Everything’s Bigger in Texas

Our most recent adventure landed us in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Neither Grant nor I had ever stepped foot out of the DFW airport to actually stay in Texas, so we decided to take a weekend trip to see what it was all about.  Let’s just say Dallas (and the surrounding areas) didn’t disappoint👌🏼  I feel monotonous when it comes to introducing a new place we have visited because I tend to love them all and recommend them for visiting–but seriously, we were captivated by this area–definitely a place we could live! #onpoint

They aren’t kidding when they say Everything’s Bigger in Texas– roads, humidity, fashion, homes, BBQ, tex mex, and even the wine pours! 😂 We flew into the DFW airport and were excited to get to our first destination–Fort Worth!  Before we could actually venture there we had to figure out how to get off of the hamster wheel (aka the crazy road system) that we got on!  Basically, the roads in the Dallas area are bigger and way more confusing than expected.  For some reason we saw the departure/pick-up area a couple of times 🏁 After a couple of laps we finally figured out how the roads worked and got on a road that didn’t lead back to the airport! 😅

Destination #1 Forth Worth– This was such a fun new place.  It is considered a modern city with its famous art museum and much more but overall it has maintained its Western heritage and traditional designs.  Our first stop here was of course food–tex mex at that!  Joe T. Garcia’s brings a fun twist to tex mex.  It has family style dining (again everything’s bigger here, so the portions came in abundance), the seating is outside in a garden area (even when the humidity is 100%), and they accept cash only (definitely good to know before you get there).

We then headed to Sundance Square–which is a shopping, restaurant, entertainment, and residential district; all named after the Sundance Kid.  The Sundance Kid is an old Western Folklore that was made into a movie. #igrewupwatchingoldies Anyway, we enjoyed our time here by visiting The Virgin Olive Oiler–an olive oil tasting room, something completely different from the norm.  #foodisourhobby

We finished our time in Fort Worth by visiting the Water Gardens– an architectural masterpiece.  A tip for the Water Gardens–just to go ahead and leave your stroller in the vehicle, it is full of steps so it makes things a bit difficult to navigate with one! 😅   The gardens are really pretty and make for a great photo opt.

Dinner for the evening was classic Texas BBQ.  When I say BBQ is bigger in Texas I mean bigger in several ways– bigger flavor, bigger portions, and it’s everywhere!  We had (and would highly recommend) Bone Daddy’s House of Smoke, but I’m sure you can find good BBQ all over the city.

Our next day there was a full one to be sure we could experience as much as possible in our short time there!  We went to Dealey Plaza where JFK was shot and took the tour through The Sixth Floor Museum.  Love history or not definitely check it out, it’s fascinating.

Then on to Klyde Warren Park, a public park on top of a freeway. #random We went for their well-known food trucks! You haven’t done food trucks until you’ve been here.  The street was lined by trucks, all with an assortment of cuisines.

If I didn’t love a good experience so much I would’ve sat in the car while Grant picked it up because once again that humidity was a killer. #sweating  (The popsicle was much appreciated)

From there we headed over to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum but only to take a quick gander, snap some pics, and be on our way.  It was a Sunday and things were closing early so we had to keep our priorities in line!😂

Shopping and fashion are big in Dallas, so big they are considered a sport! You will find some of the best shopping here–Galleria Dallas, Highland Park Village, North Park Center etc.  We opted for North Park Center because it was away from the humidity and of course had a good selection of stores.  New city=New Shopping  #itsasport

We visited Highland Park residential area. The homes here are immaculent! Of course Everything’s Bigger in Texas. To give you a better idea, the population of Highland Park is approx 9,000 people with an average home price of  $1 million. #nottooshabby

Next we ventured to an area called McKinney, Texas. This place is absolutely charming!  It’s historic downtown is perfect– boutique fashion and interior shops, creative eats, and tasting rooms.  Definitely an area you should visit!

While in McKinney, we went to Landon Winery.  Here we enjoyed a tasting in a quaint French-Western atmosphere.

This is where those BIGGER pours come into play. This is 1 of 5 pours for the tasting, that’s bigger than a glass we pour ourselves. #everything’sbiggerintexas

After the winery, it was time for dinner!  Knox Street, near Highland Park is a must for things to do in Dallas.  By this time most stores and activities were closed, including a lot of the restaurants. (What is it with cities not having restaurants open late–I mean everyone eats dinner at 11:00pm right?!)  We ended up finding this extravagant place called Gemma.  After much searching, I would say the hard work paid off!  #exquisite

Like I mentioned, we love the Dallas area and will hopefully be back soon!
Until then–stay classy y’all!

Feel free to share some of your favorites in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area.