Weekend Dallas Western Itinerary (Printer Friendly Version) Itineraries at a Glance (Click on a day to skip to that itinerary): Friday Saturday Sunday Monday FRIDAY Start the morning horseback riding Western-style!  Call one of the following ranches for a visit: • Double D Ranch    www.ddranchdallas.com • 972 289 2341 • Frisco Horse Park  www.friscohorsepark.org • 972 335 8000 Worked up an appetite after your ride?  Why not drive over to Dallas' West End Historic District. Located in downtown, the district transformed a multi-block area of turn-of-the-century storefronts and warehouses into shops, restaurants and nightclubs.  Accessible by DART light rail, the area is home to the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, the Dallas World Aquarium, the Holocaust Museum, horse-drawn carriage rides, outdoor cafes, retail and restored loft apartments.   For the perfect western souvenir,  Wild Bill's Western Store has you covered for a "Western Style" shopping experience. Enjoy everything from Texas souvenirs to custom made, one-of-a-kind cowboy boots. For a true Texan lunch, be sure to visit Sonny Bryan's, one of the most famous barbecue joints in Dallas.  Since 1910, presidents, chefs, celebrities and everyday folks have rubbed shoulders over Bryan's barbecue.  Enjoy everything from brisket, ribs, onion rings and a secret sauce that you'll want to holler about! Still hungry?  Try Hoffbrau's Steakhouse, another great option for traditional Texas fare.  In addition to steaks, chicken, sandwiches and salads-- enjoy a variety of award-winning beers along with a Dallas authentic frozen Margarita! After lunch, take a break and relive the history of JFK at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. Chronicling the life, death and legacy of President John F. Kennedy, the museum offers documentary films, displays photographs and artifacts.  When nightfall hits have a boot scootin' time at Cowboys Red River! Enjoy an Old West setting, live country music by big name entertainment, Texas' largest dance floor and some Dallas two-stepping f-u-n! While in Dallas, be sure to set a date for some bronco-bustin' excitement at the world-famous rodeo at the Mesquite Championship Rodeo at Resistol Arena.  Only 15 minutes east of Downtown Dallas, this ultra-modern, covered facility will surely keep your heart pumping with all the cowboy action every Friday and Saturday night from April through the last week in September.   If you're Dallas in November, be sure to purchase a ticket to attend Texas Stampede, the prestigious Wrangler ProRodeo Tour Championship at the American Airlines Center. Watch as the  dirt flies, cowboys and cattle collide and the best-of-the best come face-to-face in a final qualifying ride to the NFR in Las Vegas along with concerts by top-name music artists. (TOP) SATURDAY Start your morning  by experiencing television history and Texas hospitality at Southfork Ranch!  Explore and tour the homestead of the Ewing Family from the long-running Dallas television show on a guided tram tour. Other highlights include the Dallas Legends exhibit, Miss Ellie's Deli, shopping and more! Have lunch at Texas Land and Cattle in Uptown Dallas, for some Texas-tastin' steaks hot off the mesquite grill.  After a hearty meal,  walk over to the West Village, and gear up Dallas style at Cowboy Cool for edgy unique western gear. Then head over to Dallas' Heritage Village, the premier living history museum in the Southwest.   Depicting life in Dallas from 1840 -1910, enjoy a stunning view of the Dallas skyline, a country church, saloon, rustic school house and elegant 10-room historic home all on 13 acres.  Need some snapshots of your visit to the city? Go to the most photographed place in Dallas: Pioneer Plaza, a 4.2 acre plaza featuring the world's largest bronze monument. Forty longhorn steers being herded by three cowboys, depict cattle drives that are a part of Texas. Hungry for more?  Dine at the award-winning, 160-seat Stephan Pyles restaurant located in the Dallas Arts District. Enjoy New Millenium Southwestern Cuisine - a global tapestry of tastes, flavors, aromas and textures from Texas, South America, Spain, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Other options for dinner include N9NE Steakhouse representing a bold new era for the great American steakhouse with its dazzling modern design and a diverse menu that features both sirloin and sashimi.  A more traditional option is Perry's Restaurant, featuring fresh seafood, prime hand-cut steaks, exceptional service and a warm elegant atmosphere. Or try Pappas Bros Steakhouse, specializing in Prime Beef with over 2300 selections of wine, single malt scotches, rare cognacs, and cigars! After your hearty meal, head over to downtown Dallas' Southside neighborhood and check out Gilley's Dallas, a true Texas honky-tonk!  Offering an impressive line-up of Western entertainers, a new operating schedule, drink specials,  shopping and a Texas-sized dance floor.  This honky-tonk has all the cowboy you want to be right in downtown Dallas! Be sure to test your skills on the original mechanical bull from the blockbuster movie "Urban Cowboy" for some real Texas fun! (Top) SUNDAY Start your day at Fair Park, a Texas Treasure. This 277-acre National Historic Landmark is comprised of the largest collection of cultural facilities in Dallas and the largest collection of 1930s art deco architecture in the United States. Visited by over 7.5 million people each year, Fair Park is open year-round, and home to eight museums and more than 120 exhibition-style events each year.  While at Fair Park, be sure to visit Hall of State, a national landmark celebrating the history of Texas.    From September to October, don't miss the State Fair of Texas! With an annual attendance of over 3 million, the 24-day exposition offers more than 70 rides, including a 212-foot Texas Star Ferris Wheel, the very best in fried food and entertainment and a nightly parade through the park.   The State Fair has also claimed the title of "The Fried Food Capital of Texas".  You'll want to try the newest fried items available--Fried Pralines and Fried Coke! In neighboring Fort Worth, the National Historic Stockyards District exemplifies Texas with more than 100,000 square feet of shopping, dining and family entertainment. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Fort Worth Stockyards' National Historic District is a great place to celebrate the romance and mystique of the American West. The best time to get to the Stockyards is at 11:30 a.m. when the Old West comes to life before your eyes as a team of cowhands drives a herd of longhorns along Exchange Avenue through the Stockyards. Every detail of this cattle drive - from the saddles to the chaps, from the hats to the boots - is authentic and historically true. After the cattle drive, visit the Stockyards Station, where you'll find restaurants, gift shops, Western clothing stores and more. You can also take a Historic Walking Tour, including a trip to the Livestock Exchange Building and a behind-the-scenes look at Billy Bob's Texas. Be sure to also tour the Stockyards Museum and see how Fort Worth was branded the name "Cowtown". Learn the story of the Fort Worth Stockyards Company and the meatpacking industry in Fort Worth in the historic Livestock Exchange Building. Unwind and have lunch at one of many restaurants in the area or enjoy a cold beer at the Stockyards hotel!  Ready for more?  Why not visit the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and pay tribute to the cowboys and cowgirls of the Lone Star State.  Housed in the area's original horse and mule barns, the museum features the Sterquell Wagon Collection, a fascinating collection of more than 60 wagons, carriages and sleighs that have been beautifully restored. Enjoy videos, trophies, saddles and photographs from Hall of Fame honorees, plus the John Justin Trail of Fame, named for the legendary boot maker. Head over to the worlds largest Honky Tonk for a fun-filled night of live concerts and bull riding at Billy Bob's Texas. Situated on three acres, Billy Bob's has its very own indoor rodeo arena for professional bull riding, a Texas-size dance floor, dozens of bar stations, plus restaurants, arcade games, a Wall of Fame with celebrity handprints, and a general store. (Top) MONDAY Before you leave Dallas, experience Spring Creek Farm in Richardson and take a step back in time at the Owens Foods Museum, where you can view Texas sausage factory and homestead memorabilia more than 100 years old. Or spend some time outside enjoying the farm animals and the beautiful scenery. (Top) (Printer Friendly Version)