Car Rental Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Dallas Fort Worth Airport is located in the north of Texas, about an hour’s drive from the Oklahoma State line. This travel hub is connected to the surrounding area by the International Parkway. This toll road provides a link to TX-183, also known as the Airport Freeway, which runs east/west. Follow this route east to hit Dallas and west for Fort Worth – both around 30minutes drive away.

Dallas and Fort Worth are also both served by I-30, which runs through the cities east/west. Continuing on past Dallas, this heads northeast to Sulphur Springs and Texarkana on the Arkansas state line.

To reach Austin - the state capital and biggest city in Texas - join I-35 in Fort Worth. The drive will take you around three hours, but it’s worth it to feel the buzz of this vibrant destination.

The rules for driving in Texas are similar to those found elsewhere in the US. It’s legal to pass on the left when you see a dashed white or yellow line marking the boundary between lanes, but you should never pass across a solid white or yellow line. Another rule of note, if you come to a junction and the way is clear, you’re allowed to make a right turn on a red light.

The maximum sped limits is 70mph (113km/h), though some highways have been given special designation to increase the limit to 85mph (137km/h). These will be signposted.

Parking your car in Dallas is easy to do, as long as you have change to pay the fare. There are a number of parking lots and multi-storey lots across the city. In Fort Worth, there are plenty of parking lots Downtown and some in Stockyards, which charge by the hour or by the day. Again, just remember your change.

From renowned museums and parks, to shopping and fine dining, you’ll find plenty to do in both Dallas and Fort Worth. Rent a car from Dallas Fort Worth Airport and you’ll have all the attractions of both cities within easy reach.

Green spaces

Both cities might be located in hot and often barren Texas, but it doesn’t mean they’re not filled with lush greenery and open spaces.

Dallas is home to the famous Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, located on the shores of White Rock Lake. Highlights include the Children’s Adventure Garden and Rose Garden, where you can see hundreds of beautiful blooms.

Just a short drive away, you’ll find Klyde Warren Park. This community space sits on top of the Woodall Rodgers Freeway, which disappears into an underground tunnel. Opened to the public in 2012, there’s a full schedule of concerts and events in the park all year round, plus food trucks which serve tasty cuisine from local vendors.

Over in Fort Worth, there are both Japanese and Botanic Gardens for exotic plant life and the famous Water Garden for cooling down. The Water Garden has a quite pool located at the centre of striking, man made waterfalls.

Art and history

Dallas Museum of Art is home to thousands of works dating from the third century BC to the present day. Highlights include works by French artists Gauguin and Monet. There’s also an impressive collection of American art, featuring the realist oil paintings of Edward Hopper, the “Mother of American modernism” Georgia O’Keeffe and many more.

Another must-see attraction in Dallas is the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, dedicated to the life and legacy of President John F Kennedy. The museum is housed within the Texas School Book Depository, where Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly fired the fatal shot.  

Just around the corner, less than five minutes walk away, is the John F Kennedy Memorial Plaza. This peaceful space centres around a gleaming granite cenotaph where visitors can privately reflect and remember the life of the 35^th President.

Wild West

With a rental car, you can take the short drive from Dallas to its neighbouring city of Fort Worth. This Texan metropolis is lively, modern and hugely proud of its cowboy past.

Head for the Stockyards National Historic District to see a cattle drive, visit an authentic saloon and take a guided tour through the Cowboy Hall of Fame. This part of the city is also home to Billy Bob’s Texas, a famous honky-tonk venue where you can hear live country music.

But it’s not about the Wild West here – just a short drive from Downtown is the city’s Cultural District. This part of town is packed full of world-class art galleries including the Kimbell Art Museum – and, of course, the must-see National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

Downtown delights

At the heart of Fort Worth lies Sundance Square, a bustling entertainment district. Here you can catch a show at Bass Performance Hall, dine at one of the patio restaurants at the Sundance Square Plaza and see the city’s most famous piece of public art, the Chisholm Trail Mural – a huge painting which commemorates the cattle drives of the 19^th century.

With Dallas Fort Worth Airport car rental, you are free to explore the Lone Star State as you please, from cowboys to contemporary art.