First time to Dallas

Hi,

We are 2 females coming to USA in November and will be making a stop in Dallas for two days.

I was wondering if anyone could help us with a few questions:

Is the bus station (greyhound) in Dallas safe?

How far away is it from the Amtrak station?

Are there any areas we should avoid?

Are the Pioneer Plaza Cattle Drive and the Mary Kay Cosmetics worth visits?

First time to Dallas

The bus station is as safe as any other downtown big city station- be alert and aware of your surroundings. Dallas has a fairly large homeless population which makes some people uncomfortable since you may get asked for money by panhandlers. Just know where you are going and keep walking.

The Greyhound station is less than a half mile from the Amtrak terminal at Union Station.

The Pioneer Plaza Cattle Drive statues are interesting but not much of a destination in and of themselves. Perhaps see them while you are closeby at the bus/train stations. Mary Kay is out of town, in Addison, so not easy to get to without a car. There are limited factory tours and a small museum. Guess it would depend on how much you are into Mary Kay and the products.

First time to Dallas

The bus station is very close to the Amtrak station--4 or 5 blocks only.

I would avoid the McDonald%26#39;s restaurant near the bus station. There have been several violent crimes in that area over a period of several years.

Visitors seem to enjoy the Cattle Drive statue. It%26#39;s not a huge thing but a good photo opportunity,

I love the Pioneer Plaza cattle drive, although I wish the city staff would keep the vegetation trimmed back so it%26#39;s more visually impressive, as it was when it was first installed.

I take all Dallas visitors to see it, and so far everyone I%26#39;ve taken it to has loved it and are glad to have had the opportunity.

Depends on whether you are into art, cattle, parks. It%26#39;s not something you%26#39;d spend a lot of time on, that%26#39;s for sure.

I don%26#39;t know anyone who%26#39;s gone to Mary Kay%26#39;s. I%26#39;d spend the time at the 6th Floor Museum, Old City Park, or the DMA.

What are you doing at the Greyhound station? While the Amtrak statio is walkable from the Greyhound station, if you%26#39;re thinking of trekking a lot of luggage down there, I%26#39;d grab a cab.

The Cattle Drive at Pioneer Plaza 650 S Griffin, Dallas is a HUGE THING. The 44 larger-than-life longhorns and cowboys took several years to create and covers several acres. IT may be the most impressive bronze casting statutes installation ever. It is rivaled only by the MUSTANGS on O%26#39;Connor Blvd in IRVING, TX just 7 miles to the northwest of Dallas near DFW airport. Both installations encourage visitors to get close to the art. There is a nice restaurant near the MUSTANGS in Irving and a small museum there to give the history of them. I would definitely recommend both of these Texas-size bronze-cast installations.

What I find slightly more interesting at Pioneer Plaza is the cemetary on the backside.

Now you have got me curious. How many people in the cemetery? Who are they? and why is it interesting? and how far is it from the Cattle Drive? thanks.

It%26#39;s a very small cemetary in the same block as Pioneer Plaza - but on the opposite side of the cattle drive area...up the hill and behind the waterfall-ish area. It%26#39;s old and that makes it interesting. But we like cemetaries.

Jags,

What are your plans while in Dallas? I take it you are arriving by bus and leaving by train, or perhaps vice versa. Have you made hotel reseverations? If so where (what area, no personal info)? Will you have a car? If you stay downtown youwill have access to the rail service.

Let us know and we can give your siteseeing advice and restaurant advice.

Hope you have a great time. Bring my niece home with you!

spots