What to do in Dallas

[jejeje]

Hi there!

I'm all new here. Infact, I was referred to this forum from another photo forum because I'm flying from Norway to Dallas on saturday. I'm attending a training course for three days but I'm staying for a week so I have some spare time to move around and I'll be bringing some of my camera gear. Hopefully I will buy some gear while in Dallas aswell, at Competitive Cameras.

I'm wondering if there are any sights to see and potentially photograph in the Dallas/Plano area, or even farther around in Texas. I've got a car aswell so it's no problem for me to drive around either.

I hope someone local can give me a couple of pointers of where to go. I'm open for almost anything. I've never been to a rodeo so I'm thinking of going to Mesquite for a rodeo.

Thank you.

[toverman]

Dallas has tons of things to do, and I hope others more familiar will chime in. It is a large, bustling, cosmopolitan area. If you want to see it or buy it, Dallas is your place.

Fort Worth, to the west, is probably too far for you to venture at random. But there are more Westerny things to do over here (in my opinion). And I've lived here for nearly a decade do am more familiar with it.

Have a great trip, and I hope you enjoy our hot, sunny and humid north Texas weather.

[eRoc]

I literally just have to exit my neighborhood, make a left, drive down the street, a right, then a left and I'm at the mesquite rodeo. Probably a 2 minute drive yet I've never been.

Cool spots to check out for photography.

-Downtown Dallas (duh)
-Deep Ellum
-West End (good parking garages for dragging the shutter and taking pics of traffic on the highway)
-Southlake (nice houses, beautiful buildings, etc)
-Rockwall has that real nice harbour area with sailboats
-South Downtown Dallas - nice graffiti, real "urban"/industrial
-Dallas Arborteum has good spots for pics

There are always things going on in Dallas. Its such a mixture of different people. I've lived in Dallas 25 years and there are still places I've never even seen before. For example, I went to the Highland Park area last saturday with my friend to take engagement pictures, and we went to this place called Bear Lake or Bear Creek. I can't remember. It was such a cool spot and the houses in that area were so amazing. I didn't even know that area existed.

[jejeje]

Thank you very much guys! I'll be googling abit based on your suggestions and see if I can make some plans

[jerrykr]

The Ft Worth Stockyards is a great area to visit with a camera. They have two longhorn cattle drives per day (11 am and 3 pm if I remember right -- the times are posted on a sign). You can also find the longhorns in their pens behind the Exchange building. Lots of photo ops.

[studiocygnet]

They also have rodeos in Ft. Worth downtown at the stockyards. And that big old dancehall there, is it called Billy Bob's or something like that? I'd go to Fort Worth.

[jejeje]

Thank you everyone for the input! Really appreciate it.

I'm very interested in automotive action. I've seen that there are a couple of tracks for 1/4 mile and stuff. Anyone got any particular pointers on this?

[eRoc]

-1/4 mile track out in Ennis, Tx
-1/8 mile - Redline (track in Roysce City)
-1/8 mile - Yellow belly...I think in west dallas??? (but you may want to hire a personal body gaurd if you plan to head out to this one)

-I can't remember when the import car meets are, i've been out of that scene for a while, but last time I remember they had em Tuesday nights up in Plano.
-Usually some kind of AutoX or Drift action on sundays in Mineral Wells (i'll check schedules)
-Bike meet at Sonic in Garland on Thursday is cool to check out. 300+ bikes. Some of my friends have really nice custom painted and modified bikes that go up there.

-There are two motorcycle stunt shows in the area on Saturday. One at Honda Suzuki Northwest off of 35 in Farmers Branch. Starts at 10am.
-The other one is in Texoma, Tx further north on 35.


As you can see, lots to do. Its unfortunate that I take most of it for granted and just sleep around the house all day on the weekends.

[Torrey]

Dirt track racing (and the locals it attracts) is always interesting to watch

Devils Bowl Speedway