Frugal Things To Do In Dallas, TX

Written on July 22, 2008 – 9:32 am | by PT | |

This post is a part of the Money Life Network “Frugal Things To Do In… ” writing project. Visit the “Frugal Things To Do In…” main page to see what other cities we’re writing about.

Dallas, Texas

Do you live here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area (or the DFW Metroplex as we call it)? Or, are you visiting this area sometime soon? If so, and you strive to live frugal like me, you’re probably on the lookout for some frugal things to do. I’ve put together a listing of some of the more interesting things to do here in the DFW Metroplex. Most are free or $10 and under a person.

Getting Around

Just a quick note to say that if you’re visiting Dallas, know that you’ll need a car while you’re here. Everything is just too spread out and public transportation wouldn’t have a chance at covering it all. There are a few train lines if you’re dead set on using public transport. The TRE runs between Fort Worth to Dallas (DFW Airport is a stop), and then there is the DART which runs from downtown Dallas up Interstate 75 to the suburb of Plano. Prices are very reasonable (under $10) and the rides themselves are fun and somewhat scenic.

Major Attractions

Fort Worth Stock Yards (Free). Watch an actual cattle drive run through the streets.
The historic Dealey Plaza (Free). The highly recommended Sixth Floor Museum is also there which includes a view from Oswald’s supposed shooting location ($13.50 Adults).

Sports and Recreation

The Ball Park in Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers ($6 Adults / $3 Kids). Yes, baseball is still affordable here. Take that, Yankee fans!
Dr. Pepper Stadium, home of the Frisco Rough Riders minor league baseball team ($7). Beautiful park.
Six Flags Over Texas While very fun, it’s not very frugal (tickets start at $29 a person). Still, if you make a whole day of it and bring your own food it can we reasonable.
Lone Star Park Horse Racing ($3 Adult)
DORBA Mountain Bike Trails (Free, with your own bike). There are some great trails in this area. My favorite is the Lake Grapevine Trail.

Parks and Scenery

There aren’t many scenic views in Dallas. There are, however, plenty of lakes and parks (all free). Here are some of my favorites. But first, stop by the Reunion Tower Observation Deck ($2 Adults / $1 Kids) to get a good look at downtown Dallas.

White Rock Lake. Close to the city.
The City of Grapevine (yes, there are wineries there) and Grapevine Lake. Close to a major shopping mall and Bass Pro Shops.
Arbor Hills Nature Preserve. Has actual hills and scenic views. Nice park.
River Legacy Park. An old favorite of mine tucked away in the mid cities.

Museums and Things

Kimball Art Museum (Free). Beautiful building in Fort Worth.
Amon Carter Museum (Free). Also in Fort Worth.
Two aquariums to choose from:
- Dallas Aquarium ($4 Adults / $3 Kids)
- The Dallas World Aquarium (more expensive, look for a coupon)
Fort Worth Zoo ($10.50 / $8 Kids). Best of the two zoo’s in the area.
Dallas Museum of Art ($10 Adults / Kids Free)
Fort Worth Botanical Gardens (Free)
Dallas Museum of Natural History ($8.75 Adults / $5.50 Kids)

Random

Visit Southfork Ranch (Free to drive up and see. Tour $9.50 Adults / $7 Kids). This is where the 80’s TV show Dallas was filmed.
See Big Tex (Free). The tallest paper-maché cowboy in captivity.
McKinney Ave. Trolley (Free)
The biggest Honky Tonk in the world, Billy Bob’s ($1-$4 during non-concert times).
Mrs. Baird’s Bakery Tour (Free)

Restaurants

There are so many restaurants here in town that you could literally eat at a different place every day and never run out of choices. Some good resources for you to discover good food at a fair price are: DallasFood.org, CitySearch Cheap Eats, and GuideLive. Some of my favorites: Sol’s Taco Lounge (TexMex), Texadelphia (cheese steaks), and The Lakewood Landing (burgers). Please add you’re own frugal eats in the comments below.

Final Comments

Wow. I like my town. There’s so much to do here and most of it is pretty reasonable as long as you have a fuel-efficient car to get you there. There’s so much more that I left off. I’ll try and update this page as new things come to mind and as you add your comments.

For more information on the DFW area, check out my favorite guide, GuideLive, and their Top 100 list.

Remember to visit the “Frugal Things To Do In…” main page to see what other cities are covered and to add your own post.

11 Responses to “Frugal Things To Do In Dallas, TX”
By Kacie on Jul 22, 2008 | Reply

Looks like a great place to visit! I’ve never been to Texas, but if I ever go, I’d definitely want to hit up DFW
By FFB on Jul 22, 2008 | Reply

DFW looks like fun. I’d love to visit that part of the country!
By hank on Jul 22, 2008 | Reply

It’s amazing what you can find when you really dig in to see what’s out there! A good list if I ever make the trek down south!
By Ryan @ Smarter Wealth on Jul 23, 2008 | Reply

Great…except I live in Australia
By Jeremy on Jul 28, 2008 | Reply

Thanks for the list! I’ll have to try some of your suggestions next time I’m in Dallas (I live in Austin, so it’s not far).

As for frugal DFW eats, Celebration is very good and reasonable — http://www.celebrationrestaurant.com.

If you need somewhere to burn off that big meal afterwards, you can go for a jog on the Katy Trail — http://www.katytraildallas.org/

And if you like Asian art, the Crow Collection in downtown Dallas is free —
http://www.crowcollection.org

-Jeremy