The Perfect Itinerary For A Weekend In Dallas

After scoring tickets to see Madonna at American Airlines Center last month, my two friends and I decided to spend a long weekend in Dallas – a city none of us had visited since before the pandemic and one that we were eager to get back to after learning it has the largest contiguous arts district in the country and the most buildings designed by Pritzker Architecture Award winners.

We planned a packed, three night itinerary that was rich in art, culture and food and is easy to replicate.

Here’s what we did:

Where to stay in Dallas

There are so many great hotels in Dallas but we chose Fairmont Dallas because we are obsessed with Fairmont Gold. We knew we’d be able to have an included breakfast in the Gold Lounge and grab (also included) snacks, water bottles and Diet Cokes whenever we wanted. Plus, it would be a great place to just hang out together. It was a perfect choice and I loved my suite and the fact that we were able to easily and safely walk back to the hotel after the Madonna concert.

I ended up spending the first night, though, at the new JW Marriott Dallas Arts District because I’m a big fan of the brand and I really wanted to see what this new hotel was like. Wow! The hotel is sleek and modern but so warm and welcoming and filled with amazing art that truly honors its local community. My suite was gigantic and homey and I could easily have spent the whole weekend there, especially because they also have a fantastic Executive Lounge.

It would be really hard to choose between the two hotels next time I visit and there’s a good chance I would once again spend a night or two at each one.

Friday

After landing at Love Field – which I highly recommend if possible because it’s less chaotic than Dallas Fort Worth and so convenient to downtown – I spent some time exploring JW Marriott and indulging in way too many sweets in the Executive Lounge.

I met my friends for dinner at Margaret’s, the hotel’s signature restaurant, and was blown away by the innovative seasonal dishes. Executive Chef Jonah Friedmann is committed to using local ingredients for the freshest flavors and we couldn’t stop talking about – or eating – the smile-inducing starter called Acknowledge the Corn. The corn-shaped jalapeno cornbread was served with delicious toppings but we would have been just as happy with only the honey butter, which we slathered all over it.

After dinner, we walked off a few calories but the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center is so close to the hotel, we probably didn’t get in many steps. We were excited that our visit to Dallas coincided with Amos Lee in concert with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and we spent a magical evening listening to one of our favorite singer-songwriters. It was a really special experience getting to hear him accompanied by the beautiful, rich sound of DSO.

The Meyerson Symphony Center is so well-designed and the acoustics so crisp and clear, I think it would be impossible not to enjoy any show here. Plus, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra really does offer something for everyone, with upcoming collaborations including Country Hits: Songs from Nashville; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in Concert; and Twist and Shout: The Music of the Beatles – A Symphonic Experience.

Saturday

After a hearty breakfast in the Executive Lounge – JW Marriott puts out quite a complimentary spread – we walked over to the Nasher Sculpture Center, which is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year. Strolling through the galleries and the outside sculpture garden is a lovely way to start the day. You can ask about taking a tour when you get there or check out their website for detailed information about the pieces on display.

We had made a noon reservation to join the ladies who lunch at the legendary Zodiac in the original Neiman Marcus. Oh, if the walls could talk. The Zodiac has been serving up fine cuisine since 1953 and the food is as delicious as the stories that have come out of there. (We’ll never tell.) We were seated at the highly coveted Stanley’s Table, a private corner with its own attached living room area, where we did our own dishing over flavorful salads and the scrumptious popovers with strawberry butter for which The Zodiac is renowned. Of course, we couldn’t leave without a box of Neiman Marcus’ famous chocolate chip cookies.

There’s a good chance we would have indulged in a third popover if we hadn’t had to make the matinee of Every Brilliant Thing at the Dallas Theater Center. I had seen the show on Netflix and loved it but it was even more moving watching it in person with the whole audience participating. Small and intimate, the Dee & Charles Wyly Theatre was the perfect place to see this one man (Blake Hackler in a brilliant and heartwarming performance), interactive show and it’s a great venue to enjoy Dial M for Murder, which is currently playing there.

Since we had moved over to Fairmont Dallas after breakfast, we spent time relaxing in the Gold Lounge rehashing Every Brilliant Thing before taking an Uber to dinner at The Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, a luxurious uptown Dallas hotel that friends have been raving about for years. Once a private estate, the property has kept many of the home’s stunning details, and you can feel its rich history. In the gorgeous Mansion Restaurant, Executive Chef Charles Olalia is creating culinary masterpieces that celebrate regional flavors with a French flair. This is a very special place and I’d like to come back and experience the hotel overnight and the Mansion Bar — a local favorite — next time.

Sunday

We woke up early to grab breakfast in the Gold Lounge before Uber-ing over to Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, one of the city’s most beloved spots. It’s so vibrant and Instagrammable that we weren’t surprised to see wedding parties, families and Quinceaneras all posing for photos amidst the eye-popping flowers and greenery. This is how you get a dose of nature in a city.

Because even we can only eat so much, we combined lunch with Tea at The Adolphus, a Dallas icon for more than a century. Served in The French Room of the luxury hotel, the three-course tea is a wonderful indulgence. The experience kicks off with a glass of bubbly and is followed by trays of finger sandwiches, scones and pastries, all paired with thoughtfully curated loose teas. We were so glad we didn’t have lunch beforehand.

From the Adolphus, we walked to the Dallas Museum of Art, stopping along the way to take a look at the giant eyeball (top photo) that holds a place of pride in the middle of the downtown. It’s a must see. The DMA is also a must see, featuring more than 25,000 works of art, from Indigenous American art to African art to so much more. You could easily spend a day here.

We had a light dinner at Paradiso, a cute, leafy restaurant in Bishop Arts where woodfired pizzas and handmade pastas take a starring role. We really wanted to have dessert at Emporium Pies, whose sign reads, “Fine Pies for Fine Folks,” but we just didn’t have room. We did make a quick stop at The Wild Detectives because we can’t pass up a bookstore – especially one that’s also a bar in a renovated Craftsman home. We would have bought something because we’re all about supporting indie bookstores but we didn’t know if we’d be able to take it into American Airlines Center for the Madonna concert.

As it turned out, we could have easily gone back to the hotel for a while, then walked to the venue because Madonna didn’t start her 8 pm concert until 10:30. I’m glad we got to see her perform but I’m also glad we were within walking distance of the Fairmont so we didn’t have to deal with 20,000 people trying to get Ubers at the same time. And I’m especially glad that getting tickets for the concert gave us a reason to plan a fantastic weekend in Dallas. We’re already looking for an excuse to come back.