Arlington (Texas)

The city was founded in 1875 and is named after Lee's Arlington House (of present-day Arlington County, Virginia). After the arrival of the railroad in 1876, Arlington grew as a cotton-ginning and farming center, and incorporated in 1884. The city could boast of water, electricity, natural gas, and telephone services by 1910, along with a public school system. By 1925 the population was estimated at 3,031, and it grew to over 4,000 before World War II.
Large-scale industrialization began in 1954 with the arrival of a General Motors assembly plant. Automotive and aerospace development gave the city one of the nation's greatest population growth rates between 1950 and 1990. Arlington became one of the "boomburgs," the extremely fast-growing suburbs of the post-World War II era. U.S. Census Bureau population figures for the city tell the story: 7,692 (1950), 90,229 (1970), 261,721 (1990), and 365,438 (2010). DFW Airport opened in 1974, which also contributed to unparalleled growth in the region.

By plane

All the major American carriers, and many international ones as well, provide scheduled passenger service into the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, located about 12 miles north of Arlington on Hwy. 360.

By train

• There are two Amtrak routes which serve Dallas/Fort Worth, the Texas Eagle between San Antonio and Chicago, and the Heartland Flyer between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City. The closest stations are in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Cleburne.
• The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) travels between Dallas and Fort Worth, skirting the northern Arlington city limits. The nearest station is CentrePort/DFW Airport.

By car

Well served by major highways, if you are coming by car, you will more than likely arrive via a major interstate highway. East/West Interstate 20 is located directly south of town. North/South Interstate 35, which splits to an east (35E) and west (35W) highway near Waco, are within a few miles of the city.

By bus

Turimex Internacional, a Mexican trans-border bus line with services to various points in Mexico, has a bus stop at 2105 Sherry St. in Arlington.
Arlington used to have a Greyhound bus terminal, but it closed in 2011.

Travel within Arlington essentially requires a car; the city does not operate a public transportation system.
An exception for people staying at hotels within Arlington is a free shuttle bus, the Arlington Trolley, which connects major hotels with local food/drink and entertainment venues (Downtown Arlington, Six Flags theme park, the Texas Rangers stadium, etc.). The front desk of participating hotels can provide a pass to use the service.

• Johnnie High's Country Music Revue

• Legends of the Game Baseball Museum and Children's Learning Center

• River Legacy Living Science Center

• Six Flags Hurricane Harbor

  ,

• Six Flags Over Texas

• AT&T StadiumHome of the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys. Known as "America's team", they are a high profile team as well as one of the highest valued "brands" in sports. See road directions to the stadium.

• Texas Rangers BaseballMajor League Baseball. The Rangers will open the new Globe Life Field, a retractable-roof ballpark that replaces Globe Life Park across the street, in 2020. The old ballpark will remain in use, though it will be reconfigured as a football and soccer stadium; see below.

• College Park CenterHome of the UT Arlington Mavericks (University of Texas at Arlington) teams in men's and women's basketball plus women's volleyball, and also houses athletic program offices. Its most notable use, however, is during the summer, when it hosts the Dallas Wings of the WNBA.

• North Texas SCMen's soccer team playing in the third-level USL League One as the reserve side for FC Dallas of Major League Soccer. Moving to Globe Life Park, being vacated by the Texas Rangers, for 2020 and beyond.

• Dallas RenegadesFootball team set to begin play in the revived XFL in February 2020. Will share Globe Life Park with North Texas SC.

• Planetarium at University of Texas Arlington

  address: Chemistry Physics Building, 700 Planetarium Place, Arlington

• Arlington SkatiumThe largest roller rink in Texas.

• Putt-Putt Entertainment

• Dyno-Rock Indoor Climbing Gym

• Jumping Party

• Spare Time Lanes Bowling Center

• University of Texas at Arlington

• Build-A-Bear Workshop

Shopping malls

Many hotels with shuttle service will offer rides to the closest mall.

• Parks at Arlington

  address: 3811 S. Cooper St

• Arlington Highlands

• Six Flags Shopping Mall

  address: 2911 E. Division St

Budget

• Atomic Sports Bar and Grill

  phone: +1 817 275-5575
  address: 1615 W. Park Row

Mid-range

• Arlington Steak House

  phone: +1 817-275-7881
  address: 1724 W Division St

• Bobby Valentine's Sports Gallery Cafe

  address: 4301 S. Bowen

• Bucknloon

  phone: +1 817 466-2825
  address: 3517 S. Cooper

• Cafe Acapulco

  phone: +1 817 572-4471
  address: 4001 W Green Oaks Blvd, Ste 121

• Campo Verde

  address: 2918 W Pioneer Pkwy

• Catfish Sam's

  phone: +1 817 275-9631
  address: 2735 W Division St

• No Frills GrillThree in the Metroplex.

Splurge

• Fox and Hound Pub and Grille

  phone: +1 817 277-3591
  address: 1001 NE Green Oaks Blvd
  Fun place to shoot pool and throw darts.

• Septembers

  phone: +1 817 630-3322
  address: 2401 East Lamar Blvd
  A great place to listen to music, play darts, watch sporting events on our multiple TVs. The best known bar in Arlington. Join us for Football PreGame Fan Fests.

Budget

• Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Arlington/Dallas Area

  phone: +1 817 557-8400
  address: 1740 Oak Village Blvd

• Days Inn Arlington

  phone: +1 817 557-5828
  address: 1901 West Pleasant Ridge

Mid-range

• AmeriSuites Dallas/Arlington

  phone: +1 817 649-7676
  address: 2380 East Rd
  Rooms have microwave and refrigerator, separate workspace and free internet. Free hot breakfast, on-site meeting rooms, fitness center and outdoor swimming pool.

• Courtyard Dallas Arlington by the Ballpark

  phone: +1 817 277-2774
  address: 1500 Nolan Ryan Expressway

• Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Arlington/DFW South

  phone: +1 817 640-1188
  address: 2401 Brook Hollow Plaza Dr

• Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites Arlington Texas South

  phone: +1 817 784-8750
  address: 1721 Pleasant Pl

• Holiday Inn Express-Six Flags

  phone: +1 817 640-5454
  address: 2451 E. Randol Mill Rd
  Smoke free. Complimentary breakfast, free Wi-Fi internet, 24-hour shuttle service to and from the DFW airport and nearby shopping and dining within 5 miles. Outdoor pool and spa.

• Wingate Inn Arlington

  phone: +1 817 640-8686
  address: 1024 Brookhollow Plaza Dr.
  Spacious rooms and suites, meeting facilities and free high-speed internet.

Splurge

• Hilton Arlington

  phone: +1 817 640-3322
  address: 2401 East Lamar Blvd

• Sheraton Arlington

  phone: +1 817 261-8200
  address: 1500 Convention Center Dr
  Adjacent to the Arlington Convention Center.

Arlington is a generally safe town, though the areas of Dalworthington Gardens, Pantego, and the areas north of IH-30 are MUCH better developed and safer than other parts of the city. Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor water park, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium are situated in a highly modernized, pleasant location along IH-30; as you travel immediately south from there, the area is quite industrialized and deteriorated. One would be wise not to venture through East Arlington on foot at night. The 'danger zone' essentially is surrounded by IH-30 to the north, IH-20 to the south, Cooper Street/FM 157 to the west, and State Hwy. 360 to the east.
Located on the north side of IH-20, Arlington's main shopping centers - The Parks at Arlington Mall and newly-built Arlington Highlands mall - are very safe zones that are constantly bustling with people due to all the restaurants and commerce in this area.
If you are visiting the campus of UT Arlington during the day you shouldn't run into any problems, though after hours (even before sundown) assault and robbery are not uncommon on the campus outskirts, particularly south and east of campus. As mentioned before, West Arlington (Dalworthington Gardens and Pantego) are by far the safest areas of the city, though they are mostly residential.

• Kadampa Meditation Center Texas

  phone: +1 817-460-2781
  address: 609 Truman St
  Offers relaxation meditations and meditation classes to increase inner peace.