Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center – Experiences

Any time there’s a large-scale event in Dallas, there’s a good chance it’s at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. This sprawling, two million square-foot venue has the space, modern amenities, and experienced staff to make any event a successful one.

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center provides attendees myriad of useful amenities and welcomed features. If you’re interested in learning more about what the convention center has to offer, check out our overview article where we discuss the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in greater depth.

While the convention center has plenty to offer, one of its most notable characteristics is its ideal location. Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is conveniently located in downtown Dallas, meaning there are tons of thrilling attractions and high-class restaurants nearby. No matter the time of day, you’ll have a rich variety of sights to see and meals to eat.

We’ve gathered some of the best attractions and restaurants near Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center that you can visit in the morning, noon, or at night.

 

Morning

  • Dig into some hearty breakfast dishes at Overeasy
  • Walk along the Dealey Plaza and stand where JFK’s motorcade once rode
  • Learn about President JFK’s life, legacy, and the fateful day of his assassination by visiting The Sixth Floor Museum

Lunch

Night

 

Morning

Travel back to yesteryear as you enjoy your breakfast at Overeasy. This cozy, retro-style diner, located in The Statler Dallas hotel, cooks up loads of breakfast classics that are sure to make your mouth water.

As one of the go-to breakfast and brunch joints in Dallas, Overeasy is the perfect spot to start your day before you head to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. The restaurant’s defining dish is the 5 Way Deviled Eggs Flight. This innovate appetizer presents customers with five, totally different deviled eggs: traditional, carrot, chimichurri, roasted pepper, and smoked brisket. If you do eat here, make sure to order this dish.

Creative deviled eggs aren’t the only thing Overeasy does well. Start your meal off with one of their tasty cocktails. The Proud Mary is an interesting twist on the traditional morning drink. Made with a poblano green tomato Bloody Mary mix, lemon, vodka, and house pickles, this is one rendition of a Bloody Mary you will never forget. In case you aren’t a mixed drink kind of person, Overeasy also serves wine, beer, tons of coffee drinks, and fresh pressed juices.

Once it comes time to order your meal, you have a tough choice to make. With breakfast options like chicken tender biscuits, brisket hash, and sausage biscuits & gravy, just to name a few, there are no wrong choices. To supplement your main course, Overeasy serves sides like pork sausage patties, Applewood smoked bacon, and a breakfast banana split. They also have a few salad options, some sandwiches, and a killer banana cream pie.

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention CenterDealey Plaza might not look like much more than a small city park. But what occurred there on November 22, 1963, continues to live on in infamy. Just a few blocks from Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on this date, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding in a convertible along Dealey Plaza. Commonly known as the “Grassy Knoll,” this hallowed ground is recognized as a national historic landmark.

Dealey Plaza may be the site of a national travesty, but overlooking it, The Sixth Floor Museum serves as a poignant reminder of the scars left behind and the legacy of President Kennedy. The Sixth Floor Museum is housed in the very book depository where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shot that killed Kennedy. This encompassing museum tackles a couple aspects of the assassination, as well as broader scope topics like JFK’s life and legacy.

One of the most notable items of interest is The Corner Window – the very spot where Oswald fired on JFK. This area has been recreated based off of crime scene photos, so it looks just like it did on November 22, 1963. In addition to this exhibit, some other items of interest include artifacts related to the ensuing FBI investigation, items belonging to Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby – another integral character in the JFK assassination, – an identical replica rifle of the one used by Oswald, brief, informative videos, and more. There is an audio tour available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, German, French, American Sign Language, and a few others.

 

Noon

You may be in Dallas, but if the hankering for Cajun and Creole food strikes, you won’t find anywhere more authentic than NOLA Brasserie. This place doesn’t cut any corners when preparing their signature New Orleans style dishes. Whether you’re craving homemade Gumbo, a Po’boy, or a strong cocktail, NOLA Brasserie aims to please.

NOLA Brasserie is open for lunch and dinner, but its weekly lunch specials make it a solid contender for a quick, easy, and cheap midday meal spot. You can enjoy their Blue Plate daily specials, cheaply priced at $8.99 and prepared in 10 minutes or less. Whenever you’re in a rush, turn to NOLA Brasserie for lunch.

Besides, quick and delicious lunch specials, NOLA Brasserie’s menu is comprised of a long list of Cajun and Creole dishes. Try a small plate like the crab & crawfish cake, or a bayou favorite like the crawfish etouffee. There are tons of other fried fish, specialty sandwiches, and homemade sides available.

When you arrive at Dallas World Aquarium, you enter another world – one full of exotic animals from air, land, and sea. Explore diverse landscapes and underwater realms as you observe animals from the jungles of Indonesia, waters of the Caribbean, oceans of Australia, and other foreign habitats across the globe. Dallas World Aquarium takes care of a uniquely extensive list of creatures ranging from emerald tree boas and harpy eagles to blue penguins and giant Pacific octopuses.

The aquarium boasts several exceptional exhibits, all teeming with breathtakingly beautiful animals. But there’s more to see and do at Dallas World Aquarium than admire the animals from the other side of the glass. Sit in on staff led animal talks. During these activities, employees discuss all sorts of interesting facts about the animals. You can also catch some of the animal feedings that happen frequently. If watching the animals eat makes you hungry, you can stop by one of the aquarium’s three eateries and grab a bite.

If you still have some time to kill after the aquarium, or are looking for a different kind of attraction, why not stop by the Dallas Museum of Art? The Dallas Museum of Art – commonly referred to as DMA – houses over 24,000 works of art that curators have been collecting since the museum opened in 1903! From works inspired by Asian and African art styles to exhibits focused on mythological creatures and specific visual properties like geometrics, DMA has enticing pieces for every artistic interest.

DMA may own over 24,000 works of art, but the museum doesn’t display every piece in its collection at once. Instead, it rotates galleries in an effort to feature a varied selection at all times. Much like the aquarium, plan to spend quite a bit of time here. It’s easy to get sucked into all of the exhibits. One huge bonus for DMA, the majority of the galleries are free to view.

 

Night

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better seafood restaurant in Dallas than the Dallas Fish Market. Just a couple blocks from Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, nobody does seafood better than this upscale, award-winning restaurant.

Start your meal off with some delectable oysters or caviar. If you’re looking to fill up for cheap, you can’t go wrong with the poke bowls. These bowls are chock full of raw fish, vegetables, and plenty of other garnishes.

Dallas Fish Market also serves sushi in Sashimi and Makimono styles. Small plates like ceviche three ways and lump crab cakes are also available. As are main entrees, or large plates, like ginger miso white soy swordfish and fennel coriander crusted ahi tuna. In case you haven’t already figured it out, Dallas Fish Market is a bit on the pricier side. The meal is well-worth the money, but if you’d rather eat somewhere cheap, it would be best to look elsewhere.

Perfect for a casual, cheap meal, a hefty steak, or authentic Mexican dishes, RJ Mexican Cuisine is a solid contender on the list of great restaurants near Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. It’s easy to make it out of here spending less than $20 on a dish. With reasonably priced appetizers like guacamole and quesadillas, as well as cheap entrees such as chimichangas, enchiladas, fajitas, tacos, and other traditional meals, RJ Mexican Cuisine aims to please.

For a few more bucks, you can dig into steak. Choose between filet mignon, T-bone, or ribeye. Those who prefer their steak served with a bit more flair and spice should peruse the “Chef’s Creations” section of the menu. Here, you’ll find entrees like Filete Mignon Ala Plancha Con Salsa De Chipotle and Ribeye Ranchero. Some other chef creations include Salmon Del Mar and Camarones Al Mojo De Ajo.

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention CenterAnyone who’s seen pictures of the Dallas skyline has undoubtedly spotted one of the city’s most iconic structures: Reunion Tower. This 561 foot tower is most recognizable by its giant illuminated globe. You won’t quite be climbing all 561 feet of Reunion Tower, but you can still get a fantastic bird’s eye view 470 feet up at the Geo-Deck. Vastly gaze beyond into all directions as you experience a phenomenal 360 degree panoramic view. Reunion Tower is an awesome activity day or night, but if you want to witness the best view possible, stop by at night. With the help of high-definition zoom cameras, telescopes, and interactive touch screens, you can explore all the sights of the Dallas cityscape.

The indoor and outdoor observation decks are the main events at Reunion Tower, but there’s more to discover at this popular landmark than a breathtaking view. As you unwind and enjoy the sights, you can chow down a snack from the Cloud Nine Café. The menu consists of things like chicken wings, pork spare ribs, salads, baked goods, and even alcoholic drinks. Anyone seeking a fine dining experience with a view will be delighted to learn about Five Sixty. This classy eatery is owned by famous restaurateur Wolfgang Puck, so you know it’s going to be delicious.

Nothing beats a night out at the theater. Whether it’s a comedy show, live concert, or a screening of an old movie, Majestic Theatre is a haven for entertainment. Getting to Majestic Theatre from Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is easy. If you take an Uber, it’s only a five minute ride. Walking isn’t bad either, just 15 minutes.

Majestic Theatre is a popular venue for all kinds of shows, performances, and films, but the building itself is also a bit of an attraction. Constructed in 1921, the theater is the first building in Dallas to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It also happens to be the last old-time functional theater operating on Theater Row.

During the theater’s original run from 1921 to 1973, it had played host to big names like Houdini, Bob Hope, and Duke Ellington. In 1973, Majestic Theatre shut down after a final showing of the film “Live and Let Die.” 10 years later – after undergoing new ownership of the City of Dallas – Majestic Theatre reopened, touting numerous improvements and restorations. Nowadays, Majestic Theatre is one of the most memorable venues not only in Dallas, but in the entire state of Texas.