This is not just any ordinary Top Ten list of  things to do in Dallas. First of all, we include 31 things to do, one for every day of the month. Secondly, we painstakingly put these recommendations through the ringer, and this list highlights all the good stuff that squeezed out on the other side. You'll often find lists of what to do in Dallas categorized by month or by season.  This list required a tad more research and followed strict criteria. Most of the things to do in Dallas listed below are a) strictly in Dallas b) FREE or cost less than $15 c) year-round or available most of the year.  In line with the theme of this website, many of these are arts-oriented and encourage patronizing local businesses. Most are also family-friendly or suitable activities with kids or as a couple.

Future articles will also highlight seasonally based things to do in Dallas. For example, there are some amazing festivals, like Taste of Dallas and Greenville Avenue St. Paddy's Day Parade, and rooftop movies. Below, however, are things you can do year-round. Get the lowdown on fun, almost free things to do in Dallas tourism, events, bars, nightlife, and entertainment.

1. Take the Trolley Tour - The M-Line's air-conditioned and heated trolleys run 365 days a year, providing local transit service to Dallas' vibrant Uptown Neighborhood. All rides, except charters, are free. There is a voluntary fare box, and I'm sure contributions are welcomed. Mr. Rogers and San Francisco don't get to have all the fun. Get the trolley schedule. Cost: Free (donations accepted)
2. Digitally Tee Off - This isn't your grandpa's driving range. Top Golf  is a revolutionary sports entertainment complex combining games with great food and an environment you can enjoy year-round with friends and family of all skill levels. Top Golf features computerized microchips in every golf ball that track your shots’ accuracy and distance while awarding points for hitting targets ranging from 20 - 250 yards away. The food isn't half bad either. Find your inner digital caddy shack. Cost: $3.80 a game 9am-3pm, $5.80 a game 3pm-close
3. Attend a Burlesque Show - at the Lakewood Theater. The theater’s  opening-day event in October 1938 started with "Love Finds Andy Hardy" with the irrepressible Mickey Rooney and the fast-rising singing sensation Judy Garland.  Over the last 60+ years the Lakewood Theater has stood as a beacon -- both literally and figuratively -- in the East Dallas landscape. Get the latest show info at The Lakewood Theater's website. Cost: Varies, Free - $15 avg. per ticket
4. Eat your way through the Farmer's Market - The Dallas Farmers Market has been a fixture in downtown Dallas for six decades. It has grown into a true Texas treasure as one of the largest public markets of its type in the country. Often you can make a meal out of all the free samples. Support your local growers. Cost: Free
5. Join Free Spirited Yogis -  There are several yoga classes and dojos that provide instruction on ancient ways to de-stress, release pent-up energy, as well as opportunities to meet others. Karmany is a completely free Dallas yoga house (except for donations)! Dirt Cheap Yoga, and Sunstone are inexpensive, with package deals for first-time yogis. Cost: Free (donations accepted) & $10-a-day packages
6. Bike on the Katie Trail - Rent a bike for free on Thursdays after 7:00pm at Fleetwood KitKat's near SMU, the only self-proclaimed Dallas Cruiser Bike Boutique. The Katy Trail is a 12-foot-wide concrete bike trail and an 8-foot-wide parallel, soft-surface running path, with several entrances and plazas linking the Trail to other area parks. It extends 3.5 miles from Airline Road to the American Airlines Center. Once completed, the bike and pedestrian path will link the Mockingbird DART station near SMU to the West End in downtown Dallas.  Take a joy ride on the Katy Trail. Cost: Free
7. Be a Conspiracy Theorist - Since 1989, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza has welcomed more than 6 million visitors from around the world—people of all ages seeking information and understanding about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Did you know that the infamous window from which Oswald shot Kennedy sold on eBay for more than a million dollars? I've heard that the "X" on the street moves every year. How's that for a conspiracy? Check out the plaza and the museum and judge for yourself. Cost: $13.50 per person
8. Admire the Dallas Skyline – The Belmont Hotel, Bryan Street Tavern, The Whiskey Bar, The W, and many other city-side locations have the best views of the Dallas skyline. Take a date, and you'll be sure to impress. Cost: Free
9. Go Mural & Statue Gazing - Deep Ellum is a hotbed for graffiti. Many of the music venues use graffiti artists to advertise music shows. In the late 1980s, the city allowed a number of local artists to paint the walls of the Good Latimer Expressway tunnel.  The tunnel was demolished in spring 2007 to make way for the DART Green Line train. Since then, more projects have been developed to restore the area’s longstanding artistic legacy such as the Traveling Man series (pictured above). Read more about the new murals or go to Deep Ellum and see them for yourself. Cost: Free
10. Commune with Dog Lovers - Check out Deep Ellum’s Bark Park or Unleashed, the indoor dog park, and meet other dog lovers. Some dog parks are more popular than others, but they can be found  all over the city. These places are ideal for  meeting like-minded  people who share your love for furry friends. Cost: Free, and $7.50 a dog
11. Jam out to Jazz & Blues - Oak Cliff is the home of the late blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughn, and it wouldn't be right not to mention getting your fill of blues as something to do in Dallas. Amsterdam Bar on Tuesdays, The Goat on Mondays, and Brooklyn's have blues bands or open mic opportunities nearly every night. Check out these weekly Dallas Blues listings. Cost: Mostly Free (cover varies)
12. Partition a patio - The Gingerman, Idle Rich, Amsterdam Bar, Lee Harvey's, Bryan Street Tavern. Align your quest for the perfect patio with the  Happy Hours in Dallas. Here are 15 more great Dallas patio places, according to D Magazine. Cost: Free
13. Catch an Indie Show at Good Records - This local indie music store has withstood the test of time and the advent of MP3s. Apparently people still like physical CDs, box sets,  and vinyl.  Speaking to the owner, I found out that they had their best year to date in sales in their nine years of existence. See their upcoming in-store concerts. Cost: Free
14. Appreciate art at Nasher Sculpture Center - The birth and growth of the Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection started more than fifty years ago. In 1950, Raymond and Patsy traveled to Mexico, where they became interested in pre-Columbian art and bought the first works in what would become a sizable collection of objects from ancient Latin America. Old classic movies based on American novels are regularly shown at the Center on Thursday nights. Free. For more info, check out their schedules.  Cost: Regularly $10, Movie nights are free
15. Be a Dallas Hipster - Try on vintage clothes at the Buffalo Exchange, Dolly Python, House of Dang, and Emeralds to Coconuts. Cost: Free to browse
16. Get at Bird's Eye View of the City - Reunion Tower, or the "Big Ball," is synonymous with the Dallas skyline, appearing on tee shirts, coffee cups, and shot glasses. It offers a view from 500 feet above the ground. There is a restaurant at the top, but you don't have to eat dinner.  Just have a Shirley Temple at the bar and enjoy the view. Cost: Free
17. Acquire Bow Hunting Skills - Texins* Archery Club (*correct spelling) offers group lessons and yearly memberships to their archery range. They'll hook you up with a compound bow or, if you're feeling medieval, a classic straight bow. Classes are held each Wednesday 6-7pm (except holidays), no reservations needed for groups under 10 people, minimum age 8 years. Go Robin Hood. Cost: $10 for gen. public, $5 for members
18. Plan a Picnic at the Arboretum -  Created in the 1930s and incorporated as a nonprofit in 1987, this nationally recognized 66-acre garden of mass proportion offers classes on home floral, horticulture and other educational opportunities for seniors, adults, and children.   You can attend a class held monthly or just observe and enjoy the gardens by taking a picnic lunch surrounded by the natural beauty of nature. Get more info. Cost: $10 for adults
19. Be a Swinger - Dallas Swing Dallas Society maintains a calendar of swing dance lessons they teach around the city: the Sons of Herman Hall, ACME Swing Company, Southside. Put on your zoot suit. Cost: $5
20. People Watch - See the flamboyant and stylish on Cedar Springs and Oak Lawn, the beautiful and rich in West Village, and the artistic and hip in Deep Ellum and Exposition Park. Cost: Free
21. Play at White Rock Lake - Run, bike, sail, drive around and look at houses-- you won't get escorted out like you would in Highland Village. Learn more history and what White Rock Lake has to offer. Cost: Free
22. Attend Late Nights at the DMA- On the third Friday of each month, the Dallas Museum of Art remains open until midnight. Each Late Night offers hundreds of experiences for visitors of all ages, with performances, concerts, readings, film screenings, tours, family programs, and more. Get the latest lineup. Cost: $10
    
23. Hang with World Travelers - Every Tuesday night a group of world travelers who travel through an exchange program meet on the back patio of Amsterdam Bar in Exposition Park. Join this Dallas sub-community after signing up for an account on CouchSurfing.org. Hang out with this group of bohemian travelers and hear a lot of interesting stories. Cost: Free
24. Feel nostalgic at the Majestic Theater - Located on the edge of downtown Dallas, The Majestic Theater is convenient to downtown hotels and entertainment areas. The 1704-seat theater opened in April 1921 during the Vaudeville era and hosted a variety of acts from Houdini to Mae West and Bob Hope.  In 2009 there are still regular musical productions, dramatic plays, national pageants, dances and concerts. Get the latest events & shows coming to  The Majestic Theater. Cost: Varies, Free - $30 avg. per ticket
25. Go Ice Skating-  at the Galleria. I'm tempted to mention several other places you can ice skate, but they are not in Dallas proper. Cost: $7.50 a person for groups of 10-25 skaters
26. Attend a Town Hall Meeting - Be politically active locally. This is not on the top of my list of things to do in Dallas, but many local folks people are interested in Dallas politics.  Do your civic duty by representing your area. Cost: Free
27. Take a hike at the Trinity River - The brand new Trinity River Audubon Center offers outdoor fun like camping, paddling, archery, fishing, nature photography, birding, nature journaling, classes and more.  Classes are held one Saturday of each month.  Located by the 6,000-acre Great Trinity Forest, it is the largest urban hardwood forest in the United States.  The land supports a diverse community of plant and animal species and contains a unique mixture of bottomland hardwoods, wetlands and grasslands. Third Thursday of each month are free. Get back to nature. Cost: $4 -6, group rates & tours available
28. Work or Surf Online Remotely - Check out the top ten best free wifi spots in Dallas, and take a day out of the office. Cost: Free
29. Rock an '80s Roller Rink - Bring back the nostalgia of hair bands blaring on the juke box while circling the rink. Take a group or your family to White Rock Skate Center. Cost: $5.50 afternoons, $7.50 evenings
30. Play 2ft Jenga -  Barcadia on Henderson has several nostalgic videos games as well as ski ball, all for 50 cents a game. They also have three or four sets of homespun Jenga style games made from two-by-fours. Find out the drink specials at Barcadia. Cost: Free
31. Join the YapClub -  What does YAP stand for? Young Active Professionals. With its beginnings in Dallas, this website for young professionals in their 20s, 30s & early 40s is run by volunteers from all over the U.S. and features monthly events, nightlife and entertainment, with regular local events and travel vacations for members. Sign up and see the latest events in Dallas on their community website YapClub.com.  Cost: Free to join

What did we miss?

A Texas native, Neil Lemons is a 20-something adventurer, Law of Attractionist, and blogger. Read his tips for bloggers and Texas travel adventures on his blog, www.NeilLemons.com.  Addicted to Facebook?  Be Neil's friend.

Photo credit: Bev Garvin SupportBigD Flickr photostream.

Related Posts
10 Fun Things to Do on Dallas Craigslist Besides Hookup
Six Kid and Family Activities in Dallas
10 Best Free WiFi Spots in Dallas