All photos courtesy of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Picture, if you can, conservatives who revel in glitz, technology mavens sporting Stetson hats, and a sculptural composition of 40 larger-than-life bronze steers. This is Dallas, a dynamic and, at times, paradoxical mix of the old and the new, the stately and the brash.

Dallas seems to thrive on developing stereotypes and then challenging them, typically with a smile. Southfork, the fabled ranch where the television series Dallas was filmed, is still one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area, but these days the symphony packs them in, as well. The city’s finely honed image of cowboy boots, professional football, and Texas oil is slowly giving way to high-tech, fine dining, and Asian art.

Of course, Dallas remains, first and foremost, a city of superlatives — a fact that holds true where the city's healthcare environment is concerned. According to U.S. News & World Report, two of the nation's top hospitals are located in Dallas: Parkland Memorial Hospital and Baylor University Medical Center. The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center of Dallas (UTSMC) was also ranked 17th among the nation's research medical schools. And with more than 13,000 arrivals annually, the Parkland Hospital System is the largest birthing center in the nation, according to the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau (DCVB).

Business is big in Dallas, too. What began as a pioneer trading post in the 1840s is now a mecca for banking, finance, and technology. In fact, the Greater Dallas Chamber reports that the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area is home to 17 Fortune 500 public headquarters and 16 Forbes 500 private headquarters. Southwest Airlines and American Airlines both call Dallas home, as do CompUSA, Electronic Data Systems, J.C. Penney, Kimberly-Clark, Tandy, and Texas Instruments.

Dallas is a bustling city, but be sure to take the
time to take in its stunning sights.

On-Duty

Dallas itself is getting bigger and, subsequently, so is the city’s nursing shortage. According to US Census figures, the population of the eight-county Dallas metropolitan area grew by 31.5% between 1990 and 2000. Recent figures put the city’s population at approximately 1.2 million while the greater Dallas metropolitan area, which includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, and Rockwall counties, checks in at almost 3.7 million.

“The population growth has been phenomenal,” says John Gavras, president of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council. “Hospital beds are being built, surgery centers are being built, and services are being extended dramatically.” All of that combines to create a desperate need for skilled nurses.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council’s most recent demand survey indicates an overall RN vacancy rate among area hospitals of 12.5%. “A 7% vacancy rate tells us there is a shortage,” Gavras says. “Nine percent is considered a real concern, and we consider 12% to be a crisis, so we’re in a crisis.”

Gavras points out that in certain specialty areas, the need for nurses is even greater. For example, the vacancy rate for med/surg RNs is 16.1%; for critical care RNs, it is 18.9%; OR RNs, 11.7%; maternal/child RNs, 11.8%; and in Dallas’ EDs, the RN vacancy rate is 10.2%.

The Dallas area has 60 hospitals, nearly 13,000 beds, and more than 5,800 physicians practicing a total of 72 specialties. Dallas also has a reputation as an international center for burns and trauma care, and the city is the leading transplant center for the Southwestern US. Gavras firmly says that within this setting, “The opportunities for nursing are limited only by one’s imagination.” And those opportunities include educational development as well as career advancement. There are four public and three private nursing schools in the area.

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza displays many artifacts that tell the story of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Off-Duty

All the big talk doesn’t end when the conversation turns to leisure activities. Boosters say the Dallas area offers more live music every night than Nashville and four times as many restaurants per capita as New York. But it doesn’t matter if you prefer the fine arts or a fine day at the ball game, just be prepared to enjoy yourself in a great big way!

Exploring Dallas. The city got its start in 1841 when John Neely Bryan, a lawyer from Tennessee, built a trading post on the banks of the Trinity River. You can visit a replica of his original log cabin at the downtown Dallas County Historical Plaza. The plaza is also home to the John F. Kennedy Memorial, a rather stark tribute to the nation’s 35th president who was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963. Those who want to learn more about what is remembered as Dallas’ darkest day should visit The Sixth Floor Museum at the Texas Book Depository, which overlooks Dealey Plaza, or The Conspiracy Museum, which recently opened on Market Street.

Vibrant colors greet visitors at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.

According to the DCVB, the city is packed with more than 160 museums, galleries, and artistic attractions. These include the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and the Dallas World Aquarium with its 200,000-gallon freshwater aquarium tank, which is, of course, the largest of its kind. The Dallas Museum of Art, the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, and the Trammell and Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art anchor the 60-acre Arts District, the largest urban arts district in America.

When it comes to performing arts, bigger is better in Dallas. The city lays claim to 40 professional and community theater companies, 13 symphony and chamber orchestras, four ballet groups, and two opera associations.

Buying into the dream. There are many in Dallas who would also consider shopping to be a fine art. In fact, the DCVB says Dallas has more shopping centers per capita than any other major US city. What else would you expect in the city that gave birth to Neiman Marcus? The company’s first store opened its doors here in 1907 and those same doors continue to open every Monday through Saturday.

There’s no shortage of glitz and glamour on the retail racks in Dallas, but you can also find a variety of fresh and funky offerings at the eclectic lineup of antique shops and vintage resale shops that populate Greenville Avenue and Deep Ellum, a trend-setting renovated warehouse district. You’ll also love the tasty offerings at the Dallas Farmer’s Market, one of the nation’s largest open-air produce markets.

According to Frommer’s Texas, Dallas is also an especially good place to pick up Western wear. You’ll find good deals on boots, from leather to snakeskin, at a variety of retail locations, including Boot Town, Wild Bill’s, Cavender’s Boot City, and Western Warehouse.

A former industrial district turned cutting-edge neighborhood, Deep Ellum (above) houses much of Dallas’ avant-garde, creative, artistic, and cutting-edge talent. Dallas loves its Cowboys (below), but the area has representatives in all four major sports.

A winning combination. Dallas is host to an amazing array of major league sports teams. The National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys, Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers, the National Basketball Association’s Dallas Mavericks, and the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars all play their games in the area. If that’s not enough action for you, Dallas also has both indoor and outdoor soccer teams and a professional polo team. On top of that, you’ll find exciting rodeo and motor sports action.

The Texas Motor Speedway, which is just northwest of Dallas, is billed as the second-largest sports facility in the nation. Each spring, the speedway plays host to NASCAR Winston Cup Racing, drawing more fans than any other Texas sporting event. The Mesquite Championship Rodeo doesn’t do too badly either, drawing approximately 250,000 attendees every year.

According to Frommer’s, however, Six Flags Over Texas is the top Texas draw. Conveniently located between Dallas and Fort Worth in the city of Arlington, this 200-acre theme park is one of the biggest and best in the country.

The heart-stopping rides at Six Flags Over Texas (above) appeal to the young and young at heart. The French Room (below), a famous French restaurant located inside the Adolphus Hotel, is popular among Dallas visitors and residents alike.

Dining out in the Big D. The DCVB boldly proclaims that both the frozen margarita and chili originated in Texas. You’ll never have a problem finding either when dining out in Dallas. But now, according to the Texas Restaurant Association, the city has even more to offer diners with a choice of more than 7,000 restaurants.

At The Mansion on Turtle Creek, the wait staff wears custom-made kangaroo and ostrich cowboy boots. The only way to top that is with exceptional food and a glamorous setting — and that’s exactly what The Mansion offers. Although The Mansion is the only Mobil Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond restaurant in the entire state of Texas, Dallas has plenty of other eateries that will make a big impact on your palate and your pocketbook. Be sure to visit the elegant French Room at the Adolphus Hotel; Bob’s Steak and Chop House; and Javier’s, the place for authentic, upscale Mexican food.

If your tastes, and your budget, are a little more modest, head to Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse, a ramshackle smokeshack that serves some of the best barbecue in Texas. Another must is a big fiery bowl of Texas chili. You’ll find some of the best at Tolbert’s Texas Chili Parlor, a real homegrown Dallas institution.

Dallas just wouldn’t be Dallas without the awesome flavors and aroma of Texas barbecue.

Just down the road. Dallasites love their Cowboys — on the football field, that is. For the real thing, you’ll have better luck in Fort Worth, just 35 miles down the road, where the laid-back legacy of the Old West lingers alongside world-class museums. Check into one of the city’s small Western-flavored hotels or bed-and-breakfasts and take your time exploring. For real turn-of-the-century Texas charm, Frommer’s recommends Miss Molly’s Bed & Breakfast Hotel.

Living Well

Even the dreams are big in Dallas, but they can be surprisingly within reach. The Association of Community and Economic Research Professionals Cost of Living Index consistently reports that the Dallas-Fort Worth area features one of the least-expensive housing markets in the nation. For the second quarter of 2002, local housing costs were 9.5% below the national average. And, according to the Greater Dallas Chamber, the region also has the fifth-lowest cost of living of the major US metropolitan areas.

Adding to the region’s economic appeal is the fact that there is no personal income tax, no corporate income tax, and no state property tax in Texas. Before you get too excited, though, you should know that a state sales tax is added to most goods and services. Of course, it’s Texas-sized — 8.25% — one of the highest in the nation.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers show that during the 1990s, the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area ranked first in the nation for employment growth. It’s not surprising then that the area’s population is also booming. Although the rapid growth has strained the healthcare system, it would appear that the area’s educational system is coping remarkably well. The Texas Education Agency reports a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.9-to-1 in the Dallas public school region, which compares positively to the national average of 15.43-to-1.

Dallas is a sprawling place that measures almost 400 square miles. On the plus side, the city ranks as the least-densely populated major metropolitan area in the world, according to the DCVB. The downside is that unless you confine yourself to the downtown area, you’ll need a car to get around. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has introduced modern light rail lines, but further expansion of both the levels of service and areas of coverage is still needed.

Getting to Dallas, on the other hand, is definitely not a problem. The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, which is larger than the island of Manhattan, is among the busiest in the world. The city is also easily accessible by rail and road. According to the DCVB, Dallas is, however, the largest metropolitan area in the country — and possibly the world — not on a navigable body of water. To make a splash, you’ll have to head out to one of the more than 60 nearby lakes where you can at least chart a course for sunny relaxation.

And you’ll want to take a dip because Dallas is hot. The daily mean temperature is 85.3 degrees F. In the warmest month, July, the average temperature tops out at 95 degrees F.

What You Can See for a C-Note

With a day off and $100 in your pocket, what can you do in Dallas? Make some big plans!

We’ll get the day off to a good start at the Highland Park Pharmacy. This old-time soda fountain, lunch counter, and pharmacy is the real thing — and it’s also a great spot for breakfast. Everything on the menu is less than $7, so you can easily fill up for less than you might pay for nothing more than a super-sized latte somewhere else.

A big day in Dallas wouldn’t be complete without a little shopping, so let’s head downtown to the original Neiman Marcus store. It won’t cost a penny to look, but even Neiman Marcus has sales, so let’s set aside $20 and hope for a real bargain.

The sumptuous displays at Neiman Marcus have whetted our appetite for the finer things in life, so for lunch we’ll treat ourselves to the prix-fixe luncheon at The Mansion, Frommer’s choice for “Dallas’ biggest and best splurge.” For $25, we’ll get soup, entrée, and dessert, as well as an opportunity to rub shoulders with the restaurant’s celebrity clientele.

After lunch, we’ll hop in the car for the 40-minute ride to Southfork Ranch and a tour that includes a peek inside J.R.’s bedroom and a glimpse of the gun that shot him. Admission is $7.95 plus tax, but with the coupon we found on the ranch’s website, we’ll save $2. We may need a cold soda or a hot souvenir, so we’ll budget $15 for this stop.

An afternoon on the ranch worked up an appetite for barbecue and we won’t settle for anything but Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse. The ribs and the hickory-smoked brisket are tempting, but tonight we’ll order a sliced beef sandwich dripping with sauce and some of Sonny’s handmade onion rings. Don’t forget to grab extra napkins! The prices are very reasonable, generally ranging from $4 to $8, so we’ll have enough money left for one last stop.

It’s time for a frozen margarita at The Top of the Dome, a cocktail lounge perched 50-stories above Dallas on the top of Reunion Tower. As the dome slowly rotates, we’ll take in panoramic views of the entire city and make plans for our next big day in Dallas.