That’s according to the daily The Australian, which writes about air carrier Qantas ditching its regular Sydney-to-San Francisco run to come to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport instead, starting in May:
Dallas tourism representatives are keen to spruik the fact Texans are friendly by nature and its airport isn’t as busy as its Los Angeles counterpart, leading to quicker processing.
And what recommendations does the newspaper make to visitors coming to North Texas, after talking to the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau:
As far as a stopover destination goes, there are plenty of activities to keep visitors occupied. You can see where JFK was shot and visit the Sixth Floor Museum in the old book depository building, from where Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly fired his gun, go to a rodeo or see the iconic US football team the Dallas Cowboys at the new $1.3 billion Cowboy Stadium, where the Super Bowl was held in February.
Do you like how even a mainstream Aussie publication doubts the Warren Commission’s findings?
Reading a little bit about photographer Annie Griffiths, who will be speaking tonight at the Winspear Opera House as part of the National Geographic Live! series, one thought immediately sprang to mind: I’ll bet she’s never been stuck in traffic for hours to traverse Woodall Rodgers.
To further demonstrate why her life is better than yours, attend the presentation (and watch the clip below):
Then check out other things to do in Dallas.
Uncle Nancy is on vacation someplace in Fiji. She sent an update on her travels (and travails) to the staff. Along for the ride on Nancy’s vacation is none other than that turncoat Evan Grant, baseball scribe for the Morning News. I thought I’d share Nancy’s letter because it made me laugh (I had to dash out some of the swear words):
Well, I lasted almost two days without typing. Greetings from Fiji, where bula means “hi” and vanaka means “thanks!” Also golaka means “wine” and Ambien translates directly as “Ambien,” the miracle cure jet lag and Evan’s snoring. Evan and I traveled packed in a flying tin can for 22 hours, and we are still talking. BUT there have been lots of claw displays. Don’t tell him I said this, but he doesn’t want to sit on a lounge chair on the beach because “the beach is too sandy.” True.
Here is what I have learned about Fiji so far:
Young Australians have lots of little crying babies. Lots. Like, four each. They all like to eat breakfast at the same time that we do.
Australian babies are more obnoxious than American babies. The pitch of their cry is ear-shattering. I now understand why dingoes like to eat them.
Australian men are hot.
Two of our talented D Magazine interns, Taylor Walker and Meredith Stein, visited the Travel and Adventure Show at the Dallas Convention Center this morning. Below is their report (and a lovely little video presentation due to some technical difficulties, this won’t happen) to show the fun they had (and the fun that you could have there this weekend).
Alright, we get it. The Rangers own your Friday night. But assuming there’s no game 7 (which is the option we’re supporting), we’ve got an adventurous alternative to couch surfing to fill the remainder of your weekend.
Dallasites can head over to the Dallas Convention Center for the Travel & Adventure Show. In addition to speeches and travel tips from the likes of Arthur and Pauline Frommer (Frommer’s Travel Guides), guests can enjoy the sights and sounds of more than 30 cultural performances, which range from Bollywood to belly dancing, as they weave their way through a maze of more than 100 exhibitors, each representing a different travel destination. From Egypt to Alaska, these destination booths will be ready (and able) to offer you exclusive “show only” discounts on the vacations of a lifetime.
But the show isn’t all work and no play. Guests can also partake in rock climbing, ziplining, scuba diving, and our personal favorite, camel rides. And don’t worry about safety, we went ahead and tested them out for you! (Here’s where we’d show you their fantastic video. Perhaps the technical gods will take pity on us and let us show you the video Monday. Until then, happy weekend!)
Guy walks into the DFW airport. Like this.
Warning: NSFW, slightly.
According to Travel & Leisure’s new Best List (and here at D Magazine, we love lists), the Mansion on Turtle Creek is #3 and the Adolphus is #9 of big-city hotels in the country. Chicago has four, New York has two, Dallas has two, and LA and Washington have one each. I was sorry to see the Hermitage in Nashville just miss the Top Ten, coming in at #11, because it is my favorite out-of-town hotel. If you happen to stay there, be sure to check out the men’s room downstairs. IJS.
A few years ago, Paul Kix introduced you loyal readers to Zac Castillo, the guy who hiked the 2,175 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Apparently, that wasn’t far enough because today, Castillo is hiking once again. This time, he’s going to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada, 425 miles longer than his former quest.
I’m all about doing semi-crazy things (anyone else doing the Warrior Dash this weekend?), but I make sure my adventures have no more than a six-hour time limit. So I asked Castillo a few questions about his sanity after the jump.
1. “Denver’s Revitalized Downtown Gets More Hip By the Minute,” reads this travel piece in the DMN. You see, remaking a downtown isn’t rocket science – Denver pulled it off. Now let’s see, what makes a downtown hip: bike trails, bike rentals, a theme park, kayaking in downtown, and a stadium for a major sports franchise. Hmmm, now let’s look at Dallas. No bike trails, no bike rentals. Kayaking does happen sometimes a mile or so from downtown in the Trinity River. And Dallas has a theme park and stadium. Oh wait, no. Those are in Arlington. (And for those wondering about American Airlines arena, Victory doesn’t count as downtown. If you’ve ever noticed, there’s a highway in between downtown and Victory. Didn’t Ross Perot Jr. see that?)
2. Farmers Branch officials will fight the court ruling that the law the city passed banning the rental of houses or apartments to illegal immigrants is unconstitutional, because Farmers Branch is a town of ”law and order,” says Mayor Tim O’Hare.
3. Don Hill doesn’t have much to say headed into his 18 year sentence for leading a corruption scheme at Dallas City Hall. How about “sorry I made a mockery of your government, taxpayers.”
A billboard along I-35 near Wyoming, Minnesota is making some headlines. It has a picture of former president George W. with yellow text next to him saying, “Miss Me Yet?” The people at Minnesota Public Radio are trying to find out who bought the billboard. Yesterday, they discovered it was purchased by a small group of business owners who “feel like Washington is against them.” I like billboards. They’re fun. The best one I’ve seen is in OKC along I-35. It says something along the lines of “Let us help you with the ABC game,” and it lists words with letters that are difficult to find. And, as Jason mentioned, this is a good one, too.
First comes news that American Airlines will start charging coach passengers $8 for blankets and pillows (but you get to take them home and you get a coupon for $10 off a $30 purchase at Bed Bath & Beyond!), then we hear that Southwest is being investigated by the FAA for a third time in two years. I still think it’s safer for me to fly rather than drive, and no one offers me a pillow and blanket when I’m in the car. So, really, I don’t think it’s all that bad.
We received at the office yesterday an invitation from a Florida-based PR firm to take a press trip to Dallas to visit the recently renovated Sheraton Dallas (the largest hotel in Texas, for those keeping score at home). Besides the fact that we were invited to take a press trip to our own city, there are a number of things about this invitation that I found entertaining. Jump for the itinerary that journalists from across the country will enjoy — along with my comments.
1. I like the idea of the convention center hotel funding the much-needed second downtown DART alignment. If that deal was on the table at the time of the vote, it would have influenced this voter, at least. Only, please, everyone stop talking about urban renewal around the convention center. Loads of makeup salespeople traveling through underground tunnels directly into a hotel, whose design is already at odds with the surrounding streets, is not going to do anything for downtown street life. Really, it’s not.
2. If you talk to the heads of local arts organizations you hear an often repeated complaint: it’s difficult to raise money in this town now that the AT&T Performing Arts Center has turned out the pockets of Dallas’ philanthropists. How hard is it out there? Now the PAC itself is faced with stagnant fundraising.
3. Oh, and classless? Doesn’t matter.
I love lists, even when they come from Travel & Leisure, which, as far as I can tell, basically makes them up. But that’s okay. We’re big boys. The visitor thing I can understand. It always surprises me that we’re the #1 tourist destination in Texas. But diversity? That’s a low blow. (Blackfaced Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders probably doesn’t help.) And #22 in shopping? Did the the editors bother to check with retailers? I mean, good God, have they ever been to NorthPark?