Plan a Dallas, Texas Weekend Getaway, to Find Art, Culture and Excellent Food

Sunny Dallas, Texas, beckons visitors and locals alike to get outside and explore. Along with miles of urban green spaces, the downtown area boasts one of the largest urban arts districts in the entire country, a walkable stretch of nearly 20 blocks that includes world-class museums, galleries and restaurants.

Then there’s the trendy Uptown neighborhood, host to hip concept stores and chic boutiques — plus the city’s famous basketball stadium. And in the Design District, vintage warehouses and antiques shops await.

As for food, it’s easy to balance your consumption of Southern-style comfort food — think decadent biscuits and maple sausage gravy — with fresh fare from farmers markets and cafés.

As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.

Friday: Visit Uptown’s Trendy Boutiques and Galleries

As one of Dallas’ hippest neighborhoods, Uptown is packed with shops, restaurants and art galleries. Begin your morning with a walk or bike ride in the nearby Klyde Warren Park, where the 5-acre green space hosts free yoga, outdoor concerts and film screenings.

After you’ve worked up an appetite, try a decadent brunch of Italian coffee, biscuits with maple sausage gravy and buttery croissants at Bread Winners Café & Bakery.

In the afternoon, take a stroll down uptown’s West Village shopping district, host to more than 100 upscale boutiques. Browse menswear staples like dress shirts, pullovers and sweaters at Mizzen + Main and women’s fashions at the concept store Nicole Kwon. Pop into Naadam for cozy, sustainably made Mongolian cashmere or find your new favorite corduroy jacket at Rye 51.

For a light lunch, opt for the charcuterie boards at the Spanish-style Si Tapas bar before browsing Uptown’s artistic offerings. Drop by theMcKinney Avenue Contemporary (MAC), a nonprofit specializing in visual and performance art, and the Museum of Geometric and MADI Art, a museum dedicated to the Madí abstract art movement that first began in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

For dinner, book a table at the contemporary Japanese restaurant Uchi for fresh sushi and sashimi, before enjoying a cocktail or craft beer in the backyard of the Rustic. Be sure to check the latest programming at the nearby stadium, home to Dallas’ professional basketball and hockey teams, and where a variety of concerts and live shows are regularly hosted.

Saturday: Check Out the Farmers Market and Museums

With its extensive green spaces and booming arts and culture scene, Downtown Dallas continues to grow in popularity. Begin your morning like a true local with a visit to the Dallas Farmers Market. Not only is this locale a one-stop shop for seasonal produce, flowers and more, the market is also host to a 26,000-square-foot food hall known simply as the Market.

Step inside to sample fare from some of Dallas’ finest purveyors. Sip on an Italian-style espresso from Palmieri Café while enjoying an idyllic view of the Dallas skyline.

In the afternoon, stop for a lunch of tacos and burritos at Salsa Limón before exploring the best of Downtown’s cultural offerings. Not-to-miss spots include the Dallas World Aquarium, where you’ll see black-footed penguins, flamingos and potbellied seahorses. Kids love exploring the 20,000-gallon walk-through tunnel where sharks and rays swim overhead.

Visit the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza near the Historic West End District, which chronicles the assassination and legacy of President John F. Kennedy through a selection of documentary films, images and artifacts.

For dinner and craft cocktails, book a table at the Woolworth. Start with shared plates like truffle fries topped with shaved pecorino before savoring main dishes like fried chicken topped with red-eye gravy and salt-and-pepper-crusted sea scallops.

Enjoy an after-dinner drink a few doors down at City Hall Bar, an art deco-style lounge famous for its fancy gold-and-marble bar. For a taste of Texas, try the “Uncle Buck” — ginger beer, lemon, honey and bourbon.

Sunday: Shop the Design District

It’s time to take to the streets of the city’s Design District to explore its high-end studios, antiques shops and art galleries. Begin with a specialty brew at Ascension Coffee, a hip roaster that also specializes in crafting delectable lemon scones and Australian hand pies.

Then browse the vintage records and wares at Lula B’s Design District before you start gallery hopping. View the work of contemporary artists at Holly Johnson Gallery, large format landscape photography at Crawshay Gallery and early-20th-century photo-based art at Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery.

Now it’s time to make your own lunch — while taking a culinary class at the Cookery (reserve ahead to book your spot). The interactive experience is specific to a dish or skill, including handmade pasta or sushi, and students get to eat the food they create.

Another novel attraction: the bowling and bites at Bowlounge, a retro-chic venue with 12 vintage lanes, signature cocktails, a dog-friendly patio and a menu offering decadent burgers and vegan bowls.

Or visit Cidercade, where you can take your turn playing retro arcade games — there are more than 140 options — while imbibing a pint of house cider. This cider-filled fun zone doesn’t serve food, but you can order from one of the food trucks that fill the parking lots on weekend nights.

On Sundays, the trucks serve up dishes until 5 p.m., but you can bring your own food and enjoy it on the premises once they’ve closed up shop.