Winter Wonderland

Dallas dazzles as one of the hottest winter travel destinations of 2026

Dallas-Fort Worth becomes a twinkly light wonderland during the winter.

Photo courtesy of Downtown Dallas Inc.

Dallas' sunny disposition and affordable holiday happenings make it a hotspot for a winter getaway, and Dallas-Fort Worth has just been declared the No. 3 best winter destination for warm-weather lovers in 2026.

The ranking comes in WalletHub's new study, "Best Winter Holiday Destinations," which analyzed 69 U.S. metros based on the cost and convenience of traveling and the affordability of local attractions and activities. The rankings were categorized into six key dimensions: travel costs and hassles, local costs, attractions, weather, warm-weather activities, and safety, and the results were broken down by cold weather and warm weather.

Las Vegas leads the nation as the No. 1 best warm-weather winter destination, while Atlanta, Georgia ranks No. 1 among cold winter winter wonderlands.

The report found Dallas-Fort Worth ranks No. 2 nationwide for its travel costs and hassles and its favorable weather conditions during the winter. The metro also boasts the fifth-lowest "local costs," which included the cost of a three-star hotel room, the average price for a two-person meal, taxi fares costs, and the cost of living.

While Halloween is still on the horizon, that hasn't stopped local businesses from sharing their jolly events and pop-ups happening around DFW this holiday season. Across the final three categories, DFW appeared 12th nationally in the attractions and warm-weather activities ranks, and ranked 26th overall for safety.

"Whether you love to have a chill in your bones during the winter travel season or prefer to escape to somewhere sunny, the top travel destinations can cost as little as $200-$300 to reach by plane from major U.S. cities, with no connections," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "In addition to being affordable, the top cities also have an abundance of attractions that fit their weather patterns, along with high-quality restaurants and relatively low crime rates."

Texas dominates the 10 best warm-weather winter destinations for 2026 with Austin (No. 4), Houston (No. 6), and San Antonio (No. 9) joining DFW. Four other Texas cities earned spots lower on the list: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission (No. 26), Brownsville-Harlingen (No. 31), Corpus Christi (No. 33), and Beaumont-Port Arthur (No. 35).

The top 10 best warm-weather winter destinations for 2026 are:

No. 1 – Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada
No. 2 – San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California
No. 3 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
No. 4 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
No. 5 – Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona
No. 6 – Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas
No. 7 – Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
No. 8 – Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
No. 9 – San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas
No. 10 – San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, California

dallas fort worth winter destinations winter festivities wallethub reports

Salute to the Military

Veterans Day 2026 deals in Dallas that honor military service members

Getty Images

undefined

Dallas-Fort Worth communities annually honor active-duty and retired military members on Veterans Day with ceremonies, parades, and special events.

Restaurants and other businesses show their appreciation, too, offering veterans free food, discounts, and other deals to show that their sacrifices are appreciated and to make their lives a little easier for one day.

CultureMap has compiled a list of local restaurants and other companies that are offering special deals on Veterans Day 2026 - Wednesday, November 11 - or the surrounding days. This list will be updated regularly as more deals are announced.

Unless otherwise stated, all deals are solely for veterans and active-duty military with valid ID.

151 Coffee: The coffee chain, which has 12 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer one free drink of any size on November 11.
Cantina Laredo: The Mexican food restaurant, which has a location in Frisco, will offer a complimentary entrée, valued up to $30, on November 11. The deal is not good at the locations at DFW Airport or Love Field.
City Works: The brewpub chain, which has one location in Fort Worth, will offer 25 percent off on November 11.
Cotton Patch Cafe: The casual dining restaurant chain, which has 15 locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free Chicken Fried Steak or Chicken Fried Chicken on November 11 for dine-in only orders.
Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum: The museum in downtown Dallas will offer free admission to the museum and other programming on November 11.
El Chico: The casual Mexican food chain, which has three locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a complimentary entrée valued up to $25 on November 11.
III Forks: The steakhouse, which has locations in Addison and Frisco, will offer a complimentary entrée valued up to $60 on November 11.
Kona Grill: The upscale casual restaurant chain, which has one location in Dallas, will offer a complimentary entrée with the purchase of any starter from November 9-11. The offer is only available for dine-in guests.
Luckys Café: The Oak Lawn diner will offer an entrée of the guest's choice, up to a $25 value, on November 11.
Pilot: The truck stop chain, which has seven locations in and around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free sandwich and a coffee or fountain drink on November 11. The offer is redeemable through the Pilot app at participating locations.
Pinstack: The bowling/entertainment chain, which has three locations in the Dallas area, will offer a free personal pizza on November 11. They also offer a 10 percent military discount year-round.
Silver Fox: The steak/seafood restaurant, which has locations in Fort Worth and Richardson, will offer $30 off the purchase of an entrée on November 11.

breakfast dinner food-drink holidays lunch military retirees restaurants veterans veterans day