Having fun doesn’t have to be expensive! The many things to see and do in Dallas include those that can be enjoyed absolutely fee. Consider these offerings:

See Cattle Drive

Fifty bronze, larger-than-life-size steers and their cowboy escorts meander along streamlined trails at downtown’s Pioneer Plaza. This modern-day cattle drive is the largest bronze monument in the world.

Downtown, Young and Griffin Streets

“Sculp-Tour”

Downtown

Art Garden

Enjoy the Sculpture Garden at the base of the statuesque Trammel Crow Center in downtown. More than 20 statues from the French masters reside in this peaceful setting with cascading waters and beautiful gardens.

Downtown, 2001 Ross Avenue at Pearl Street, 214-979-6100.

Venice in Texas

The Mandalay Canal Walk at Las Colinas beckons visitors to stroll along its banks of tranquil waters, where quaint shops line the shore. The popular Mustangs of Las Colinas are just around the corner in Williams Square.

In nearby Irving, Highway 114 at O’Connor

Window-Seat View of History

At American Airlines’ C.R. Smith Museum, your journey will cover the history of commercial aviation and the sight of a restored DC-3! With interactive exhibits, dioramas and large screen theater, your curiosity will take flight!

Near DFW International Airport, 4601 Highway 360 at FAA Road, 817-967-1560.

You Gotta’ Have Art

In Dallas, you can choose from a variety of museums, galleries and artistic attractions – 160 in all. Among them is the Dallas Museum of Art, whose regular exhibits are free, and whose special exhibits are free every Thursday from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. DMA Thursday Nights, made possible with the help of Exxon Corporation, Blockbuster and the Professional Members League; also feature music in the atrium (at 6 p.m.) and art discussions led by DMA docents at 7 p.m. in the gallery. Scheduled tours of the DMA are offered Tuesday through Friday at 1 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. (please call to confirm).

Downtown, 1717 N. Harwood Street, 214-922-1200.

Watch the Ponies Run

Nine mustangs bronze, beautiful and larger-than-life splash their way across a stream cut through the stone and granite plaza of Williams Square. The accompanying Mustangs of the Las Colinas Museum chronicle the history of the exhibit.

In nearby Irving, 5202 N. O’Connor Boulevard, 972-869-9047

Tour de Mort

The elegant Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, designed by I.M. Pei and home to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, is yours to tour Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 1 p.m. (please call in advance as tours are subject to change with rehearsal and performance schedules). Check out the pipes on Herman W. Lay Family Organ, 4,535 in all! The $1.36-million organ, crafted by C.B. Fisk Inc., is truly a marvel sound.

Dowtown, 2301 Flora Street, 214-670-3600

Not Just Books

Read all about it at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library. This public library included a major collection of Texas/Dallas history and genealogy. Also, the largest children’s center in the U.S.

Downtown, 1515 Young Street, 214-670-1700.

Strolling Through the Meadows

The Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University has one of the most outstanding collections from the Spanish masters outside of Spain. There are also special exhibitions, a sculpture garden, and the tree-lined SMU campus is an eye-catcher itself. Open Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Closed Wed. Call about special exhibitions.

Intersection of Bishop Boulevard and Binkley Avenue on the SMU campus, 214-768-2516.

Make Up Your Mind and Go

At first blush, you’ll marvel when faced with what’s before your eyes. Mary Kay Cosmetics, Dallas’ own and internationally known, has museum at its corporate office, with its history revealed in display cases and product exhibits. Plus, unique pink Mary Kay cars and a life-size, lifelike replica of Mary Kay herself. Open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (reservations are required)

16251 N. Dallas Parkway, 972-687-6300 

Location, Location, Location

Dallas is home to some scenic and captivating, beautiful and breathtaking neighborhood communities. Walk, ride or drive around Turtle Creek and adjoining Highland Park, and don’t miss the historic homes of Swiss Avenue (including the Wilson Block Historic District), Munger Place and other lovely locales! Featured: gorgeous parks, lakes and landscapes. Ask a native.

Inner-City Refuge

Parks- 50,000 acres-worth – Provide refuge from big city goings-on. Get away without going far. Bring your bike, kite, workout wear or just a blanket and enjoy the day.

Dallas Parks General Information, 214-670-4100.

Green Acres

Seven green acres, in fact, of display gardens. That’s what you’ll find at the Dallas Horticulture Center in Fair Park. Featuring the Benny J. Simpson Texas Native Plant Collection, the garden center also has a two-story tropical conservatory, waterfall, scented garden for the blind and a variety of floral display gardens. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tours available.

3601 Martin Luther King Boulevard, 214-428-7476.

Giving Thanks

Thanks-Giving Square – private, interfaith and educational – welcomes people of all nations, cultures and religious traditions. A unique interfaith chapel, museum honoring Thanksgiving, a meditation garden, bells and fountains make this the “Home of American Thanksgiving.”

Downtown, Pacific, Bryan and Ervay streets, 214-969-1977.

Old-Fashioned Country Sausage

See how the famous Owens County Sausage began, as your tour a museum featuring a fuly equipped kitchen, workshop, butchery and country store with articles and replicas dating back to the early 1900s. Outdoors, see Belgian draft horses, miniature ponies hourly, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Non-guided tours on Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

1401 East Lookout Drive at Plano Road, 972-235-0192.

Great Park

Over six million people each year visit Fair Park, resplendent with cobbled walk-ways, following fountains, lovely esplanades and the largest collection of 1930s art-deco architecture in the U.S. this 277-acre Texas treasure, open year-round and home each fall to the great State Fair of Texas, has a variety of museums.

1300 Robert B. Cullum Boulevard, 214-670-8400.

See ‘Em At The Museums

The eights museums of Fair Park offer an exceptional variety all in one location near downtown. Admission at each is either a small fee or free and donations are accepted. Those museums with no admission charge:

The African American Museum, 214-565-9026 (with the exception of special exhibitions).

The Horticulture Center, 214-428-7476.

The Hall of State, 214-421-4500.

Fair Park, 1300 Robert B. Cullum Boulevard, 214-670-8400.

City Hall of Fame

Dallas’ City Hall is a site to see. Famed architect I.M. Pei designed the inverted wedge shaped building, one of the most distinctive structures is all of Dallas. The plaza is home to Henry Moore’s largest bronze sculpture.

Downtown, 1500 Marilla Street.

Look at Belo

Downtown’s stunning Belo Mansion, built in 1890, is the lone remembrance of the early landmark dwellings of what is the Arts District. The mansion’s décor is of the Victorian period, with rich woodwork in each room, plus a ballroom featuring an inlaid parquet dance floor. Tours are given the second Tuesday of each month from 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Downtown, 2101 Ross Avenue at Pearl Street, 214-220-0239.

Renaissance at Retail

Although buying will cost you, the actual shopping is free! Visit any of the city’s many fine centers and stores, among them the renowned Galleria, Dallas’ own Neiman Marcus, and over 160 specialty stores at North Park Center, where you’ll also enjoy selections from the Patsy R. and Raymond D. Nasher Collection of Twentieth Century Art.

North Park Center, 214-369-1234.

The Galleria, 972-702-7100.

Highland Park Village, 214-521-0050.

Inwood Village Shopping Center, 214-745-1701.

Prestonwood Mall, 972-987-4275.

Valley View Center, 972-661-2939.

A Place In Time

Re-live the city’s past with a visit to downtown’s Dallas County Historical Plaza. The monuments and historical buildings include an authentic log cabin like Dallas founder John Neely Bryan’s and the Richardson Romanesque styled, circa 1892, Old Red Courthhouse.

Downtown, in the block enclosed by Market, Elm, Commerce and Houston Streets.

For Recreational Purposes Only

In Dallas, outdoor opportunities abound. The net advantage is yours at one of Dallas’ 250 public tennis courts, or you can get a kick out of one of 321 athletic fields, where soccer, football, rugby or general recreation await.

Dallas Parks General Information, 214-670-4100.

A Nation Remembers

Dallas pays tribute to its darkest time, when President John F. Kennedy was killed during a November 1963 visit. The infamous Texas School Book Depository and Dealey Plaza have changed little, and the nearby JFK Memorial, simple in its open-air design, commemorates the life, death and legacy of our 35^th president.

Downtown, Main and Houston Streets.

Sail Away

Take to the water and leave your worries in your wake. Dallas’ many area lakes – 60 within a 100-mile radius – offer smooth sailing for outdoor lovers. Boaters, water-skiers and others also can enjoy a day at the lake. (Some parks charge a small entrance fee.)

Dallas Parks General Information, 214-670-4100.

Where’s the Remote?

The remote culture of the world can be found at the International Museum of Cultures where lifelike and miniature exhibits focus on all the people of the earth. Donations are accepted and admission is free for groups of five or less. Pre-arranged tours are available.

700 West Camp Wisdom Road, 972-708-7406.

Go Deep

Of Dallas’ many different parts, possibly non is quite so different as Deep Ellum. The former industrial neighborhood and cradle of Dallas’ jazz scene is now home to much of the city’s avant-grande. Discover Deep Ellum’s restaurants, night-clubs, galleries and shops.

Just east of downtown, 214-747-DEEP.

Holocaust Remembrances

Pay homage to the victims of this atrocity that befell civilization. The Dallas Memorial Center for Holocaust Studies has artifacts, photographs, documentary films, videotapes of local survivors, a memorial room and library.

7900 Northaven Road, 214-750-4654.

Not Your Ordinary Tour

See how Dallas’ own Dr.Pepper makes it from its distinctive formula and syrup to the fast-selling cans and bottles on your grocer’s shelves. Scheduled tours at this independent area bottler in neighboring Irving are available Wednesdays only at 10 a.m., so call in advance for a tour bubbling with fun.

In nearby Irving, 2304 Century Center Boulevard, 972-579-1024.

Have You Tried The Connemara?

Visit the Connemara Conservancy and view this museum of the Texas landscape, with a 72-acre nature preserve just perfect for hiking and picnicking. Open everyday.

In nearby Plano, 214-521-4896.

Hot Attraction

Blazes! The Dallas Firefighters Museum, near Fair Park, is burning to enthrall and entertain with fare fire fighting memorabilia, including a horse drawn steam pumper and a 1936 hook-and-ladder truck. Open Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. by appointment only.

3801 Parry Avenue, 214-821-1500.

Interest in Bread on the Rise

At the legendary Mrs. Baird’s Bakery you’ll see how bread is made, with tours held on the hour beginning at 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The final tour on Thursday begins at 6 p.m. Reservations only – sorry, no children under six.

5230 E. Mockingbird Lane, 214-526-7201.

West End Story

What once was warehouses and an old cracker factory has been reborn into a tourist’s delight. Downtown’s West End Historic District, great for browsers, features the 80-plus shops and stores of West End Market Place plus many restaurants and clubs. Summertime nights in the Market Place are often filled with the sound of fee concerts.

Downtown, 1701 N. Market

West End Association, 214-720-7107

West End Market Place, 214-748-4801

Observation Station

From the Observation Area at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, you’ll see some of the 23,000 daily takeoffs and landings from the world’s second-busiest airport. Witness winged wonders in this area featuring 20 parking spaces, long-distance binoculars, audio straight from the Control Tower, plus four picnic areas.

DFW International Airport, East Airfield Drive and Carbon Road, 972-574-8888.

Super Model Train

The U.S.’ largest permanent model train display is in Dallas, and happily, it’s in the lobby of Children’s Medical Center of Dallas. Eight trains run simultaneously at this free exhibit. Children’s Medical Center has a small fee for parking.

1935 Motor Street, between Stemmons Freeway and Harry Hines Boulevard, 214-640-2000.

Front Row Seats

With teams in every major league, Dallas loves its hometown sports and most Cowboys football, Rangers baseball, Mavericks basketball and Stars hockey matches are televised. So if you can’t be at the game, invite over good friends, add refreshments and let the games begin. Go team!

The Festival is the Thing

The Shakespeare Festival of Dallas is one of the most popular outdoor Shakespeare festivals in the country. Each summer for a month’s run, two of the Bard’s classics are performed at Samuell-Grand Park, just east of downtown. Small donation suggested.

Samuell-Grand Park, Grand and Beacon, 214-559-2778.

Celebrate Good Times

Numerous festivals and parades are held each year in the great Dallas outdoors, and a good many are absolutely free. Many are holiday related, and nearly all have food, music, art and/or live entertainment. Use entertainment publications as your guide.

Call the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Special Events Hotline, 214-746-6679.

Visit Dallas on the internet at http://cityview.com/dallas/

Visit Dallas CVB information at http://www.dallascvb.com/

On the Trail of Fun

Hiking and biking in Dallas offer happy trails for you. A well-planned network of bike/hike trails keeps outdoors enthusiasts close to nature and away from traffic. The flagship trail is the 9.33-miler around White Rock Lake, which connects with the 7.3 mile trail at White Rock Creek Park.

Dallas Department of Transportation, 214-670-4039.

Pull up a Blanket

Dallas’ outdoors beckons lovers of nature and music to what is know as “The Sights and Sounds of Summer.” The Dallas Symphony Orchestra plays area, parks and noted jazz groups perform on the lawns of both the Dallas Museum of Art and Fair Park’s African American Museum.

Dallas Parks and General Information, 214-670-4100.

High (Flying) Society

Take a bird walk with the Dallas County Audubon Society, which sponsors free birding field trips several times a month to area lakes, ranches and parks.

Call 972-283-5216 for schedules.

Just Brew It

And that’s exactly what they’ve done in Dallas, home to several establishments commonly known as “brew pubs,” plus a full-fledged brewery. Yes, they make their own beer at the Main Street Brewing Company and the brewers are happy to show you how it’s done. See what’s brewing in Dallas with a guided tour.

Main Street Brewing Company, 2656 Main Street, 214-939-2337.

Water Heights

Waters dance and leap skyward at downtown’s Fountain Place, where trees mingle with flowing streams in a spectacular, park-like setting. The pools around the building feature 172 “bubbler fountains,” and the Central Court Fountain has an impressive 360 fountain-heads. About half a million gallons of water course their way through the plaza to fuel the fabulous fountains, that are splashed with dashes of color at night. The spectacular tower, a prism stretching 60 stories into the sky, is the work of noted architect, I.M. Pei.

Downtown, 1445 Ross Avenue at Field Street, 214-855-7766.

Get Back

To nature, that is. Just a short drive from downtown is the Dallas Nature Center – 640 acres of preserved wilderness and mesquite prairie, with 7 miles of hiking trails, native-plat nurseries, picnic area, nature programs and visitors center. Small donations are appreciated.

7171 Mountain Creek Parkway, 972-296-1955.

Hotel Art Tour

The beautiful Wyndham Anatole Hotel contains a fine collection of art on loan from Mr. and Mrs. Trammell Crow. The extensive collection, mostly of Asian pieces, features paintings, sculpture, jade and bronzes from ancient days through modern times. Included: many Wedgewood pieces, items from the Ming Dynasty and a piece of the Berlin Wall. For a guided tour of this extensive collection, call the Anatole to arrange a time. If you choose a self-guided tour, please visit the Concierge desk to pick up a booklet about the various artwork.

2201 Stemmons Freeway, 214-748-1200.

Retail Tale

Once upon a time there were two men, named Neiman and Marcus…The Flagship Neiman Marcus downtown store has a fifth-floor museum at which the shopping legend’s 90-year history is presented in high-style. New displays are added regularly. Neiman Marcus is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

2628 Main Street, 214-741-6911.

Hands On

Named after one of the foremost hand surgeons in the world, The Adrian E. Flatt, M.D., Hand Exhibit is an extraordinary private collection of cast, bronze-coated hands. Experience a rare and personal insight into many well known personalities including: Katherine Hepburn, Walt Disney, Louis Armstrong and Winston Churchill – to name only a few. Discover Dr. Flatt’s remarkable casting technique, dramatic results from actual hand surgery and a myriad of famous hands. A unique and exclusive Dallas exhibit.

Baylor University Medical Center, Truett Building, 1^st floor.

3500 Gaston Avenue, 214-820-7499.

Artistic Inspirations

The Biblical Arts Center offers a unique opportunity for people of all faiths to witness the Bible as it inspires mankind in the arts. Dedicated to its founder, Mattie Caruth Byrd (1908-1972), the Center is reminiscent of Christian-era architecture, and houses permanent exhibition galleries from Old Masters to Contemporaries. Admission to the museum’s galleries is free of charge. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Thursdays until 9 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Call 214-691-4661 for more information or visit www.biblicalarts.org.

Located near North Park Center, 7500 Park Lane and Boedeker.

A Walk on the Wild Side

Mondays are free at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary where you will experience such natural wonders as Live Animal and Birds of Prey Exhibits, Natural History Gallery and Native Texas Garden. Enjoy a ¾ mile self-guided nature trail where birds, snakes and other fascinating creatures will catch your eye. Open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

In nearby McKinney, One Nature Place, 972-562-5566.

-Produced by the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau