The Gutsy Traveler

Dallas. travel, tourism, best sights to see.

You’ve got to love a city who’s slogan is “Think Large. Live Big!”

Dallas is big in all ways: architecture, cuisine, art, culture and fun!

And Dallas is big in every way; architecturally striking buildings, a stunning skyline, and magnificent museums in the largest urban art district in the nation.

Visit the location of President Kennedy’s assassinationand the Sixth Floor Museum.

Don't miss this museum about the legacy and assassination of JFK and about Jackie O.

Why the sixth floor? The museum is located in a former warehouse where the alleged assassin fired the deadly shots out of a window on the sixth floor into the President’s motorcade. The excellent displays chronicle the assassination of JFK, his legacy, Jackie Kennedy, the Bay of Pigs era, and the Cold War. For me, it was an emotional and riveting experience.

Don’t miss the sophisticated arts scene in the 19 block-long Downtown Art District.

There is something for everyone: from the magnificent Opera House to the Performing Arts Center, the Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas Museum of Art and Crow Collection of Asian Art. I could have spent blissful days or months viewing the 24,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years of history. This mesmerizing museum ranks among the best in the world. After wandering through the Impressionism galleries, sip a cappuccino at the cafe in the sculpture garden beside a Picasso.

Lunch with Picasso.

If you think an aircraft museum is just “a guy thing,” you haven’t seen the The Cavanaugh Flight Museum. Their impressive collection of historically-significant, vintage aircraft is a big draw for families. Walk around and inspect World War I, World War II, Korean War and Vietnam vintage aircraft, bombers, tanks and helicopters. For a small donation, tours of the interior are also possible. Just like the guys, I was thrilled to crawl into the cockpit of a B-29, the Red Baron Fokker, an Army Helicopter, and a Sherman Tank.

Think Pink! Most women recognize the Mary Kay Cosmetic brand, but few of us know the fascinating history of the empire Mary Kay Ash built over four decades. To date, more than 100,000 independent sales force members worldwide have qualified for the privilege of driving a Mary Kay pink Cadillac. Learn more about her life and fashions at the free Historical Museum, located in the Mary Kay world headquarters in Dallas.

I recently visited Dallas with Transitions Optical as the second Sightseeing City Tour Stop. I had a great time sightseeing at many of the “Top 10 Sights to See” in Dallas, as voted by locals at SeeMoreSights.com.

Check out photos of my favorite “sights” in Dallas and check back soon to vote for the Top 10 Sights to See in New Orleans for the chance to win a trip to Miami. Next stop on the Sightseeing City Tour…scenic Seattle!