Irving

Nine larger-than-life bronze horses gallop through a fountain on Williams Square Plaza, as if they were about to leap out of the water. The Mustangs of Las Colinas are Irving's landmark – and a good reason to stop in this city right next to DFW Airport on a trip to the Dallas area.

From Farmland to Office City

Irving was founded in 1903 along a new rail line and remained a rural community for decades. The turning point came in the 1970s with the large-scale Las Colinas project: on the land of a former ranch, a planned city arose with office towers, canals, golf courses, and a lake. Today corporations such as McKesson, Fluor, and Kimberly-Clark have their headquarters there. Until 2008, the Dallas Cowboys played in Irving's Texas Stadium before moving to Arlington; the stadium was imploded in 2010.

Sights in Irving

The Mustangs are the work of sculptor Robert Glen; a small museum next door tells the story of how they were made. At Lake Carolyn in Las Colinas, you can stroll along the waterfront paths or take a gondola ride along canals meant to recall Venice. The Toyota Music Factory is an entertainment complex with a concert hall, movie theater, and restaurants. The Irving Archives and Museum and the Irving Arts Center offer cultural attractions with exhibitions, theater, and concerts. If you're looking for nature, you'll find it along the Trinity River and on the Campión Trail, a bike path that follows the river.

Eating in Irving

Irving is remarkably international: a large share of the population comes from India, Pakistan, Mexico, and other countries. Along MacArthur Boulevard and Belt Line Road, you'll find excellent Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese, and Ethiopian restaurants, often tucked into humble strip malls. Of course, there's also Texas barbecue, Tex-Mex, and steakhouses, many of them geared toward business travelers. In the evening, people gather in Las Colinas along the water's edge or around the Music Factory.

Trade Shows, Golf, and Recreation

The Irving Convention Center, with its eye-catching copper-colored facade, attracts trade shows and conferences, and many visitors therefore stay in Las Colinas. Golfers will find a course at the Four Seasons Resort in Las Colinas that long hosted a well-known PGA tournament. Families head to the parks along the Trinity River or to the area's amusement and water parks. Concerts take place on the shores of Lake Carolyn in summer, and during the holiday season Las Colinas is festively lit.

Getting Around Irving and the Best Time to Visit

Dallas/Fort Worth Airport borders Irving directly, which makes the city a convenient base for connecting passengers and trade show visitors. The DART light rail Orange Line links the airport with downtown Dallas via Las Colinas, and the Trinity Railway Express commuter train runs to Fort Worth. The best times to visit are spring and fall – summers are hot, and spring can bring severe thunderstorms. Dallas with its Arts District and Fort Worth with the Stockyards are each about half an hour away.