Barbecue at some place
- enjoy the Southern Folk - they are cool!

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If you have a chance to try In-N-Out, some of the best fast food burgers money can buy AND they're cheap too. Make sure to look up the secret menu and get it animal style!

Goddamn, yeah. While somewhere in the West ALWAYS go for In'N'Out. Miles and ahead the best burgers from a big chain!