Free Things to Do On Vacation in Dallas

This information is excerpted from http://www.tourtexas.com

Having fun doesn't have to be expensive! The many things to see and do in Dallas include those that can be enjoyed absolutely free. Consider these offerings:

Pioneer Plaza Cattle Drive
A growing number of bronze, larger-than-life-size steers and their cowboy escorts moo've along Pioneer Plaza - adjacent to the Dallas Convention Center. This bronze cattle drive is located on the actual Shawnee Trail drive of the 1850s - and is the largest bronze monument of its kind in the world.

Outdoor Sculpture Tour
Downtown, Young & Griffin StreetsDiscover over 30 distinctive sculptures on the sidewalks of Downtown. Along with pieces from the 19th century, there are contemporary works, including a painter capturing Dallas on canvas.

Sculpture Garden
Enjoy the Sculpture Garden at the base of the statuesque Trammell Crow Center in Downtown. More than 20 statues from the French masters, including Rodin, reside in this peaceful setting with cascading waters and beautiful gardens.

Free/Donations Accepted
Tues. - Sun. 10 am - 5 pm
Thurs. 10 am - 9 pm

Mustangs Sculpture in Las Colinas
Nine mustangs, bronze, beautiful and larger-than-life, splash their way across a stream cut through the stone and granite plaza of Williams Square. Stroll across the plaza and visit the Mustangs of Las Colinas Sculpture & Exhibit, which includes an informative 20 minute film about mustangs and the making of this breathtaking sculpture.

Exhibit Center Open: Tues. - Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
In nearby Irving, O'Connor Road, North of Highway 114, 972-869-9047

Tour the Morton H. Meyerson
The acoustically renowned Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, designed by I.M. Pei, is yours to tour on selected Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. (please call in advance for monthly tour schedule as tours are subject to change with rehearsals and performances) Discover the 4,535 pipes on the Herman W. Lay Family Organ - this $1.36 million organ, crafted by C.B. Fisk Inc., is truly an acoustical wonder!

Enthusiastic and experienced volunteer docents are available to welcome visitors, school groups, conventions, families, and others for a one-hour tour detailing points of interest throughout the Meyerson. Once a month, schedule permitting, a thirty-minute organ demonstration of the Lay Family Concert Organ is presented, followed by a tour of the Center.

Free one hour tours at 1 pm. Events hosted at the center are by admission only.

Downtown, 2301 Flora Street, 214-670-3600

Dallas Central Library
Read all about it at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library. This public library includes one of the original copies of the Declaration of Independence, printed in 1776 - also on permanent display, is William Shakespeare's First Folio of Comedies, Histories & Tragedies. The library's Children Center is one of the largest in the country.

Mon. - Thurs. 9 am - 9 pm
Fri. - Sat 9 am - 5 pm
Sun. 9 am - 1 pm

Downtown, 1515 Young Street, 214-670-1700

Spanish Art at the Meadows Museum
The Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University has the most comprehensive collection from the Spanish masters outside of Spain. There are also special exhibitions, a sculpture garden, and the tree-lined SMU campus is an eye-catcher itself. Call about special exhibits.

Free on Thursdays after 5 p.m.

Wed. - Fri. 11 am - 8 pm
Sat. - Sun. 11 am - 5 pm

5900 Bishop Blvd, 214-768-2516

Spring Creek Farm
Visit Spring Creek Farm and see how the famous Owens Country Sausage began, as you tour a museum featuring a fully equipped kitchen, workshop, butchery and country store with articles and replicas dating back to the early 1900s. Outdoors, see Belgian draft horses, miniature ponies and other animals. Self guided tours daily - guided tours for groups of eight or more by reservation only.

Mon. - Fri. 9 am - 3 pm
Reservations requested in advance.

1401 East Lookout Drive at Plano Road, 972-235-0192

Free Admission Museums
The eight museums of Fair Park offer an exceptional variety all in one location near Downtown. Admission is charged at some but quite a few are Free! Donations are accepted. Those that offer free admission:

* The African American Museum (exception - special exhibitions) 214-565-9026.
Tues. - Fri. noon - 5 pm
Sat. 10 am - 5 pm
Sun. 1 pm - 5 pm
* The Hall of State (exception - special exhibitions) 214-421-4500.
Mon - Sat 9 am - 5 pm
Sun 1 pm - 5 pm

City Hall of Fame
Famed architect I.M. Pei designed the inverted wedge shaped building, one of the most distinctive structures in all of Dallas. The plaza is home to one of Henry Moore's largest bronze sculptures.

Downtown, 1500 Marilla Street, 214-670-3687
1A Retail Renaissance

Dallas Tourist Information Center
Relive the city's past with a visit to the Old Red Courthouse, site of the Dallas Tourist Information Center in the Downtown Historic District. The Center features touch screen information stations, Internet access stations, viewing room to see Dallas videos, and a full staff available every day of the week. Just around the corner you will find John Neely Bryan's Cabin, reconstructed home of Dallas. founder - just a stroll away, is the popular West End, Dealey Plaza and the DART Light Rail.

Downtown Historic District
The Downtown Historic District is located in the block enclosed by Market, Elm, Commerce and Houston Streets, 24-Hour Hotline 214-571-1301

John F. Kennedy Memorial
Dallas pays homage to one of its darkest times, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated during his 1963 visit. Designed by Kennedy family friend, Philip Johnson, the John F. Kennedy Memorial is an open-roofed, concrete walled monument symbolic of an open tomb. It is not unusual to find flowers and notes placed here. Nearby, the infamous School Book Depository and Grassy Knoll have changed little since that devastating day in our Nation's history.

M-Line All Around
The historic M-Line Streetcar meets the modern new M-Line Trolley Bus to create the M-Line service. Ride the streetcar down McKinney Avenue connecting to the Trolley Bus to St. Paul and Ross, within walking distance of the Dallas Museum of Art. Ride down Main Street to the famous West End to have lunch, shop, or just browse the shops. Whatever your interest maybe the M-Line can get you there for free!

Donations Accepted
Mon - Fri 7 am - 10 pm
Sat - Sun 10 am - 10 pm

Service 7 days a week. Call for schedule, 214-855-0006

Arts District Stroll
Take a one-hour guided walking tour of the Dallas Arts District where trained docents lead you through the largest arts area in the country. First Saturday each month. Meet at the Crow Collection of Asian Art. 10:30 a. m. Please R.S.V.P.

Arts District Friends 2010 Flora Street, 214-953-1977

Farmers Branch Historical Park
The Farmers Branch Historical Park is home to several historic structures that range in time from the 1840's to the 1940's. Structures include log cabins, the oldest stone structure on its original foundation in North Texas, and a 1930's gas station. Tours free, interactive programs available.

Mon - Fri 8 am - 6 pm
Sat - Sun 12 pm - 6 pm

Call 972-406-0184 for information

West End Story
What once was a warehouse and an old candy and cracker factory has been reborn into a tourist's delight. Downtown's West End Historic District, great for browsers, features over 50 specialty shops at the West End MarketPlace plus a variety of restaurants and clubs. Summertime nights in the MarketPlace are often filled with the sound of free concerts.

Downtown/Market and Munger Streets: 214-748-4801

West End Association Event Hotline: 214-741-7185

Observation Station
From the observation area known as Founders Plaza at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, you'll see some of the 2,300 daily takeoffs and landings from one of the world's busiest airports. Witness winged wonders in this area featuring 20 parking spaces, long-distance binoculars, graph board to help you identify the different aircraft, speaker system featuring audio straight from the Control Tower, plus four picnic areas.

Open daily - 6:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.

2829 30th St. (Carbon Road) at DFW International Airport, 972-574-6000

Super Model Train
The U.S.' largest permanent model train display is in Dallas, and happily, it.s in the lobby of Children's Medical Center of Dallas. Eight trains run simultaneously at this free exhibit. Children's Medical Center has a small fee for parking.

1935 Motor Street, between Stemmons Frwy. and Harry Hines Blvd., 214-640-2000

Fantasy Landing
Fantasy Landing is Dallas' first public playground where able-bodied children and those with disabilities can play together. The playground features customized ramps, tennis courts and pull tunnels with bars for children in wheelchairs. Brightly-colored brick paths help visually impaired children find their way through the play area.

Kiest Park in Oak Cliff, 214-939-2746

Dallas Farmers Market
Seven days a week from 7 a.m.- 6 p.m. (with the exception of special holidays), local farmers display and sell a mouth watering and eye pleasing selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, herbs and floral plants at the Dallas Farmers Market. A perfect place to leisurely stroll and take in the colorful, glorious sights at this open-air market.

Open Daily 7 am - 6 pm

1010 South Pearl Street, 214-939-2808

Celebrate Good Times
Numerous festivals and parades are held each year in the great Dallas outdoors, and a good many are absolutely free. Many are holiday related, and nearly all have food, music, art and/or live entertainment. Use entertainment publications as your guide.

Call the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau's 24-Hour Special Events Hotline at 214-571-1301, or visit Dallas on the World Wide Web at: www.visitdallas.com

Outdoor Activities
Hiking, biking, walking or running - Dallas offers happy trails for you. The Dallas Parks & Recreation Department maintains a number of bike/hike trails such as the 9.33 mile trail at White Rock Lake, 8300 Garland Rd, which connects with the 7.3 mile trail at White Rock Creek Park.

Call 214-670-4100 to locate a trail or 214-670-4039 for bike route maps.

Dallas Symphony Summer Concerts
During the Spring and early Summer months, The Dallas Symphony Orchestra performs in area parks and you can also hear "Jazz under the Stars" at the Dallas Museum of Art on Thursday evenings.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra: 214-692-0203

Dallas Museum of Art: 214-922-1200

Freedman's Cemetery Memorial
Located less than one mile north of Downtown Dallas, is Freedman's Cemetery, a pre-Civil War African-American burial ground in what was once the Freedman's Town Area - a small Dallas community formed by Blacks freed from slavery in the mid-1860s. This historic and state landmark memorial features larger-than-life-size figures cast in bronze by African American artist, David Newton.

North Central Expressway between Lemmon Avenue and Hall Street, 214-670-3284

Fountain Place
Waters dance and leap skyward at Downtown's Fountain Place. At the base of this dramatically sculpted 1.2 million sq. ft. office tower of green reflective glass lies an oasis of colorful flowers, waterfalls, 172 bubbler fountains and central fountain. The latter is one of the world's most complex and consists of 360 computer driven water jets. Designed by the acclaimed architectural firm of I.M. Pei & Partners, Fountain Place has received international recognition.

Downtown, 1445 Ross Avenue at Field Street, 214-855-7766

Hands On
Named after one of the foremost hand surgeons in the world, The Adrian E. Flatt, M.D. Hand Exhibit is an extraordinary private collection of over 100 cast, bronze-coated hands. The contrast of sizes, and sense of personal capability, when simply viewing life-size hands is intriguing. Personalities include: Katherine Hepburn, Walt Disney, Louis Armstrong and Winston Churchill - to name a few.

Mon - Fri 8 am - 9 pm

Baylor University Medical Center - Truett Building - 1st floor

3500 Gaston Ave., 214-820-6684

Retail Tale
Discover how Dallas' outstanding shopping reputation began with the opening of Neiman Marcus in the early 1900's. Over 95 years later, the Flagship Neiman Marcus in Downtown Dallas remains a ready-to-wear couture legend. The Downtown Dallas store features a museum on the fifth-floor which tells the Neiman Marcus story in the highest of style.

Neiman Marcus is Open: Mon. - Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Thurs. 10:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.

2628 Main Street, 214-741-6911

Crow Collection of Asian Art
The Crow Collection of Asian Art contains more than 600 paintings, objects of metal and stone, and large architectural pieces from China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia. Over 300 works are on display in the galleries including precious jade ornaments from China, delicate Japanese scrolls and a rarely seen 28-foot by 12-foot sandstone facade of an 18th century Indian residence.

Open: Tues. - Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Thursdays 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

2010 Flora Street, 214-979-6430


The Art of Sports
The Sports Legacy. The Gallery of Sports Art at Ameriquest Field in nearby Arlington is the nation's largest art gallery devoted to sports and features original art, limited edition lithographs and bronze statues representing a variety of sports including baseball, basketball, fishing, hunting and soccer. Children supervised by parents are welcome.

Open: Mon. - Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and on game nights open until the game is over.

1000 Ballpark Way, Arlington, 817-461-1994

Hot Time Hotline
Get instant up-to-date information by calling The Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau's regularly updated Special Events Hotline. To access the 24-hour hotline in English or Spanish call: 214-571-1301.

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