Hi Everyone,

I know there are plenty of Texans here so I am hoping for some insight:

- Have to spend a week in Dallas for a work related seminar (mid April)

- Hotel is pretty much decided as the seminar is in the hotel and the rate is discounted (Courtyard by Marriott Dallas Downtown)

- I am going by myself and will not know anyone else in the seminar

If I fly into DFW do I really need a rental car for the week? The hotel only has offsite parking & I have read that getting around Dallas is a pain with a car.

Is there enough to do and is the public transportation decent enough that I should go the Uber/DART route or should I just get a car and be done with it?

Open to any suggestions as to what to do and what to avoid since I've never been to Dallas.


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Yes, without any doubt. Everything you might ever want to do is very spread out, geographically speaking. You truly need a car here. Mass transit never really took off with the public. I have taken mass transit here myself to solve a logistics problem. Huge waste of time. Not recommended.

I’d rent a car or use uber. It depends on how much time you’re wanting to spend sightseeing.

I would rent a car and buy some cowboy boots while you are there.

I fly into DFW about 4 or 5 times a year and drive to Waco on business. I also make other sales calls within a two hour drive of DFW on those trips. I rent a car, no other options for me.

Yes, DFW traffic can be a PITA at times. I tend to use the toll roads, when possible. They charge it back thru the rental car agency and my card gets billed a few weeks after the trip. It all gets turned in on my expense account, so a little extra $$ to save sitting in traffic is okay with me.

The only time I took a cab is a few years ago I attended a conference in Ft. Worth, and didn't need to travel beyond that. The fare was cheaper than renting the car for two days and leaving it set in a hotel parking garage.

I worked in downtown Dallas in the late 90s. I have a good friend that lives in the mid-cities so now when I go there I end up all over the DFW Metroplex so I couldn't imagine not having a vehicle.

Below are a few of the restaurants I'll hit up when I go to Dallas plus a few things I've brought out-of-staters to (e.g. went with Dad to the Cotton Bowl a few years back and hit up a bunch of the list).

Your hotel is walking distance to:

Sixth Floor Museum (aka the Book Depository where Oswald supposedly shot Kennedy).

Old Red Museum - it's a cool looking old courthouse with a museum with Dallas history

West End - dining and shopping

Bob's Steak & Chop House - one of the best steakhouses in Texas

You'll need an Uber or Rental car to go to:

Pecan Lodge - one of the best BBQ joints in Texas

Deep Ellum - part of city with live music and bars. No idea about COVID closures.

El Fenix - Mexican restaurant I first started eating at in the 90s.

Other things depend on your interest. Personally, I rarely go to an art museum when I travel but if you are the Dallas Museum of Art is downtown.

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Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

A rental would be a must unless you plan on staying in the general area of your hotel. Uber may work if you're just taking the occasional local trip. The West End is a shadow of what it was in the 90s. The Perot Museum may interest you and there's an El Fenix right next door.

Thanks for the responses, this is exactly the kind of info I was looking for! Since it is geographically spread out I will rent a car.

I appreciate the restaurant recommendations as well, gotta have steak while I'm down there!

Any strong opinions on which airport to come in through?

I can get a nonstop through DFW for a premium or I can get a 1 stop through Love Field.

I am obviously leaning towards the nonstop but is there any reason to pick one over the other?


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Nonstops are always better. Much less chance of delay and baggage loss.

SWA has become so big and popular in the Big D that it’s busy all times of the day. It would be a bit closer to downtown though.

DFW Airport while a little further, is worth the extra distance for a nonstop. State Highway 183 at the south end of the airport would be your route into downtown. It was recently rebuilt and traffic generally flows really well on the highway. You’ll catch a shuttle bus from the terminal to the rental car building, and they run often.

If it were my trip, I’d go DFW Airport plus Rental Car. You’ll enjoy the freedom. Speaking as a 40 year DFW area resident.

If you are working in the downtown Dallas area, Love field is closer, DFW is a giant spread out airport but it's more out west from Dallas proper about half way to Fort Worth.

Other than the drive distance and being in Dallas traffic longer from DFW they both are good, one stop doesn't worry me because you probably are not changing planes onSouthwest into Love.

I spent a week in Fort Worth for a professional society meeting. I don’t know how far it is between downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth, but while you’re there I’d certainly try to get over to the Historic Stockyards District in FW. I think it’s great and really enjoyed it. M.L. Leddy is there, top notch western store with custom made boots...hell, I think saddles too. They have some unique clothing items like western ties that would be a hit at your seminar. Whether you drive over yourself or get an Uber or something, I really think you should try and do it. Maybe you can make a new friend or two and suggest ya’ll go over.

Get a car. You will appreciate having it.

The Trinity Express light rail goes between Dallas and Fort Worth. It's possible to get a Day Pass that also covers the busses in both cities along with the Trinity Express. Not saying it's a replacement for a car, but for a visit to the Stockyards it would be nice.

flashguy

Love Field is a really nice and much smaller airport than DFW. The rental car situation is definitely different between the two airports.

DFW has an all-in-one location where you catch a shuttle and have one building with all rental companies located within.

Love has individual shuttles that deliver you to the individual rental lots and those facilities are not as nice as DFW. However, in my experience, the DFW rental prices are much higher than at Love.

All considered if I am flying Southwest, and the lay over is no more than an hour, I am taking that due to closeness to your destination, cheaper airfare and cheaper rental car, not to mention that Southwest knows how to load and deplane. They are the Chick Filet of airlines.

How much do you plan to go out aside from the seminar? And what would you most interested in doing? If you plan to stay mostly in and around Dallas a rental car might be more pain than it's worth when you consider parking and stuff. Also if the hotel charges for parking that could be a big factor as it will eat into any potential cost savings vs Uber/Lyft. If you plan to get out and explore multiple locales around the metroplex then a rental would be a necessity, as others have stated public transport is severely lacking outside of some major travel routes.

quote:

Originally posted by Puckpilot78:
How much do you plan to go out aside from the seminar? And what would you most interested in doing? If you plan to stay mostly in and around Dallas a rental car might be more pain than it's worth when you consider parking and stuff. Also if the hotel charges for parking that could be a big factor as it will eat into any potential cost savings vs Uber/Lyft. If you plan to get out and explore multiple locales around the metroplex then a rental would be a necessity, as others have stated public transport is severely lacking outside of some major travel routes.

I am not sure what level of exploration I will be up for. The seminar will be 8 hours a day plus I will have to handle a couple of hours of remote work/email.

Now that everyone has given me great advice on what to do and where to eat I will probably just get a car so I can control my own destiny in getting back to the airport.

I was concerned about the public transportation and it looks like the consensus is that it is weak (it is terrible in Milwaukee as well).

It will be nice to visit a red state again though!!!


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Traffic is significantly lighter with so many working from home. Terry Black's BBQ in Deep Ellum would be on my shortlist of places to eat. It's not too far from your hotel.

Any advice for parking in the downtown area?

The hotel only has valet for $30 a day which isn't the end of the world but if there is a better option I would prefer to not have to play the valet game ever time I wanna go somewhere.

The hotel is the Courtyard Dallas Downtown Reunion District.

I see there are some Ace and LAZ public parking garages around. Am I better off using valet or should I try one of the garages?


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E-mail me, my address is in my profile. I've lived here since high school, was with DPD for over 20 years, and know where to go (and where to stay away from) and where to park downtown.