Texas · United States
Garland travel guide
Garland is a city in Texas, United States, home to about 246,000 people.
- Best months
- November
- Nearest airport
- DAL21 km · Dallas Love Field
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Garland
Garland is a city in Dallas County, Texas, with portions extending into Collin and Rockwall counties. It is northeast of Dallas and is a part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.
Garland is a suburb of Dallas, and hence much of its activities are hubbed around Dallas, especially Northeast Dallas, as well as adjoining suburbs, Mesquite (Texas), Rockwall and Richardson (Texas). At the same time, Garland abounds in self-sufficiency. The fact that you have to drive to Dallas to get to a club with some real action or visit the museum is generally viewed as a feature by the locals; on the one hand, Garland lends itself to an uncluttered existence, but on the other hand, if you do want to do that stuff, Dallas and all its urban delights is just down the road.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Garland
See
Downtown Garland is typically quiet during the day, achieving a lively buzz in the evening. There are a number of local businesses, some of them pleasantly quirky, and an understated city square facing the community theatre. During the winter season, a large Christmas tree and attractions such as ice sliding take over the city square.
- Garland Landmark Museum
Do
Catch a show at the community theatre, or sometimes an attraction at the cultural center. Drop by Rosalind Coffee TX at 107 N. 6th Street for a toasted sandwich or a pastry and a mug of flavored coffee and play board games with colorful locals, who seem to split evenly between aspiring artists, unemployed eccentrics, and friendly local students of all ages, plus the occasional yoga mom with pups in tow.
- Hawaiian Falls Garland
- Spring Creek Forest Preserve
- In-Sync Exotics
- Windsurf Bay Park
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Garland to stay in
Garland is surprisingly steep compared to highway-side stops, owing to a steady influx of business travelers, as well as savvy travelers avoiding even more expensive stays in north Dallas. Look for the usual: Motel 6, Red Roof, and so forth.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Garland
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Garland are November. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 36 °C; May is the wettest, with about 119 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Garland: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Dallas Love Field (DAL), about 21 km from the city centre in a straight line; Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW, 38 km) and Fort Worth Meacham International Airport (FTW, 69 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
You will come in through DFW Airport, to the west in the mid-cities, or from Love Field, near downtown Dallas. One very convenient approach is to come in through DFW airport, hitch a train ride to the DART system, and ride the Blue Line from downtown Dallas straight into downtown Garland. DART's blue line will take you all the way from downtown Dallas to downtown Garland in under an hour. From Dallas Union Station, you can take the Trinity Rail Express to Fort Worth or even catch Amtrak. The most central station is Downtown Garland Station, located at 430 West Walnut Street.
Getting around
People in Garland drive. People who are too poor or too young to drive walk or use the bus. Biking is common in park neighborhoods, but requires some bravery to do crosstown.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
DAL · Dallas Love Field
DFW · Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
FTW · Fort Worth Meacham International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Garland
Drink
Almost strictly local taverns and strip mall-based night clubs. Forget about a discotheque. You might be able to dig up some karaoke.
Stay safe
Garland is a pretty safe town, statistically, but practice good awareness at night, even if you think you're in a relatively quiet part of town. It's easy enough for roughs from the wrong side of the tracks (literally) to up Garland road into north Garland looking for trouble. Garland is a big city and should be treated as such.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Garland: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Garland?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Garland are November. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 36 °C; May is the wettest, with about 119 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Garland?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Dallas Love Field (DAL), about 21 km from the city centre in a straight line; Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW, 38 km) and Fort Worth Meacham International Airport (FTW, 69 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Garland?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Garland
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.