Top five places to visit in Dallas and the Metroplex

There are so many things to see and do in Dallas that to try visit everywhere would wear you out. This is not great if you've come for a long break to escape the pressures and strains of life. Here then are five things you should not miss when you visit Dallas.

Rightly or wrongly, Dallas is synonymous with the assassination of President Kennedy, who was killed on the Dealey Plaza. The book depository store which overlooks the site is now a museum hosting all forms of memorabilia from that fateful day in November 1963. The museum has an ever growing collection of items relating to the day when President Kennedy died and also has an exhibition showing the life and times of the ex-President. Opened in 1989 the site has a reading room with over 4,000 pieces of literature devoted to the events of 22 November 1963.

The second place to visit is the American Airlines Center in the heart of downtown Dallas. Home to both Dallas Mavericks Basketball team and Dallas Stars National Ice Hockey team, the arena has seen some epic showdowns, none so dramatic than earlier this year when 19,000 crammed in to see the Mavericks won their first ever NBA National title by defeating Miami Heat. For those who are less sporty, the arena can also be used to house 21,000 concert goers.

One of the most famous sports teams in the USA are the Dallas Cowboys, the American football team whose achievements speak for themselves. Five Super Bowl Championships, ten Conference titles and 21 Divisional titles mean that the Cowboys are one of the best teams in the NFC. No Dallas trip is complete without a visit to the Cowboys Stadium located in nearby Arlington. The stadium was built with the best possible materials and products and will have needed thousands of meters of flooring and also huge commerical air conditioning units to ensure that everyone is at the correct temperature even when the sun is at it's hottest in the summer months Besides gridiron events, the stadium also hosts basketball games, soccer games and bull riding events.

Close by in Arlington is the site of the Texas Rangers, formerly owned by President George W. Bush. Sample the true American experience by going to the 49,000 seated Rangers ballpark and watching some major league action. While the team may not be World Series material just yet, there is plenty to occupy casual fans as well as visitors who want to experience a friendly Texan welcome.

Finally and not to be missed is the snappily titled Pizza Hut Park. There you can  watch Major League Soccer. One of the fastest growing sports in the US, the MLS has a franchise team in the Metroplex area, called FC Dallas who were founded in 1996. Unlike many MLS clubs, Dallas has its own purpose-built stadium in the city of Frisco, to the north of the Metroplex. The stadium is famous for having one open end which can be used as a stage backdrop for concerts. Pizza Hut Park has hosted two MLS Cup Finals, the biggest domestic soccer game of the MLS season and can boast some of the most fanatical supporters in US Soccer, despite FC Dallas' inability to win the MLS Cup.