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Big Savings in the Big D
The Travel Tightwad · July 19, 2002

Going to the Big D? Log on to the Internet before leaving for Dallas. A visit to the Web can save you lots of money.

Hard to believe, considering that the ninth-largest city in the United States isn't exactly known as a tourist destination. But the discounts are there - not as abundant as they are elsewhere, nor as easy to find. But they're there.

I know how to stay in Dallas on the cheap. I spent two very memorable summers working there, first as a graphic artist, then as a newspaper intern. This was long before the days of the commercial Internet. As I review the options available to me online now, I can't help but wonder how much money I would have saved if I'd waited a few years for the Internet to come of age.

Playing 'Darts' - One of the best Dallas deals online is its new mass transit system. Dart, which is short for Dallas Area Rapid Transit will get you around town for next to nothing. Need to get from the D/FW Airport to downtown? That'll be $2. According to Dallas Morning News travel columnist Larry Bleiberg, the train is about to get even better. A new rail station is planned to open in the terminal by 2010, and the train is also set to begin serving Dallas Love Field within the next six years. You can buy rail passes on the Dart Web site or view a route map.

Speaking of Love Field - I can't pass up an opportunity to mention what is possibly the least expensive way to get to Dallas in the first place, which is on Southwest Airlines via the infinitely more convenient Love Field. You won't find Southwest's low fares on big sites like Orbitz, but don't fret. Booking on the Southwest Web site is easy. And if you have a follow-up question, you can get fast answers at its toll-free number at (800) 435-9792.

Hotels on the cheap - I keep promising that I'll ease up on mentioning "official" Web sites, but the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau site offers a wealth of information about the city and links to excellent hotel deals. Sample rates: $69 a night at the Radisson Hotel & Suites and $65 a night at the Holiday Inn Select Dallas Central. That can really reduce your lodging costs. Who says official sites aren't worth the server space they're hosted on?

Free attractions - Museums may not be the first things that come to mind when you think of Dallas. But in the middle of summer, when the mercury is pushing past the century mark, there's no better place to be than inside one of the city's many museums. I like to look to a URL like MuseumSpot for a listing of good exhibits. The Sixth Floor Museum is one my favorites, and it's close to some of the best restaurants in town. If you're looking for more of a nightlife (yes, Dallas has things to do after hours) check out the Dallas Observer which links to events around town that the mainstream press often ignores. Example: a review of the Edith Baker Gallery exhibit "Touchy Feely," which "actually encourages, demands even, that you touch the art on display."

Tickets to the game - Of all the ticket Web sites out there, the one I find the easiest to use and most informative is Citysearch's Dallas page. I'm not convinced that it's the least expensive place to buy an event ticket, but it is possibly the easiest Web page. If you're planning to visit the city in late summer, you'll want to click here to find a ticket to a Dallas Cowboys game or, if you prefer high culture, to a performance at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. Either way, Citysearch makes it simple and offers a comprehensive listing of events. So you never have to complain that there's nothing to do.

Christopher Elliott is a travel commentator based in Key Largo, Fla. All e-mailed questions may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion.