Where to stay · Dallas · United States
Where to stay in Dallas
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kevin1086, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Downtown and the Arts District. JFK sites, art museums, Klyde Warren Park and converted office towers. Best alternatives — budget: Las Colinas; nightlife: Uptown and Victory Park.
Key facts
- First visit
- Downtown and the Arts District
- Families
- Downtown and the Arts District
- Budget
- Las Colinas
- Nightlife
- Uptown and Victory Park
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Downtown and the Arts District | JFK sites, art museums, Klyde Warren Park and converted office towers |
| Families | Downtown and the Arts District | JFK sites, art museums, Klyde Warren Park and converted office towers |
| Couples | Uptown and Victory Park | Patios, the Katy Trail and vintage trolleys on McKinney Avenue |
| Budget | Las Colinas | Business hotels, canals and quick access to DFW Airport |
| Luxury | Uptown and Victory Park | Patios, the Katy Trail and vintage trolleys on McKinney Avenue |
| Nightlife | Uptown and Victory Park | Patios, the Katy Trail and vintage trolleys on McKinney Avenue |
| Food lovers | Uptown and Victory Park | Patios, the Katy Trail and vintage trolleys on McKinney Avenue |
| Solo travellers | Deep Ellum | Murals, live-music venues and barbecue east of downtown |
| Shopping | Bishop Arts District | Independent shops and restaurants in leafy North Oak Cliff |
| Quiet stays | Las Colinas | Business hotels, canals and quick access to DFW Airport |
Dallas neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture and families
Downtown and the Arts District
Downtown Dallas holds Dealey Plaza, the Sixth Floor Museum, the Dallas World Aquarium and Reunion Tower, while the Arts District on its northern edge has the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher and the Crow Museum. Many historic office buildings have become hotels, and DART light rail lines all meet here.
- Good
- Walk to the main museums and the JFK sites; Hub of the DART rail network; Grand historic hotels
- Watch out
- Quiet streets at night outside events; Hot to walk in summer
- Nearby
- Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, Klyde Warren Park, Reunion Tower
$$$$ · Best for nightlife, couples, food lovers and luxury
Uptown and Victory Park
Uptown, just north of downtown, is Dallas's most walkable going-out area, with restaurants and bars along McKinney Avenue, the Katy Trail running through it and the free M-Line trolley linking it to the Arts District. Victory Park on its western edge has the American Airlines Center arena.
- Good
- Walkable restaurants and bars; Free trolley to the Arts District; Katy Trail for running
- Watch out
- High hotel prices; Busy and loud on weekend nights
- Nearby
- Katy Trail, Klyde Warren Park, McKinney Avenue, American Airlines Center
$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers and solo travellers
Deep Ellum
Deep Ellum began as a Black and immigrant commercial district and a blues hub in the 1920s, and it remains Dallas's live-music neighbourhood. Elm, Main and Commerce Streets are lined with murals, music venues, bars, tattoo studios and well-known barbecue, and the area is a short DART ride or walk from downtown.
- Good
- The best live-music district; Street art everywhere; Good-value food
- Watch out
- Loud and crowded at weekends; Few hotels
- Nearby
- Elm Street, Fair Park, Downtown Dallas
$$ · Best for food lovers, couples and shopping
Bishop Arts District
South-west of downtown across the Trinity River, Bishop Arts is a few walkable blocks of independent boutiques, bakeries, bars and restaurants in restored 1920s buildings. The Dallas Streetcar links it to Union Station, and Jefferson Boulevard nearby has some of the city's best Mexican food.
- Good
- Local, independent character; Excellent restaurants; Easy streetcar link
- Watch out
- Small, with limited hotels; Car or ride-hail needed for most sights
- Nearby
- Jefferson Boulevard, Trinity River, Dallas Streetcar
$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers and solo travellers
Lower Greenville
Greenville Avenue east of Central Expressway is a long-standing strip of bars, music venues and restaurant patios, with residential M Streets of Tudor-style houses nearby. It is lively in the evening and close to White Rock Lake and the Arboretum.
- Good
- Lively patios and bars; Close to White Rock Lake; Mostly local crowd
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Not served by light rail
- Nearby
- Greenville Avenue, White Rock Lake, Dallas Arboretum
$$$ · Best for couples, shopping and food lovers
Design District
West of downtown along the Trinity River levees, the Design District turned furniture warehouses into galleries, design showrooms, breweries and restaurants. A few boutique hotels make it a stylish base close to Victory Park and the Trinity Overlook's skyline views.
- Good
- Design-focused hotels; Galleries and showrooms; Close to Victory Park
- Watch out
- Spread out, with little street life; Car or ride-hail needed
- Nearby
- Trinity Overlook, Victory Park, Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge
$$ · Best for budget, families and quiet stays
Las Colinas
Las Colinas in Irving is a planned business district about 15 minutes from DFW Airport, with hotels around the Lake Carolyn canals and the Mustangs of Las Colinas sculpture. It suits short stays, early flights and trips that combine Dallas and Fort Worth.
- Good
- Close to DFW Airport; Good-value hotels at weekends; Between Dallas and Fort Worth
- Watch out
- Little character in the evenings; Car needed for sightseeing
- Nearby
- DFW Airport, Mustangs of Las Colinas, Lake Carolyn
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown and the Arts District | $$$ | Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, Klyde Warren Park, Reunion Tower |
| Uptown and Victory Park | $$$$ | Katy Trail, Klyde Warren Park, McKinney Avenue, American Airlines Center |
| Deep Ellum | $$ | Elm Street, Fair Park, Downtown Dallas |
| Bishop Arts District | $$ | Jefferson Boulevard, Trinity River, Dallas Streetcar |
| Lower Greenville | $$ | Greenville Avenue, White Rock Lake, Dallas Arboretum |
| Design District | $$$ | Trinity Overlook, Victory Park, Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge |
| Las Colinas | $$ | DFW Airport, Mustangs of Las Colinas, Lake Carolyn |
Getting to your hotel
Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) lies about 30 km north-west of downtown; DART's Orange Line runs from Terminal A to downtown in about 50 minutes, and a taxi or ride-hail takes 25–45 minutes. Dallas Love Field (DAL), about 10 km from downtown, is linked by DART bus to the light rail and is 15–20 minutes by car.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Dallas for first-time visitors?
Downtown and the Arts District. Downtown Dallas holds Dealey Plaza, the Sixth Floor Museum, the Dallas World Aquarium and Reunion Tower, while the Arts District on its northern edge has the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher and the Crow Museum.
+Where should families stay in Dallas?
Downtown and the Arts District: Walk to the main museums and the JFK sites.
+Which area of Dallas is best for a budget stay?
Las Colinas ($$): Business hotels, canals and quick access to DFW Airport.