Best time to travel in Dallas and Fort Worth?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with 2015-2024 averages
Best time: March to May and October to November
Best avoided if possible: January and July to August (less pleasant weather or big crowds).
Temperatures and rainfall: 1991-2020 normals from the Dallas Love Field station, NOAA data (public domain).
Humid subtropical: very hot summers from June to September, often above 35°C, mild winters broken by sudden cold snaps, and violent thunderstorms and a risk of tornadoes in spring. The best time to visit Dallas and Fort Worth is March, April, May, October and November, with temperatures reaching 35-36°C (July-August). By contrast, January, February, June, July, August, September and December are generally less favourable (less pleasant weather or big crowds, depending on the destination), though a trip is still possible with a bit of planning. In high season, book early: prices and visitor numbers climb fast.
Go against the flow. To avoid the crowds without sacrificing too much on the weather, aim for February, June, September and December: the crowds thin out, prices drop too, and the climate stays pleasant.
Do these months appeal to you? See what's best elsewhere too: where to go in March · where to go in April · where to go in May · where to go in October · where to go in November.
At a glance
Why go to Dallas and Fort Worth?
Together, Dallas and Fort Worth form the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States, more than eight million people spread across a prairie criss-crossed by motorways. People rarely come for the beauty of the landscape, but for the story it tells: the Texas of oil, cattle and finance, which in a century built two rival cities an hour's drive apart. Dallas, the city of banks and glass towers, keeps on the edge of Dealey Plaza one of the most charged places in 20th-century American history, the window from which Kennedy was shot.
Both cities have put their money into art, and it shows. The Dallas Arts District gathers, within a few streets, buildings by Renzo Piano, Norman Foster, I. M. Pei and Rem Koolhaas, with a free art museum and the Nasher sculpture garden. Fort Worth, which calls itself "Cowtown", nonetheless has in Louis Kahn's Kimbell one of the museums most admired by architects the world over, next to a modern art museum by Tadao Ando.
Finally, this is Texas at its most lively day to day: brisket smoked for twelve hours, Tex-Mex and the frozen margarita, whose machine was born in Dallas, the gigs of Deep Ellum, the longhorns parading through the Stockyards, Cowboys games in an 80,000-seat stadium. Dallas is also a gateway to Austin, San Antonio and the Hill Country, a few hours to the south, for a Texas road trip of a week or two.
Tourist map of Dallas and Fort Worth: what's where?
The map below pinpoints the 6 places covered in this guide: a handy way to picture the distances between each stop and plan your route in Dallas and Fort Worth.
- Sixth Floor Museum
- Klyde Warren Park
- Deep Ellum
- Bishop Arts District
- Fort Worth Stockyards
- AT&T Stadium
How much does a trip to Dallas and Fort Worth cost in 2026? Budget calculator
Estimate your budget for Dallas and Fort Worth based on your travel style: accommodation, meals, activities and local transport included (flights excluded). Adjust the length and the number of travellers, and the totals update.
Totals for all travellers over the chosen length; the daily amount is per person. Flights extra, indicative amounts to adjust depending on the season.
Cards are accepted everywhere, contactless included. Prices are shown before tax: 8.25% on purchases and meals, and about 15% on hotel rooms, more in some large hotels. A tip of 18 to 22% is expected in restaurants, and $1-2 per drink at the bar.
Safety in Dallas and Fort Worth: should you be worried?
Dallas and Fort Worth are safe for visitors in the tourist districts: the Arts District, Uptown, Bishop Arts, the Stockyards and the Cultural District. Downtown Dallas empties in the evening and some streets around the light rail stations concentrate homelessness, so use ride-hailing at night. Deep Ellum is lively but sometimes sees fights when the bars close at weekends. The real risks are climatic: heat above 35°C in summer, hailstorms and tornadoes in spring, and flash floods on low-lying roads, which you should never drive through. Driving on the motorways, fast and busy, demands attention. Carrying firearms is legal in Texas, but banned in places that say so at the entrance. Healthcare is excellent but very expensive, so health insurance covering the United States is essential.
Things to see and do in Dallas and Fort Worth
Our first-hand favourites, and the great classics:
- Sixth Floor Museum
- Dallas Museum of Art
- Nasher Sculpture Center
- Deep Ellum
- Bishop Arts District
- Fort Worth Stockyards
- Kimbell Art Museum
- AT&T Stadium
What to book before you go to Dallas and Fort Worth →
🧭 Discover the Dallas and Fort Worth itinerary, day by dayMap, timings, budget and where to stay: free to access, to fit your dates. Create my tailor-made itinerary →Downtown and Dealey Plaza
Downtown Dallas is visited above all for Dealey Plaza, the small triangular square where Kennedy was killed, with the Sixth Floor Museum, the grassy slope of the Grassy Knoll and, two streets away, Philip Johnson's memorial, a concrete cenotaph open to the sky. Pioneer Plaza lines up 49 bronze steers driven by three cowboys, in memory of the cattle drives. Reunion Tower and its illuminated ball offer a view over the whole city from their observation deck. In the evening the centre empties: locals head out to Deep Ellum or Uptown.
Arts District and Klyde Warren Park
North of downtown, what bills itself as the largest contiguous arts district in the United States brings together the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, the free Crow Museum of Asian Art, I. M. Pei's Meyerson Symphony Center and Norman Foster's Winspear Opera House. Just above, Klyde Warren Park, opened in 2012 on a deck built over a sunken motorway, gathers food trucks, children's play areas and free concerts. The Perot Museum, a science museum in a concrete cube by Thom Mayne, is three streets away and popular with families.
Deep Ellum and Fair Park
Deep Ellum, east of downtown, is the district of live music, murals and bars, around Elm Street and Main Street. A little further on, Fair Park holds one of the largest collections of Art Deco buildings in the country, built for the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936. Every year, from late September to mid-October, the park hosts the State Fair of Texas, with the giant statue of Big Tex, the Cotton Bowl stadium and fried-food stands that invent a new dish each year. The rest of the year, the site is often quiet.
Oak Cliff and Bishop Arts
Oak Cliff, on the south bank of the Trinity, is the locals' favourite district for a night out: the Bishop Arts District and its shops, the Kessler Theater, the taquerias of Jefferson Boulevard. The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, designed by Santiago Calatrava with its 120-metre white arch, links the district to downtown and is best photographed from Trinity Overlook Park. The Dallas Streetcar serves Bishop Arts from Union Station, making it one of the few districts you can reach without a car.
Fort Worth, Stockyards and Sundance Square
An hour from Dallas, Fort Worth embraces its past as a cattle town. The Stockyards keep their pens, saloons, saddle shops and the twice-daily longhorn drive, with the rodeo at the Cowtown Coliseum and concerts at Billy Bob's Texas in the evening. The centre, around Sundance Square, a pedestrian square surrounded by restored brick buildings, is livelier at night than downtown Dallas. The TRE train links the two centres in about an hour, Monday to Saturday.
Fort Worth Cultural District
West of downtown Fort Worth, three museums face one another: Louis Kahn's Kimbell Art Museum and its Renzo Piano pavilion, Tadao Ando's Modern Art Museum, set on a pool, and the free Amon Carter Museum of American Art, with its Remingtons and Russells, painters of the Wild West. The Botanic Garden and the National Cowgirl Museum, devoted to the women of the West, complete the district. A whole day passes easily here, with a Tex-Mex lunch on Camp Bowie Boulevard.
How many days, and which itinerary in Dallas and Fort Worth?
Three days are enough for Dallas: Dealey Plaza, the Arts District, Deep Ellum and Bishop Arts. Four or five days let you add a day in Fort Worth, for the Stockyards and museums, and a tour of the Cowboys' stadium. Beyond that, Dallas becomes the starting point for a road trip to Austin, San Antonio and the Hill Country.
🗺️ Day-by-day Dallas and Fort Worth itinerary · 📓 Printable Dallas and Fort Worth travel guide (PDF) · 🌍 Discover all of the American West
The long weekend (3 days)
Day 1: the Sixth Floor Museum and Dealey Plaza in the morning, Pioneer Plaza, lunch in Klyde Warren Park, the Dallas Museum of Art and the Nasher in the afternoon, an evening of live music in Deep Ellum. Day 2: a day in Fort Worth by car, or by TRE train on weekdays: the longhorn drive at 11.30am in the Stockyards, a Tex-Mex lunch, the Kimbell and the Modern in the afternoon, then back to Dallas or a night there with a concert at Billy Bob's. Day 3: the Bishop Arts District by streetcar, the Calatrava bridge, sunset at Reunion Tower.
Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington (5 days)
The three days of the weekend, sleeping two nights in Dallas and one in Fort Worth, plus a day in Arlington for a tour of AT&T Stadium, or a Cowboys game from September to January, and a free day split between the Perot Museum, Fair Park and its Art Deco buildings, and a barbecue crawl. In October, the State Fair of Texas makes a fine replacement for the last day.
Central Texas (10 days)
Three nights in Dallas and one in Fort Worth, then the road south on the I-35: Waco and its mammoth fossil site, Austin, 315 km (195 miles) from Dallas, for two nights, between the Capitol, the live music of 6th Street and swimming at Barton Springs, the Hill Country and Fredericksburg for one night, and finally San Antonio, 130 km from Austin, for two nights, with the Alamo, the River Walk and the Spanish missions. Return by plane from San Antonio or by road, 440 km back to Dallas.
How to get to Dallas and Fort Worth and get around?
From Europe, American Airlines and Air France fly non-stop from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Dallas-Fort Worth airport (DFW), in 10 h 30 to 11 h on the outbound leg. DFW, one of the largest airports in the world, lies halfway between the two cities, about 30 km from each. Love Field, closer to downtown Dallas, is used mainly for Southwest's domestic flights.
DART, the Dallas network, links the airport to downtown on the Orange Line, from the Terminal A station, in about 50 minutes. A three-hour ticket costs $3, about €3, a day pass $6, about €5, and the $9 regional pass, about €8, also covers the TRE train and Fort Worth buses. TEXRail links Terminal B to downtown Fort Worth.
The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) links Union Station, in Dallas, to downtown Fort Worth in about an hour, Monday to Saturday, with no service on Sundays. The Dallas Streetcar serves Bishop Arts from Union Station, and the free historic M-Line trolley runs up McKinney Avenue in Uptown.
For everything else, a car is essential: the metropolitan area sprawls across dozens of kilometres of motorways, several of them with electronic tolls, which hire companies then bill on with service fees. Allow 30 minutes from Dallas to the Arlington stadium and an hour to the Stockyards, much longer at rush hour. Parking at downtown hotels is charged, often more than $30, about €26, a night.
Where to stay in Dallas and Fort Worth?
Downtown Dallas has several large restored historic hotels, the Adolphus of 1912, the Statler from the 1950s and the Magnolia under its red Pegasus, within walking distance of Dealey Plaza and the Arts District. Expect €150-300 a night, less at weekends, when the business travellers have gone.
Uptown and Turtle Creek, north of the Arts District, bring together the luxury hotels, the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, the Crescent Court or the Ritz-Carlton, and the most pleasant streets in the evening, around McKinney Avenue. Deep Ellum and Oak Cliff each have a few hotels with character, closer to neighbourhood life.
In Fort Worth, staying in the Stockyards, at the Stockyards Hotel of 1907 or the Hotel Drover, lets you see the district in the evening, when the saloons and Billy Bob's fill up. Downtown Fort Worth, around Sundance Square, is more convenient for the museums and the train to Dallas.
The chain hotels around DFW airport, Las Colinas and Arlington cost €90-140 a night, with free parking, and suit anyone hiring a car to get around between the two cities. Prices climb steeply on Cowboys game weekends and during the State Fair.
Our picks stop by stop, in three price ranges →
What to eat in Dallas and Fort Worth?
Texas barbecue rests on brisket, beef breast smoked over oak for twelve to fifteen hours, sold by weight with sausages, pork ribs, white sliced bread and pickles. Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum and Terry Black's are the best-known addresses in Dallas; the best places close as soon as the meat runs out, often in the early afternoon.
Tex-Mex is the other local cuisine: fajitas, enchiladas smothered in chili con carne, melted queso, and the frozen margarita, whose machine was invented in Dallas in 1971 by Mariano Martinez. In Fort Worth, Joe T. Garcia's has been serving since 1935 in a garden where you wait for your table under the trees.
Texas beef steak and chicken-fried steak, a breaded cutlet smothered in white pepper gravy, are eaten everywhere, from diners to the luxury steakhouses of Uptown. At the State Fair, in October, try Fletcher's corny dog, a sausage fried in cornmeal batter.
Prices are shown before tax: 8.25% is added to the bill, plus a tip of 18 to 22%. Expect $15-25, about €13-22, for a plate of barbecue, and $60-120 for a steakhouse dinner. Tap water is safe to drink and served free.
Which kind of traveller is it for?
Dallas and Fort Worth lend themselves to a cultural, foodie and festive trip. Whether you travel with friends, as a couple or even solo, everyone finds their own pace. For accommodation, you will mostly find classic hotels and boutique hotels.
Entry requirements & practical info
UK, Australian and most EU passports need an ESTA, applied for online before departure, for stays of up to 90 days; a few EU countries sit outside the Visa Waiver Program and need a full visa. Canadians need neither, only a passport. Anyone who has been to Cuba since January 2021 cannot use an ESTA and must apply for a visa.
Rules change: before you leave, check your country's official travel advice.
Once there, to stay online without paying roaming charges, an Dallas and Fort Worth eSIM activates in a few minutes and works as soon as you land (plans from €3.99). Remember suitable travel insurance too.
Frequently asked questions about Dallas and Fort Worth
When is the best time to visit Dallas?
Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from October to November, with 20 to 28°C during the day. Summer often goes above 35°C and you move from one air-conditioned room to the next. Spring is also the season of violent storms and tornadoes, so follow the weather alerts. In October, the State Fair of Texas livens up Fair Park.
Are there direct flights from Europe to Dallas?
Yes. American Airlines and Air France fly non-stop from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Dallas-Fort Worth, in 10 h 30 to 11 h on the outbound leg. DFW is also American Airlines' main hub, which makes it a good gateway to the rest of the United States and to Mexico.
Do you need a car in Dallas?
For downtown, the Arts District, Deep Ellum and Bishop Arts, the trams and ride-hailing are enough. For Fort Worth, the TRE train runs Monday to Saturday, but the Stockyards are a long way from the station. For the Arlington stadium, the surrounding area and the rest of Texas, a car is essential.
Dallas or Fort Worth: where should I stay?
Dallas for a first visit, with more hotels, museums and nightlife. One or two nights in Fort Worth are worth it for the Stockyards in the evening and the Cultural District, in a smaller city that is easier to get around. The two centres are an hour's drive apart.
How much does the Sixth Floor Museum cost?
$24, about €21, online and $27, about €23, on site for an adult, with timed tickets. The museum opens Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Book online at weekends and during the American school holidays, as the morning slots go quickly.
When can you see the longhorn cattle drive in Fort Worth?
Every day at 11.30am and 4pm on East Exchange Avenue, in the Stockyards, except in bad weather, at Thanksgiving, at Christmas and at Easter. The drive is free and lasts about ten minutes. Arrive half an hour early to be in the front row.
Can you tour the Dallas Cowboys stadium?
Yes, AT&T Stadium in Arlington offers guided tours on non-event days, and a self-guided tour on Saturdays and Sundays, taking in the locker rooms, the suites and sometimes the field. Time slots vary with the stadium's calendar, so book on the official website. Cowboys games take place from September to January.
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