In February, I headed Dallas to visit friends, watch my Tampa Bay Lightning play, and see Bruce Springsteen perform live. While it was winter and the weather was less than perfect, we had a terrific time. In this article, I will recap my time in Dallas and share my thoughts on the experiences.

This recap is the finale of the February in Dallas trip. For more on this trip, follow these links:

Intro

Flight: American Economy, CHS-DFW

Bruce Springsteen in Concert

Tampa Bay Lightning Game

5 Days in Dallas

Food and Drinks in Dallas

Lounges at DFW Airport

Flight: American Economy DFW-CHS

Conclusion (This Article)

Overview:

After a busy stretch of travel at the end of 2022, I enjoyed a peaceful January at home. In February, it was back to the skies as I headed to Dallas, Texas. Dallas is one of the cities in the giant DFW Metroplex and while I had been to Dallas before, I’d spent more time on the Fort Worth side recently. I enjoyed catching up with good friends, tasting good food, and seeing a hockey game and concert!

The Trip, Visualized:

As with my last trip to Asheville, this adventure had a simple itinerary featuring one flight to Dallas and one flight home. The itinerary was as follows:

1. Charleston, South Carolina’s Charleston International Airport (CHS) to Dallas, Texas’ DFW International Airport (DFW)
2. DFW to CHS

Here is the map:

Highlights from the Trip:

This trip was packed full of good times and great memories. The top 5 moments from this trip were:

• Seeing Bruce Springsteen live!
• Watching my Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Dallas Stars in hockey
• Tasting great food
• Catching up with friends

My trip was 5 days, long enough to spend time with both friends and see the excitement while working (and quickly returning to the warmth of Charleston 😉 ).

Price:

I always include the prices I’ve paid to give an idea of what it costs to go on these trips. While I had no hotel stays this time, there were once again flights. Without further ado, let’s dive into the numbers:

Food and Drink:

• Dallas: $604.60 ($262.01 for me).

Transportation:

• Dallas: $55.63 (My portion was $37.82 and I used $25 in Uber credit so I paid $12.82).

Flights:

• Dallas: $325.79.

Hotel:

N/A, I stayed with friends.

Activities:

• Dallas: $397.98 ($156.96 for me)

The activities were the main focus of this trip. This trip looked a little different than most as the highlights were a hockey game and concert.

Total Price:

• Dallas: $1,384 ($757.58 for me)

In all, the trip cost $1,384 ($757.58 for me) including flights, food and drinks, and tickets for the Bruce Springsteen concert and Tampa Bay Lightning game. This was a reasonable amount to enjoy the benefits of a big city!

Points Earned:

Food and Drink:

• Dallas: 2,418 AmEx Membership Rewards Points

Transportation:

• Dallas: 333 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

Flights:

• Dallas: 1,618 AAdvantage Miles

In this case, I opted to purchase flights using my Barclays American AAdvantage Business Card to help meet the sign-up bonus and earn valuable AAdvantage Miles (and Loyalty Points for status). While 2x AAdvantage Miles normally wouldn’t compare to 5x AmEx Membership Rewards Points, this time it was.

Hotel:

N/A

Activities:

• Dallas: 214 Capital One Miles, 291 American AAdvantage Miles, and 796 Membership Rewards Points

Total Points:

In total, I earned 3,214 AmEx Membership Rewards Points, 333 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points, 214 Capital One Miles, and 1,909 American AAdvantage Miles. A solid all-around earnings!

Evan’s Recommendations:

I’d like to give my thoughts on what was good, bad, and so-so on this trip. To do that, I’ll list 3 categories: can’t miss items, avoid, and if you have time. The options come from the entire trip, so it’s possible 1 place has all the recommendations or none of them. Unlike most trips, some of the can’t miss items are more about the experience than destination. As always, what do you think? Let me know if you think I’ve omitted anything or have overrated an experience.

Can’t Miss:

• Seeing Bruce Springsteen live
  • Obviously, you do not need to see the Boss in Dallas– in fact, he won’t be playing there for a while! This concert was incredible and if you enjoy his songs at all, he is a must-see act.
• Enjoying food and drinks at Revolver Taco
  • The food and drinks at this upscale restaurant were incredible. If you visit Dallas, head here for delicious food and great ambiance!
• Visiting Jimmy’s Food Store
  • This awesome combination of grocery store and Italian deli is a can’t-miss destination. Whether you want to eat lunch or grab some local ingredients to cook, I highly recommend you stop by when in Dallas!

If You Have Time:

• Eating at Pho Bowl
  • While the pho was great, you can get quality Vietnamese food in any big city.
• Watching a hockey game
  • While I’m a huge Tampa Bay Lightning fan, there is nothing better than seeing hockey in person. If you’ve never seen a game live, you should do so!

Avoid:

• Visiting Meddlesome Moth
  • While trendy and popular, choose somewhere else for brunch! This restaurant was disappointing both in service and the quality of food and drink.

Summary:

Dallas was a great time! I had a blast catching up with friends and seeing two incredible events– Bruce Springsteen in concert and the Tampa Bay Lightning- Dallas Stars hockey game– as well as trying great food! The first trip of the year was a great one. Next up: Raleigh, NC.