never been, although i have lived in Texas all my life. thinking it is something i should prolly take the family to do at least once. any recs on what to do besides eat lots of delicious fried food and hit the midway? is parking a nightmare? any good hotels close?

Get there early and parking shouldn't be much of a problem. DO NOT park in the "private" lots if you can avoid it.

Ride the big ferris wheel and, yes, consume as much fried food as you can stomach (maybe reverse that order). However, pace yourself as it gets progressively tougher to enjoy the more you eat. I'd pick my top 3-4 "gotta try" items and drink lots of water or lemonade. And get a corn dog. . . nothing incredible about them, but every person you talk to later will ask if you did. Better to be able to answer "yes" than have to explain why you didn't.

Exhibits are typical fair stuff . . . cars, animals, etc. Be prepared to spend $$$$. Everything takes tickets which you have to buy from a booth. Seriously, think what you'd spend at Six Flags or Sea World . . . then maybe double it if you spend much time on the midway or trying all the food. I finally just quit counting how many times we bought tickets and stopped keeping track of the cost. Just decided to make a fun day of it and worry about the cost later.

Is it worth it to do once? Absolutely and you'll probably have a great time. Worth doing every year or so? You'll have to decide that one at the end of the day.

Oh, and you can often get discount tickets online or at the hotel, if you ask.

Have fun!

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Is it worth it to do once?

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Moved to the DFW area two years ago. Heard all my life about the Great State Fair of Texas.

Rode DART to keep from having my car stolen and to avoid traffic. Not a bad deal.

Ate a corn dog. meh

Walked around, saw a bunch of stuff. meh

Spent a ton of money buying tickets, so I could spend them. (why can't they take money instead of making you find a place to buy tickets?)

There must be something there worthwhile are people would not be going.

At this point, all I can say is "been there done that" and no desire to return.

Could someone tell me what I missed?

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any good hotels close?

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You don't want a hotel close to Fair Park. It's the hood. Leave before dark.

Grew up in Dallas. We got a day off from school for "Fair Day." We went every year. Back then (yeah, back in the day) we would ride the bus, even as high school kids to the fair. I haven't been in over 20 years but would love to go back. Add Salt Water Taffy to the "musts." It's just the atmosphere that I liked. Fun memories.

Apparently there is one specific type of corn dog that you are supposed to experience there. It's called corny dog or something like that. Only one place has it

Pay a kid to watch your car that you parked on the median. Then enjoy your day!

Funnel cake and a beer at "The Dock". I remember KXAS one year had a setup showing the new HDTV technology. It was a camera pointed at a saddle or something with an HD monitor. The future is NOW!

that would be a Flechter's corn or corny dog. i think it is required by law to have one of those if you attend!

^

Fried snickers.... EOT