May 27 - 29, 2018 (3D2N): For Memorial Day weekend this year, I decided to book a last minute flight to Dallas to visit my friends that moved to Allen (30 mins north of Dallas) last year.  Dallas can get super hot during the summer months, it was around 100 degrees during the time I was there.  While Dallas is known for the JFK assassination, we opted for a lighter beat given the family had young kids.  But if you are into history, definitely add The Sixth Floor Museum to your list.

Day 1 (Dallas)

• Noon arrival in Dallas

• Lunch @ Ten 50 BBQ (get the beef ribs)

• Cattle Drive Sculptures @ Pioneer Plaza

• Pioneer Park Cemetery

• Giant Eyeball

• Dallas Museum of Art (free; suggested duration 1.5 hrs; don’t skip the Wendy & Emery Reves Collection)

• Deep Ellum:

  • Coffee or boba tea @ Bobaddiction

• Dinner @ Pho Que Huong or Yellow Tail Sushi & Grill

Day 2 (Fort Worth)

• Brunch @ Joe T. Garcia's (Tex Mex; try to line up for outdoor patio if time permits, if not, walk around the premise after your meal)

• Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District:

  • Stockyards Station

  • Go up to overlook platform by the Maze

  • Drink @ White Elephant Saloon

  • Stockyards Museum

  • Livestock Exchange Building

  • Ice cream/dessert @ Riscky's Steakhouse

  • Stockyard Cattle Drive (11:30am or 4pm Daily)

• Dinner @ Wu Wei Din Chinese cuisine or Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas)

Day 3 (Mckinney)

• Walk around the historical town of McKinney:

  • Shop @ boutique and home good stores such as 540 Mercantile, Summer James, Me & Mrs. Jones & Doozie's Corner.

  • Lunch @ Bayou Jack's Cajun Grill

  • Milk shake @ Essentialz Market & Cafe (former bank turned marketplace; unfortunately closed as of April 2019)

• Evening flight back to LGA

Other points of interests & food

• Walk around Klyde Warren Park (when it is not that hot out)

• Snap Dallas skyline @ Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge

• Dealey Plaza National Historic Landmark District

• BBQ @ Pecan Lodge

• Eat @ Trinity Groves

• Fort Worth Water Garden

• Stockyards Rodeo

Tips

• Dallas/Fort Worth airport is the hub for American Airlines, so look for cheap AA airfares. Also be sure to check for your specific departure terminal as AA has over 5 terminals in DFW.

• To get a good view of Dallas, consider going to Chase Tower Sky Lobby (8am to 5pm) over Reunion Tower as the former one is free.

• If you have the priority pass, you can check out the Minute Suites at Terminal A & D (first hour is free, private room concept)