We always talk about how important girl’s weekends away are to us. As many of us grow older, we find ourselves separated from the friends we’ve made during each phase in our lives by cities and even oceans. Whenever we get the chance, we choose a place to meet up for a fun-filled weekend of catching up and exploring a new city! Most recently, we found ourselves in Dallas, Texas! It couldn’t have been a more perfect city for a girl’s weekend getaway.
Friday
First things first, we checked into the Fairmont Dallas when we arrived. The 4-star hotel is the definition of Texas luxury. They do everything bigger and believe us it’s for the better. Complimentary skittles and gummy bears for grabs in the lobby? Yes, please. The Fairmont is in the perfect location in the heart of the downtown Dallas Arts District surrounded by restaurants and entertainment. The view from our room was truly a window into the city making us feel like we were in the center of it all. Our double room was the perfect size for two babes to relax and get ready between adventures as well as sleep like princesses. The staff at The Fairmont is another luxury of staying there. They are basically mind readers that knew before we did when we needed something!
After getting settled in, we headed out for lunch. It’s not a Texas weekend if you don’t christen your arrival with Mexican and margs so we headed straight for Meso Maya which was a short walk from the hotel. We shared carnitas and steak tacos and each ordered an avocado margarita which was seriously the combo we’ve been waiting for. So yum!
After lunch, we headed to Reunion Tower to get a full view of the city we would be spending the weekend in. The GeO-Deck at Reunion Tower is a must-do for a panoramic view and of course pics for the ‘gram. If you underestimated the size of Dallas before, you certainly won’t from 470 feet in the air! The tower, known by local as “The Ball” has been a staple of the Dallas skyline since 1978.
With the Dallas CityPass, we got into Reunion Tower and had access to other top attractions including Perot Museum, The Museum at Dealy Plaza, the Dallas Zoo and George W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum, all for $51. The CityPass is a great way to see all of the sights and save money while visiting Dallas.
Next, we hit The Happiest Hour for another drink before heading back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. This place is huge and is a great energy to kick off the weekend.
The highlight of our day (maybe trip!?) was dinner at Sixty Vines. The spacious, modern restaurant features a long bar of wines on tap and farm to table cuisine. We met some college friends here for dinner and were seated at a long table amid the chatter and laughs of Friday night. It was one of those places that immediately puts a smile on your face no matter what kind of mood you may be in. Instant good vibes. I mean with wine on tap, how can it not be?
We grabbed a cocktail at The Tipsy Alchemist next door after dinner, but didn’t want to stay out too late because we knew it would be a long day at the Texas State Fair the next day!
Saturday
The State Fair of Texas is something to see to say the least. If you happen to be in town during the fair, you can’t miss it. For nearly a month, the fair opens its gates to welcome people from all over for more fried foods than you could fathom existed, live music, rides and so much more. It’s the longest-running and largest fair in the country and is a Texas tradition celebrating the state.
After too much fun at the fair and the biggest “Corny dogs” you’ve ever seen, we were in serious need of freshening up. Believe it or not, the weather still hadn’t cooled down even with it being early October. We headed back to The Fairmont for a little R&R and recon on where to happy hour.
We hadn’t been to the Deep Ellum neighborhood yet which we had heard is a must visit in Dallas. The former warehouse district is known for it’s hip, artsy vibe. You’ll find lots of cool murals, music venues and lively bars here. We hit up craft cocktail bar, HIDE, for a few afternoon drinks and snacks
Then we headed to the Dallas’ new trendiest neighborhood, the Bishop Arts District for dinner at Macellaio and drinks at The Botanist.
Macellaio which means “butcher” in Italian not surprisingly specializes in meats. But, their modern Italian menu goes far beyond that. This isn’t your typical pasta and pizza Italian restaurant, but interesting dishes like a spicy spreadable sausage with focaccia, chef’s choice salumi boards and mains like a wagyu short rib and a rabbit casserole grace the menu. Everything was delicious including the dirty martinis that we washed it all down with. They were even Eater’s 2018 Restaurant of the Year in Dallas for good reason!
We both quickly compared The Botantist to bars we visited during our travels to Mexico City. Not only do the cocktails feature botanical ingredients, but the patio is made lush and jungle like with plants everywhere. Good music, and a nice crowd also added to the bar’s good vibes.
Sunday
Before heading to the airport on Sunday, we spent our morning touring the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. The 14th annual Autumn at the Arboretum is going on from Sept. 21 to Oct. 31 featuring the nationally acclaimed Pumpkin Village with more than 90,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash. Fall Insta pics anyone?!?
We saw so much more than just the Pumpkin Village though. Our tour guide, Rick, was the sweetest ever and really knew his stuff! He volunteers at the arboretum a couple of days a week in his retirement and even recently went back to school to get a horticulture degree because he loves his plants so much. He took us through the beautiful, expansive grounds with secret gardens at every turn. A visit to Dallas is definitely not complete without checking out the Arboretum. Their other seasonal showcases such as the 12 Days of Christmas and Dallas Blooms with more than 500,000 tulips in the spring also look amazing.
This getaway was hosted by Visit Dallas. All thoughts and opinions hosted by Babes & Beignets.