Dallas

The third-largest city in Texas, Dallas is a major transit and trade hub in the northeast region of the state. Speckled with a bevy of colorful neighborhoods with distinct personalities, a skyline dominated by modernist and postmodernist landmarks and a dynamic arts scene that is firmly rooted in profound icons like the Dallas Museum of Art, this city epitomizes an incredible balance between austerity and friendliness. Dallas' origin goes back to the time when French and Spanish colonists squabbled over property rights to the land. While the Spanish ended up controlling the territory, little development or settlement occurred until 1841, when John Neely Bryan established the first permanent structures on the land. Despite memorable historic accounts that detail its groundbreaking origin, Dallas is most infamously remembered for being the site of John F. Kennedy's assassination, an event that significantly altered America's course. This heartbreaking past is revisited at the Dealey Plaza Museum, the site of Kennedy's assassination. Dallas' urbane sprawl also strongly favors a robust cultural scene, housed within modern structures like the AT&T Performing Arts Center, the Dallas Convention Center, and an array of vibrant festivals that span arts, films, food and music.