Attraction of the Week: Reunion Tower in Dallas

Dallas is most well-known for being home to “America’s Team” The Cowboys, amazing employment opportunities, and Dealey Plaza: site of the JFK assassination. Endless suburbia is what I think of first. While the city frequently ranks amongst the country’s most boring due to the seemingly never ending suburban sprawl, there is still plenty to do for first time tourists, especially if you are interested in history, museums, & urban recreation. Many do not know that there are a number of fantastic attractions in and near downtown including a world renowned arboretum, the Dallas Zoo, and the Reunion Observatory tower. On a recent quick 2 night stay, I checked out 2 of these famous attractions.

As this city does not see nearly as many tourists as the more popular major cities due to its’ reputation as being solely a good place to live rather than visit, the attractions tend to stay a bit under-the-rater. Fortunately, this means a bit less traffic and congestion, especially if you head out on a weekday.

The Reunion Tower is the most recognizable landmark and also one of the most popular tourist attractions, but thankfully not as overcrowded as the Willis in Chicago or the Empire State building in NYC (both of which I recommend placing high on your city to-do list for the amazing views & historical significance). I was shocked at the minimal traffic I encountered during a mid-week visit in the middle of rush hour. This was my second visit to the city and one of my favorite things I have done thus far.

History of the Reunion Tower

This is a rather new building, having been just built in 1976. The stylish building, although not the tallest, is the standout amongst a skyline that frequently ranks amongst the most scenic in the world. In a recent USA Today Readers poll, Dallas actually beat out Chicago as being home to the most scenic skyline (not sure I agree as The Windy City’s skyline with Lake Michigan in the backdrop is pretty hard to top!).

Enjoying the views from the observation deck is pricey (but really what urban attraction isn’t?). I think that photographers and modern architecture lovers would appreciate this place the most. I love a great cityscape so it was on my bucket list. The panoramic 360 views of the city are quite breathtaking. Not as stunning as NYC and Chicago, but money well spent for a fabulous viewpoint.

Lots of cool bridges to enjoy!

The building in and of itself is a pretty cool architecturally speaking and reminds me a bit of the Space Needle in Seattle. The 561 foot building, known locally as “the ball,” has an interesting architectural top piece. The ball shines each night with over 250 lights. During the 4th of July holiday, a spectacular fireworks celebration takes place.

The building is adjacent to the Hyatt Regency and located within a short walk to most of the city’s most visited attractions like the JFK Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, the famous cattle drive sculptures, and the Dallas World Aquarium.

You will be able to read through some historical info during your visit. But you can also learn more about the tower’s history in advance to get acquainted before your visit.

The Experience

To get to the observatory deck known as the GeO, you will take a quick glass elevator ride. Although short at just over a minute, the ride up is pretty cool as you get a nice glimpse of the city as you rise up 470 feet in the air. I’ve always loved glass elevators so this was a cool experience.

From here, you can experience the grandeur of one of the country’s most magnificent skylines. The most notable site of interest is Dealey Plaza: site of the JFK assassination. History buffs may also want to check out the 6th Floor museum: John F. Kennedy and the Memory of a Nation is the main exhibit on the 6th floor.

The skyline is clean, modern, and asthetically pleasing.

History aside, there is a really nice overview from up here and lots of historical info to read through. The visitor’s center has a nice little touch screen interpretative area where you can learn more about each site of interest. If you are a history buff, then you will probably find the tickets a much better deal as you will have more to do.

Dealey Plaza view 

The skyline

The skyline consists of 36 high rises over 350 feet tall with 19 rising up more than 492 feet. The tallest of the bunch is the Bank of America Plaza which towers over the others at 921 feet, making it the 3rd tallest Texas skyscraper, after the JP Morgan Chase tower and the Wells Fargo Plaza in Houston. The first skyscraper in the city was the 184 foot tall, 14 story Praetorian building, which was not only the first in the state, but also the first in the entire Southwest.

On an interesting historical side note, the world’s first skyscraper was the Home Insurance building in Chicago, built in 1884, which was at the time, considered the “Father of the Skyscraper” despite only standing a tiny (by today’s standards) 138 feet.

Should I visit at day or night?

The great thing about this skyline is that it looks amazing both day and night, and fortunately, the Tower offers a combo package where you will have the opportunity to view it in both settings. This deal is only a few bucks more, so definitely worth the upcharge if you have the time.

Unfortunately, I was a bit strapped for time, and limited to a daytime visit, nevertheless, the views were gorgeous and I enjoyed reading about the history. We lucked out and were one of only a handful of people visiting so it was easy to take pics and read through historical info uninterrupted. If you are limited on time, I recommend the daytime experience as the views really are outstanding, there are fewer crowds, and it’s’ easier to obtain great photos.

Dining with a bird’s eye view

The ball consists of 3 floors. The first floor is home to the GeO observing deck. The Cloud Nine cafe is a casual eatery offering light fare. For world-class views, you will want to plan for dinner at Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck, located at the very top on the 50th floor. The contemporary dining room revolves and features floor-to-ceiling windows looking out unto the city and frequently ranks as one of the country’s most scenic dining experiences.

This restaurant offers a really special ambiance not found elsewhere in the city, and therefore, is really popular for birthday celebrations, anniversaries, holidays, and other special occasions.

Update: Five Sixty closed in 2020 after 40+ years. Crown Block – a high end seafood & steak house has replaced the long running favorite.

Location, pricing, & parking info

The building is located at: 300 Reunion Blvd.

Tickets can be ordered online or on-site. General admission tickets range between $19-40 for adults, $16-35 for seniors, and $10-20 for youth. This tickets includes admission to the observatory, a digital photo, and access to telescopes. The day/night combo tickets are just a few dollars more so a great deal if you have the time.

You can also pay a few bucks more and add on one of 3 city trolley tours. There is a JFK tour, city tour, and hop on/hop off. The best deal of all is a City Pass deal which includes entrance to the observation deck plus 3 other attractions for one low price. I would definitely consider this deal on my next trip to the area.

Pricing current as of 2026. Check the website for updates and special promotions.

There is a large parking lot on-site. Pricing is per hour, so it just depends on how long you will be exploring. You can also find a meter around the city as a cheaper alternative.

For more details including special events and light shows, visit the Observatory website.

What else to do?

I definitely recommend exploring the Dallas Arboretum, one of the top rated in the country. It’s a beautiful place to stroll around anytime of the year, particularly during the cooler fall months. I really loved their seasonal pumpkin display.

This arboretum puts on one of the best fall events in the country. In addition to strolling around 19 year round gardens, you will also be able to enjoy thousands of seasonal pumpkins as well as a special themed annual display incorporating the use of hundreds of pumpkins!