Dallas CityPASS – Awesome Savings and Amazing Attractions

Welcome to the ‘Big D’, also known as the gorgeous city of Dallas, Texas! We headed to Dallas for the holiday weekend ready to explore the heart of this city and find out exactly why this is such a huge attraction for tourists from all around the world. Of course, what better way to experience Dallas, than by using our trusty friends at CityPASS who have yet again delivered an awesome package deal! Dallas CityPASS offers huge discounts, entrance to amazing attractions and to top all of this, an incredibly convenient service that you HAVE to try.

Using the CityPASS tickets is not our first rodeo (pardon the Texas pun there!), as we have encountered amazing experiences in Seattle, New York City and Houston. Added to this a plethora of other cities scattered across North America, and you have a great service that is continue to expand on a rapid basis.

What is CityPASS?

In a nutshell, CityPASS is a booklet of admission tickets to a number of top attractions around some of the biggest cities in USA (and Canada now with Toronto included!) Each city around North America offers something very unique and provides a perfect experience to leave visitors wanting so much more.

The identity of each city can be seen through the purchase of a CityPASS, not to mention the myriad of benefits on offer including the following:

• Huge savings – the more attractions you visit, the more money you will save! You can save up to 50% on the city’s attractions!
• Skip the ticket lines – no need to worry about the long lines anymore! Be treated like a VIP as you whisk your way to the front of the line.
• CityPASS booklets are valid for 9 consecutive days after the first day of use. So there is no need to try and cram everything in one day or weekend.
• CityPASS booklets can be purchased online or at a variety of locations within the host city!

Dallas CityPASS – What is included?

Dallas may be famous for being home to the Dallas Cowboys and authentic cuisine such as barbecue and Tex-Mex, but thanks to the CityPASS you are now able to experience some of the leading landmarks and attractions that make this city a great option for a getaway.

Here are the attractions that are included in the Dallas CityPASS experience:

• Perot Museum of Nature and Science
• Reunion Tower GeO-Deck
• The Sixth Floor Museum
• George W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum or Dallas Zoo

Of course choosing between the two attractions where there are options is one of the toughest choices you will have to make! But don’t worry, the CityPASS booklet includes discounts to these options as well so you can experience all five attractions if you so desire.

I am going to share with you our experiences at the attractions we opted for. We visited all of these in two days which was definitely ample time, but you could quite easily enhance your experience by just visiting one per day dependent on your schedule.

The Sixth Floor Museum

Heather is a huge JFK fan, so as soon as she found out that The Sixth Floor Museum was included on the Dallas CityPASS experience, she made sure this was the first place we visited! This self-guided tour includes an audio experience that guides you through the history of JFK, from the moment he was elected the 35th President of the United States to his tragic death that took place outside the very location you are touring.

Standing inside the sixth floor of the book depository where Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly pulled the trigger on those fatal shots that struck JFK as he was passing through Dealey Plaza provides an incredibly poignant experience.

The recreation of the spot where Oswald shot JFK is a worthwhile experience, yet at the same time listening to the detailed commentary really makes you wonder about the truth of what actually happened?

Will we ever find out the ‘real’ truth to JFK’s assassination? Perhaps touring The Sixth Floor Museum will give you a better judgement to decide what you consider to be the truth behind this dark subject!

Perot Museum of Nature and Science

After a morning relaxing under the quiet ambience generated at the arboretum, we headed back downtown Dallas to explore the more upbeat and ‘hands-on’ experience at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. This is the perfect spot for all the family to learn everything there is to know about the world we live in.

From an earthquake simulator experience, to watching a tornado form and generate a vortex, this is undoubtedly a hub of nature and science not to be missed. We have been fortunate to experience these types of museums in a number of other cities, and each one provides their own unique twist on the learning experience of science.

What better way for kids to learn lifelong theories and knowledge, than by getting involved with this great hands-on experience.

The CityPASS also includes a free movie in the 3D Hoglund Foundation Theater, a National Geographic Experience. A number of seasonal movies are available, both short and long and we opted for the Walking with Dinosaurs: Prehistoric Planet 3D show which was really cool and provided an insight into how these prehistoric creatures roamed the landscapes in Alaska.

Reunion Tower GeO-Deck

I LOVE skyscrapers and tall structures, so the moment I found out that Dallas’ very own Reunion Tower GeO-Deck was included in the CityPASS, I was pretty excited. We saved this experience for last and it was well worth the wait.

I will say that the hardest part was actually finding your way to the tower. We parked downtown in close proximity to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and The Sixth Floor Museum ($6 parking for all day is available directly behind the Spaghetti Warehouse and TGI Friday’s on N. Record St.) and we could see the Reunion Tower a short distance away. However, it took us a while to realize that you cross the railway lines, you have to head underground accessible through Union Station.

The short journey up the elevator took us to the observation deck and stunning 360 degree views of downtown Dallas and surrounding area (you can view up to 13 miles away).

The GeO-Deck provides a really cool interactive experience that is very different to other comparable towers and structures we have climbed. You can use the touch-screens to view, navigate and explore everything you see in front of your very eyes.

Head outside to really enhance your experience! The views overlooking Dallas are stunning and we were able to pinpoint a number of attractions we have experienced (of course noticing those on the Dallas CityPASS journey!)

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden

*** UPDATED 2019 – This attraction is no longer included in the Dallas CityPASS but is still definitely an attraction worth experiencing while in the Dallas area***

Exploring a botanical garden and arboretum was really not something I considered to be an entertaining attraction, prior to visiting Dallas. However, how wrong could I be!! Spending a leisurely Saturday morning wandering around the 66-acre Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden certainly swayed my opinion and I would strongly encourage you to consider visiting this attraction when you next head to Dallas.

This is the ultimate attraction for nature lovers and I think this is the perfect spot to visit for relaxation because the moment you set foot inside the grounds, the vibrant colors and gorgeous aroma generated by the floral extravaganza will immediately give you positive vibes!

An array of gardens combined with a beautiful collection of man-made water features, including some pretty cool waterfalls and fountains, make the Dallas Arboretum a perfect spot for a romantic getaway or perhaps a fun-filled family picnic on one of the lawns overlooking nearby White Rock Lake.

Summary

Dallas CityPASS lived up to all the hype and expectations I had prior to visiting the Lone Star State. We experienced four amazing attractions and each provided a very different reflection on the city of Dallas. Whether you opt for these four, or consider the George W. Bush Presidential Museum and Dallas Zoo as options, there is enough here to warrant purchasing a Dallas CityPASS booklet.

I am delighted that CityPASS have continued to prove their worth as they continue to expand their portfolio of North American cities. Exploring any city for the first time can be an extremely daunting task when you have no idea where to start, and this is where CityPASS really benefits visitors as they pinpoint a city’s key landmarks and ‘must-see’ attractions.

We had a really awesome time exploring Dallas and I can’t wait to return in the near future to perhaps check out some of the off the beaten path locations. However, for now I am delighted to recommend the Dallas CityPASS ticket and hope you will be inspired to check this out for yourselves!

If you are interested in seeing more pictures from our experience with CityPASS in Dallas, check out our photo gallery here: Dallas, Texas.

Disclaimer – We would like to thank CityPASS for providing us with 2 Dallas CityPASS booklets for our trip. These are solely our personal opinions/experiences and we were not financially compensated for this post. 

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