It’s fall, y’all!
‘Tis the season of scary movies, costume parties, and everything pumpkin we can get our hands on. While here in Texas the weather is a bit indifferent, there’s still plenty of ways to enjoy the autumn in Dallas. Read on to discover 30 terrific things to do in Dallas this October! [Featured image: @zanexdaniel]
1-5. Experience an Amazing Candlelight Concert
Start your fall in Dallas magically with at Fever Originals wildly popular Candlelight series in the form of intimate concerts lit by candlelight at breathtaking venues. Highlights in October include:
- A Tribute to Queen
- Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
- Songs from Magical Movie Soundtracks
- A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classical Compositions
- Favorite Anime Themes
6. Tantalize your Tastebuds at this Dining in the Dark Experience
Ever wondered what it is like to eat in the dark? Eminent psychologists have been advocating dining in the dark as the ultimate taste experience for many years. Studies show that 80 percent of people eat with their eyes; with that sense eliminated, the theory is that the other senses—namely taste and smell—take over to elevate your meal to a whole new level. After donning your blindfold in the darkened, candlelit room, you’ll soon realize that focusing on taste and smell alone can be a truly enlightening experience—provided you’re not afraid of the dark!
7. Immerse Yourself in this Blockbuster Van Gogh Exhibition
Have you ever dreamt of stepping into a painting? Take an awe-inspiring journey into the incomparable universe of Van Gogh, one of the greatest artistic geniuses of the 19th century. Explore his life, his work, and his secrets as never before through cutting-edge 360 degree digital projections, a one-of-a-kind VR experience, and a uniquely atmospheric light and sound show. This impactful experience has already thrilled visitors in Naples, Italy, Brussels, Belgium, and the UK. Become completely immersed in the works of art around you, and feel the shift in reality as you dive deep into the world created by Van Gogh’s brush strokes.
7. Pop Bottles at this White Hot Day Party
Te Deseo is hosting a White Hot day party in Dallas this fall! Come and spice up your Sunday stylish all white attire and get ready for champagne bottle popping, endless tequila shots, high-energy DJs, dancing, and even a special brunch-inspired menu by Te Deseo. Get a group of friends together and get your tickets now.
8. Spirit Away at the Dallas Pub Crawl and Ghost Tour
Combine the mystery of a haunted tour with the fun of a pub crawl in a great night out! A guide will lead you on a 2.5-hour walking tour through the historic district of downtown Dallas. Stop at four bars along the way, each housed in historic buildings with their own unique ghosts and stories. You’ll have time to enjoy a delicious libation as the guide tells you all about the fascinating history of Dallas and some of its most famous and creepy haunted stories. Ghost tour and pub crawl: it’s the best of both worlds!
9. Shake Those Chakras at Silent Disco Yoga
Start your Sunday moving, with open air, playful flow, and music to move body and soul – all on the rooftop of The Ace Hotel in West Loop. The yoga teachers and DJs will share an experience to inspire and energize your day, with music and instruction played through “Sound Off” wireless headphones. After class, enjoy complimentary refreshments while cooling down with friends. Both beginners and experienced yogis are welcome! Yoga is BYOM (bring your own yoga mat). Get your tickets today!
10. Make Your Own Sushi
In this hands-on and interactive cooking class, you will be guided by a highly experienced Chef and learn how to make sushi rolls from scratch. You will cover the basics of cooking and preparing the perfect sushi rice, practice knife skills to prepare the ingredients and make special dipping sauce. And of course, the most fun part – laying the seaweed papers and all ingredients onto the bamboo mat and rolling! Once the rolls are cut and plated, you will enjoy them with the accompanying sauce.
11. Treat Yourself to Wagyu and Whiskey
Good drinks, a fine Wagyu steak—all that’s missing is you! Prepare to expand your drink knowledge with other whiskey enthusiasts while getting a first-hand education in hot stone grilling as you learn the art of cooking your own Wagyu steak to your liking. No need to worry if the chef will cook it to perfection, because the chef is you! A variety of whiskeys will also be on hand for each individual to sample. But it’s not just about the whiskey, or the steak: this is an event will help you in making connections that will live beyond that last taste of fine food and drink.
12. Sashay Away to a Drag Show Extravaganza
Texas’ most entertaining and well-known drag show is seen on Saturday nights in downtown Fort Worth. Head on over to Red Goose Saloon and witness great costume, great music, and great performances coming together in one of the most highly-rated drag shows in the US. Join host Patrick Mikyles and unleash your inner diva at this extravaganza you just will not want to miss!
13. Swirl and Sip at this Sommelier-led Paired Wine Tasting
Join Wine Shark for stunning views of downtown Dallas combined with an interactive, entertaining and educational wine tasting! The event is lead by a Certified Sommelier with over 10 years of experience and you’ll learn how to taste wine, pair wine and food, and learn about the transition from summer to harvest seasonal wines.
14. Crawl Before You Ball at the 2021 Dallas Halloween Bar Crawl
Are you ready to paint Halloweentown red? Calling all costume wearers, pop culture icons and doppelgangers, take your crew on a spooky adventure all through Dallas and make it a night to remember. From dance parties, DJs, live bands to costume contests, there is something for everyone on this escapade that will leave you wanting more. Get together a group of your friends and grab your tickets today.
15. Throw a Rager on a Bicycle in Deep Ellum
Ever seen these rowdy party bikes rolling through your neighborhood? Here’s your opportunity to hop on. This party bike tour takes you through historic Deep Ellum while stopping at all the best bars! You’ll get exclusive drink specials at all the bars, as well as plenty of drinks on board this bar-on-wheels. The bike holds up to 15 people, with a minimum of six passengers required to book.
16. Try your Hand at Making Gnocchi
Learn how to make the Italian classic – gnocchi. In this fun and interactive cooking class, you will learn all the tips and tricks of how to make a classic potato dough from scratch. You will be guided by a chef instructor who will give you some background knowledge on gnocchi and the origin of this classic Italian dish. Why not try something new? No previous experience is required, so this is the perfect chance to test your cooking skills! Finish off your dish with a lovely glass of vino or drink of your choice.
17. Brunch on Bottomless Seafood
Looking for a great Sunday brunch? Might as well make it bottomless! Make room in your weekend and join us for a brunch buffet you won’t want to miss. Enjoy unlimited sushi and seafood alongside a selection of tasty dishes, with everything from breakfast favorites to locally-sourced vegetarian options. You’ll also be able to take part in a DIY crafting workshop, and do some shopping with several local vendors. All in all, it’s a great way to spend your Sunday!
18. Wag your Tails at Puptopia Festival
Furry friends and doting owners, the Puptopia festival is finally here! Whether it’s enjoying a ball pit-jumping show at the main stage, hanging out together for a drink at the K9 Lounge or getting a family photo next to the giant tennis ball at the Pawground, there’s something for everyone. Spend some quality time with your best friend at a guided group doggy massage session or even treat your pup to a high-end peticure at the Spaw. A one-of-a-kind experience that’ll be sure to get all the tails wagging!
19. Go on a Mystery Picnic Date
For those seeking a romantic picnic experience, the Mystery Picnic Date is just the ticket. You’ll start with a picnic basket and solve clues and riddles on your smartphone to pick up all your gourmet picnic food (including cheese, meats, fruit, and crackers) around the neighborhood, leading you to your picturesque picnic spot. In addition, games and conversation starters will be provided. Three tiers of tickets are available: The standard picnic as described above, the above picnic with an included bottle of wine, and a premium picnic that also includes an extra specialty snack, a hot drink to enjoy while solving the puzzle, and a bonus stop!
20. Indulge on Japanese Whisky and Sushi
Plan ahead and save the date for this unique sushi and Japanese whiskey tasting experience at The Whiskey Spot. Tickets are selling fast for this all-you-can-taste experience. You’ll sample some delicious sushi that perfectly compliments each whisky, learn about the principles of pairing, and get schooled on whisky mixology.
21-23. Sneak Into a Speakeasy
There’s something special about speakeasies. The secretive, vicarious forbidden feel of transporting back to the prohibition make imbibing cocktails all the more tantalizing.
- Hope you’ve been reading this quarantine, because you’re going to need your book smarts to get into the Rare Books Bar. In order to gain entry into this Frisco speakeasy, visitors must dial the librarian and ask for a classic piece of literature.
- The only sign post at this bar takes the form of two ambiguous As on a door in a crusty alleyway behind Henry’s Majestic. For those that can get past the initial sketch factor, however, a warm-lit cove of tantalizing libations await
24-25. Sweetin’ Up at Dallas’ Best Bakeries
Treating yourself in the pandemic has become something of a lifestyle rather than a once-in-a-blue-moon event. If you need a sweet pick-me-up, or want to share the love, these Dallas bakeries have got all the goods.
- Withdraw for the Sprinkles Cupcakes’ ATM – Sprinkles is a small-batch bakery that whips up everything from decadent cupcakes to delicious ice cream.
26. Swing By this Eclectic Art Fair
Back for its second Dallas edition, The Other Art Fair is not to be missed! Showcasing 130 independent and emerging artists, each handpicked by a committee of art world experts, the large venue is perfect for you to comfortably experience all that The Other Art Fair has to offer. Browse thousands of original artworks across various mediums, experience unique art installations, murals, all while enjoying some refreshing cocktails. Plus, live drawings, DJ sets and some of the most delicious food! Find art you love to add to (or start!) your collection.
27. Enjoy a Drink on the Patio
Enjoy the cool, crisp temperatures while you can, Dallas. Get out and about this fall at the city’s many great patios! Be it a sprawling, boot-stomping backyard or a rooftop vista with a view, there is a swell of wonderful outdoor venues to savor the season.
28. Experience Open-Air Cinema
Rooftop Cinema Club, a “social cinema” organization, is bringing more al fresco movie moments to Dallas this fall. Centered in the historic, Old City Park, Dallas Heritage Village is an open air museum, filled with antique furnishings from the 1840-1910 period, to serve as the backdrop for their spooky movie series.
29-30. Sing (and Drink) From the Rooftops
Nothing quite says “living the highlife” like clinking glasses on a city rooftop. Touch the sky this season with a brunch, evening, or nightcap on the most jaw-dropping rooftops in Dallas.
- New York-based RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, has opened its first Texas outpost with a luxurious three-story establishment complete with a glass-encased rooftop restaurant.
31. Create A DIY Masterpiece At This Boozy Workshop
If the pandemic taught us anything it’s that free time isn’t the only requisite for completing all those home fix-up projects we pinned on our Pinterest accounts. If you need a little extra moral support – and some creative juices – swing down to Upstairs Circus for a little bit of both!
32. Satisfy Your Sugar Cravings At This Sweet Cocktail Bar
If you like your drinks as cute and sweet as you are, the Sweet Tooth Hotel is your boozy new sanctuary. Yesterday, the offbeat art venue and bar launched their new Stay Sweet Candy Bar, with a cocktail program influenced by the likes of Starburst, gummy bears, and all your favorite candies.
33-35. Take Your Sweetheart To The Most Romantic Restaurants In Town
If you’re looking for somewhere sultry to dine out or have a drink this season, these local establishments will set the mood.
- The hidden speakeasy behind a dumpster – much less sketch than you think.
- A darkly romantic Tulum-inspired coctelería – Deep Ellum oasis with mezcal-mixed libations and serious mood.
36. Visit Llama Castle
Tucked in the North Texas countryside is the charming town of Royse City. There dwells a castle. It is no ordinary castle, mind you. In this Irish replica castle abides a fellowship of frolicking llamas, who await travelers and enthusiasts alike, to take them on hikes and learn of their llama ways.
37. Beat The High Score At This Retro Arcade
We weren’t around in the 80s, but that doesn’t stop us from being nostalgic for new wave-style synth pop, campy horror movies, fluorescent jackets, and an underground bustling arcade culture. If you want to wreck it like Ralph, grab your Walkman and head down to the National Video Game Museum in Frisco, home to their “Pixel Dreams” retro arcade.
38. Glamp In The Stars
New resident Texan, Elon Musk, promises that humans will land on Mars by 2026. If you can’t wait that long, you can spend a few nights at Basecamp Terlingua, an other-worldly glamping experience that integrates the future with the past, giving its visitors the impression of luxury camping in the cosmos.
39. Eat The Best Tacos In Town
40. Visit the Spa Castle
Spa Castle in Carrollton is like the amusement park version of a spa, only instead of rides they have Himalayan salt rooms and hydrotherapy pools. The innovative spa blends together traditional Asian and European styles to create a fun and luxury experience all on its own.
41. Do Yoga with Adorable Baby Goats
Like meditation, yoga is a practice of centeredness and concentration. It’s a discipline of balance in the face of stress and adversity — that which may be difficult to do when resisting the urge to snuggle one of the herd of baby goats bouncing around.
42. Smash the Champagne Button and Ferris Wheel Cupcakes
Stylish, glitzy, and vividly pink, the XOXO Dining Room in Dallas offers one of the most dazzling and photo-ready dining experiences in town. Whether its the cupcakes served in Ferris Wheels, striking pop-art, twinkling chandeliers, or bright XOXO wall, the dining room and lounge is Dallas’s go-to place to smash that champagne button – seriously, XOXO has champagne buttons.
43. Dine Royally
Savor the high life this fall at Monarch Restaurant. Perched on the 49th floor of The National, Monarch is designed with floor-to-ceiling windows, giving restaurant-goers the chance to dine on their wood-fired Italian dishes with an epic view of the city.
44. Get Spooky at this Texas Monster Mansion
Ghouls, goblins, and other unearthly creatures are invited to hang their head – er, hat – at Waxahachie’s Munster Mansion, a colossal replica of the house featured in ’60s cult-classic sitcom, The Munsters.
45. Stroll Through Graffiti Alley
When strolling through Cowtown, if you’re going to make any detours, be sure to wander into its beautiful, larger-than-life Inspiration Alley – a gallery painted with wall-size murals that will make your jaw drop and eyes pop!
46. Capture the Moment in Dallas’ Most Photogenic Places
Dallas is full of flourishing neighborhoods, fantastic city views, and gorgeous natural settings. If it’s been a while since you and bae shot a cute pic together, these Dallas sites will offer a backdrop as precious as the subject: you.
47. Pick Your Poison at this Spooky Virtual Mixology Class
It’s Spooky Season, and you are invited to join in for an evening of magic and mixology from the comfort of your home. Throughout the class, you’ll explore three mystical cocktail making techniques featuring smoke, fire, and transmutation. There will also be other tricks in store: live magic, musical guests, and other spooky surprises! Each kit features all the cocktail ingredients to concoct three potent potations shipped straight to your door. What are you waiting for?
48. Quote The Raven at Radiotheatre’s Edgar Allen Poe Festival
There’s one guest who’s still welcome in our homes: Edgar Allan Poe! To coincide with its Annual Edgar Allan Poe Festival, Radiotheatre is releasing two volumes of stories, each with 10 of Poe’s best tales of terror from past festivals (with original orchestral scores + award-winning sound FX) told live before audiences. These are not merely old-time radio re-creations nor readings of classic stories, but, unique, theatrical adaptations performed before audiences with great professional casts, original orchestral scores and a plethora of award-winning sound FX… just bring your imaginations! If you love Poe and classic tales of terror, won’t you help to keep Radiotheatre alive through these hard times? We promise you won’t be sorry…
49. Venture to this Virtual Palm and Tarot Reading
What does your future hold? Jacob Mayfield has created an experience that is both approachable and mystical. Using Skype, you can schedule an individualized reading that is not only entertaining and insightful, but is shockingly accurate!
50. Play Adult Bingo! at This Online Streaming Party
Is Bingo your kind of game? Here is your opportunity to have some fun with a live, online version. You’ll get to socialize and make new friends from the safety and comfort of your home. Play DJ Rockstar Aaron’s original Forbidden Bingo Online Party from anywhere. Win naughty prizes while playing a bingo with twist.