I have lived near the D/FW metroplex (in the central region of Texas) for over a decade. Currently I reside south of it, but at one point I was in the heart of it all, about twenty minutes from downtown Dallas.
There are so many incredible things to see and do in the D/FW area that I cannot begin to describe them. But, of course, I’ll give it my best shot.
The West End, located off of Commerce Street in downtown Dallas, is the greatest place in the world for music save, of course, for Austin’s blues scene. The West End is a short strip of clubs that boast every type of live music from rap and rock to country-western and blues. You can wander up and down the strip after dark, taking in the neon lighting and listening to the beautiful sounds drifting out of the various clubs and coffeehouses. During the day The West End looks like a hobo/druggie playground, but after dark the place truly comes alive, giving it a mysterious, magical aura that only the most passionate of music lovers can appreciate.
You can visit the Book Depository where JFK was assassinated, but who cares about that? There are plenty of other interesting buildings in the area. For example, Reunion Tower: It’s a giant cement pillar with an enormous lighted ball on top that happens to be a restaurant. The lights covering the ball flash at random: This combined with the fact that the ball ever-so-slowly spins makes it convenient for diners to take in the entire scene around the tower without leaving their seats or turning their heads. After dark, this tower is a beautiful sight.
The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo is a seasonal thing. The Stockyards are host to rodeos and other ’’cowboy stuff.’’ You can walk through the enormous, dusty Stockyards and see everything you remember from Mom and Pop’s farm back home - best of all, there’s a BMX track nearby in case you feel like hopping on a bicycle and riding around!
BMX racing is a fairly popular youth activity in this region. There are at least three BMX tracks within two and a half hours of each other where you can race your twenty-inch bicycle against other people in your same age and skill classes. Points are awarded, trophies are won, and State Champions are crowned. Visit the American Bicycle Association’s Web site at https://ababmx.com for more information on this growing sport.
If you’re interested in visiting a theme park or watching a professional sports team, go to Arlington, Texas. There you will find Texas Stadium, home of Dallas Cowboys football. You will also find The Ballpark In Arlington where our Texas Rangers baseball club play home games. Then there is Six Flags Over Texas, featuring one of the world’s biggest wooden rollercoaster (truly terrifying, but in a ’’Wow, that was TOO cool, Mom!’’ kind of way). There is also a water park named Splashtown within the vicinity, so be sure to check it out.
There are all kinds of restaurants in the area, most right off the highway or in the downtown areas of the cities in the metroplex. You can even find sushi bars if that’s what you want! Plus, we have convenient lodging - hotels, motels, and inns - right off the highway, often with rooms going for competitive rates. But, if you don’t like one rate, drive down the highway a couple of miles - you’ll probably find something a little more reasonable.
The weather in this part of Texas is absolutely ridiculous - or so say most tourists. We don’t really know what ’’snow’’ is - unless it’s that same stuff that we see on television. We wear tank tops and shorts on Christmas Day, and spend summer months in air conditioning: The temperatures often soar above 100 degrees (F) here!
Overall, this is a great place to live, and a region that I would love to visit if it were not my home. We have a little of everything, so you’re bound to find something that interests you here. Spending a week or two in Texas, checking out the scenery and learning about our unique culture, is often relaxing and educational for the entire family.