Dallas in 1 Day: all you need to know

Dallas is one of the largest cities in Texas and has several important and historic sites. The assassination of President John F. Kennedy took place in this city and also the criminals Bonnie and Clyde did their thing in this city. If you want to travel back in time and learn all the details of these stories, you are in the right place.

This city also offers other interesting activities such as its nightlife full of ghostly stories. You'll also find bars with a great atmosphere to dine and finish off the night in this iconic city.

When you arrive at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport you will need to make your way to your hotel. My recommendation is to find one in downtown Dallas so you can start your day in this part of the city without wasting time. From the airport you can take a public bus to get there in less than an hour. However, you always have the option of requesting a private transfer in Dallas.

To do this, go to DFW Airport Station and board the E bus, Orange Line - LBJ/Central. The stop that will drop you off in Dallas Downtown is Akard. At this point you can hail a taxi or walk to your hotel to get ready and go.

I recommend having breakfast at some of the restaurants in the area. Just a couple of minutes from the Akard stop you can walk into the Monarch restaurant. If, on the other hand, you want to walk a little further, you will find Ellen's just 10 minutes away. This is a southern restaurant where you can eat breakfast at any time of the day.

If you're interested in the food side of Dallas, perhaps a good way to start your day is to take a food and culture tour of Dallas. This way you can have breakfast and explore a bit more of the city in the same activity.

Across Ross Avenue from Elle's restaurant you'll find the Dallas Holocaust Museum. While you're in the area it's a good idea to go inside and explore it for about an hour. Note that you must buy your tickets in advance and they cost an average of €10.

If you want to save on costs and take advantage of all the offers, I recommend buying the Dallas City Pass. This pass includes this museum and other attractions such as the Perot Museum of Nature and the Reunion Tower GeO-Deck. You can save up to 50% if you buy it.

You should also know that this museum opens its doors from 10am and you can explore it in less than an hour. Inside you'll find a permanent exhibition designed by Berenbaum Jacobs Associates. In its wings you will learn about the Holocaust, human rights and the Pivot to America. In this last wing of the exhibit you can learn about the US experience during this dark time in human history.

Interesting details

• Price: around €10.
• Hours: Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Location: 300 N. Houston, Dallas, TX 75202.

The Sixth Floor Museum is also known as the John F. Kennedy Museum. At this iconic site you can take a tour through the life, work, death and legacy of this famous American president. This museum is open to the public from 10am to 5pm. Tickets average €15.

The building where this museum is located was, according to the Warren Commission, where President Kennedy was shot from on 22 November 1963 at 12:30am. At that time the building was only a library. As the name says, the museum is located on the sixth floor, right where the shots were fired.

When you visit this museum you will see a progressive explanation of this historical event. You will also get to understand the historical context of the time and the different conclusions reached by the Warren Commission regarding what happened.

On your way out, I recommend a visit to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza. This site is about five minutes from the museum. Here you can see the concrete monument to the president, created by post-modern architect Philip Johnson, a close friend of the Kennedy family.

Details of interest

• Price: around €15.
• Opening hours: open from 10am to 5pm.
• Location: Dealey Plaza, 411 Elm St, Dallas, TX 75202, USA.

Alternative option: Take a private tour of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy

If you don't want to enter the above museums but instead take a tour of the key sites of the JFK assassination, I recommend taking a private tour. These experiences usually cost an average of €80 and last approximately two hours.

Among the sites you can visit on this tour are the John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza, Dealey Plaza where the building (now a museum) from which he was shot is located. Also included is the Grassy Knoll, the site of Kennedy's car at the time of his death.

You can also visit the guesthouse of Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin in this case. The tour also includes a visit to the Sixth Floor Museum. The biggest advantage is that you will always be accompanied by a professional guide who will explain all the details you need to know.

When you're done exploring the museums and plaza, it's probably time for lunch. Near the Sixth Floor Museum you'll find several restaurant options such as Cafe Herrera on Lamar, McDonalds if you want something simpler, or Cindi's NY Deli & Restaurant, the closest to your next stop.

After lunch you can visit the Dallas GeO-Deck observation deck. From here you can view the city from approximately 200 metres above the ground. With the purchase of your ticket you will receive a free professional digital photograph.

This attraction is located at Reunion Tower, the tallest tower and the city's most iconic landmark. If you' re travelling to Dallas at Christmas, you can welcome the New Year on the observation deck. It's one of the highlights of the holiday season.

Interesting details

• Price: around €25.
• Hours: Open from noon to 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. on weekends.
• Location: Reunion Tower, 300 Reunion Blvd E, Dallas, TX 75207, USA.

Have you ever heard of Bonnie and Clyde? Well, this pair of criminals is one of the most famous in history and Dallas hides the most outstanding sites of their story. No doubt when you come to Dallas you should take a private tour of Bonnie and Clyde in Dallas.

My recommendation is that after lunch you take a private tour with a professional guide. This way you will have a private vehicle and the tour will be quicker and easier. The tour starts in downtown Dallas and goes west of the city. There you can walk through the neighbourhoods where he grew up. Then you will pass through one of his famous escape routes, the Devil's Backporch.

Other highlights are located in North Dallas, Uptown and East Dallas. You will also pass through Crown Hill Memorial Park and Western Heights Cemetery, where his graves are located. The tour can take about three hours or less. Your guide will take you to the meeting point at the end of the tour.

Around 5 p.m. you can take another tour but this time to see the sets of the Dallas series at the Southfork Ranch. The starting point for this type of tour is usually at the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial. From there a private vehicle with a guide can take you to the ranch where the acclaimed series was filmed.

If you don't want a tour that includes private transportation, there are other options to get to the Southfork Ranch in less than an hour. You can take a DART Rail Red Line train from Cedar Station. The trip takes about half an hour and you must get off at Parker Road Station. For this trip you only have to pay around €5 or less. From the station the only way to get to the ranch is to get a taxi.

When you arrive at Southfork Ranch you can see many of the items used during the filming of the series. You can even take a train tour. This way you can pass through all the ranch lands in less time and in a more entertaining way.

Dallas is a city filled with many iconic stories and eye-catching attractions. However, not all tourists have the same tastes, so I'll give you some other recommendations in case you don't want to visit the Southfork Ranch. For both plans you can depart from downtown Dallas, right after the Bonnie and Clyde tour.

Visit the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden: an alternative if you didn't see the Dallas series

Besides the buildings, skyscrapers and highways, Dallas hides a beautiful green space, its Arboretum and Botanical Garden. This site is home to around 3,000 varieties of azaleas that bloom in spring. If you travel in autumn, you'll see chrysanthemums everywhere.

While touring the garden you will notice that it has a variety of gardens and walks. I recommend taking a guided tour so that you don't miss all parts of the garden. To get there by public transport you can go to the Commerce at Field - E - F bus stop and take the 214 bus.

When you arrive at the Garland at Whittier - N - NS bus stop, just get off and walk two minutes to the garden. I advise you to buy your ticket in advance, as sometimes it can get very crowded, especially if there is a special celebration.

Details of interest

• Price: around 15 €.
• Hours: Open daily from 9am to 5pm.
• Location: 8525 Garland Rd, Dallas, TX 75218.

Visit the Presidential Library and the George W. Bush Museum

Another popular tourist attraction is the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. This site is located at Southern Methodist University. From downtown Dallas you can travel there by bus.

Go to the West Transfer Center stop and board the 209 bus. The closest stop to the university is US 75 at Mockingbird - N - F5. In this museum you can enjoy different interactive experiences. Through them you can learn about former President Bush and his family.

Interesting details

• Price: around 15 €.
• Opening hours: open during the week from 9am to 5pm. On weekends it is open from 12 noon.
• Location: 2943 SMU Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75205.

Around seven o'clock in the evening it will be time for dinner. However, this doesn't mean that the day is over. A good way to continue enjoying Dallas is to go on a pub crawl where you can listen to ghost stories. This way you'll learn more about the spooky stories and learn more about this city.

In this experience you'll be guided by a professional who will take you on a walking tour. You will be able to enter the best pubs in Dallas, drink your favourite drink and have dinner. In total there are at least four pubs that you will visit. Please note that this tour can take up to three hours. One of those pubs is the popular Green Door Public House.

You'll also pass the Main Street Garden, where you'll see the giant eyeball where Dallas' first skyscraper used to stand. Then you'll pass the Majestic Theater, the luxury hotel founded by Karl Hoblitzelle. His ghost is said to haunt the hotel grounds.

Another spooky story is that of Lady White of Rock, who is said to have died in a lake and now scares drivers by appearing in the middle of the avenues. Other stories you will hear include the red Pegasus sign, an iconic symbol of Dallas. Finally you can return to your hotel or the airport. Note that the DART bus system runs until midnight.

To know exactly what to pack when you travel to Dallas, you need to consider the time of year. For example, from July through September, temperatures are high. On average it's around 31°C, so it's best to pack light clothing that allows you to enjoy yourself without feeling too hot.

It's also important to wear sunscreen especially during these months. If you're travelling in December, January or February, it's best to pack warmer. Although winters in Dallas are not very harsh, it is best to travel with a warm jumper and an umbrella.

One of the advantages of travelling to Dallas is that the city is served by Dallas Area Rapid Transit. This transportation system has bus lines, train lines and a special line that connects downtown Dallas with Fort Worth. It even has a bus system that takes disabled people on short routes.

To use the buses you can pay a one-way pass of around €2. If you take the train you can pay a return fare of about €6. If you want to travel as far as Forth, the fare will be around €12. Stations and stops are well spread throughout the city, so you can easily find your way around by searching for your route on Google Maps.

You also have the option of downloading the GoPass mobile app to your phone. There you can buy your tickets and even save up to 50%.