Texas · United States

Dallas Sports Travel Guide

The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex holds one of the densest concentrations of professional sport in America, but almost none of it is in Dallas proper. The football stadium and the baseball park are both in Arlington, roughly halfway to Fort Worth, and the basketball and hockey arena is downtown. Picking the wrong base here costs an hour a day in the car.

Major teams

Clubs we cover in Dallas, each with its own matchday guide.

Major venues

Venues with a full guide link through to transit, hotel areas, and practical tips.

Major events in Dallas

Events we track that bring visiting fans to this city.

Getting around

Airports

DFW International is the main gateway and sits between Dallas and Fort Worth, close to Arlington. Dallas Love Field (DAL) is smaller, closer to downtown Dallas, and easier to move through for domestic routes.

Local transit

DART light rail covers Dallas itself and reaches downtown venues, and Trinity Railway Express links Dallas and Fort Worth with a station in Arlington. The stadium district in Arlington has no direct rail, so the last leg is a shuttle, rideshare, or drive. A car is close to essential if your trip spans all three cities.

Where to stay, eat and drink

Best areas to stay

  • Arlington entertainment district (walkable to the stadium, little else nearby)
  • Downtown Fort Worth (best evening out in the metroplex, 25 minutes from Arlington)
  • Downtown Dallas and Uptown (best food and nightlife, 30 to 40 minutes from Arlington)
  • Grapevine and the DFW airport corridor (convenient for flights, functional otherwise)

Nightlife areas

  • Deep Ellum
  • Uptown Dallas
  • Bishop Arts District
  • Fort Worth Sundance Square
  • Fort Worth Stockyards

Sports bar neighbourhoods

  • Texas Live! in Arlington
  • Victory Park in Dallas
  • Deep Ellum
  • Sundance Square

A sports weekend in Dallas

A worked example, not a fixed schedule. Adapt it to whatever is actually on.

  1. 1

    Friday

    Decide first which venue you are actually going to. Arlington for football and baseball, downtown Dallas for basketball and hockey. Fort Worth is the best base if you want an evening out either way.

  2. 2

    Saturday

    Buy stadium parking in advance by lot and check whether both Arlington venues have events the same day. Texas Live! next to the stadium handles the pre-game crowd.

  3. 3

    Sunday

    Deep Ellum or the Bishop Arts District in Dallas, or the Fort Worth Stockyards. DFW sits between the two cities, so the drive out depends on where you finished.

Practical travel tips

Planning Dallas

  • The football stadium and the baseball park are in Arlington, not Dallas. Book your base around the venue you are actually attending.
  • Check whether both Arlington venues have events the same day. Two at once makes district traffic considerably worse.
  • Buy stadium parking in advance by lot. The closer lots sell out and day-of pricing is worse.
  • Summer heat in Texas is severe. Indoor and covered venues are fine, but the walk between parking and gates is not.

Watch parties

Where fans watch in Dallas

Bars and venues listed by city, reviewed before publishing.

Browse watch parties

Related team guides

Plan a trip around a specific club

Related venue guides

Transit, hotels, and what is walkable at each venue

Related events

What brings visiting fans to this city

Related competitions

How the leagues and championships behind this actually work

Where to go next

Last updated August 17, 2026

Sources and verification

Transit networks, airport connections, and venue arrangements change. Confirm schedules, transit, and entry requirements with official sources before travelling.

FanForged is an independent sports travel and fan guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any event organiser, league, federation, team, venue, or rights holder. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Venue and neighbourhood recommendations are editorial and unpaid unless explicitly marked.