one day in dallas

One Day in DallasAAA editors suggest these activities for a great short vacation experience.

Morning Nab locally made garments, ceramics and jewelry in the Bishop Arts District, just southwest of downtown in Oak Cliff, the historic neighborhood where Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow met, Lee Harvey Oswald was captured and 7-Eleven originated. If you're an early riser, hit Café Brazil (611 N. Bishop Ave.) for coffee, or sleep in and treat yourself to a hearty French-inspired brunch at Boulevardier .

After breakfast, drive to one of the following AAA GEM attractions: the Dallas Zoo (650 S. R.L. Thornton Frwy.), Fair Park (2 mi. e. of downtown off I-30) or the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden (8525 Garland Rd.). Furry fun awaits at the state's largest zoo, and Fair Park's entertaining educational facilities keeps groups busy for hours. The 66-acre Dallas Arboretum has more than a dozen display gardens and overlooks scenic White Rock Lake.

Afternoon Now that you've explored the Dallas outskirts, check out downtown. At the heart of the city is The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (411 Elm St.), a thought-provoking exhibit space preserving a painful moment in U.S. history: the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. After investigating Dealey Plaza, most sightseers head east to pay their respects to the fallen leader at the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial (on Market Street, between Main and Commerce streets), a minimalist cenotaph designed by renowned American architect Philip Johnson.

From the JFK memorial, walk a few blocks east to Main and Ervay streets and look for the red awnings outside the oldest Neiman Marcus (1618 Main St.) in operation. Window browse at the high-end retailer's flagship store or peruse paintings and other inspirational works in the Downtown Dallas Arts District. The 19-block area at Ross Avenue and St. Paul Street encompasses several cultural gems, including the Dallas Museum of Art (1717 N. Harwood St.), the Nasher Sculpture Center (2001 Flora St.) and the Crow Museum of Asian Art (2010 Flora St.).

If you chose colorful frocks over vibrant brushstrokes, enjoy an elegant lunch at Neiman Marcus' fashionable eatery, the Zodiac Restaurant (1618 Main St.). Otherwise, check out Lone Star State staple Cane Rosso (2612 Commerce St.) for pasta dishes and Neopolitan pizza, or Dragonfly (2332 Leonard St.) for New American cuisine like tuna tacos and brisket sliders.

Evening If you want to get gussied up, make reservations for The French Room (1321 Commerce St.), one of the finest gastronomic experiences this side of the Mississippi. Located in The Adolphus hotel, the lavish restaurant dazzles the eyes with ornate décor, while classic, expertly prepared recipes arouse cultivated taste buds. A few bites of Butch's Original Brisket Tacos and you'll understand why clued-in natives perpetually pack this low-key dining room.

Attend an event at the American Airlines Center (2500 Victory Ave.). Home to the NBA Mavericks and the NHL Stars, the well-appointed arena also welcomes an array of entertainers. For pre- or post-event cocktails, the surrounding Victory Park area (a developing playground for Dallas' “in crowd”) has a handful of nightspots, though visiting VIPs like Jamie Foxx and Justin Timberlake favor the pulsing lounges of the W Dallas Victory Hotel & Residences (2440 Victory Park Ln.). If you can't get tickets for an AAC event, barhop along Greenville or McKinney avenues or mingle with laid-back Dallasites in the Knox-Henderson area, where imaginative eateries cater to bohemian bellies.