Places to visit (wish list) in Dallas.

Okay so it has been a little over 3 months for me in Dallas. I had heard little about Dallas/Texas before I came here, except ofcourse in school geography when we learnt Prairie grasslands! I come from Pune, a city in Maharashtra India, surrounded by big & small mountains of the famous Sahyadri ranges and through which the once-beautiful twin-rivers called Mula-Mutha flow. Basically I am a nature person, and get attracted by jungles & mountains! I had been to Calif before & had already seen the nature & America's wild in its best form. So I was pretty excited for getting to stay in a completely different part of the US. The first glimpse of Dallas was however rather depressing, when I looked down from the plane before landing. It is a plain landscape! No hills, nothing!

Well, my dear hubby did his best to change my view about Dallas & he quite succeeded also! In my short stay of 3 months here, he eagerly showed me the best places around Dallas. I was pleasantly surprised to see how man can bring such a drastic change to turn a rather plain & arid terrain into a highly landscaped & green habitat! Man-made lakes of various sizes & shapes abound the city. These lakes are jogger's paradise with the numerous trails that go around them. Besides these, there are numerous other attractions in this city, some of which I could visit in my short time span here. Rest of them compete with each other for the top 10 items of my wishlist! I gather a few of them in the pages below (courtesy: Yahoo travels and few other such sites):

1) Dallas World Aquarium & Zoological Gardens:
1801 N Griffin St
Dallas, TX 75202-1503
+1 214 720 2224
daryl@dwazoo.com
Open Hours
10a-5p daily
http://www.dwazoo.com
A South American rainforest filled with unique plants and animals such as monkeys, colorful toucans, crocodiles, manatees and otters. The aquarium portion features 85,000-gallons of saltwater with marine life from around the world. Rare sea dragons, giant clams and endangered sea turtles are but a few of the intriguing animals on display. An outdoor lagoon-like exhibit features Black-footed penguins.

2) Dallas Asboretum:
8525 Garland Road
Dallas, TX 75218-4335
+1 214 515 6500
Open Hours
9a-5p M-Su, Closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day
http://www.dallasarboretum.org/
Off the shores of White Rock Lake lies the garden of a lifetime. Sure to make anyone green with envy, the 66 acres of lush, perfectly manicured landscapes hold a treasure trove of trees, bushes and flowers. Quaint and quiet walkways meander throughout the grounds, with countless coves. Also located on the grounds is the DeGolyer House, a 1940s-style Spanish mansion. Tours of the house and its sculpture garden are offered. The Johnson Color Gardens, the Woman's Garden and the Lay Ornamental Garden with water walls are exquisite features of the picturesque grounds.

3) White Rock Lake:
8300 Garland Road
Dallas, TX 75218-4332
+1 214 670 4100
Open Hours
6am-midnight daily
White Rock Lake has 9-plus miles of waterfront trails—the complete loop around the lake takes about three hours. Also offered are fishing, sailing and horseback riding. Those who enjoy bird watching will find that the lake attracts a wide variety of birds

4) Reunion Tower:
300 Reunion Boulevard E.
Dallas, TX 75207-4409
+1 214 651 1234
Open Hours
10a-midnight F, 9a-midnight Sa, 10a-10p Su-Th
This Dallas landmark has graced the downtown skyline for 21 years. Three levels of activity top the 50-story structure, which are encircled in a dome of lights. The triangle formations of the structural cylinders encase the elevators that carry passengers to the top levels in 68 seconds. For the more actively inclined, an 837-step stairwell is located in the middle of the tower. Over 200 lights add shimmer to the geodesic dome, which can be programmed to form an infinite number of patterns. Some of the more famous include "The Electric Moon," "Texas Raindrops" and "Dallas Disco Fever." The tower opened in 1978, just two years after construction began and only five years after its conception. The Lookout is the lowest of the upper levels and provides both an indoor and outdoor observation area. Visitors can view many points of interest throughout the Dallas area from 360-degrees.

5) Cedar Ridge Preserve:
7171 Mountain Creek Pkwy
Dallas, TX 75249-1159
+1 972 293 5150
Open Hours
Tu-Su sunrise-sunset
http://www.audubondallas.org/
The beauty of Texas' nature can be experienced first-hand with a hike through this 630-acre preserve. With guided and self-guided tours available along the ten miles of wooded trails, outdoor enthusiasts can wander up to the Escarpment Nature Preserve, the highest point in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Along the way you can view ponds, wildflowers and a butterfly garden before arriving at vistas and an observation tower. The trails vary in difficulty. All are natural terrain paved with rock, mulch or dirt. They are designed for foot traffic only, and bikes or roller blades are not allowed. Hikes can last anywhere from 15 minutes to three hours, depending upon selected trail. A snack bar, gift shop and amphitheater are also scattered on the preserve grounds.

6)Southern Methodist University:
6425 Boaz Lane
Dallas, TX 75275-0001
+1 214 768 2000
http://www.smu.edu/
This private, four-year, liberal arts university has an enrollment of just over 9,000 students. People from more than 80 countries and all 50 states come to study on this campus. Though named after the Methodist denomination, students from every religious background are welcome. SMU has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top 100 national universities. And plus its a beautiful campus, good place to take a walk & relax!

7) Boulder Park:
3200 West Redbird Lane
Dallas, TX 75237-2207
+1 214 670 4100
Open Hours
Daily during daylight hours
Maintained by the Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association, this park is conveniently located near I-20 and Highway 67. Hosting approximately 6 miles of bike trails, Boulder Park offers the perfect ride for everyone. There are sections for beginners and others for advanced riders. Most of the trails have been created for bike use, but there is a soft-surface hiking trail for nature lovers. Here you'll find open sections, wooded areas, rocks and water.

8) Old City Park:
1717 Gano Street
Dallas, TX 75215-1211
+1 214 421 5141 (Dallas Heritage Village)
mguthrie@dallasheritagevillage.org
Open Hours
Vary
http://www.oldcitypark.org
The city's oldest park is full of lush and landscaped gardens and a recreated Victorian age town. Nestled near downtown, the 13 acres of sprawling green are accentuated with Victorian-era homes and stores. Inside each of these buildings, visitors will find volunteers demonstrating weaving, cooking, black smithing and other historic crafts of the era.

9) Dallas Arts District:
Northeast corner of Downtown Dallas
Dallas, TX 75201
+1 214 953 1977
info@artsdistrict.org
Open Hours
Office hours: 9a-5p M-F
http://www.artsdistrict.org/
One of the largest urban cultural districts nationwide, the Dallas Arts District is home to numerous performing and visual arts venues. Visitors will marvel at unique masterpieces on display in the district's museums and galleries. World-class culture abounds with ongoing art, music, drama and dance performances.

10) Fair Park Coliseum:
1300 Robert B Cullum Boulevard
Dallas, TX 75210-2364
+1 214 670 8400
This beautiful park is situated two miles east of downtown Dallas. It boasts of nine museums and six performance facilities, such as the Music Hall, Smirnoff Music Center, Band Shell, and the Cotton Bowl Stadium. With the largest collection of 1930s Art Deco style architecture, this National Historic Landmark is open to public and corporate events.


Other online resources about Dallas attractions:

Info about off-beat and little known lakes around dallas :
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/Texas/Dallas-876982/Off_the_Beaten_Path-Dallas-Parks_Lakes-BR-1.html



So, for those who, like me, thought there's nothing else to do in here except for food & shopping, well there's lot of interesting places to visit around Dallas! Just get hold of a good company & directions from google maps!