Dallas for the day
 

Hello all

I am transiting in Dallas in August. I have 12 hours or so - actually make it about 8 or nine once I have dispensed with the airport niceties. I have never been to Texas so was wondering if you had any recommendations? Of particular interest is a good bbq restaurant for lunch! Also are there any sights to see etc?

Thanks!

Welcome to Big D.

If you want to stay very close to the airport, there is a Bone Daddy's BBQ in Grapevine. It is good food and the waitresses wear skimpy outfits. I dont recommend these types of places for the waitresses though, the food is actually quite good.

You seem like you may have enough time to get to actual Dallas though. In that case, check out Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum. Then you have to go see where JFK was shot, since that is what everyone seems to do except the locals. (I have only driven by a few thousand times)

Dallas, like all of Texas, is a driving city. Uber and cabs are not cheap and most people rent cars. Just keep that in mind since DFW is not a quick rental car turn around.

Now, if you are in Love Field, well, that is a horse of a different color. Much smaller and easier to deal with, but also much closer in, so no problem there.

Do you like art? During one of my long layovers, I took a very enjoyable trip over to the Dallas Museum of Art. Just jumped on the Orange line DART from DFW to St. Paul station.

The museum is free and has ample wifi. (If I recall, I stopped by the front desk to sign-up for their DMA Friends program, which is their way of making the museum experience a bit more fun and interactive: https://www.dma.org/visit/dma-friends)

Hard 8 is great for barbecue and pretty close to the airport.

If you don't mind a 30 minute drive, you might enjoy the Ft. Worth stockyards and/or downtown Ft. Worth/Sundance Square. You say you have never been to Texas and FW is definitely more of a Texas feel than Dallas.

That is definitely true.

Unfortunately Orange Line only runs to Dallas ... in Dallas there are the tourist things downtown in addition to abovementioned museum. The (in)famous Grassy Knoll, West End, but really there's a lot more to do in Fort Worth.

If you are looking to do something other than lunch, I wouldn't suggest Hard Eight as there is nothing around it. Just nondescript buildings like my office building or an Amazon distribution center.

I think it's possible to get a shuttle to the TRE station and from there can get to either Ft. Worth or Dallas. Taking the TRE to Ft. Worth would work for Sundance Square but not the stockyards.

No, I wouldn't recommend the area around Hard 8 for any reason other than eating there, but if one is at the airport, has limited time, and wants good BBQ, that's my vote.

Thank you all. I am arriving at 6am and leaving at 6pm. I will probably get a car for the time there which will give a bit of flexibility. I definitely would like to eat a lot of BBQ!! Mrs srbrenna was questioning if an early round of golf would be doable before the BBQ. I guess we would have to be back at the airport at about 3.30 to drop the car off. I would imagine that there are a few courses around that neck of the woods?

Here are ones on the general area:
http://www.irvingtexas.com/things-to-do/golf-courses/