The Sixth Floor Museum (which actually occupies the sixth and seventh floors of the building) houses exhibits detailing JFK's life, presidency and assassination. According to many recent visitors, one of the most fascinating exhibits is a recreation of Oswald's set-up at the southeast window, accompanied by touch screens that detail the events of that day. (If you're interested in seeing Dealey Plaza and Elm Street the way Oswald saw it that day, you can watch the live Dealey Plaza Cam, a streaming webcam set up at the very window through which Oswald tracked the presidential motorcade.) You are free to visit and explore Dealey Plaza at any time; there is no admission fee. You can visit the Sixth Floor Museum Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Monday from noon to 6 p.m. Admission to the museum is $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and $13 for youths ages 6 to 18; kids 5 and younger can enter for free, and the use of audio guides is included in the entry cost.
Set aside some time for a visit to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. This 180,000-square-foot facility is jam-packed with hands-on exhibits and educational displays that address such topics as Texas ecosystems human evolution. One particular highlight for recent visitors was the T. Boone Pickens Life Then and Now Hall, which features towering dinosaur skeletons and the opportunity to dig for fossils. The Rose Hall of Birds also captivated visitors: Here, interactive displays explain how birds fly and socialize. The Perot Museum sits on the outskirts of downtown Dallas. There's on-site parking available for $8. Open between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday or from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The first Thursday of each month also offers extended hours to 9 p.m., with additional programming and late-night films. General admission is $15 for adults, $12 for teens ages 12 to 17 and $10 for children ages 2 to 11. Admission to any special exhibits or 3-D films will cost extra.
Set on 23 acres in northern Dallas' University Park, The George W. Bush Presidential Library houses textual, audiovisual and electronic records from the 43rd presidency. The library is more of a research facility than it is a tourist attraction. Instead, casual visitors should make their way to the adjacent 14,000sf museum, where detailed displays explore such events of Bush's time in office as 9/11. Inside the museum, you'll find interactive exhibits that put you in the former president's shoes: You can walk around a replica of the Oval Office, and in the Decision Points Theater, you can experience the Bush administration's decision- and policy-making process. Parking is available in the public lot just north of the site for $7. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission to the museum is $17 for adults with discounts available for seniors, students and children; kids ages 4 and younger can enter for free.
Dallas has plenty of towering skyscrapers and traffic-laden highways. But it's also rich in green space. For respite from the big city, head to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, which occupies 66 acres in White Rock Lake Park about 7 miles northeast of downtown. Forget about the hustle and bustle with a stroll through the Margaret Elisabeth Jonsson Color Garden, where more than 2,000 varieties of azaleas blossom in the spring and several acres of chrysanthemums come to life during the fall. Several historic homes surround the lake, tucked away in numerous patches of natural forest; take some time to visit them and escape the blazing summer heat. The space is open to the public every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission costs $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 3 to 12 (visitors ages 2 and younger can enter for free); entrance to the Children's Garden costs an additional $3 fee.
Fort Worth's Stockyards are a Wild West heyday with daily cattle drives and plenty of restaurants serving up cowboy cuisine. Start your visit at Stockyards Station at the heart of this historic neighborhood — from here, you can join a guided walking or segway tour or hop on a stage coach. If you're interested in the district's history, pay a visit to the Stockyards Museum, which is housed in the former Livestock Exchange building and now contains an extensive collection of documents and artifacts from Fort Worth's Old West era. Meanwhile, the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Texas Trail of Fame will also offer insight into Fort Worth's most notable residents. If you have kids in tow, take a twirl through the Cowtown Cattlepen Maze or a ride on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. You're welcome to explore the district at any time of day or night, free of charge; however, many of the attractions within the district do charge admission, and they all adhere to their own hours of operation.
To get a sense of historic Fort Worth, pair your visit to the Stockyards with Sundance Square, located in the heart of the city. Named for the Sundance Kid — partner to the infamous Butch Cassidy — this 35-block district has been entertaining Fort Worth visitors since the city's Wild West days. During the 1800s, cowboys following the Chisholm Trail would stop here in town to linger in the saloons, gambling parlors and dance halls. Today, the area's red-brick buildings house a variety of shops, restaurants and bars. Sundance Square's pedestrian plaza (located along Main Street between Third and Fourth streets) also features several fountains — the jetted fountains being the most popular. Bring your bathing suit for an afternoon of ducking and diving beneath the spray of 216 jets, or bring your camera in the evening when the fountain is lit by underwater LED light fixtures. Visit Sundance Square at any time of day or night, though each business adheres to its own hours of operation.
Visit Billy Bob's Texas and experience Honky Tonk attitude, friendly Fort Worth hospitality, one of a kind concerts and truly unique atmosphere. Iconic, huge country music venue with an indoor rodeo arena, mechanical bulls & dozens of bars. Billy Bob’s Texas opened April 1, 1981 with national attention featuring Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers as the first performers. Other artists who appeared during opening week included Waylon Jennings, Janie Fricke, and Willie Nelson. With 100,000 square feet of interior space and 20 acres of parking for entertainment and events, Billy Bob’s features 30 individual bar stations, live music with country music’s biggest stars, Live Pro Bull Riding, and a Texas size dance floor.
The Kimbell Art Museum has earned a reputation as one of the top small museums in the world. The facility itself is a work of art, complete with vaults and skylights and a sculpture garden designed by prominent Japanese-American artist, Isamu Noguchi. And despite its modest size, this museum is a must-see for any art buff: The permanent collection houses works that span history and features artists ranging from El Greco and Rembrandt to Monet and Picasso. Kimbell Art Museum is open every day except Monday, though hours vary. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, doors stay open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Fridays, the museum welcomes visitors from noon to 8 p.m.; and on Sundays, the museum is open from noon to 5 p.m. Entry to and guided tours of the permanent collection is always free, but you will have to pay to explore and tour special exhibits.
If there's one thing the people of Dallas and Fort Worth love, it's football. So a stop by the home of the Dallas Cowboys is necessary for a true glimpse into the area's culture. The Cowboys' former kingdom in Irving was demolished in 2009 to make way for a bigger, better venue. Now you can visit "America's Team" at AT&T Stadium. The largest domed stadium in the country with capacity for 80,000 screaming fans is located in Arlington, Texas, and approximately halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth. Art tours cost around $24, while VIP tours cost $27.50 for adults and $22.50 for children and seniors; you can also choose to take a self-guided tour for $17.50 for adults and $14.50 for kids and seniors, though you won't have access to as much of the stadium. Tour times vary depending on the season and the game schedule. To get to AT&T Stadium, you're going to need a car: I-30 passes right by.