Affectionately know as “Big D”, this is a city that enjoys sharing its personal warmth with all who will take a little time to visit with the folks who live and work here.

While you may encounter a few folks who will remind you of the regulars on the "Dallas" TV series that aired more than a decade ago, most people here don’t own cattle and have never ridden-much less owned-a horse. Although we are in the new millennium, Dallas continues to try and carefully preserve some of its older traditions while gracefully inviting in the technologies of the future.

The city of Dallas encompasses 384 square miles of rolling prairie, with native pecan, cottonwood and oak trees located along the Trinity River and the numerous creeks that feed it. The elevation ranges from 450 to 750 feet.

To reach Dallas, you will need to fly into either the large Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) or the highly popular and centrally located Love Field Airport. Unless they’re flying in from great distances, most local residents prefer Love Field.

DFW is located halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth, which means it’s basically due west of Dallas and due east of Fort Worth. If you don’t want to rent a car at DFW and aren’t going to be picked up by friends or family, be aware that there are a number of free and low-cost shuttles to take you in closer to both cities.

Dallas is the ninth-largest city in the United States. The current population breakdown is:

Population

• City of Dallas . . . 1,210,313
• Dallas County . . . 2,305,454
• Dallas Metro . . . 3,812,875
• The following counties make up the Dallas Metro area: Collin, Dallas, Denton Ellis, Kaufman and Rockwall
• Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex . . . 5.7 million

Location

Dallas is located in the Central Time Zone in North Central Texas.

• 35 miles east of Fort Worth
• 245 miles north/northwest of Houston
• 300 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico, near the headwaters of the Trinity River.

Topography

• Area: 384 square miles
• Elevation: 450-750 feet (137.2 – 228.6m)

Weather

Looking for blue skies and city lights? See what to expect while you’re here. Check out the forecast and more.

Helpful Information

Good things to know when you’re away from home. Phone numbers, local customs and more.