Dallas, Texas

We had the opportunity to visit Dallas, Texas for a week this summer and were thrilled that it worked out.  So we drove - wait, did I say "drove"?!  Yep!  We drove from Georgia to Texas.  Crazy?  Yes, but we saw so much more that way and always have fond memories of things we just happened upon on a road trip. Our time frame left us with a choice between very expensive plane tickets, cancelling the trip, or driving, and we jumped in that car and got moving!

On the way there, it was I-20 all the way to Dallas! 

We were soooo happy to see this sign!

We divided it into 2 days, arriving to Dallas in such a horrible thunderstorm that we couldn't see any of Dallas at all!  Luckily it was short-lived and we began our adventure.

Rodeos & Rangers

Our first experience in Dallas was very well-suited for our setting - the Mesquite Rodeo!  We got to the arena and had to wait for some horses to cross before we could park and I knew the boys would love it.

The Mesquite Rodeo Arena

The rodeo started with the National Anthem and a prayer, and included plenty of cowboys, horses, and cows.  Our oldest caught on to the events quickly and was able to tell who did well and who did not.  It felt like for the rodeo community, this was a typical Saturday night where they put on their cowboy boots and hats and met their friends at the rodeo. The cowboys we came across seemed to know their mystique to the kids and were very friendly to them.  It was an experience I am happy we could fit in while in the Lone Star State.

The next day we drove to Arlington to take in a Texas Rangers game before the All-Star break.  We love baseball, and although my lifelong loyalty to the Atlanta Braves is in no danger, we really enjoyed the energy at the Texas Rangers stadium.  Here are a few shots of the stadium:

South Fork

The allure of South Fork was too much to resist, so we drove up to Parker, TX to check it out.  It was a lot of fun!  The original owners of the ranch who allowed the original series of Dallas to film there had 3 young boys, so they had conditions on what was allowed.  Only outside shooting was allowed on their ranch, so the inside of the home is not what we saw on the show, but the outside shots all were from this ranch.  Also, they were only allowed to shoot during the summer as to not distract from their kids' school year.  Okay, now we were visiting in July, and I can say for sure that my makeup was melting off my face!  I can't imagine the makeup budget  nor the breaks in shooting for touch-ups that were involved to keep those beautiful Dallas ladies looking perfect!  Now, the new Dallas series is also shooting their outside shots here as well, although the ranch is now an event location and not a private home, so they can film in more comfortable months. 

The tour included a small museum with memorabilia, followed by a short ride (driven by a tractor of course) to the home while listening to some fun facts, and then a self-guided tour of the home and grounds.  I liked this for kids because it was so light-hearted that it wasn't like you were exposing them to the "soap opera" of Dallas.  Also, we were free to explore the grounds, so it provided wide open spaces for the kids to run around outside.  All in all a very laid back, enjoyable way to spend the afternoon.

Can't you just hear the "Dallas" theme song playing as you look at these?!

This and That
 

Here are a few more pictures of what we saw while visiting Dallas.  So much to see, so little time!

This was so neat.  We stayed near the Children's Hospital and learned that they had a train display in the lobby.  We went to see it and it was so detailed and impressive.  Many patients were able to take a break from their rooms and see this wonderful display.

We got a few pictures of the ferris wheel even though it wasn't the season for the State Fair to be opened

Flagship Neiman Marcus store, opened in 1907, in downtown Dallas.  I had a fun hour looking through the store as the kids ate lunch with Daddy.

Cattle Drives - Real and Not? 

We saw two cattle drives while in Dallas.  One was real and the other was not.  Which do you think we liked better?

Here is the "not real" cattle drive.  It is a display of bronzed statues of cattle and cattle-drivers in Pioneer Plaza in downtown Dallas.  

Here are a couple from the real cattle drive at the Stockyards in Fort Worth.

So which one was the best?  It was a split vote!  The boys liked the real one better.  I will say to see the longhorns that close up made you appreciate the size of their horns - impressive.  However, I felt the Stockyards were touristy for the sake of being touristy and tend to avoid those traps.  The biggest reason, though, is because we saw the display in Pioneer Park first and I was expecting real herding with dozens of bulls.  Instead, the cattle drivers only had to ride alongside a few aging bulls down a bricked street.  The Pioneer Plaza was an impressive display that fit so perfectly into the city landscape and history that it felt a very natural part of the city.

Our visit to Dallas was filled with fun new experiences.  Stay tuned for our quick trip down to Austin, TX!