Is Dallas Worth Visiting? (Pros + Cons Of This North Texas City)

Trying To Figure Out What Cities To Visit In Texas Or The US In General, And Wondering If Dallas Is Worth Visiting?

With my long family ties to this North Texas region and having lived here myself for 3+ years, I’ve spent plenty of time exploring Dallas, and while I do think it is worth visiting for a couple of reasons (more details below), I don’t think it’s somewhere you need to visit for very long to see everything you want.

✅ Why Dallas Is Worth Visiting

The combined metropolitan area of Dallas and Fort Worth is one of Texas’ largest and most populous cities, but if you’re wondering whether or not it’s a place worth visiting, here are a few things worth checking out in the area that I do think make it worth at least a short trip:

➡️ you can also check out my short video for a quick list of pros + cons of the Dallas area

History

Cities in the US aren’t typically filled with historical sites you can visit that date back centuries, like those in Europe for example, but you can still find some very interesting locations with some very interesting histories.

One of my favorite historical topics, whose events took place right in the heart of Dallas, is that of the JFK assassination back in 1963. You can visit on your own or take a tour to JFK sites like the Sixth Floor Museum located inside the old supposed shooting location and the “x” marks on the street noting where he was shot (here’s a video with more footage).

The nearby Fort Worth stockyards area is also great for a little Wild West and cowboy history, you can even watch a cattle drive here, and a little over an hour from the center of Dallas you can actually walk (or swim) where the dinosaurs walked at Dinosaur Valley State Park (pictured above, here’s a video with more footage).

Museums

Despite my love for history, museums have to do a pretty great job to keep my attention (thanks ADHD/Autism 😜), but the Dallas area has some very popular museum options, a few of which I’ve enjoyed:

the Sixth Floor Museum on the JFK assassination; a little biased on their version of events but still very interesting
the Perot Museum of Nature and Science
the Dallas Museum of Art
the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
the Fort Worth Vintage Flying Museum
the Fort Worth John Wayne: An American Experience museum
the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame in Fort Worth
the Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site in Denison (pictured above)
the National Videogame Museum in Frisco

Sports

The AT&T Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas has really high parking prices on game days, but for the tour, parking is free.

The greater Dallas area has a professional team for just about every sport (soccer, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, etc.) and sports are more that just sports here in Texas.

When visiting Dallas, it’s worth checking out a professional game, especially a Dallas Cowboys football game (pictured above), to really experience Texas culture. They’re not always cheap and lately they don’t always play well, but it’s the atmosphere that’s worth experiencing.

Even if you don’t go to a game when visiting, it’s worth checking out the Dallas Cowboys stadium on a tour to see just how big this sport and this team is to so many Texans (plus you get to throw a football around on the field during the tour).

Unique Sites

Besides some of the typical suggestions you’ll find on most “what to see or do in Dallas” posts, there are a few unique sites I’ve found while living in Dallas, particularly in cemeteries:

gravesites of infamous crime couple Bonnie + Clyde (pictured above)
- Bonnie Parker is buried at Crown Hill Memorial Park
- Clyde Barrow is buried at Western Heights Cemetery
- here’s a video of how to find each grave

gravesite of Lee Harvey Oswald (supposed JFK assassin)
- he’s buried at Shannon Rose Hill Funeral Chapel & Cemetery
- here’s a video of how to find his grave

gravesite of professional golfer, Ben Hogan
- he’s buried at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum
- here’s a video of how to find his grave

And a non-gravesite related location in Texas that is quite unique, is the famous Buc-ee’s Gas Station. I know gas stations don’t sound that exciting, but Buc-ee’s is a Texas site you need to see for yourself.

Food

Texas is not known as a very healthy state, everything really is bigger in Texas, but the Dallas area is recognized as the city with the most restaurants per capita of any U.S. city, so the food is a big draw here.

Though I don’t personally eat out often, Dallas is home to one of my absolute favorite restaurants, Hugo’s Invitados (pictured above), which is a healthier, organic fine Mexican food place.

Nearby Neighborhoods, Towns, or Cities

There are no tickets required for the Fort Worth Stockyards cattle drive because it is entirely free.

To me, Dallas itself is worth visiting for a day or two, but I think spending a few extra days using the city as a base to explore other parts of North Texas or Oklahoma, is also a great idea.

Some of the best places I’ve visited around Dallas include:

the Fort Worth Stockyards (the old western/cowboy district pictured above, plus they have a famous and historic zoo as well as Dallas)

Grapevine Main Street (famous small town with a cute main street, especially at Christmas)

Dinosaur Valley State Park (real dinosaur footprints in the ground)

Canton First Mondays (huge flea market)

Chickasaw National Recreation Area + Cultural Center (here’s a video of the cultural center; reservation land with history, nature, and bald eagles during the winter)

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (awesome park with hiking trails next to wildlife like bison, elk, and longhorns; doable on a day trip but a long one)

Eisenhower State Park + Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site in Denison (here’s a video)

Cedar Ridge Preserve

Fort Richardson State Park & Historic Site

Canton (where the largest swap meet in the world takes place)

it’s also not too far from cities like Waco and Austin

Famous TV Sites

The history and fame of the JFK assassination is on of the top reasons I think Dallas is worth visiting, at least on a short trip.

Dallas may also be worth visiting for some TV or movie fans that like to see filming locations in person. A few filming sites Dallas is known for include:

the JFK assassination site was used in films and shows like The X Files, JFK (1991), 11.22.63

the 1970s TV series titled Dallas was filmed at locations all over the city, especially at South Fork Ranch, and there are even tours available to see some show sites

the near-ish Four Sixes Ranch was used for lots of Yellowstone filming

lots of Walker, Texas Ranger shots were filmed in the Dallas/Fort Worth area

Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth has been used multiple times (Over The Top, Baja Oklahoma, Necessary Roughness, Pure Country)

the newer series Landman is mostly filmed in Fort Worth

❌ Why Dallas Might Not Be Worth Visiting

Dallas might not seem worth visiting to some because of its iffy weather, terrible driving, and large size with only a few days worth of attractions to see.

To see some unique historical sites, a few natural areas, and some museums, I think Dallas is at least worth visiting for a short amount of time, but there are also some serious downsides to this city that I’ve come to know quite well after living here for a few years:

the overall Dallas area is very spread out so a car is pretty necessary if you plan to see some sites outside of the city center when visiting; which also means Dallas is not a very walkable city

the driving in Dallas is absolutely awful; I’ve lived and traveled to lots of places with some sketchy driving, but no where has been as bad as Dallas for a safe and easy driving experience

Dallas isn’t cheap, especially when there are lots of events

the allergies can get really bad in Dallas; since I’ve lived lots of places, I’ve experienced lots of environments, but Dallas has been one of the worst for my allergies

temperatures in Dallas can reach both extremes, really hot and quite cold

in between the super hot and pretty cold seasons, the weather in Dallas can get nasty with severe thunderstorms, hail, and tornadoes

you do need to make sure to stay in a safe area when visiting Dallas because there are lots of sketchy neighborhoods, especially around the downtown area

📆 How Many Days Is Enough For Dallas?

To see the sites in the greater Dallas area (including Fort Worth), I think two to three days is plenty, outside of attending any events. If you want to do more day trips from Dallas to see more of Texas or Oklahoma, a few extra days would be necessary.

➡️ Still trying to decide where to stay in North Texas? here is a guide to choosing between Dallas and Fort Worth to help you out

☀️ What Is The Best Month To Visit Dallas, Texas?

North Texas weather can vary greatly depending on the season and it's not always very nice.

As someone who’s lived here and experienced all months and seasons in Dallas, Texas, I think the best month to visit would be in November, because the weather is typically more mild, the prices are typically cheaper, and the crowds should be lower (outside of the Thanksgiving holiday), plus you may get to experience a little of the upcoming Christmas season depending on when you visit in November.

🔁 Sum Up: Is Dallas Worth Visiting?

I don’t think you need a very long trip to Dallas, but I do think this North Texas city is worth visiting at least once to see some interesting historical sites, natural areas, museums, cowboy/western culture, and professional sports. My personal favorites include the historical sites related to the JFK assassination, the real life dino footprints at Dinosaur Valley State Park, and rodeos or bull riding in the Fort Worth Stockyards.