Get ready for a scenic drive through Texas!
Starting in Dallas, we’ll head south to Houston. The distance between Dallas and Houston is approximately 235 miles. The most direct route is via I-45 South which takes about 3 and a half hours. If you take the more scenic route of I-35 and Highway 6 between the two cities, your drive will be about 45 minutes longer. Some of the popular stops along the way include Davy Crockett and Sam Houston National Forests, The Woodlands, Huntsville State Park, Navarro Mills Lake and Todd Mission.
Dallas
Texas School Book Depository and Dealey Plaza
All eyes were on Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade drove through Dealey Plaza. This tragic day in United States history has been immortalized on the sixth floor of the former Texas School Book Depository, where Oswald pulled the trigger 60 years ago. The Sixth Floor Museum (which actually occupies the sixth and seventh floors of the building) houses exhibits detailing JFK’s life, presidency and assassination, as well as the history of the 1960s. Today, Dealey Plaza is a scenic green space in downtown Dallas, visited every year by thousands who gather to honor the 35th president.
While a visit to these famous sites should be at the top of every traveler’s must-see list, that’s not all Dallas has to offer visitors.
Deep Ellum
This neighborhood just east of downtown Dallas is a nightlife hot spot that brims with live music, performing arts, eye-catching murals, unique shops and bustling bars. Its status as a live music hub date back to the early 20th century, when jazz and blues performers frequented its stages. In addition to its live music venues, Deep Ellum is also home to a burgeoning dining scene.
Dallas Arts District
You may want to devote a day to exploring the Dallas Arts District, which is the largest contiguous urban arts district in the United States. Sprawling across more than 20 square blocks, the neighborhood features museums, performing arts venues, restaurants and bars. Performance venues abound as well and include the AT&T Performing Arts Center, which houses the Winspear Opera House and the Wyly Theatre.
AT&T Stadium
If there’s one thing the people of Dallas love, it’s football. So, a stop by the home of the Dallas Cowboys is a necessity. The Cowboys’ former kingdom in Irving was demolished in 2010 to make way for a bigger, better venue. Now you can visit “America’s Team” at AT&T Stadium. The largest domed stadium in the country with a capacity for 80,000 fans is located in Arlington, Texas. On your tour of the stadium be sure to see the extensive collection of art. There’s a guided tour specifically devoted to the stadium’s artwork. But all avid sports fans should tag along on the VIP tour, which leads attendees through the private suites, the press box, the locker rooms and even out onto the field.
https://www.dallascowboys.com/
Globe Life Field
Globe Life Field is a retractable roof stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. It is the ballpark of Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers.It is located just south of Choctaw Stadium, the Rangers’ former home ballpark. There are several areas of interest around the stadium to check out before heading inside. Without a doubt, the most popular is the statue of Nolan Ryan just outside of the TXUenergy north entry. Fans line up to take photos with the statue of Ryan long before and long after the game. The north entry also features a mosaic that doubles as a water feature, which has a hidden tribute to Ryan built into it.
Globe Life Field is part of the larger entertainment district branded as Texas Live! which sits directly across the street from the former Globe Life Ballpark, now Choctaw Stadium. Just to the west of Globe Life Field is AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Texas Live! Incorporates shopping, dining, and entertainment options for fans, just feet from the venue.
Houston
As the fourth-largest city in the U.S., H-Town (as the locals call it) offers top-rated activities for all types of travelers. Shop till you drop at The Galleria, cheer on the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, or make the most of Houston’s many outdoor recreational spaces
Hermann Park
Those looking to feel like a local should take a trip to Houston’s Hermann Park. The 445-acre park offers green spaces and attractions that will appeal to all ages. Hermann Park boasts a Japanese garden, the Friendship Pavilion from Taipei, a golf course, a miniature train, an edible vegetable, herb, citrus and fruit garden, a sculpture walk, lakes, fountains, pedal boats and trails. What’s more, the park is also home to the Houston Zoo. You will be impressed with the number of things to do, from the zoo to the museums to the gardens.
Johnson Space Center and Space Center Houston
“Houston, we’ve had a problem.” Most Americans have heard of the infamous phrase uttered by the Apollo 13 crew when it encountered a spacecraft explosion mid-flight on its way to the moon. The astronauts were communicating with Mission Control at this NASA space center, about 25 miles southeast of downtown Houston. Established in 1961, the Johnson Space Center is NASA’s manned spacecraft center, the hub for the astronaut corps and the home to International Space Station Mission operations. The 1,700-acre complex has been an integral part of NASA operations since the Mercury program and still operates as one of the country’s major space centers for personnel training, research and more. Travelers interested in learning a little more about NASA and the Johnson Space Center’s history can check out the official NASA visitor center adjacent to the facility, Space Center Houston, one of the top things to do in Texas.
Discovery Green
An urban park located in the heart of downtown Houston, Discovery Green is a gathering place for everyone from downtown workers enjoying their lunches to visitors savoring some green space in the concrete jungle. The park features a 1-acre lake that offers kayak rides, a jogging trail, two dog runs, two restaurants, two performance spaces and multiple promenades. The park rents a unique Art Cart, a decorated golf cart filled with recreational items like bocce balls and croquet sets for visitors to use. Various pieces of public art adorn the green space as well. Discovery Green hosts a variety of seasonal events, from exercise classes to markets, as well as live performances.
Minute Maid Park
Since the 2000 season, The Houston Astros have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, located in downtown Houston. The stadium features a retractable roof and has a seating capacity of over 40,000 fans. The largest entrance to the park is inside what was once Houston’s Union Station, and the left-field side of the stadium features a train as homage to the site’s history. The replica 19th-century locomotive runs about 800 feet along the west side of the ballpark and lights up and makes sounds when the team first takes to the natural grass field, when an Astros player scores a home run and when the team wins. The air-conditioned stadium is a wonderful relief from hot summer days. Even when the roof is closed, a 50,000-square-foot glass section keeps the city’s skyline visible.
Look for the Crawford Boxes, a section of seating in Minute Maid Park running parallel to Crawford Street. Below the Crawford Boxes look for the hand-operated out-of-town scoreboard, displaying the day’s other games. Games are typically played with the roof open only in April and May before the Houston summer heat arrives.
Another great road trip. Enjoy the journey!