Getting Oriented

The DFW area has taken advantage of wide-open spaces. People, places, and things are spread out across multiple counties, requiring miles and miles of highways and toll roads. Dallas and Fort Worth are separated by about 30 mi, but during morning and evening rush hour it can take an hour or more to navigate between the two.

Life is sprawled all around the two major cities, with folks commuting from dozens of suburbs to business centers spread all over—Downtown Dallas or Fort Worth, up and down Central Expressway, Las Colinas, the telecom corridor of Richardson, and corporate headquarters in Plano. It's easiest to navigate the roads on weekends or on weekdays between 9 am and 4 pm, and after 7 pm. There's almost always snarled traffic at certain exchanges—in and out of Downtown Dallas, around Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and along Loop 635 (also called the LBJ Freeway).

Many museums are closed Mondays. Some high-end restaurants aren't open Sundays or Mondays. Downtown Dallas often feels like a ghost town on weekends, while Downtown Fort Worth keeps a lively pace seven days a week.