City Information  Flygbilejtt -    Queensway Travel
Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is 20 miles from downtown Dallas. Domestic flights, primarily Southwest Airlines, land at the romantically named Love Field Airport, which serves mainly Texas and the surrounding states. Flight time from London is 11 hrs, including stopovers.

Airport to City Centre

There are always plenty of taxis ranked outside the terminal, though they can be summoned via Yellow Cabs. Trips take about 35 mins, and taxi fare from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to downtown Dallas is approximately $40; from Love Field, expect to pay about $20.

Most hotels run shuttle services to and from the airports. Stops are located outside the main terminal. Otherwise there are several commercial shuttle services, which serve most areas of the city, including downtown. They include Shuttleking, Classic Shuttle, Discount Shuttle and Super Shuttle. The shuttles are much cheaper than taxis, but what you save in money you will probably lose in time.

In 2000, the Trinity Railway Express, the city's rarely used commuter rail system, extended its tracks to link downtown to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, allowing travellers to get to the airport for a mere $2. However, the service is better suited to visiting relatives than harried business travellers: available only Mon-Sat, the 30-minute journey gets you only near the airport - you then have to board a shuttle bus for a 20-min ride actually to arrive at the gate, and these only come every 25-60 mins. If short on cash but long on time, be sure to plan ahead at www.trinityrailwayexpress.org.

Orientation

Central Dallas covers an area of 2 sq miles, fringed to the west by Stemmons Freeway, to the east by Central Expressway, to the south by Thornton Freeway (I-30) and to the north by Woodall Rodgers Freeway. Its central point is the Municipal Plaza, with the City Hall complex and Dallas Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center nearby. Major streets run north-south and east-west on a fairly regimented grid system. Many large corporations are located in north Dallas; the arteries here are 635/Lyndon B Johnson Freeway and the Dallas North Tollway.

Around The City   Flyg stol -      Queensway Travel

Taxis are expensive and run 24 hrs. The standard fare rate is $2 base rate, plus $1.60 per mile and $2 per extra passenger. They can be found mainly near the major hotels and terminals. Alternatively, look for a valet - they usually have a direct line to cab companies, especially if there's a buck or two in it for them.

DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) operates a variety of public transit services with a fleet of some 1,000 yellow and white buses and vans with stops in most parts of town. The 23-mile light railway system - clean, fast and safe: there's a cop on every train - comprehensively serves the downtown area and points south and north. A single fare costs from $1, depending on the route. A one-day pass costs $2. For DART information visit www.dart.org.

The McKinney Avenue Trolley is the best option if your business is in the Arts District or near the McKinney Strip. Apart from being a quaint, leisurely, lurching ride, it makes regular stops on its 5 km route along McKinney Ave and St Paul St.

What is Interesting

Southfork Ranch: Home of Dallas's famous TV oil dynasty, the Ewings. Enjoy Miss Ellie's Deli and numerous gift shops selling clothing and collectables from the long-running saga. Take the tram around the property, which lies some 30 miles north of the city at 3700 Hogge Rd, Parker, off US 75 N. Tours run every 30 mins from 0900-1630.

Sixth Floor Museum: The point from where Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated President JFK in November 1963. The entire floor is devoted to a permanent exhibition of JFK's legacy, including 400-plus photographs, archival documentary footage and an excellent audio tour.

Conspiracy Museum: Fascinating insight into the history of political assassinations and cover-ups since 1835. Funded by a retired architect who calls himself an 'assassinologist,' the museum exposes the 'real' facts behind infamous American assassinations, including JFK, RFK and MLK.

Legends of the Game Baseball Museum: The largest baseball exhibit in the South-West, featuring over 100 items from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Babe Ruth's jersey is the main attraction. Tours of the award-winning stadium, The Ballpark at Arlington, are also available.

The Grassy Knoll at the Triple Underpass: Just east of the junction of Houston St and Market St. Here, you'll be standing at the actual corner where the motorcade slowed to round the turn to the underpass, giving the shooter his golden opportunity. Then, of course, the driver had to step on it, careering through the underpass down Stemmons Freeway, passing the Trade Mart (where JFK was scheduled to speak) and pressing on to Parkland Memorial Hospital. Most intriguing about this area is the collection of buskers and conspiracy theorists that often set up shop here. Weather permitting; it can be a great place to pick up some alternative memorabilia.

Dallas Museum of Art: This beautiful structure in the heart of downtown houses a strong collection of modern, Impressionist and decorative art. But the real jewel here is its Museum of the Americas, an unparalleled exhibition of American Indian, South American and Pacific Island art and artefacts.

Shopping  Lediga flygstolar -  Queensway Travel

Dallas could never boast the oil rigs that have come to symbolise Houston. Instead, the city dotted its landscape with huge malls and plazas filled with a different kind of riches, choosing fashion over fuel, which suits Dallas just fine. Nearest to downtown, the pick of the bunch are Crescent, Highland Park Village, Snyder Plaza, Inwood Village, Preston Royal and Preston Forest. One of the largest is NorthPark, a vast complex containing a mixture of shops housed amid some spectacular architectural and art features. Far north of downtown is the spectacular Galleria - a vast shopping centre boasting countless shops and restaurants, an ice rink, movie screens and a luxury hotel. If malls leave you cold, try the West End Market Place or the numerous independent shops of the McKinney Ave antique district. 'Antiques' and crafts outlets are also much in evidence throughout the city, just the place to pick up some Texana or Lone Star souvenirs. Grapevine Mills, just 2 miles from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, is the latest designer outlet megaplex and a Mecca for discount shoppers. Don't cut it fine before your flight - the mall and its giant parking lot are full every day of the week.

Where to Tour

Dallas is not known as a walking city. Some speculate that this is because of its explosive, sprawling pattern of growth, but locals will say that it's just too dang hot most of the time to be strolling around under the sun. Regardless, you'll find that the best of the city's sights and sounds are segregated into three distinct areas. We suggest setting aside a few hours for each one - and perhaps some cab fare to travel comfortably between the different areas.

Arts District: On downtown's northern fringe and supposedly the largest arts district in the US. The Dallas Museum of Arts features great travelling exhibits and an outstanding collection spanning the periods pre-Columbus to the present era. The Morton H Meyerson Symphony Center was designed by the architectural genius I M Pei and is renowned for its outstanding acoustics. A walk across the plaza might reveal a performance at Artists Sq, while the nearby Trammell Crow Center skyscraper boasts an impressive sculpture garden at its base. Also, the Crow family have opened the bottom two floors of their Center to share their breathtaking collection of Asian art with the public.

West End/Historical District: Western downtown offers a great deal in just a few blocks. The West End, its Market Place and the warehouse district are packed with fun restaurants, bars, clubs and trendy shops remarkable for their eclecticism. One can easily spend a day wandering aimlessly though this vibrant and colourful enclave. A short stroll south brings you to Dealey Plaza - the site of JFK's assassination, the Sixth Floor Museum, the former Dallas County Courthouse, a log cabin dating from the city's earliest settlers and the art deco train terminus at Union Station.

Fair Park: This 276-acre park was opened in 1836, but most of the building was done in the 1930s. It is one of the largest collections of art deco architecture in the country. It houses nine museums, including the African-American Museum, the Dallas Aquarium and the newly opened Women's Museum, an interactive tribute to influential women in sports, the arts, medicine and politics. During business hours, the least glamorous but easiest way to get there from downtown is by bus (see above for DART route information). Exercise caution after dark, as the grounds sit in the middle of a rough neighbourhood. If in town mid-Sept to mid-Oct, set time aside for the State Fair of Texas - a giant slice of Texana, complete with the biggest Ferris Wheel in the country and the best corny dogs and funnel cakes in the state. Located about 7 km east of downtown.