Explore Delightful and Diverse Dallas – Our SC22 Host City
If you haven’t been to Dallas in a while, the host city for SC22 has really grown and evolved – and continues to live up to its nickname, “Big D.”
There are numerous reasons why Dallas is ranked among the top five cities in the nation for meetings and conventions. Restaurants and boutiques, lively entertainment, world-renowned art – Dallas has it all. This friendly, diverse city is sure to be an exciting destination for SC22 attendees to explore after each day’s exhibits, workshops and networking events at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
The most dramatic addition to the downtown landscape is the AT&T Discovery District, where technology, culture, and entertainment combine to create a unique experience. It’s rapidly become the city’s cultural hub, featuring trendy retail shops, restaurants and bars, art installations and even an outdoor concert venue featuring entertainment almost every night.
In addition, the AT&T Discovery District is a technophile’s dream come true. The 6.5-acre area features free ultra-fast 5G and WiFi (so you can plug back into SC22 at any time).
Even cooler is a nightly multimedia light show called Digital Double, which is projected from a 104-foot-tall, 9,000-square-foot, 6K outdoor media wall. Its colorful, high-definition displays are intended to interpret communication in the natural world.
Nearby is The Globe, a 30-foot-tall, 3D representation of AT&T’s iconic logo that is decorated with 30,000 LEDs. Visitors can walk inside the installation to experience various arrangements of light and sound that fuse art and technology.
As noted on the AT&T Discovery District website, the district’s “ultimate goal is to bring delight, cultivate imagination, and spark discoveries that foster communication and reinforce the links between all of us.” Sounds just like what we’re trying to do at SC22!
Dallas: Diverse and Dynamic
The AT&T Discovery District is one of many stops on a downtown Dallas electronic bike tour. This two-hour scenic ride has you pedaling to and from numerous fascinating sites, such as the JFK Memorial, Dealey Plaza, Winspear Opera House and Klyde Warren Park. You’ll also be able to glide through the Dallas Arts District, Deep Ellum and other neighborhoods while your guide shares tidbits about Dallas’ history and heritage.
Fortunately, Dallas is also blessed with an extraordinary mass transit system: Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). With a light rail station right at the convention center, and a free D-Link shuttle bus to area shopping and entertainment, you’ll be able to easily explore a bit farther away from downtown if you’d like.
The options for dining, art, entertainment and more are endless in Dallas – a primary reason the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex led the U.S. in metropolitan population growth from 2020–2021. Here are just a few of the many neighborhoods and attractions to consider adding to your “Big D” experience.
Dallas Arts District
Encompassing twenty square blocks of downtown, the Dallas Arts District is designated as a creative hub, featuring award-winning museums and performing arts venues including the Crow Collection of Asian Art, which is dedicated solely to the arts and cultures of Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia; the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, which is home to the Dallas Opera and Texas Ballet Theater; and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science.
Nifty Neighborhoods
Dallas has a number of interesting – and easily walkable – neighborhoods that showcase the diverse nature of the city and its residents. For instance, the Design District features antique shops, upscale art galleries and high-end interior design showrooms just two miles northwest of downtown. Also, Deep Elum – a former warehouse district – has been transformed into a nightlife hotspot with live music, cool bars and casual eateries.
Delectable Dining
In a diverse city with 7.2 million residents, the food choices are endless. D Magazine recently ranked the Top 50 Restaurants in Dallas, a cornucopia of eateries featuring Tex-Mex favorites and taco joints, as well as elegant restaurants offering the finest in Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern and other enticing cuisines. One of the swankiest new openings downtown is Brasserie Toussaint, a modern French brasserie that blends French classics with Vietnamese and New Orleans flavors.
Oak Lawn
Dallas has a reputation for being welcoming to the LGBQ community. Just two miles from downtown, Oak Lawn has been voted the top “gayborhood” in the U.S. and is the heart of LGBTQ culture in Dallas, with gay bars, nightclubs and popular restaurants.
Catch a Game
Home to several professional sports franchises, Dallas offers SC22 attendees opportunities to see a home game of pro teams who will be in season during November: Dallas Cowboys (NFL football), Dallas Mavericks (NBA basketball) and Dallas Stars (NHL hockey). Check their websites for schedules and tickets closer to the event, or peruse the sports schedules for the city’s 16 colleges and universities.
Safe and Clean
Dallas also has a well-earned reputation for safety and cleanliness. These values are upheld by the Downtown Security and Clean Team, with community participation via the See Say Now smartphone app. It allows individuals to instantly and anonymously report safety or cleanliness concerns.
See You in Dallas!
For more information about what makes Dallas such a vibrant and popular city, go to the Visit Dallas website or visit our SC22 page about the convention center and other Dallas highlights.
