I will be going this year for the first time since the early 90’s. Where are the best areas for parking/taking a shuttle , etc ? Thanks
The real issue is after the game which is a goat rope. Which station are you planning to board the train to the game?
depending on time of game driving and parking on the grounds is not that bad. The 11 am games if you get there before 8:00/8:30 plenty of parking on grounds and there is so much to do and see at OUR STATE FAIR the time goes by quickly. Before you know it it is time to head to the TexasExes tailgate and then the walk to the game. Getting out isn't as bad as you'd think. Cops do a good job of letting fairgrounds traffic get out or you could stay awhile and have a Fletchers and a beer. Dart is just ok/Did it once but geez they always say they will add extra trains but so far it seems they don't Edit We have had the best luck with IIRC gate 10 or 11
I always drive because the train isn’t near my area. Last year I got there around 730-745 and parked on the actual fair grounds for 15 bucks which was nice but in years past we just valet park right in the front for 30 bucks.
Hmmm, well maybe we’ll drive. But honestly wife and I getting up early enough to be at Park before 9 would be a real feat in our ‘mature’ state. Station would be LBJ/Central or Forest Lane, closest to the Hotel.
Unless DART changes from prior years, from either of those stations you will have to change trains in downtown. That is a pain returning during the Fair, so it will be a double pain for the ou game. If you can make it to the Fairgrounds before 9 I would suggest you will find that a better solution.
Thanks Vipe. Yeah you have to go from red or orange to green. Getting up to drive may indeed be best. Thanks
From where you are staying, I'd recommend taking Garland Ave down past White Rock Lake and one of the cross streets to Parry. If it is around 830, take Parry down the east side of Fair Park to the cheap lots. If later, try to park near Parry & Grand (???), maybe under the freeway.
The only way the train really works is by catching the non-stop trains from Parker Road. It takes just as long but no transfers.
I post this every year, and every year people poopoo this and every year I park there safely only blocks from the stadium... Where East Grand dead ends into Haskell is Mckenzie. That area has all the personal homes parking on their yards. It's cheaper than valet, smells like pot, and is a block from the livestock entrance. The fair recently bought land there and has a "livestock credential" parking lot at the end of Mckenzie. The livestock entrance is the closest to the Cotton Bowl and two blocks from this parking. they charge $20 and $15. I've never had an issue.
Not going this year but have gone the past two. Never took the train and had friends meet me at the game doing so and they were 15 minutes late for kickoff. Dallas train aficionados may have posted a solution to that issue. 11 oclock game get there by 9 you can park in the big lot by the rr tracks and walk or shuttle to the gate....
When we lived in Richardson, We would go up to Plano and hop on the Blue Line on the train that was marked of the State Fair. The We would purchase the All Day pass for $5. Then ride it back in the evening. They fill up pretty quick. Watch the schedules for the Fair since the routes (and the cost) may have changed somewhat. Much better than driving and dealing with the traffic.
DART will have express trains to Fair Park, but I wouldn't recommend them unless you're getting on in Plano or Rowlett. They'll fill up by the 4th stop and by the time the train gets to Dallas, there's no more seating on any of them. And waiting to get on a different one to get home is a clusterfuck. Just drive and park. There are plenty of options available, but I trust the ones near Haskell.
I just parked on the street up there somewhere, was almost all the way to I-30, but the extra walk was worth it. I also found out the hard way that if you take I-30 up there the main exits (I think 48A&B) were insanely backed up, but you could go 1 exit further and then come back around, and it was a cinch and would have saved me 15 minutes of stop'n'go driving.