How Many Days in Dallas? A 2-Night, 3-Day Route

The big picture: two days downtown, then Fort Worth

The recommended length for Dallas is 2 to 3 nights. This route covers Dealey Plaza, the West End and the Bishop Arts District on day 1, the Arts District, Klyde Warren Park and Deep Ellum on day 2, and the Fort Worth Stockyards by commuter train on day 3. If you have one more day, a 3-night, 4-day option adds the Arboretum, the Farmers Market and Fair Park.

DART light rail is the backbone. All four lines (Red, Blue, Green and Orange) pass through downtown, and the Dallas Streetcar and the TRE to Fort Worth leave from EBJ Union Station downtown.

Sort out the weekdays first. The Sixth Floor Museum and the Dallas Museum of Art close on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science closes on Tuesdays (through 7 April 2027). The TRE has no scheduled Sunday service (except during the State Fair of Texas). Starting day 1 on a Wednesday or Thursday makes all three days work.

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Day 1: Airport → Dealey Plaza and The Sixth Floor Museum → West End → Bishop Arts

From DFW Airport Terminal A Station (near Gate A10), DART's Orange Line runs through Irving to downtown, which takes under an hour. From other terminals, take the free Terminal Link shuttle bus before security or the Skylink train after security to Terminal A. Fares are USD 3 for a DART Local 3-Hour Pass and USD 6 for a Local Day Pass. If you land at Dallas Love Field (DAL), take DART Bus Route 5 Love Link to Inwood/Love Field Station and change to the Green or Orange line.

After checking in, head to Dealey Plaza and The Sixth Floor Museum. Housed in the former Texas School Book Depository, it covers the assassination and legacy of President Kennedy with films, photographs and artifacts; the main exhibit is on the sixth floor and special exhibits on the seventh. It opens Wed-Sun 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with last entry at 4:15 p.m. Admission is USD 27 for adults, USD 25 for seniors (65+), USD 23 for youth (6-18) and free for children 5 and under. It is three blocks west of West End Station and five blocks north of Union Station.

Then walk the West End Historic District, where old warehouses and railroad buildings have become restaurants and shops, and where you will also find the JFK Memorial Plaza and the Old Red Museum with its visitor centre. In the evening, take the Dallas Streetcar from Union Station to the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff for boutiques, galleries, cafes, restaurants and murals by local artists. A streetcar ride costs USD 1, and DART 3-Hour and Day Passes are valid.

Day 2: Dallas Museum of Art → Klyde Warren Park → Perot Museum → Deep Ellum

Start in the Arts District, the largest urban arts district in the US at 20 blocks and 118 acres. The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) holds more than 24,000 works spanning 5,000 years, including pieces by Picasso, Georgia O'Keeffe and Monet. It opens Wed-Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and general admission is free (some special exhibitions need a ticket).

Have lunch at the food trucks in Klyde Warren Park, a 5.4-acre deck park over an eight-lane freeway, open daily 6 a.m.-11 p.m. and free, with food trucks every day. In the afternoon, visit the Perot Museum of Nature and Science: 11 permanent exhibit halls, USD 27 for ages 13+ and USD 17 for ages 2-12, and most visitors spend 2-3 hours. The glass elevator gives views of downtown.

Next, ride the free M-Line Trolley, a vintage streetcar linking the Arts District and Uptown via Klyde Warren Park. In the evening, go to Deep Ellum, which has its own DART station, for live music. Dating back to 1884 and famous for blues and jazz, it is now a nightlife hub of music venues, bars, casual eateries and murals.

Day 3: TRE to Fort Worth → Stockyards longhorn drive → TEXRail to the airport

Take the TRE from Union Station to Fort Worth. This commuter train runs between EBJ Union Station in Dallas and Fort Worth T&P Station, Monday to Saturday. The trip crosses the Dallas County and Tarrant County zones, so you need a Regional ticket; on a day you combine the TRE and Trinity Metro, the Regional Day Pass is USD 9.

From downtown Fort Worth, take the Trinity Metro Orange Line circulator (USD 4 all-day pass) to the Stockyards. Between 1866 and 1890 more than four million head of cattle passed through Fort Worth, earning it the name Cowtown. Longhorns parade daily at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. (no drives on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving or Christmas Day), and this route aims for the 11:30 a.m. drive. Watch from the Observation Deck on East Exchange Avenue or see the cattle at their pens behind the Livestock Exchange Building. The Cowtown Coliseum, built in 1907, hosted the first indoor rodeo.

To leave, TEXRail runs from Fort Worth Central Station to DFW Airport Terminal B Station. TEXRail costs USD 2 for a Local single ride and USD 4 for a Local 1-Day ticket; check the official information before you go for timetables and journey times.

One more day (3 nights, 4 days): Arboretum, Farmers Market and Fair Park

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is a 66-acre garden on Garland Road in East Dallas, open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is USD 21.95 for adults and USD 17.95 for children 3-12 Monday to Thursday, and USD 25.95 for adults and USD 21.95 for children Friday to Sunday; under-3s are free. Parking is USD 15 per vehicle. The 6.5-acre Jonsson Color Garden is filled with seasonal flowers, and tram tours leave daily at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Check the official information before you go for how to get there.

The Dallas Farmers Market, established in 1941 as a municipal farmers market, is open daily, and The Shed opens at weekends as an open-air farmers market. Fair Park, with its own DART station, is a large park full of Art Deco architecture, and you can also visit the African American Museum inside it. The State Fair of Texas is held there every year; check the official information before you go for its dates.

With an extra day, re-check the weekdays: the Fort Worth day must fall on Monday to Saturday and the museum days on Wednesday to Sunday.

Where to stay and getting around

On a first visit, Downtown & West End is a good base for walking through history and museums. All four DART lines pass through downtown, and the streetcar and the TRE leave from EBJ Union Station. For museums, performances and the park, choose the Arts District & Klyde Warren Park; for live music and bars, Deep Ellum; for boutiques, cafes and strolling, the Bishop Arts District.

Signature food includes Tex-Mex (fajitas, enchiladas and queso), Texas-style barbecue with slow-smoked brisket and ribs, and burgers and steaks. The world's first frozen margarita machine was created in Dallas in 1971, and the corn dog was born at the 1942 State Fair of Texas.

• DART only: Local 3-Hour Pass USD 3, Day Pass USD 6. With the TRE and Trinity Metro: Regional Day Pass USD 9
• Station machines take cash and cards. With a contactless card or phone, tap at the platform or bus reader before boarding; each rider needs their own payment method
• There are no DART ticket machines at DFW Airport Terminal B Station (Silver Line), and the Silver Line does not go through downtown
• There are no luggage racks on light rail or buses. The centre car is level with the platform, which helps with large bags
• Dallas Streetcar: daily 5:30 a.m.-midnight, every 20 minutes, USD 1 a ride
• M-Line Trolley (free): Mon-Thu 7 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri 7 a.m.-midnight, Sat 10 a.m.-midnight, Sun/holidays 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Arriving late: taxis wait on the lower level of each DFW terminal. An airport guest assistant is there from 8 a.m. to midnight; after midnight, call +1-972-973-4061. Check the official information before you go for taxi fares

Budget, when to go and final checks

Transport basics are a DART Day Pass at USD 6 and, on the Fort Worth day, a Regional Day Pass at USD 9. General admission to the Dallas Museum of Art, Klyde Warren Park and the M-Line Trolley are free. Add The Sixth Floor Museum (USD 27 for adults) and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science (USD 27 for ages 13+); the Arboretum costs USD 21.95-25.95 for adults plus USD 15 for parking. Hotel and food costs vary by date, so check booking sites.

March-April and October-November are best for walking. According to WMO World Weather Information Service — National Weather Service (USA) normals for Dallas Ft Worth (WMO city data), 1981–2010, March-April average highs of 20-25°C and lows of 8-13°C, and October-November highs of 19-26°C and lows of 8-14°C. Monthly rainfall is 78-89 mm in March-April and 69-107 mm in October-November. The month with the most rain is May (125 mm). June to August is very hot, with average highs of 33-36°C and lows of 22-24°C, so carry water and a hat and spend the middle of the day in museums. December to February is cool, with average highs of 14-16°C and lows of 2-4°C.

• U.S. entry requirements (visa, travel authorization, etc.): check the U.S. government's official information before you travel
• Museum hours and admission can change: check each venue's official information
• TRE timetables and tickets: check the official information before you go
• Check the official forecast before you go

• Full Dallas travel guide →
• Seoul Incheon → Dallas flights →

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