What are the best outdoor dates in Dallas?

These are the parks, beaches, trails, and lookouts our editors return to — pick by the weather and the time of day noted on each spot.

How many outdoor date spots does this guide cover in Dallas?

5 — hand-verified by editors and drawn from our full A-to-Z guide to Dallas. Each one has a real address, the best time to go, and an editor's note.

Outdoor Date Ideas in Dallas — 5 Hand-Picked Spots

Downtown Dallas skyline at night from above

Cliff House at Belmont

Oak Cliff

$$
Sunset
View

The 1946 motor court on the Oak Cliff bluff with the city's best skyline-sunset terrace. Smoke restaurant on site for pasture-to-plate dinner.

Tip The Belmont Hotel sits on the Oak Cliff bluff west of the river — and its terrace has the single best Dallas-skyline-at-sunset view in the city. Originally a 1946 motor court, restored as a boutique hotel; Smoke restaurant on the property does fire-cooked Texan dinner. Get there 45 min before sunset, order a margarita at the patio bar, watch downtown light up across the Trinity. Smoke is 'pasture to plate' and books up — reserve on OpenTable. Combine with Bishop Arts (10 min south) for the full Oak Cliff sunset evening.

Full entry →Map ↗

Spring picnic basket with flowers on a wooden table

Eatzi's + Reverchon Park

Oak Lawn

$
Afternoon
Nature

Build a picnic at Phil Romano's 1996 gourmet market, walk it to Reverchon Park's 46 oak-shaded acres on Turtle Creek.

Tip Eatzi's is the original Dallas market-meal — Phil Romano (who founded Macaroni Grill and Fuddruckers) opened it in 1996 as a 'gourmet on the go' concept. Walk in: rotisserie chickens spinning, a 30-ft bread wall, a cheese counter, ready prepped salads and steaks. Build a two-person picnic for ~$35 total. Then walk 4 minutes east to Reverchon Park — 46 leafy acres along Turtle Creek with the only public swimming pool in central Dallas, oak shade, a bandshell, and benches. Skip the obvious sushi date; eat outside.

Full entry →Map ↗

Klyde Warren Park

Downtown (Arts District)

Free
Daytime
Nature

A 5.2-acre park built on top of a freeway. Food trucks along the eastern edge, the DMA and Nasher across the street.

Tip A 5.2-acre park built ON TOP of Woodall Rodgers Freeway in 2012 — the freeway runs underneath, you don't hear it. Food trucks lined along the eastern edge (rotating; Easy Slider for burgers, Ruthie's grilled cheese, Cool Haus ice cream). Free yoga Saturdays 11 AM. Outdoor concerts at the central pavilion most summer weekends. Connects directly to the Dallas Museum of Art (M) and the Nasher Sculpture Center (N) — you can do all three on foot in one afternoon. The Frisco Pavilion has the best free wifi in downtown.

Full entry →Map ↗Book ↗

Reunion Tower

Downtown

$$
Sunset
View

The 1978 disco-ball tower. GeO-Deck glass observation at sunset, Wolfgang Puck's revolving restaurant on top doing one rotation per hour.

Tip The 561-ft 1978 disco-ball tower — the most-iconic Dallas image after Big Tex. GeO-Deck on the 470-ft level: 360° glass observation. Five Sixty (the revolving restaurant by Wolfgang Puck at the top) does one full rotation per hour and serves modern Asian — book sunset, request a window. The whole tower lights up at night in seasonal patterns (rainbow during Pride, white at Christmas, red/white/blue on July 4). Walk to the Old Red Courthouse and the JFK Memorial right next door — the Sixth Floor Museum at the Texas School Book Depository is 4 blocks north (book ahead, $24).

Full entry →Map ↗Book ↗

White Rock Lake

East Dallas

Free
Daytime
Nature

A 1,015-acre lake in the middle of Dallas. Bike the 9.3-mile loop, kayak from the east shore, end at Lakewood Brewing.

Tip A 1,015-acre reservoir in the middle of Dallas with a 9.3-mile shoreline trail — the biggest free-outdoor space in the city. Bike or run the full loop (mostly flat, paved). Kayak/SUP rentals at White Rock Paddle Co. ($20/hr) on the east shore. Big Thicket on the west side is a wild marsh — herons, beavers, the rare green-tree frog. Arboretum (8525 Garland Rd) is adjacent ($17, the cherry blossoms in March and the pumpkin village in October are the seasonal hits). End at Lakewood Brewing taproom 10 min west for a beer.

Full entry →Map ↗

More Dallas date ideas

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See the full A–Z guide to Dallas — all 26 dates →

Dallas outdoor date spots — FAQ

What are the best outdoor dates in Dallas?: These are the parks, beaches, trails, and lookouts our editors return to — pick by the weather and the time of day noted on each spot.
How many outdoor date spots does this guide cover in Dallas?: 5 — hand-verified by editors and drawn from our full A-to-Z guide to Dallas. Each one has a real address, the best time to go, and an editor's note.