Super Bowl 2011: Top 25 Things to Do and See in Dallas During the Big Week

You've requested off work. You've paid for travel expenses. You've booked a hotel room—hopefully. You have your ticket for Super Bowl XLV.

If you don't have a ticket, you could always pay $200 to watch on a giant TV just outside the stadium—and have fun with that.

The only plans left to make are how to spend your time before kickoff in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Here are the must hit places and attractions during Super Bowl week.

The NFL Experience: A Fan's Paradise

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TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 29: Hunter Malpeli poses for a photo at the NFL Experience on January 29, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

No trip to the Super Bowl is complete without hitting the annual NFL Experience. This year, the event will be held at the Dallas Convention Center.

The prices may seem a bit hefty ($25 for adults, $20 for children under 12,) but the interactive features, autograph sessions and clinics make this event a must-see for any NFL fan making the trip to Dallas.

A full schedule of events can be found here.

Fair Park's "Remembering Tom Landry" Exhibit

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SAN FRANCISCO - JANUARY 10: Head coach Tom Landry of the Dallas Cowboys watches from the sideline during a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park on January 10, 1982 in San Francisco, California. Tom Landry coached the Cowboys from 1960

For the first 29 years of the Dallas Cowboys existence, the team only had one head coach—the iconic Tom Landry. Landry prowled the sidelines in his trademark fedora and led the Cowboys to an unthinkable stretch of 20 straight winning seasons from 1966 to 1985.

"Remembering Tom Landry" offers fans a chance to see not only rare Landry sports memorabilia, but also personal artifacts, such as medals he won in World War II.

Fantasy Super Bowl XLV Party Hosted By Diddy

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 15: Producer Sean 'Diddy' Combs looks up in Game Six of the 2010 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on June 15, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowle

Parties aplenty will be hopping all over the city, but how could a football fan pass up a chance to party it up on the field of the Cotton Bowl with Diddy?

Tickets won't be cheap—prices start at $500 and are sure to skyrocket when the event sells out—but how can you put a price on partying with the legendary music mogul and his sure-to-be-celebrity-studded event?

Deep Ellum Warehouse District: Food, Music and Fun

The Gypsy Tea Room is one of many venues located in Deep Ellum.

Virtually every major city has a stretch of restaurants, bars and quirky shops, and Dallas is no different. Music lovers will find plenty of up-and-coming bands to check out in the Deep Ellum Warehouse district.

Many different styles of restaurants are also featured.

Austin, Texas: A Three-Hour Tour from Dallas

Austin is just a three hour car ride - with no traffic - from Dallas.

OK, I know a road trip inside a road trip might be too much to handle. However, getting this close to such a vibrant music town without checking it out is borderline criminal.

Obviously, families might want to skip the trip to the Texas capital, but twenty-somethings need to visit the home of Austin City Limits and the SXSW music festival.

Southfork Ranch: Home of the Ewings

Southforlk Ranch in Plano is the famous home of TV's Ewing family on "Dallas."

The youngins might not remember the Ewing clan. However, us old folk could not have avoided the TV show Dallas if we tried.

The show ran from 1978 to 1991 and was a ratings powerhouse. Who could forget the "Who Shot J.R.?" episode? Writers once killed off hero Bobby Ewing, only to bring him back a year later on the shaky premise that the entire season he was gone was a dream his wife had.

While in Plano: The Cockroach Museum

The Cockroach Museum is sure to freak out both wives and kids.

To prove there is a museum for everything, I submit to you the Cockroach Museum.

Learn about extermination techniques, see cockroaches in strange dioramas and, of course, check out the cockroach dressed up as Elvis.

Yes, I said Elvis.

SMU Football: Life After the Death Penalty

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DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 30: A general view of play between the Army Black Knights and the SMU Mustangs during the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on December 30, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Paying college athletes existed long before Cam Newton. The Southern Methodist University football scandal of the 1980s caused the NCAA to institute college football's only "death penalty" to date. The team was not allowed to play games during the 1987 and 1988 seasons.

Visit the SMU campus to remember a time when the Big 12 was still the Big 8 and when the now defunct Southwest Conference was the class of the college football world.

Dealy Plaza: A Macabre Slice of American History

Many conspiracies surround the tragic assasination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.

Any what-to-see-in-Dallas article will mention a visit to Dealy Plaza, and this article is no different.

History buffs will surely want to hit the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealy Plaza for all things regarding the Kennedy assassination. This year marks the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's inauguration.

Dallas Stars: Football Season Is Almost Over—Time to Care About Hockey!

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DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 26: Goaltender Kari Lehtonen #32 of the Dallas Stars on January 26, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Who doesn't think of hockey when they think of Dallas?

The Stars currently sit atop the Western Conference's Pacific Division. Football fans will need to come early to catch Dallas at home. They play the Northwest Division-leading Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 1 in Dallas.

Not a Hockey Fan? How About the NBA?

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DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 25: Center Tyson Chandler #6 of the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on January 25, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is c

Are you in town even earlier than Feb. 1? Catch the Dallas Mavericks taking on the Washington Wizards on Jan. 31. If you are staying in town until the day after the Super Bowl, you could catch the Mavs taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I don't know why you would want to watch the Cavs, though.

Texas Discovery Gardens

How about a quiet walk through a beautiful garden?

So you brought your wife to the Super Bowl. She may be a huge football fan, but you could still win major brownie points for planning a romantic stroll through a beautiful garden. This is an especially good idea for folks coming from the icy Northeast.

Here's a good line for the stroll: "This place is beautiful, but not nearly as beautiful as you, honey."

Good Eats No. 1: Lee Harvey's

Lee Harvey's prides itself on being a dive bar with great burgers.

You have to love any place in Dallas willing to call itself Lee Harvey's. Locals rave about the big juicy burgers. Prices around the $10 mark do not hurt either.

Good Eats No. 2: Square Burger

If you don't want to hit a dive for dinner, maybe square burger is more your speed.

Maybe a burger joint with a Pabst sign on the wall is not your cup of tea. Square Burger is, at the time of writing this article, the No. 1-ranked Dallas restaurant on Urbanspoon.com. It is slightly pricier than Lee Harvey's but also received a decent write-up from the Dallas Morning News.

Good Eats No. 3: Crossroads Diner

Breakfast or Lunch at the Crossroads Diner might turn into a daily ritual.

The newly opened Crossroads Diner is not your daddy's dingy roadside fare. The Dallas Observer praised the diner for its reasonably priced lunch and unpretentious attitude. This was another Urbanspoon.com favorite.

A Night Out with Your Lady Friend: Dallas Arts District

Need a shot of culture? Hit the Dallas Arts District.

The 19-block Dallas Arts District is the largest urban arts district in the United States. Check out their schedule of free events. A little culture never hurt anyone.

History Geeks: Dallas Heritage Village

Take a step back in time at the Dallas Heritage Village.

The Dallas Heritage Village offers a "living history museum" experience. Located on 13 wooded acres just south of downtown, this village is just $7 for adults and $4 for children.

They are closed through the month of January in case you get to town before Feb. 1.

Knox-Henderson

Hector's on Henderson is one of the spots in the Knox-Henderson area of town.

Looking for a place to eat, drink and shop? Look no further than Knox-Henderson. The popular Dallas nightlife scene offers plenty of diverse options.

Dallas Farmers Market

Farmer's markets... when you need 25 things to do in a city and can't think of anything else.

OK, I realize that a farmers market is not a great vacation destination. Still, walking through one is a great way to cheaply kill some time while absorbing local culture. Grab some fresh fruit or a quick lunch.

Good Eats No. 4: Seasons 52

Visit Seasons 52 for a more upscale experience.

When I travel, I love hitting as many non-chain restaurants as I can. Seasons 52 offers entrees in the $15-$25 range. Not super-cheap fare, but every out-of-town trip should include at least one nice sit-down dinner.

Good Eats No. 5: Nosh Euro Bistro

What can I say? I like burgers.

This is another $15-$25 restaurant. The Dallas Observer gave it a pretty good review.

Roadside Attraction No. 1: Giant Giraffe Statue

Visit the Dallas Zoo to see a giant giraffe statue.

This 67-foot statue can be seen from I-35 and claims to be the largest statue in all of Texas. It is located at the Dallas Zoo. That makes it a beacon for a day of animal watching or a neat thing to point out as you drive past it.

Roadside Attraction No. 2: House Moving Museum

Want to learn about house moving? Have I got the place for you!

Granted, this is no Cockroach Museum. The House Moving Museum is a family-run collection of house moving tools. I will leave it at that, as I don't want to give too much away.

Roadside Attraction No. 3: Watch Money Being Made

"The best things in life are free... but you can keep them for the birds and bees...

Only one place outside of Washington, D.C. prints U.S. currency: Fort Worth. Since you are going to be spending a good amount of cash on this trip, why not stop and see how it is made?

Roadside Attraction No. 4: Big Jackalope on a Roof

...turn right at the giant jackalope...

What exactly is a jackalope? Why is there a giant one on that roof? These are just a few of the questions you will be asking yourself after driving by this roadside attraction.