I love traveling so once or twice a month I’m on the road soaking up local flavors and cultures. But since I carry a pretty heavy workload, I can’t always justify taking off weeks at a time.
So, most of my travels are quick trips. Sometimes this includes laid back options like Anguilla. But it often is a city getaway. And those city trips (as fun as they are) also mean I have to streamline the itinerary so I don’t overload my vacation.
A perfect example is my trip to Dallas last September. It was a quick couple’s getaway and we only had two full days in town. So, with just 48 real hours (ok, 56 if you include the arrival night) to explore, here’s how we spent our time.
Dallas, Texas
I have a confession: I hate driving. Yes, I’ve had my license since I was 17. But after years of driving in New York, I avoid it if I don’t have to. This includes renting a car when I travel.
The drawback is I have to prioritize my hotel’s location. For Dallas, this meant it had to be central to our itinerary choices. The main purpose for visiting Dallas was a concert at the American Airlines Center. So, finding a hotel that was within a reasonable Uber ride distance from both the concert venue and Dallas-Fort Worth Airport was critical.
We stayed at the Thompson Dallas, a pet-friendly Hyatt hotel located in the City Center District. It’s also conveniently located by the light rail. This historic building was originally designed by George Dahl and erected in 1965. It has since been transformed into a posh hotel with a spacious lobby that literally doubles as an art gallery.
Interestingly enough, this is a mixed use property with a separate tower, the National Residences, dedicated for residents. But even if you don’t have an action packed itinerary, there’s plenty to do on-site. This includes a spa where the pool and fitness center are located, three on-site restaurants, and Catbird the rooftop lounge.
Even though we didn’t take advantage of them, there’s a complimentary happy hour in the lobby and a full event list of rotating onsite activities to enjoy. This is important because as a tourist, having activities or dining options in the hotel give you easy choices for lazy days when you don’t want to leave the premises.
Reconnecting and Unwinding
We had a full itinerary planned, but did manage to carve out a little down time on our first full day. After enjoying breakfast and mimosas at Thompson Dallas’ Little Daisy (formerly Nine during my stay), we enjoyed a couple’s massage at the spa.
I absolutely loved that we were treated to glasses of champagne after the one-hour spa treatments and that booking any service with the spa also gives you access to the rooftop pool on the same floor.
Dallas’ Elevated Foodie and Mixology Scene
I love a good foodie trip, and Dallas definitely checked off this box. There are a lot of amazing restaurants, lounges, and bars across the city. But obviously with just 48 hours, there’s only so much we could realistically sample.
See and Be Seen with Drinks at Catbird
Our first night in town after checking into the Thompson Dallas, we decided to explore the hotel with a quick trip to Catbird, the rooftop restaurant and lounge. On the weekends, this converts from a cozy indoor-outdoor restaurant with wing tipped chairs and luxe digs to a chill vibe lounge complete with an “Instagrammable” flower entryway, a DJ musically setting the scene, and elevated cocktails perfect for your social media stories. The drinks were tasty and strong but just be prepared to jockey for space at the bar on the weekend because this place gets packed.
Mexican Eats at La Neta
I love Mexican food and could eat it every day. So, when I discovered La Neta Cocina Y Lounge, a restaurant that also has a Las Vegas location, I picked this place for our date night. While it’s a casual but well-decorated vibe, I brought out my Louboutins for the date.
La Neta is honestly a fusion Mexican spot that takes classic dishes like ceviche, enchiladas, and even churrasco steak and gives it a slight twist with a few ingredients that you won’t normally see in a more traditional menu. But presentation is the priority. Dishes like the churrasco steak and even the gold leaf-accented chocolate cake are presented with so much flare, you’ll want to record it.
Casual Comfort Food in the Harwood District
On the second day, we kicked things off with a casual brunch at the English-inspired gastropub, Harwood Arms located in the Harwood District. It’s impossible to miss this pub since right by the front doors is a lounging cow statue that’s a nod to Texas’ cattle ranching roots. I instantly loved the atmosphere that featured private booths, a central bar, and a mix of high-top tables inside.
Harwood Arms was a quick 10-minute Uber ride from our hotel and boasted a great combination of filling yet familiar comfort bar food like fish and chips or buffalo wings. Meanwhile, there were more traditional European menu options like the full English breakfast or an elevated Wagyu corned beef hash (which was so much food that I couldn’t finish it).
As if that wasn’t enough this pub offers an eclectic brunch drink menu complete with beer cocktails like Black Velvet — Guinness mixed with champagne — as well as traditional standbys like Irish coffees. If you prefer a quieter brunch experience, then come in the late morning or early afternoon on a day where there aren’t any major sporting events happening.
Art, Craft Cocktails, and Classic Plates
One of the last spots we visited on our second day was the Canvas Hotel. It’s an artsy boutique hotel complete with neon signs, large murals, and an indie vibe. It’s located in the Cedars district, which is south of the Dallas Thompson, but still only a 10-minute Uber ride from the American Airlines Center.
This hotel is open to the public so you can take advantage of the rooftop bar that opens up to the pool, as well as the lobby bar and restaurant. We enjoyed cocktails upstairs at the Gallery Rooftop Lounge before having dinner at Chef’s Palette downstairs.
Specifically, I loved the mixology here. I’m a sucker for an old fashioned, and I appreciated that our bartender smoked wood chips right at the table to further enhance the flavor. Chef’s Palette offers modern American cuisine with an emphasis on fresh ingredients.
Walkable Shopping and Immersive Activities
I have to admit that most of our trip revolved around food. But we did take some time to do something other than eat — shopping. So, after eating brunch at Harwood Arms, we were both stuffed and took a quick Uber to the Uptown/Oak Lawn neighborhood which is an adorable (and walkable) shopping district.
Along with stores, there are plenty of art galleries here if you just want to browse. However, as a self-proclaimed beauty girlie, when we walked past the Myx Blend Bar, a Texas-based custom makeup lab where you can create lip colors, I had to stop in.
Even though reservations are encouraged, walk-ins are welcome. The complimentary champagne was a nice touch as well. I created a blue-based matte red lip cream that I dubbed “Dallas.” This was a pretty affordable activity (around $50 for a lip gloss) and that the entire process from start to finish only takes about 30 minutes. So, this can be a fun add-on activity.
Vibrant Nightlife and Entertainment
As I mentioned earlier, the main reason for our trip was a concert. There are plenty of music venues in Dallas but we saw Depeche Mode at the American Airlines Center on our last night. It was the perfect way to cap off our trip in Dallas as we were headed back home the next day.
I partied hard around the world in my 20s and 30s. So, I’m not much of a club goer anymore these days. But I did like Catbird on the first night because it was a good mix of people watching and chill deep house music, followed by the more loungey vibes at La Neta on the following evening for our date night.
Is Dallas Next on Your List?
Dallas is the second Texan city I’ve visited with Austin being the first. After years of solely transferring through Dallas-Fort Worth airport, it was nice to get to see the city up close. For a short trip, we managed to pack in quite a few activities and sampled a lot of different types of cuisine.
Dallas isn’t quite as walkable as New York, and has a more limited transit system. If you plan ahead, you can create a fairly walkable or at least Uber-friendly trip that doesn’t cut into your travel budget. More importantly, DFW is a busy airport with countless flights arriving daily from across the country.