Texas State Fair

The weekends are VERY busy - if you can go during the week!! On Wednesdays you can bring 3 cans of canned goods and $1 for entry!!!! I agree park inside the Fair Grounds. That's $10...Fletcher's Corny Dogs are good - this year they have a new flavor - it has jalepeno's & cheese in the dog...they're good!
ENJOY!!

I concur, there are lots of free things to do at the Fair. Go to the Midway last, if at all, and then hopefully the kids will be so tired they won't care if you do only 1 ride. That's what I do and I tell them before we go that they're only getting 1 ride (I have 3 kids so 1 ride is plenty!)

I take granola bars and water that we can refill.

The Dog Show near the barn is VERY cool and free. There's usually a horse show back there too. Do all the free things in the barn area, the petting zoo, the creative arts hall, the agricultural hall (all free) and then go over to the Bird Show (free and you gotta see it!) and the Butterfly Exhibit (it does cost money but we really enjoy it).

There are a few cool things around Big Tex himself, but we spend alot of time around the barn.

We spend about $100, you can do less, but we like to eat all the weird fried stuff.

Kroger has discount tickets and Star Telegram has Press Pass member discounts, if you belong, and I'm sure there's some others I don't know about.

Check out the official site for daily info.

http://www.bigtex.com/entertainment/highlights/

The area is fine. Crime happens everywhere, just be aware of your surroundings no matter where you go. There are PLENTY of police officers on the perimeters and on the inside of the fair, including undercover policemen. The fair is pricey, so don't go with $50 bucks and expect to eat and do everything. Parking in the lot (which is my suggestion) is $10 per car. You can always take the DART bus for a couple of bucks and they pick up every 30 minutes. If you buy a ticket from Kroger they are only $11.50. If you buy tickets at the gate, they're $13. If you go after 5pm with a Dr. Pepper can, it's $6. Wear comfortable shoes because there will be a lot of walking. There are plenty of free activites such as the car show, pet shows, laser shows and the pararde. Tickets are .50 cents a ticket, so if you buy a sheet of 20 tickets, it will cost you $10. It takes 5-6 tickets for a small drink, 7 for a large. 12 for a turkey leg, 9 for corn on the cob etc. So you can kind of gauge how much you will be spending. I go mainly to eat, but if you like rides, then bring extra cash. I do recommend one ride, the Texas Star. It's the biggest ferris wheel in the South and at the very top you can see all the way to Fort Worth on a clear day. It's well worth the tickets and offers a terrifc breeze and great view.
I love the fair and have been going for years. Enjoy!

My husband, daughter and I went two years ago and decided it wasn't really that great for our family. We didn't enjoy paying $5 each for carnival rides that last less than two minutes. I don't know how people with multiple kids afford such an outing. The only thing that is free is seeing all the animals and to the fair's credit, my daughter did enjoy that. We have decided to keep our Six Flags tickets current and enjoy those rides as often as we want for a whole lot less. If you go, I hope you have a blessed time enjoying your husband all to yourself!

You can park for free by the firefighter museum and then walk across the street to the entrance. You might want to pack snacks and some water bottles so you can save a little money. Get there around 9:30 when the livestock barns are the only thing open. Do that first and you'll have the whole thing to yourself and then at 10:00 you can be the first in line for whatever else you want to do. You might want to do the ferris wheel first. The line gets really long for that.
enjoy!

I have been going to the fair since I was in a stroller and I am in my 40's. It is a lot of fun and very entertaining. Anything can happen anywhere so remember a few safety tips: 1) park on the fairgrounds and not at the open lots that people are motioning for you to come over and pay them. The fair parking is in the back and you will see the signs of where to go and you will see the gates. 2). Try not to carry a purse unless it is small and can go over your shoulder and across your body. This will help to keep from losing money or getting it stolen. Set a budget before you go because it can be expensive. If you both like rides, plan to eat, drink and see various shows, you may spend $200.00 each. A conservative number for 2 adults is probably $150.00 - $200.00. 3). There are police everywhere and it is relatively safe compared to several years ago. Just be aware of your surroundings and don't put money in a back pocket, don't wear valuable jewelry (it may come off on a ride), and have something to keep your tickets in as I found several on the ground due to people carring them in their hands and dropping them. Enjoy - it is so much fun. To get the most for your money, start during the day but hang around for nightfall because it is a sight to see all lit.

Have fun,

T.

PS - The games are a rip off though you can win at some of them. Be sure to play them last in case you win something and therefore you won't be dragging stuffed animals the entire time.

Whatever you do don't miss out on the Bird Show! It is FREE and we have gone every year for 13 years. It is awesome for adults and children. You can be up close with all the Birds of Prey...Eagles, Hawks, etc. They are real and beautiful. The Dog Shows are fun too, but not as fantastic as the Bird Show. It is featured about 3 times a day. You can check out the schedule before you go and time it right. ENJOY!!!

I've grown-up in the Dallas Metroplex (I'm in my 40's now) and the Fair Park area is a higher area for crime in the MetroPlex. Because so many are attracted to the Fair and many are not cautious, it does seem to attract more crime that time of the year too, especially robbery. I would park inside the Fair Parking Lot, versus on the street, especially IF you bring your children. We always go at the beginning of the day and leave right around dusk...as more crime, tends to happen after dark. Even though I'm a VERY CAUTIOUS person, I will NEVER miss a year at the fair. I've gone since I was a baby. It's a tradition. Be AWARE of your surroundings & stay SAFE!

I haven't done the rides for 20 years, so I can't speak to the price, but when my husband and I go with our daughter or nephew, we spend about a $100. We go the minimal route. We hit ALL the FREE shows (like the dog & bird shows, mentioned above) and we eat the famous Fletcher Corny Dogs and a few snacks (funnel cakes - yummy). So, with parking cost, entrance fees, food and a few souvenirs, you can keep the cost at $100 or less. If you want to go on rides and gamble/play the Midway games, then you'll want a lot more on-hand. Have FUN!!

You've gotten lots of good advice. I go to the fair usually twice each year and have for at least 10 years. Since having kids I think it's even more fun. My husband and I love the auto show and spend hours looking at the cars. Before having kids I always loved to go through the different museums and aquariums. Their too young to put up with that now. LOL Trying the different foods is fun. Since you're not going with kids I don't think it would be very expensive at all. As far as safety, it has a bad reputation but I've gone for years and never once had a problem of any kind and I've parked in the fair grounds and out and even some years I was by myself and never even saw anything suspicious. Just use common sense and have a blast! I live for the Fair!