Cafe Madrid
Dallas

If you don't pay attention, you might just mosey on past the "modest facade" of this Dallas small-plates spot. Inside, however, it's a whole other story, with a "flavorful menu" that "certainly gets attention from locals," enough so that it keeps many "Dallasites coming back for more." Feast on everything from leg of lamb with cilantro sauce to tuna skewers accompanied by the "unbeatable" sangria and the "out-of-this-world stuffed bell peppers," then cap off your meal with a decadent dessert of tres leches or flan. Special tip: "call ahead to request a table by the TV if the game is on." Read more.

Katy Trail

Winding through the most populated area of Dallas, many locals consider Katy Trail "an oasis amidst highways and skyscrapers." The 3.5 mile pedestrian and bicycle path lines the greenbelt along the abandoned tracks of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad and "connects residents to a slice of something green." Walkers, joggers and bikers go there to "forget the hubbub of the city" and "capture a bit of solitude." Take your iPod to block all noise from the outside world or relish the fact that footsteps on pavement are the loudest thing you'll hear. Read more.

Bishop Arts District
North Oak Cliff

A busy trolley stop in the 1930s, the Bishop Arts District now attracts artists and entrepreneurs who have "buffed and polished this once-fading neighborhood to near perfection. " The brick crossways lined with "old-timey lights make you dream of the days gone by." Explore a few funky art galleries, meander through the "homegrown shops that some locals don't even know about," and stop at one of the 12 restaurants for some fare. (Choose from Thai, Mexican or Mayan, to name a few.) If you happen to visit on a Saturday night, enjoy a scoop of Blue Bell at Suenos Sabrosos Ice Cream Parlor while being entertained by amateur poets at open mic night. Read more.

Joe T. Garcia's
Fort Worth

With tables situated around lush, fern-filled gardens featuring shade trees and a pool with floating lily pads, this Ft. Worth tradition boasts "the best alfresco dining experience in town." Not much has changed since Joe and Mamasuez started serving their homemade dishes in 1935. The Garcia family still runs the place, and dinner guests still enjoy the restaurant's only two entrees: cheese enchiladas with red sauce or fajitas with homemade flour tortillas. Go for breakfast or lunch to try different options, but those seeking "the real Joe Ts experience should go on a hot, summer night to sip margaritas." Editor's Tip: Go with cash - they don't take plastic. Read more.

Grapevine Vintage Railroad
Grapevine

Climb aboard "Puffy" to experience "train travel as it was in the glory days of the expanding West." This vintage 1896 steam locomotive carries its passengers along the historic Cotton Belt Route between Grapevine and Fort Worth's Stockyards National Historic District, where the Old West is said to "come alive." From the days of the Roaring Twenties (a time when jazz, The Great Gatsby and economic wealth prevailed), the authentic Victorian-style locomotive is the oldest continuously operating steam engine in the South and gives its riders a "nostalgic, back-then experience." Read more.