How to Spend a 24-Hour Staycation in Dallas

When we talk about Uptown Dallas, most people think of the new, fancy, and expensive places. But there’s a lot of cool history that has been preserved and is worth knowing about. This guide to a staycation in the neighborhood is all about keeping it cool, minimizing the parking issues, and learning about the history of this old neighborhood that has been designed and redesigned into an urban area. And eating and drinking awesome food.

Ascension Coffee

Have breakfast and caffeinate

Spending a leisurely morning at the Ascension Coffee in Crescent Court. This local chain was started in 2012 and is all about creating chill environments to slow down and smell the coffee beans — there’s never loud music, loud people, or loud kitchens. Start zen with the golden milk latte made with spiced turmeric, vanilla, cinnamon, and hemp milk or the shroom latte with adaptogenic mushrooms, an organic spice blend, calendula flowers, and almond milk. Ascension makes its sandwiches with the option of a bagel from Starship, which makes arguably the best bagels in North Texas, so go for it with the sammie or toppings of your choice.

Do some leisurely shopping and then lunch

Sixty Vines

The Crescent was built in 1986, replacing old car dealerships to become one of the biggest mixed-use complexes in the city. It’s the structure as the center of turning Uptown into the neighborhood it is today. So stay parked in your spot at Crescent Court and stop at any shops that grab your attention.

When ready, mosey over to Sixty Vines for a leisurely lunch. If you’re with a friend or a group, build a cheese board or share a salad and pizza. By yourself, bring a book and get a Crescent Court BLT. Ask your server about the wine program, which aims for sustainable pours by serving everything from kegs and saving hundreds of thousands of bottles from the recycling piles. It also means each glass is served at optimal taste and aging.

Take in some Dallas history

The Stoneleigh Hotel is a century-old landmark, but did you know that you can pop up to the 11th floor and look at what some parts looked like when famed interior designer Dorothy Draper created the original decor in the 1920s? The Stoneleigh opened in October 1923 as part of a craze in the city of “apartment hotels” — apartment buildings with hotel amenities. In 1934, Col. Harry Stewart purchased the building and ensconced his family in the 12th-floor penthouse (which is still a suite one can rent out now). He also hired Draper to decorate, and the hotel recreated many of her designs, from wallpaper to entire rooms, in 2008 that are open to the public to view on the 11th floor. Those include rooms designed in an English manor home style with some art deco flare.

A number of celebrities have stayed in the Stoneleigh over the years, including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Audrey Hepburn, LeAnn Rimes, Oliver Stone, Judy Garland, Frank Lloyd Wright, Lauren Bacall, Tom Cruise, Carol Channing, Yoko Ono, and Dan Aykroyd.

Once you look at the historic rooms that currently serve as spots for private events on 11, pop back down to the dining room on the ground floor and try some of chef Esayas Estifanos’s baby back ribs. He created a rub with spices from South Asia and Africa that is like nothing else in the city — and it has a kick.

If you’re intrigued by the historic rooms, don’t miss the chance to spend more time there. The hotel is hosting a pair of exclusive speakeasy events on July 18 and August 15, featuring bites, cocktails, and live entertainment. Tickets are required.

Go deeper in the history of Uptown with a cocktail

There’s another great historic stop in Uptown: Bowen House. This little (and we do mean little) cocktail bar is an homage to grocer Ahab Bowen and his family, who moved to Texas and settled in what was a little village in the 1870s. They wouldn’t recognize it now, filled densely with businesses and restaurants, but the wood-framed Bowen house still stands as a charming place to grab a drink and some bites.

It features hands down the best named cocktails in Dallas, with drinks made by creative minds that use house-made syrups and fresh produce along with top-shelf liquor to deliver one heck of an experience.

Enjoy a new Texas legend with a sushi dinner

One of the must-dine places of recent years is Uchi, which James Beard Award‑winning chef Tyson Cole founded out of Austin. The sushi is non-traditional and often put together or garnished in ways that are unusual and kind of thrilling. It’s cool, calm, and quiet without being boring. Reserve a seat at the sushi bar, dining room, or patio when weather permits. There are custom local bites that can only be had at Uchi in Dallas, and cold or hot plates with fish, steak, oysters, and even an omakase menu if you’d rather have the chef choose for you. Seriously, save room for dessert — the fried milk is legendary.