A Dallas day trip from Carrollton can combine a ride on DART’s Green Line with time at a Dallas museum. Choose one main destination, check its opening pattern, then plan your rail trip around the relevant service schedule.
- Rail: DART’s Green Line serves several Carrollton stations and Dallas’s West End station.
- Museum option: The Dallas Museum of Art is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Another option: The Perot Museum is open daily, with regular hours varying by day.
- Tickets: Dallas Museum of Art general admission is free, but every guest needs a ticket.
Choose a Dallas area for the day
For a museum-focused Dallas day trip from Carrollton, choose either the Dallas Museum of Art or the Perot Museum as your main stop.
The Dallas Museum of Art’s collection spans 5,000 years and includes more than 25,000 works. It is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Monday and Tuesday.
General admission is free, but all guests need tickets; you can reserve online or get them at the Guest Services Desk. The museum also closes on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
The Perot Museum offers a different visit, with admission covering access to 11 exhibit halls, including the Moody Family Children’s Museum. Its regular hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday. The last exhibit entry is at 4 p.m., and the museum says guests typically spend about 2–3 hours there.
Pick one museum first rather than trying to fit both into a tightly timed day. The Perot’s café is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; its Main Museum Parking Lot and Lot B beneath the Woodall Rodgers Freeway charge $15 per vehicle, with spaces available first-come, first-served.
How do you get from Carrollton into Dallas?
DART’s Green Line connects Carrollton stations with Dallas, including West End.
The line serves North Carrollton/Frankford, Trinity Mills, Downtown Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Royal Lane and Walnut Hill/Denton, as well as Dallas stations including West End. For a wider look at local connections and getting to the rail stops, use this guide to getting around Carrollton.
DART provides separate weekday and weekend schedules for the line’s North Carrollton/Frankford and Buckner stations. Check the applicable schedule and service alerts before choosing a departure; weekend trips are less frequent and waits can be longer. For the latest service and attraction details, check the official site before you go.
From this Carrollton motel, Downtown Carrollton station is about a 20-minute walk or a 5-minute drive.
Build a route around opening times
Start with the museum’s opening day and hours, then fit your rail journey around them.
If you choose the Dallas Museum of Art, plan for a Wednesday-to-Sunday visit between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.; it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Since tickets are required even though general admission is free, arrange a ticket online or get one from Guest Services when you arrive.
For the Perot Museum, allow about 2–3 hours for the visit and arrive before the 4 p.m. last exhibit entry. Regular public hours begin at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday, with closing at 5 p.m. The museum also lists members-only hours every Sunday from 10 to 11 a.m.
If you are deciding between the two, the Downtown Carrollton area guide can help you plan time around your departure point before heading into Dallas. Keep the museum visit as the day’s anchor and use DART’s schedule to choose a suitable outbound and return trip.
Plan your return before the day gets late
Choose a return departure from Dallas before you start your museum visit.
DART has separate weekday and weekend Green Line schedules, so confirm the schedule that matches your travel day and check service alerts. If you are driving to a station, the route also serves Farmers Branch and Downtown Carrollton, among other stops in the area.
For visitors arriving by air before a Carrollton stay, Dallas Love Field taxi options to Carrollton cover a separate part of the journey.
FAQs
Which DART line runs from Carrollton toward Dallas?
DART’s Green Line runs from Carrollton toward Dallas, serving several Carrollton stations and Dallas stops including West End. Check the schedule for your station and travel day.
Do you need a ticket for the Dallas Museum of Art?
Yes. General admission is free, but every guest needs a ticket, available online or at the Guest Services Desk.
How long should you allow for the Perot Museum?
The museum says the average guest spends about 2–3 hours exploring. Its last exhibit entry is at 4 p.m.
Is the Dallas Museum of Art open every day?
No. It is open Wednesday through Sunday and closed Monday and Tuesday. It also closes on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.