North America, Texas

One Day in Dallas

To be clear, you could spend longer and a day in Dallas, Texas. However, if you only have one day in Dallas, here are some ideas for things to do, with minimal driving. Read on and make your plans.

One Day in Dallas

One Day in Dallas

Our last stop on our road trip last year was the Dallas area to see a friend. We were only there for 2 days, but took one full day to visit the downtown area. I’m certain there are other things to do and see, but these are the things we picked. It was a great day. I have written a few posts on some of these places and they are linked and in bold throughout the article.

Our first stop, which took several hours, was the 6th Floor Museum, which is the museum that teaches about the assassination of John F. Kennedy. It was a pretty interesting place and I highly recommend it if you are in the area.

Dealey Plaza

When you finish at the 6th Floor Museum, step outside and across Elm St to visit Dealey Plaza and see the monument dedicated to George Dealey, who campaigned for the revitalization of the historic district. Although there are areas with other names, they are within the Dealey Plaza neighborhood.

One Day in Dallas

John F Kennedy Memorial

One Day in Dallas

Just a couple of blocks from the Dealey monument, sits the John F Kennedy Memorial. The memorial was not what I was expecting at all, as there isn’t a statue of him. It is the simply the structure above and the platform below. There are places to sit and contemplate or have some lunch if you want to take the time.

One Day in Dallas

Historic West End

 

One Day in Dallas

In the Historic West end, sits a park of sorts with the first Dallas County post office/courthouse/schoolhouse. I’m really not sure how this tiny building was all three things, but maybe they just took turns using it. Built in 1843, it has been preserved quite well.

One Day in Dallas

Pioneer Plaza

Pioneer Plaza is a place you have to see for sure. It was really hot the day we went, so we walked back to our car and drove to the plaza. You could walk on a cooler day though. After we arrived and walked around Pioneer Plaza, I was really happy that we included it in our one day in Dallas.

One Day in Dallas

Downtown Dallas

Our next stop was to wander around Downtown Dallas a little bit. We drove from the Pioneer Plaza and found a great parking place on the street. Take some coins because it is meter parking.

We walked up the street and came upon this Giant Eyeball sitting in a fenced off garden area. It is really lifelike, except for being 30 feet tall. It’s very random, but very cool too. You can find it at 1601 Main Street.

One Day in Dallas

After you check out the Giant Eyeball, have a little lunch at Campisi’s Restaurant. The food that we had, which was salads and gluten free pizza, was very good and didn’t cost too much. It was nice to get in out of the heat for a little bit and the staff was really nice and accommodating.

One Day in Dallas

After lunch, take a stroll around the downtown area and see what strikes your fancy to see. We found a great international market with different kinds of cold drinks and snacks.

One Day in Dallas

If you have more than one day in Dallas, check out a site like Trip Advisor for more ideas on things to see. We were out of time, so that’s all we were able to see in Dallas.

One Day in Dallas

Fort Worth

Our friend took us to the Food Hall at Crocket Row in Fort Worth for dinner. I know it’s outside of Dallas, but I thought I would throw in out there in case everyone wants something different to eat. Food Hall has a bunch of different booth/restaurants to choose from, so everyone can be happy with their choices.

My daughter had dumplings and I was sad because I love them, but they aren’t gluten free. She said they were amazing. I had barbecue that was very good too. After dinner, we found a little shop in the Food Hall that sold little cheese cakes. They had a gluten free option too and it was so good.

You can find the Food Hall at 3000 Crocket Street in Fort Worth.

 

One Day in Dallas

Waco

When you’re in the Dallas area, be sure to plan in a trip to Waco to see the Magnolia Market Silos. It was a lot of fun to visit. It’s just south of Dallas and worth the trip, in my opinion.

If you happen to be going to the Convention Center, most of these places are within walking distance. When you have a break, go out and explore some.

One Day in Dallas

One Day in Dallas

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  • Jenn | By Land and Sea June 19, 2020 at 6:07 am

    I attended a conference in Waco and was curious to see it listed on your post about Dallas. I knew they were located nearby, but wasn’t sure how close they are. I would much rather spend time in Dallas – looks like there are a lot of things to do!

    • ppadmin June 23, 2020 at 1:31 pm

      There are a lot more things to do in Dallas than in Waco, but Waco has it’s own charm too.

  • Sandy N Vyjay June 21, 2020 at 7:50 am

    I have always associated Dallas with Kennedy. The memorial does look intriguing, but the aura of the place must be indeed haunting. There is much to see and experience in Dallas, would love to visit someday.

    • ppadmin June 23, 2020 at 1:49 pm

      There are several places dedicated to Kennedy, but also a fair amount to the cowboy history as well. It’s a nice balance.

  • Kendra June 21, 2020 at 5:43 pm

    Great ideas! That post office/courthouse/schoolhouse looks so neat, I’d love to see that. I spent some time in Fort Worth as a teen. I didn’t realize Waco was so close.

    • ppadmin June 23, 2020 at 1:50 pm

      I didn’t know it was right there either, until I looked it up. It’s a cute town.

  • Kelly June 22, 2020 at 1:30 pm

    You sure packed a lot in for one day. I know that I would likely spend the entire day at the 6th Floor Museum lol.

    • ppadmin June 23, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      We could have spent longer at the museum, but knew we wanted to see other places too. We were tired at the end of the day for sure.

  • Freya June 23, 2020 at 1:41 am

    I’d love to spend a could of days in Dallas. By the looks of your post, it’s pretty easy to see a lot of attractions in a short time. The 6th Floor Museum looks really interesting.

    • ppadmin June 23, 2020 at 1:52 pm

      If we would have had more time, we could have seen a lot more things and also spent a little more time. Maybe we will go back sometime.

  • Renata June 23, 2020 at 4:45 am

    Dallas seems to be perfect for a one-day-visit and you clearly make some great suggestions for what to do. I’d be especially interested in the Historic West Ende.

    • ppadmin June 23, 2020 at 1:54 pm

      I would have liked to explore a little more, but time constraints didn’t allow this time. If we are able to go back, we will have more than one day for sure.

  • Jackie June 24, 2020 at 6:53 am

    I love this one-day tour of Dallas–it feels exactly the way I would like to see the city with a good mix of art, history, and food. The first Dallas County post office/courthouse/schoolhouse is so interesting. To think that little building was used for all three things! It’s a far cry from the expansive city needs now, I’m sure. And that eyeball…that’s so unusual! Thanks for sharing these great ideas. I would be happy to put any of these on a 1-day excursion.

    • ppadmin July 17, 2020 at 2:43 pm

      Thank you. I agree that the county building was a busy place. Not too many places have buildings like that now. The eyeball was something odd for sure.

  • Archana Singh June 24, 2020 at 11:22 pm

    Dallas seems like a good city for a quick 2-3 days stopover. I almost went there two years back. I am too astonished to know the Historic West end could house three offices in one tiny building – the first Dallas County post office/courthouse/schoolhouse. Despite being build in 1843, it looks pretty good and well preserved..

    • ppadmin July 17, 2020 at 2:44 pm

      It’s amazing to me how things from the past can still be in such great shape today. It makes me question our current building practices.

  • Arabela June 29, 2020 at 6:26 pm

    Great tips! I’ll be flying soon with an overnight layover in Dallas. I don’t think I’ll have time to explore but I’m definitely saving this post in case my connection flight gets delayed 😉

    • ppadmin July 17, 2020 at 2:45 pm

      I hope you will be able to explore Dallas sometime. I also hope your flight is uneventful and you have a fun trip.