Dallas Texas is rapidly becoming a center for entertainment in the south western United States. There are lots of venues and activities to choose from, and they are scattered throughout the Dallas Fort Worth area. Even the suburbs are developing their own outlets and performance groups, as well as museums, zoos, and other types of displays.

If you enjoy animals, don’t miss the Dallas Zoo or the Dallas World Aquarium. These displays feature some of the best in the area in wildlife exhibits. There are plenty of educational exhibits, as well as opportunities to participate in charity activities to benefit the zoo. You can also rent the area for your own event. What a birthday party!

The World Aquarium is part of the Dallas Zoo complex, and has been open since 1936. It still resides in its original building, art deco style, and has a large collection of marine and aquatic life. You can see alligators, fish, turtles, and much more. And if you’re there at the right time, you can feed the fish!

For the museum lover, there is also plenty to see. The Dallas Museum of Art always has an event going on that is popular with both locals and out-of-towners, and also offers concerts featuring world music, jazz, and many other types of entertainment. The Women’s Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian, offers exhibits on the varied stories of America’s women and celebrates the progress they have made over the centuries.

There are also lots of gardens in Dallas to visit. Two of the most popular: are the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden, and Texas Discovery Gardens. The Arboretum offers long garden walks as well as a concert series in the summertime. Texas Discovery Gardens is one of the most popular botanical gardens in the state, and boasts a beautiful and highly-populated butterfly house.

Looking for some performing arts? Then Dallas is the place. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is a well-established entity in Dallas, having been formed in 1900 under the musical direction of Hans Kreissig. It has blossomed over the years and has included many famous conductors over the years.

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra's beginnings can be traced to May 22, 1900, when a 40-member ensemble performed under the direction of German-born conductor Hans Kreissig. Kreissig led the Orchestra for five seasons and helped to finance the organization.

No arts tour of Dallas is complete without the Arts District, a 19-block area that will be completed in 2009. It currently is home to twelve non profit arts organizations, and will house many more by the time it’s done. It is reported on their website that “the District will house more buildings designed by Pritzker Prize winning architects than any other location in the world.”

However, maybe you just feel like shopping. Dallas has many beautiful shopping centers: Dallas Market Center, the Galleria, and West Village are only three. The Galleria Dallas not only has a large selection of fine stores, but also has its very own ice surface.