girl on the go: dallas, texas 

dallas, texas has always held a special place in my heart. one of my best friends went to SMU and stayed for years after as she entered true adulthood. and there are so many reasons - no state income tax, the up-and-coming neighborhoods, trendy restaurants, katy trail, and the southern hospitality. all unmatched from anywhere else i've ever been, and for this reason i find myself visiting dallas almost annually for a quick (and cheap) getaway and urge you to do the same. 

where to stay
dallas is full of vastly different neighborhoods, and i'd recommend any first-time visitor stays in the heart of the city. some specific neighborhoods i've recommend include: 

• uptown - filled with young people and families, this neighborhood is located in the center of dallas and has many perks such as walkability to nearby restaurants and the american airlines stadium. it also has multiple entrances to the infamous katy trail, which runs ~4 miles through dallas and allows for easily popping on and off the road to explore trendy neighborhoods. here you can find bars, coffee shops, top-tier eateries, and more. it's both a great place to live and visit when in dallas, texas 
• deep ellum - while it can be noisy at night, deep ellum is a great place if you're looking to have coffee, boutiques, bars, and restaurants all at your fingertips, or in the form of 3 fun strips. it's also located right outside downtown dallas and close to the freeway, making almost any drive within the city 10 minutes or less. 
• bishop arts: if your group is a bit more diverse in interests, bishop arts might be the place for you! filled with local boutiques, eateries, bars, and more, it's a great and safe little neighborhood outside the city center of dallas
• downtown: looking for a bit of history or hockey? downtown dallas could be the place for you, as it's filled with museums, is close the american airlines center, and truly is at the center of it all

where to eat
at dead-center of the united states, dallas really does see all types of cuisines and culture come together to a delicious mix. and this being said, there is definitely something for everyone! 

• bbq - looking for some famous texas bbq? look no further than terry black's bbq, or oak'd bbq, pecan lodge. while these have the most glowing reviews are aren't far from the city center, it's rather hard to find bad bbq in dallas
• mexican - you can't forget how close to the u.s./mexico border texas is when looking for great food! i'd recommend javiers, revolver taco lounge, campuzano, tacqueria el si hay, and la victoria. i've genuinely had some of the best breakfast tacos and mexican food in dallas, which is saying something as a california native! 
• sushi - don't be fooled by the distance from dallas to the ocean, dallas has some amazing sushi options. actually, dallas has probably the best sushi restaurant i've ever been to - uchi. uchi was founded in austin, texas but has since expanded to dallas, houston, miami, west hollywood, with more on the way. if you're looking for a la carte sushi and an excuse to dress up, uchi wins every time 
• everything else - you can get variety in cuisine almost anywhere, but dallas truly does have one of the best food scenes in the united states. if you're looking for a cuisine not mentioned above, i still have a few recommendations for you. if you want a nice steak dinner, tango room is your best option. if you want french food, check out toulouse or beverley's. something fast and healthy? head to flower child or the henry

what to do
from shopping to bar-hopping, dallas truly has it all

• for the sporty group - try going to a football, baseball, basketball or hockey game! the football and baseball arenas are very close together in a nearby town (arlington) and have been coined "jerry town" after jerry jones, the owner of the dallas cowboys who contributed to the come-up of the sports-first area. i will warn you - it's about 20 minutes from the heart of dallas but the energy is unmatched! for something a bit closer to the city, i'd recommend seeing the mavericks or the dallas stars, both teams playing locally at the american airlines center in downtown dallas. sports bars are also prevalent, so if you don't want to purchase tickets, don't hesitate to hit up a local sports bar.
• for the shoppers - there is amazing shopping in dallas, with great variety from ultra-high end to discount stores. i'd recommend highland park vilage for upscale shopping and people watching, knox henderson for a variety of stores, northpark for a great mall option, and even half-priced books for the readers in your crew!
• for the rowdy - there's no shortage of bars in dallas! if you're looking for a classic texas honky tonk, drive straight to red river. if you want an irish pub, check out old monk. something upscale? stop by honor bar or lounge 31. a speakeasy vibe? drake's or room 520. daytime drinks - the katy trail ice house. a casual drop for drinks? smithy's has you covered. 
• for the athletic - dallas is just like any other big city, and filled with boutique workout studios and major gyms alike. pilates and barre are big, with studios like one lagree all over. if you're looking for a quick sweat but don't want to pay top dollar, walk the katy trail! it's about 4 miles in length, with opportunities to pop out at different neighborhoods along the way. walking it from one end to the other and back is a great way to hit 8 miles without even thinking about it. 

what to bring
dallas weather changes drastically from season-to-season, but here are some items to keep in mind! 

• a workout outfit (or something you'd be comfortable walking in)
• a nice option for dinners (people in dallas tend to dress nicer than most other places, so be prepared to whip out the sweater dress and boots!) 
• hairspray (to manage the tricky weather)
• a GoGo or two (bathrooms in dallas never have toilet paper covers, so be prepared before you head out!)

questions, concerns, additions? don't hesitate to tell me what you think in the comments. dallas truly is an amazing city with so much to do and see!