Everything’s bigger in Texas, but it's got to be seen to be believed – and Dallas, the third most populous city in Texas, is the perfect place to start. While visitors flock here for the must-see cowboy culture and thriving arts scene, there are things to do in Dallas that go beyond the typical. Think wide green spaces filled with thousands of flowers and museums jampacked with historical artefacts and spellbinding works of art. Plus the state will be getting its global spotlight in 2026 when the World Cup graces its iconic AT&T Stadium. So, buck the future trend and head there now. Read on to discover our seven favourite things to do in Dallas.
- Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
- Real-life rodeo at Cowtown Coliseum
- The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
- 2026 World Cup
- Dallas Museum of Art
- Perot Museum of Nature and Science
- Dallas Cowboys Game
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
If you’re craving a fresh air fix in the heart of the city, you’ll find it at Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. In the 66-acre technicolour display, you’ll discover 11 gardens exploding in a floral fiesta throughout the year. However, spring is when Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden really show off and become host to Dallas Blooms, where 500,000 spring blooming bulbs are planted and transform the gardens into a mixing pot of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, azaleas and cherry blossoms.
Real-life rodeo at Cowtown Coliseum
One of the most Texan things to do in Dallas is lace up your boots, embrace the iconic cowboy culture and head to a rodeo. Over in Fort Worth, the city attached to Dallas’ western hip, the Cowtown Coliseum is the perfect place to practice your ‘yeehaws’. Witness two hours of bull riding, barrel racing, tie-down roping and more at the Stockyards Championship, the world’s only year-round rodeo. After the action, check out the Hall of Fame to learn about the best cowboys and cowgirls ever to grace the bull-riding scene.
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
Seen enough of modern-day Dallas? Then travel back in time to 1963 and learn about one of Dallas’ most famous historical events: the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Visit the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, the site where Lee Harvey Oswald fired his fatal shot, and discover all about the life, death and legacy of the 35th president of the United States. Whether a history buff or simply curious about America’s past, the interactive map, film footage, interviews and recreation of a ‘sniper’s perch’ are enough to keep anyone transfixed.
2026 World Cup
From the past to the present and now the future... Dallas is hosting the 2026 World Cup. Having hosted just one global showdown in 1994, the USA will welcome teams into 16 national stadiums, with nine matches being played at Dallas Stadium. While tickets are still yet to drop, it’s never too early to start thinking about how to incorporate the June and July matches into your summer fling with Dallas.
Dallas Museum of Art
Covering centuries, continents and canvases, the Dallas Museum of Art has it all. Its 25,000-artefact-strong collection will take you across the globe, with archaeological delights including a pre-Columbian Peruvian gold mask and a Mayan flint knife shaped like a crocodile canoe. More recent collections include works by Van Gogh, Picasso and Monet, and there’s even a recreation of Coco Chanel’s ‘Villa La Pausa’, housing Winston Churchill’s paintings.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Expand your mind at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, where a blend of entertainment and education awaits all ages. Touch a tornado in a simulator, gaze up at towering dinosaur skeletons, dig for fossils in the Dino Dig pit and explore the secrets of space at the Expanding Universe Hall. It’s not just what’s inside the museum that draws in visitors – the building itself is an architectural marvel, designed by Thom Mayne and decreed ‘the boldest piece of modern architecture to hit Dallas’.
Dallas Cowboys Game
Sports are a big deal in Dallas. Of the seven professional teams in the city, the Dallas Cowboys capture fans' hearts like no other. Why? Because to skip the sporty lingo, they’re pretty good. And, (most importantly), fun to watch. So, if you’re lucky enough to visit during the NFL season, one of the most exciting things to do in Dallas is catch a game at the AT&T Stadium. If not, don’t fret, as plenty of other sports games are held yearly. Whether you’re a fan of American football, baseball, basketball or just enjoy the energy of a passionate crowd, Dallas has your sporting needs covered.
Written by Evie Buller.