Dallas has been our go-to weekend getaway for the past two years. So today I’m sharing a round up of how to spend a weekend in Dallas!

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As a distraction-slash-reward for getting through the hardest parts of our Oklahoma move out, my parents met us in Dallas for a weekend of fun! This was SUCH a great idea, in spite of an intense day with the mover delaying our trip by a day. (They arrived six hours late, it was their 3rd day on the job, and then we had a tornado, people. It was a bad day, y’all, but it’s done!)

Once we actually made it to Dallas, it was the perfect celebration! I’m now thinking that every time the military moves us we’ll be planning a weekend escape after the movers leave.

Our weekend away inspired me to combine some of our favorite spots in Dallas to help you plan a few days exploring!

How to Spend a Weekend in Dallas

Where to Stay

We opted for a downtown hotel to minimize parking hotels. Dallas and Fort Worth are big enough – and trafficky enough – that it’s worth staying close to what you want to do, and sometimes taking an Uber or Lyft rather than driving.

We got a great deal at the Hampton Inn Downtown – huge rooms with gorgeous views! Definitely request an upper floor for a unique view of the city. I’d definitely stay again, for both location and service.

Get a Meal at Americano

You know that feeling when you get off the plane and don’t know where to eat? Americano is a great place to kick off your weekend! Downtown Dallas has plenty of great meal options, but Americano is a sure-fire hit. It has a modern Italian vibe, and if you can swing it, grab a table out on the patio, giving you a full view of downtown. My menu favorites? The arancini appetizer and shrimp scampi as a main. Seriously good food.

Grab Breakfast at Commissary

We stumbled across this place downtown. I’ll be honest, we were initially drawn in by the adorable blue tile covering the floor and walls. But never fear, this place has fantastic food to back up its Instagrammable vibe! Whether you’re a sandwich, green juice, taco, or fancy coffee drink kind of a breakfast person, Commissary has got you covered. It was all I could do to not ask for one of every single one of their pastries! I went with the sausage sandwich and it was SO good – perfect for kicking off a day of exploring the city!

Explore Downtown

We spent most of the day wandering downtown Dallas, because there are so many options!

First off: the Dallas aquarium. I shared way more about it here, but it’s officially my favorite thing downtown. It’s not massive, so you can probably plan to spend ~2 hours there.

There are also some classics that are worth checking out, depending on your interests: the Sixth Floor Museum is such a huge piece of Dallas history and really well done. The Dallas Art Museum has great variety and you can often find food trucks outside for a snack along the way. We wandered into the Nasher Sculpture Center on a whim, and had fun just trying to figure out what the different installations were. (Is it just me, or does anyone else treat modern art as a different form of art than the artist may have intended?)

Head to Deep Ellum

Tired of the city vibe? A quick ride will take you to nearby Deep Ellum, a historic neighborhood packed with great restaurants, entertainment, and street art. You can see more of my favorite spots in my Deep Ellum article, and it’s worth a visit!

Brunch at Yolk

Still downtown? Yolk remains one of my favorite breakfast spots we’ve found. It’s got a huge menu of anything from cinnamon roll pancakes to chicken and waffles. They’ve got several locations, but we usually choose the one at One Arts Plaza.

Bishop Arts District

Like Deep Ellum, Bishop Arts District is an older historic neighborhood, but with a much different feel. While Deep Ellum has some of its former grit, Bishop Arts is more of a funky hipster neighborhood. You could make a whole weekend of exploring Bishop Arts alone (and we have), but if you’re only around for an afternoon, a few favorites are Mantiques for poking around old treasures, Parker Barrows for a sandwich, or Ten Bells Tavern to take a break and get off your feet for a bit.

I hope this provides some inspiration for a weekend in Dallas! I love taking a few days to explore a new city, especially when you don’t have a massive agenda – lets you get a real feel for the city. What are your favorite things to do in Dallas?

Looking for more Dallas fun? Check out our Texas page for tons of suggestions for the Dallas-Fort Worth area!