Dallas's climate is mild and pleasant throughout autumn, winter and early spring. Summers are often very hot, with temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Dallas never experiences truly cold winter conditions; winter temperatures can reach lows of 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

French American Chamber of Commerce

Tel.: +1 972 241-0111

Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce

Tel.: +1 214 746-6600

Tel.: +1 972 488 2224

US Mexico Chamber Of Commerce

Tel.: +1 214 747-1996

British Consulate

2911 Turtle Creek Blvd., Suite 940; Tel.: +1 214 521-4090

6255 W Northwest Highway; Tel.: +1 214 368-4113

3030 Lyndon B Johnson Freeway, Dallas, TX 75234 Tel.: +1 972 243-9300

Mexican Consulate General

8855 N Stemmons Freeway; Tel.: +1 214 252-9250

Business centers provide a range of services that include secretarial, translation/interpretation, and office services, including computer rentals, audio/visual equipment rentals, cellular phone rentals, copy and printing services, and temporary office space and staff.

5956 Sherry Lane # 1000; Tel.: +1 214 451-6900

6116 N Central Expressway # 200; Tel.: +1 214 369-3920

2911 Turtle Creek Boulevard; Tel.: +1 214 523 9000

6060 N Central Expy ; Tel : +1 214-800-2877

Dallas Convention Center

Bounded by Young, Akard, Griffin, and Canton Streets; Tel.: +1 214 939-2700

AAA Worldwide Translation

Tel.: +1 214 741-4747

Berlitz Interpretation Services

Tel.: +1 972 380-0404

Tel.: +1 800 864-0372

Access Couriers

Tel.: +1 972 241-4809

Tel.: +1 972 243-4236

Tel.: +1 972 270-1001

Tel.: +1 800 225-5345

Tel.: +1 800 238-5355

Tel.: +1 800 742-5877

All upper-range and most medium-priced hotels are equipped with dataports that allow guests to use laptop computers. Many hotels offer business centers equipped with computers and Internet access. Outside hotels, cyber cafes are available including:

Tel.: +1 972 574-4431

Tel.: +1 214 741-6668

Passports valid for at least six months after arrival are required for all. In general, travelers visiting the U.S. are required visas. However, under the Visa Waiver Program, citizens of Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are allowed to stay for 90 days without a visa. Citizens of Canada and Mexico do not need a visa but must carry proof of citizenship and identity.

Beginning October 26, 2004, all travelers, including children of any age, who want to travel visa-free to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program must have a Machine-readable passport.

Duty-free allowances are 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 2 kilograms of tobacco, 1 liter of alcohol, and gifts worth up to $100. Meat products, seeds, plants, fruits, and hazardous goods are prohibited.

The area codes for Dallas and its adjacent areas are 214, 972, and 817.

Emergency police, fire, and ambulance

For local calls, dial the seven-digit telephone number. For long-distance calls within the U.S., dial 1, then the three-digit area code, then the seven-digit number. For long-distance calls outside the U.S., first dial 011 and the country code. Four special prefixes, "800," "888," "877," and "900," are not area codes but indicators of special services. "800," "888," and "877" are toll-free calls. The "900" numbers charge you for the call and are often expensive. For collect calls or operator-assisted calls, dial "0" instead of "1". For local directory assistance, dial 411. For long-distance information, dial 1, and then the appropriate area code followed by 555-1212.

The most common public phone is the coin-operated type. Telephone-card phones are becoming increasingly common.

There are several cellular service providers in the U.S., including: Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, Cingular, AT&T Wireless, and Sprint PCS. Mobile phone numbers follow the regular telephone number convention, with the seven-digit telephone number followed by the area code.

If you choose to bring your cellular phone into the U.S., be sure to check with your home cellular service provider to establish compatibility of your phone with systems abroad. Rent a locally compatible cellular phone before you arrive to obtain reasonable rates and reliable service.

Foreign currency must be exchanged to U.S. dollars. Money can be exchanged at banks and various foreign-exchange services. Most restaurants, shops, and hotels will take travelers' checks and major credit cards. Travelers can also withdraw cash from ATMs.

The basic unit of U.S. currency is the dollar, which equals 100 cents. Coins are the copper penny (1 cent) and four silver coins: the nickel (5 cents), the dime (10 cents), the quarter (25 cents), and the half-dollar (50 cents). Silver $1 coins and "golden" dollar coins also exist. Paper bills come in denominations of $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100.

Dallas is in the Central Time Zone (GMT minus 6 hours). During the spring and summer months, Dallas switches to Daylight Savings Time.

The sales tax in Dallas-Fort Worth is 8.25%

110V AC, 60Hz. Plugs are of the flat, two-pin type.

Dallas is still an auto town. While pockets of the city offer reasonable public transportation, the visitor really needs a car to see much outside of one specific area. The Central Expressway (a main artery through the city) was reconstructed in the late 1990s.

Taxis are easy to catch at the airport, downtown, major hotels, and the bus and train depots. Otherwise you'll need to call a cab company. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) operates an extensive bus system in the city, including service to and from the airport. The Dallas Light Rail system is the newest and most modern urban transportation system in the United States. It's excellent for connecting to outlying areas, and reaches many stops within the city.

No specific immunizations are needed to enter the United States. For more information, contact the Center for Disease Control at +1 800 311-3435

Plenty of fine-dining options exist in Dallas. Cacharel is considered one of the best French restaurants in Northern Texas. For International/Eclectic fare such as Mesquite-grilled lamb with blue-cheese grits, check the Abacus and its surprising menu, and one of the top ten New wine lists of the nation. For elegant French dining with contemporary flair, try Jeroboam. A favourite among Dallas's fashionable circles, The Mansion on Turtle Creek serves American fusion food in a country-club-like setting. Ferre is a highly styled urban Tuscan restaurant and bar that serves the best of Italy's great food and wine. Named after a 19th-century painting of a Rubenesque nude, the Nana at the tip of the Wyndham Anatole Hotel tower attracts a steady stream of customers from the business world, while Star Canyon is the place to go for Texan ambience and food, like tasty rib-eye steak.

A good selection of crafts and antiques can be found in the shops on McKinney Avenue and West End Market Place. For brand-name fashion and accessories, try Galleria, NorthPark and Highland Park Village. Items related to Texas's "Wild West" cowboy and rodeo culture also make fun gifts.

Dallas's Arts district, reputed to be the largest such urban area in the U.S, dates from 1983 and houses the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, the Arts District Theater and the Dallas Museum of Arts. The Sixth Floor Museum presents documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. One of Dallas's quirkier museums is the Adrian E. Flatt, M.D. Hand Exhibit, where you can see a serious of bronze coated hand sculptures, some cast from celebrities. The architecturally exquisite Adolphus Hotel merits a visit; it also serves a lovely afternoon tea.

Dallas's liveliest nightlife scene can be found in the Deep Ellum area, which is also home to some funky shops. Alternatively, a large concentration of restaurants and nightclubs can be found in the Dallas Alley district.

Four professional sports teams are based in the city?the Dallas Cowboys (American football), Texas Rangers (baseball), Dallas Stars (ice hockey) and Dallas Mavericks (basketball).