Dallas is truly a city that likes to get outdoors and have fun. Because Dallas is essentially two cities in one, with Ft. Worth just a few miles away, there is a combined population of over 5 million people in the Dallas Metroplex, and they demand fun things to do in the balmy summers and in the mild winters. Let's take a look at some of the most popular outdoor activities in the greater Dallas area.

Next to religion, the most important thing to many residents of Texas, and especially Dallas, is outdoor sports. High school football games draw massive crowds, sometimes even bigger than the three major college football teams, and the assorted rivalries across down go back decades. The college and pro games are extremely popular too, with SMU, TCU and Rice all fielding Division 1 teams in the greater Dallas area.

Golf is also extremely popular in the Dallas area. There are literally dozens of championship caliber courses in the greater Dallas area, including one course that annually holds a PGA event. If you're looking for a good tee time or just a place to hit some golf balls, you won't have to go far in Dallas.

One of the most popular features of living in Dallas is the extensive network of bike trails and pedestrian walking and running trails. The network stretches for miles in and around the city and even into many of the neighboring towns. The folks that run the city government demonstrated that they are committed to making Dallas more than a place to just drive a car when they developed these paths, and residents are hopeful that the system will be expended even further in the coming years.

You can spend a fun day learning all about downtown Dallas by taking a sculpture tour. There are over 30 different and unique sculptures in downtown Dallas that are available to the public to see. It would be quite a walk, but you can see all of them in one day, and you'll learn quite a bit about where Dallas has been, where it is now and where its going!

For a more somber trip, the John F. Kennedy memorial stands in Dallas today to remember the popular president that was killed while visiting Dallas in 1963. The monument is free and open to the public and is a powerful tribute to one of the darkest days in the history of the United States.

Finally, the architecture of the West End of Dallas is worth a tour any day. Come see some of the oldest remaining buildings in Dallas in this protected area just to the west of downtown. If you are curious about the history of Dallas, this is a walking tour you can't miss!

Dallas is a city with so many things to do, you could plan weekends ahead for the next 10 years and not see it all. Dallas residents especially love to get outdoors and enjoy their beautiful city. Don't miss out!