Prairies & Lakes Region

Regional Highlights:

Stockyards, Fort Worth
Fort Worth Museum District
Fort Worth Zoo
Dallas Arboretum
Dallas World Aquarium
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, Dallas
Texas barbecue, Elgin, Lockhart, and Luling
Painted churches, near Schulenburg
Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington

The Prairies and Lakes region of Texas encompasses a large expanse of North Central Texas and is best known as the home of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The cities of Dallas and Fort Worth have long been touted as the city slicker and the country cousin, two destinations that share a geographic area but boast very different atmospheres.

And there's no denying that. Dallas is rich with culture, a cornucopia of over 160 museums, galleries and artistic attractions. Fort Worth is recognized for its Cowtown culture, from boot scootin' bars to fine Western art.

But, like two sisters with their own unique personalities, these cities share a bond, one so close that they're often recognized as twin cities. For the vacationer, that means a single destination, a place that offers temptations whether your interests run to rodeos or gourmet restaurants and whether your idea of cowboy fun means line dancing or a seat on the 50-yard line.

Encompassing small, medium, and large cities, the DFW Metroplex spans a vast region that is able to offer travelers not only properties in all ranges of the budget spectrum but also to offer fun in every direction, from Dallas to the east to Fort Worth to the west and a host of possibilities in between.

Arlington is home to many sport and entertainment offerings, including Six Flags Over Texas and The Ballpark in Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers baseball team. The Dallas Cowboys are based in nearby Irving. And television viewers who enjoyed the series Dallas can visit the Southfork Ranch near Plano. A small town atmosphere lives on in the communities of Grapevine, Glen Rose and Granbury.

The Metroplex has long been a capital for shoppers thanks to stores such as Neiman-Marcus, but today budget shoppers also are attracted to the region. Grapevine, the home of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, is home of Grapevine Mills.

South along I-35 lie many historic communities such as Waco, home to Baylor University and several excellent museums, Temple and Belton while further south you'll find the top shopping village of Salado.

East of I-35 lies small town Texas, home to communities including Seguin (also home to the world's largest pecan, not to be missed), Smithville, and Luling, well known among barbecue buffs.