I’ve lived in Dallas for a full year now, and I’ve hosted my parents, my brother, and several friends for weekends in the Big D. I’m going to tell you how I’d spend my ideal weekend in Dallas so that you can plan your trip to Dallas like a local!
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Dallas gets around 100 days that reach 100 degrees per year, so it’s likely that your weekend in Dallas will be perfect for spending time outdoors and on patios.
My brother and I at the Truckyard – an outdoor bar & food truck round-up in Dallas
For young people, Dallas culture is pools, brunch, and White Claw. Dallas is NOT cowboys (except for Dem Boys), horses, and accents. In fact, it’s the 7th largest metro area in the US and behaves as any other city would.
So, let’s say you’re my guest. Here’s how we’d spend a weekend in Dallas together:
Friday:
Welcome to the Big D. If you’re my guest, I’ll get you from the airport. However, the train straight to downtown only takes 40 minutes and costs $2. At 5 pm on a Friday, you’re better off taking the train because traffic is outrageous here. What is a 20-minute car ride on Sunday is 45 minutes or more on a Friday during rush hour.
6PM, Friday:
I’m going to take you to Deep Ellum to fill our bellies with the best tacos in Texas. Ruins has over 200 types of Mezcal and 200 types of Tequila behind the bar, so margaritas are a requirement. The pobre guey taco is the best bean and cheese taco you’ll ever eat. Depending on our appetites, they have a dessert waffle made of churro dough and top it off with cotija ice cream – I’ve made the trek over there several times just for the dessert!
We’ll go home, relax, and get ready to go out.
10PM, Friday:
We’ll head over to British Beverage Co (BBC) in uptown for live cover band music and dancing until the bars close.
Some people will choose to go back to Deep Ellum because it’s only a $7 uber ride and there’s a dueling piano bar, a salsa bar, and others that are a blast, but this is MY ideal weekend in Dallas, so we’re going to dance our faces off at BBC.
2AM, Saturday:
Home.
The Dallas Farmer’s Market is a neighborhood featured around a 7-day indoor market. The outdoor portion with fresh fares is open on weekends.
Saturday:
Get a Morning Blast juice or coffee from Brewed & Pressed, and walk around downtown. Our downtown area is dead on the weekends, so you can scoot or walk to the giant eyeball, see the museums, and enjoy Klyde Warren Park before brunch.
12PM, Saturday:
Dallas culture is brunch, so try to make a reservation a few days before. In my world, we’ll walk to brunch at the Common Table. Get the mimosa pitchers, it’s a better deal than most. Note: Dallas does not to ‘bottomless’ mimosas.
Other popular spots are BreadWinners in Uptown, STIRR in Deep Ellum, and Oddfellows in Bishop Arts District. If you go to Oddfellows, get the apple cider mimosa.
2PM, Saturday:
Nice n toasty, we’ll post up at my apartment’s pool for a few hours. Don’t forget the white claw!
If you don’t drink or it isn’t pool season:
If you don’t have a pool or people to hang out with, there are plenty of other ways to spend a Saturday in Dallas. Pecan Lodge is a famous barbeque joint that opens at 11. I recommend getting in line no later than 10:30 AM.
Dad found the giant eyeball installation in downtown Dallas!
If you’ll be outdoors, consider shopping your way through the local spots in Bishop Arts. Deep Ellum is fun to walk around and shop in. To truly be like a local, go for a walk, rollerblade, or bike ride on the Katy Trail.
There are plenty of professional sports and live music in Dallas as well. I use the Gametime app to see what music and sports venues have going on.
5PM, Saturday:
Time to relax and have dinner. I recommend ordering in i Fratelli Pizza or if you feel like going out to a nice dinner, check out Sixty Vines. If you’re coming off a pool day, walk to Katy Trail Icehouse for dinner and a summer beer.
If you’re going out, I recommend checking out Kung Fu in Uptown or heading out in Deep Ellum.
Sunday:
Again, weekend mornings in Dallas are so perfect to enjoy walking around and checking out the neighborhoods, the Katy Trail bike path or our myriad parks and museums. While brunch is still big on Sundays, if you have to fly or drive home, you should check out the Pecan Lodge instead of boozy brunch. The doors open at 11 but definitely get in line by 10:30.
Dallas has plenty of outdoor spaces to enjoy before your flight. The Arboretum is beautiful and often has events on Sundays.
I braved my fear of cows and took the photo op to ride a Texas Longhorn at the Forth Worth Stockyards!
If you’re looking for a relaxed lunch in the city, go to Katy Trail Icehouse or the Truckyard. Get there before 12 or 1, because there will be a line out the door most Sunday afternoons. It’s not uncommon to see people with their carry-ons, making one last stop before heading to the airport. An uber from here to the airport will cost about $25.
So there you have it.
A weekend in Dallas is a weekend of summer beers, pools, and just enough history to let you feel like you’ve done something productive.
Have you been to Dallas? Head over to my Instagram and let me know what your favorite thing to do!
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See Dallas Like A Local!A Perfect Weekend in Dallas
If you’re interested in visiting Morocco for a week, you’re likely curious about what to budget.
Here’s my break down for my budget for a week in Morocco as a short-term resident, and a second example for someone spending a week in Morocco as a tourist:
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Budget for a Working Week in Morocco:
In-Airport Expenses:
Sim Card: $30 Cash Machine: $3 fees Snacks: $3 Worried about the arrival process? Check out this arrival guide video for everything you need to know about arriving in the Marrakech Airport.
Settling In Expenses:
First grocery run at the souk: $12 A face cream that I forgot at home: $5 Bus ride to Marrakesh bus stop: $3 Bus ride to Agadir: $11 Taxi ride to coliving in Taghazout: $15
Seeking Sunsets in Taghazout, Morocco
Accommodation:
$25/night including an office at a coworking space
Extras:
Barbeque dinner: $9
Total spent in week 1: $62
Budget for a Week-Long Holiday in Morocco:
Everything Essential is Invisible – wall in Taghazout, Morocco
In-Airport Expenses:
Sim Card: $30 Cash Machine: $3 fees Snacks: $3 Worried about the arrival process? Check out this arrival guide.
Accommodation:
Hostel: $7-10/night per person Riad: $35-200/night per room Hotel: $50-200/night per room I recommend using Booking.com to reserve hotels in Morocco.
Typical Moroccan lunch. This was served on my terrace by the owners of my coworking apartment.
Food:
Breakfasts: Unsure, typically included with accommodation Lunch: $5-10 Dinner: $7-13 Drinks: Sprite is about $.35 in any kiosk, beer is $1-3 if you can find it Snacks: $1-3 for grab-and-go snacks
Transportation:
Buses in the city are no more than $3 Intercity buses are $10-25 Intercity shuttles are $15-40 Taxi in the city: $5-10 Taxi between cities: $90-150
Extras:
Camel rides: $10-30 Surfing days: $25-50 Walking tours: $10-25 Shopping: Varies. A small rug might cost $50, a lamp or hookah might cost $20-100. Food is very inexpensive.
Streets in my village in Morocco
Total to tourist cost for a week in Morocco as a tourist: $500-1000
This number is contingent on how much you choose to spend, eat, and do in Morocco. Don’t be afraid to haggle for taxi prices – it’s customary here outside of the airport. You can also haggle in the markets, but typically anything in a shop or that has a sticker price is firm.
Are you wondering what it will be like when you arrive in Marrakech? Will the airport have WiFi? How do I avoid getting ripped off on my SIM card? What about ground transport?
You’re in luck because I’m going to tell you step-by-step how to arrive in Marrakech and set yourself up for a great holiday in Morocco.
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Read on to discover everything you need to know about arriving at the Marrakech Manara airport, including getting money, a SIM card, customs, and finding your ground transport.
I arrived at the Marrakech airport on a Tuesday morning after an overnight flight from Chicago to Lisbon followed by a quick 1.5-hour flight from Lisbon to Marrakech. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Marrakech airport was super easy to navigate and was able to do everything I needed to within half an hour.
Read on or check out this video to see just how easy getting through the Marrakech airport was!
I created this guide for my brother because he’s meeting me here in 3 weeks.
Deplaning
Our flight from Portugal landed out on the tarmac. Everyone walked down the steps and across the tarmac and into the building. All the signs were printed in both English and Arabic. All the signs also had clear symbols marking how to get to important things like customs or the bathroom, so you don’t need to speak Arabic to manage the airport.
Getting Through Customs
The video above does not have any footage of customs because it is illegal in most countries to have phones out during the customs process. However, it was as easy as showing my passport, them stamping it, and I walked through. Ours was the only plane arriving at that time, so the line took maybe 5 minutes.
Baggage Claim
The baggage claim is right on the other side of the customs check. Our bags arrived shortly after we did; it was a seamless airport experience.
SIM Card
This step is optional if you do not want the internet on your phone during your time in Morocco. This post will help you to understand what your options are when traveling with an American cell phone abroad.
I got ripped off and paid $30 for 3 gigs of data, so my advice is this:
Do not use the INWI brand of SIM right when you get through customs. Instead, get your bags and cash first, then use a provider in the arrivals area after baggage check.
I recommend going through the baggage scanner area before buying a SIM. The company Orange is to the left when you walk through. Their data cost about $15 for 6 gigs – more than enough to get you through a couple of weeks providing that you do not stream data.
Customs 2 – Baggage Scanner
You’ll have to put any carry-ons or checked baggage through the bag scanner. This will take about a minute.
Getting Money From the ATM or Exchange
The ATM is right on the other side of the baggage scanner. They will accept foreign VISA and Mastercard and the fee is about $3. You can get up to 2000 Moroccan Dirhams, which is about $200 right now. Most places will only accept cash, so I recommend pulling out the full amount. If you brought money to exchange, do that at the exchange next to the baggage claim while waiting for your checked bags. If you are exchanging money, you can do it before or after the baggage scanner.
Finding Ground Transport
To find local transit, walk out of the front door of the airport and follow the two signs to the bus. If you are taking a taxi, the taxis are right across the pickup lane. It took about 3 minutes to walk across the Hertz lot to get to the local bus. I asked the driver if he was going to the intercity bus station and he said yes. Then, I paid him 70 Dirhams (set price). He even told me which stop to get off at when we got to the closest one to the intercity bus station.
The baggage claim office is at the end of the row of baggage belts, and the people running the office speak English, French, and Arabic. Go see them if your bag does not arrive.
Most people in tourism including the bus drivers will speak French and English as well as Berber and Arabic, should you need to ask any questions.
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Other questions about what it is like to arrive in Marrakech, Morocco? Leave a comment below or reach out to me on Instagram!
My aunt asked me at the Christmas dinner table, “Are you scared of anything, Samantha?”. The answer? Absolutely. But am I nervous about traveling alone? Not so much. Here’s why:
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Perhaps she meant about the people on the road.
Perhaps she meant about lifting off of having a home base.
Maybe she meant all the unknowns that come with nomadic life.
Here’s the thing: yeah, I’m a little scared of all of it. But I’m not going to let it hold me back.
The least of my worries:
I’ve been in SO many uncomfortable situations while traveling alone, but they all had a reason, and they all made me a better person and traveler. Here’s a few stories:
I’ve seen people in the US ask someone a question in English, and get super frustrated that the recipient doesn’t understand, so they speak English louder with hopes that they’ll find a mutual understanding. How terrifying to have a stranger yelling at you. However, while this is intimidating, both parties want to understand each other.
I got nervous about leaving my hostel alone on my first day in Beirut, but the truth was that I needed socks, so I ventured out on to the streets in search of the dollar store.
Sure, I got nervous in Budapest about going to a club alone, but it was that or not see one of the most famous bars in the world, so off I went. In the end, I had a weird night of eating carrots (apparently that was a thing at this party?) and drinking a LOT of water with new friends.
Next week, I’ll show up in Morocco as a solo traveler with the intention to stay for a month. I’m nervous to show up in Morocco alone and not really know the language. Come to think of it, I’m not entirely sure what the language there is. However, based on experience, I know it’s all going to work out.
An example of when I was nervous while traveling – 4,000 feet above the Grand Canyon, December 2019
No such thing as ‘home’
I haven’t lived anywhere for more than two years since I graduated high school. What the transient lifestyle has taught me is that people are home. Even if you’re reading this and you’ve lived in the same place or been around the same people for a long time, hear me out:
Home will be with the beautiful people I meet around the world. Home will be my mom’s house, home will be seeing my brother for weeks at a time, and home will be the WiFi Tribe I fall in to.
Home will not be my big, beautiful bed. Home will not be a closet, a garage, and the things that I’ve surrounded myself with. Home will be me. I will always be home.
Hitchhiking in Cyprus – not traveling alone, but still fun!
The Point:
Assume the best. I can only create a reality in which I am so well supported that there is no alternative. It’s the only possibility when working through being nervous about traveling alone.
So, Are You Scared of ANYTHING?
Yeah. So I go vet it out and the question marks become bold exclamation points. I get to be a digital nomad. I get to bring these stories to YOU and make it easier for you to get over the nerves of traveling.
However, I hope that the nerves, the unknowns, and the trepidation never goes away. I hope that I still feel small when I stand beside the ocean and that the waves of equanimity change me everywhere I go. I want to have a heightened awareness every time I step into a new place; we never step in the same river twice.
I’ll eventually do a ‘What’s In My Travel Wallet’ post, but for now, know that besides my passport, this is the most valuable thing I keep in my pocket.
(Photo by Wyatt Smith)
How Does it ‘Save Money’?
To dig into that, you have to first understand the benefits of the card.
Benefits:
$300 of travel credit per year
Travel insurance included
Lounge access via Priority Pass Membership
One free year of LyftPink
$60 of DoorDash credits/year
DashPass Membership
$100 every four years for Global Entry or TSA Precheck
50,000 point sign up bonus after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
No foreign transaction fees
3x points on travel and dining
How I have used them to save money:
Anything travel-related up to $300 comes right off of the credit card statement before I ever get billed. In my mind, that brings the ‘cost’ of the card down to $150 because I spend at least $300 in travel most months. This leaves me to justify only the last $150.
I could get a very expensive travel insurance package, but the benefits that my card comes with supplement my Allianz travel insurance so well that I save about $450/year on additional travel insurance. Chase refunded me all the additional expenses that I incurred by getting stuck in Hong Kong last year, thus justifying about $70 more of itself.
I mean, DoorDash credits = $60 of free food. What’s not to love?
My Global Entry was automatically credited back to my card – I didn’t have to seek reimbursements. This benefit (the ability to skip customs when entering the US) was $100 two years ago, but let’s call it $25 since it only is eligible every four years.
I get lounge access in most airports. This means free food, drink, napping space, and sometimes even showers. Considering the amount of time I spend laying over in airports, this could pay for the full cost of the card. I took 33 flights last year. If I stopped for a $10 food or beer (probably a conservative estimate on what airport food costs) in only half of those, the benefit would be about $115.
I’d have spent up to 3% of every single purchase I made abroad in transaction fees, but this card charges 0 transaction fees.
And I got a boatload of points on travel and dining, thus contributing to free flights
By my math, using this card instead of any other has saved me at least $950, and subtracting the cost of the card itself, has saved me $500 this year.
But what if you don’t travel as often as I do? This leads me to…
Is There A ‘Lite Version’?
Yup. It’s called the Chase Sapphire Preferred. I had it for a few years and loved it. No lounge access, no travel credits back, no Global Entry credit, but it has a great sign-up bonus and accumulates a lot of points on travel and dining. It has a better sign up bonus than the Reserve (75,000 points after $4,000 spent). Very worth it, in my opinion.
Do you use Chase, or have another card you use to travel? Let me know below, I’m always excited to hear about other options!
