Arlington is in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas.U.S.A.
With a city population estimated at over 383,000, it is Texas’ 7th largest. It is the third largest city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The city is just south of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (IATA: DFW), the major airport in the region.
Understand : The city was founded in 1875 and is named after General Robert E. 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 four thousand before World War II.
Large-scale industrialization began in 1954 with the arrival of a General Motors assembly plant, which is still in operation today. 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 International Airport opened in 1974, which also contributed to growth in the region.
Access : Coordinates: 32.705, -97.122778 / 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 the city on Texas State Highway 360. Dallas Love Field is the secondary commercial passenger airport in the area. See the Dallas and Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex pages for more details on travelling to the region by air. Arlington Municipal Airport and Grand Prairie Municipal Airport are nearby general aviation options.
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 Downtown Dallas, Downtown Fort Worth, and Cleburne. The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) travels between Dallas and Fort Worth with the closest stop to Arlington being Centreport station just south of DFW Airport.
By car : Well served by major highways, if you are coming from Texas or an adjoining state, you will more than likely arrive via a major interstate highway. East/West Interstate 20 is located in the southern part of the city. East/West Interstate 30 runs through the northern part of the city. North/South Interstate 35, which splits to an eastern highway (35E) through Dallas and western highway (35W) through Fort Worth between Denton and Waco, are within a short driving distance from Arlington. Texas State Highway 360 is the main north/south highway through the city. In the morning rush hour, the heaviest traffic runs northbound on 360. The reverse is true in the afternoon.
By bus : Arlington used to have a Greyhound bus terminal, but it closed on October 31, 2011. However, Turimex Internacional , which is a Mexican trans-border bus line with services to various points in Mexico, does have a bus stop in Arlington located at 2105 Sherry St. See the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex page for details on more options for travelling to the region by bus.
Get around : Because of limited public transportation options, most people use personal vehicles. A limited number of bike lanes are available, but in general, drivers do not respect cyclists, so use caution if cycling on city streets. Pedestrians should exercise caution as well. Texting while driving is illegal in the city, but rarely enforced.
Formerly the most populous city in America without any mass transit, Arlington is now served by the Metro Arlington Express, which runs bus service between Centreport station and The University of Texas at Arlington (UT-Arlington). UT-Arlington also has shuttle service around and near campus. Visitors staying at select hotels have access to a trolley system. There are shuttle buses seen around the city with a City of Arlington paint scheme. However, those are called Handitran buses, which is a service for only residents who are either senior citizens or have disabilities.
Highlights :
- Johnnie High’s Country Music Revue, at Arlington Music Hall.
- AT&T Stadium Tours, Popular attraction at home of the Dallas Cowboys. Tours allow access to playing field and locker rooms except on or near game days. Pro shop has large selection of Cowboys merchandise for sale.
- Arlington Museum of Art.
- River Legacy Living Science Center, located in North Arlington.
- The Ballpark in Arlington now known as Globe Life Park. Home of the Texas Rangers baseball club.
- Sunset at Bowman Springs Park overlooking Lake Arlington in West Arlington.
- Levitt Pavilion, . Outdoor concert venue
- College Park Center . Home of UT-Arlington athletics, and other sporting events and concerts.
Activities :
Six Flags Over Texas . The very first Six Flags amusement park.
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. One of the largest outdoor water parks in the US. Open May to September.
Texas Rangers Baseball, Major League Baseball team has made Arlington its home since 1972.
Planetarium at University of Texas Arlington .
Maverick Speaker Series . Held on-campus at UT-Arlington. Tickets are required, but are free.
K1 Speed indoor go-kart racing .
River Legacy Parks . North Arlington park located along the Trinity River. Many hike/bike trails including off-road available..
Go next : Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex – explore the rest of North Texas
