BEST WESTERN Duncanville Dallas Hotel Blog

 
The date stands as one of the darkest and yet most defining moments of the 20th century: Nov. 22, 1963. The day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
 
And as the 50th  anniversary of this tragic event approaches, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is helping people learn more about the infamous assassination by offering a series of speakers, exhibits and teacher workshops that will honor the memory of JFK.
 
If you’re interested in exploring this grim yet important event in U.S. history, here are just a few of the programs taking place this fall at the museum.
 
Date: August 18 – October 27
This exhibit provides a rare chance for the public to see archival photos of American presidents taken by AP photojournalists during a 100-year span. This collection of 71 images also features seven moving photos of JFK.
 
AP has been the leading news source in the U.S. for more than 150 years, which means this exhibit will provide visitors with unique insight into the history of American politics. 
 
Date: Sept. 13-14
Walter Mears is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who covered every presidential election for AP from 1960 to 2000. He also had the pleasure of interviewing JFK. The veteran reporter described President Kennedy as someone who “was engaging and made a point to remember every name that he could.”
 
You’ll have a chance to hear from Mears, who also wrote The Kennedy Brothers, as part of the Sixth Floor Museum’s Living History Series.
 
Date: Sept. 24
Mere minutes after JFK was shot, a team of doctors worked in vain to save the president’s life. And then, just 48 hours later, they were tasked with trying to save the life of JFK’s alleged killer.
 
Dr. Ronald C. Jones and Dr. Robert N. McClelland, two physicians who treated both JFK and Lee Harvey Oswald, will share their memories about what took place in Trauma Room One at the Parkland Hospital on Nov. 22, 1963.  Tickets are $25 and advance purchase is recommended as seating is limited.
 
LIFE: The Day Kennedy Died
Date: Oct.26
Journalists Dick Stolley, Bob Sullivan, Jim Baker and Alexandra Zapruder will reflect on LIFE magazine’s coverage of the assassination of JFK while discussing their new book LIFE The Day Kennedy Died: Fifty Years Later: LIFE Remembers the Man and the Moment. The book includes rare photography as well as a complete reprint of LIFE’s 1963 special edition on the events in Dallas.
 
Tickets are $25 per person and seating is limited
 
2013 Living History Series: Bill and Gayle Newman
Date: Nov.9
Bill and Gayle Newman were the closest witnesses to JFK’s assassination – they were standing with their two young boys on Elm Street when the infamous murder took place.
 
Both Bill and Gayle will be at the museum on Nov.9, along with their sons Clayton and Bill. This will be the first time all four family members have appeared together publicly.
 
And if you’re planning to attend these fascinating events, settle into one of our comfortable rooms at the Best Western Plus Duncanville/Dallas hotel. We’re located only a 20-minute drive away from the museum.
July
21

COWBOYS STADIUM EXCITES MORE THAN SPORTS FANS

posted by: on: July 21, 2013 11:22:28 PM
 
When most people think of Cowboys Stadium, the $1.3 billion dollar sports complex near our hotel, they associate it with one thing: football. And while it is, indeed, one of the NFL’s premier facilities, the real marvel of this building is not what happens inside it, but the technology that it’s equipped with. In other words, you don’t have to be a football fan to appreciate this remarkable structure.
 
The 660,800 square foot, single-span roof structure is one of the largest domed sports structures in the world. The steel alone equals the weight of 92 Boeing 777s!  Likewise, the 40-million dollar, 2100 inch HD video screens are the world’s largest. Altogether, the 3 million square foot, 73 acre site is large enough to be visible in Dallas, 18 miles away. 
 
 
Families should note that, despite its sheer size, Cowboys Stadium regularly hosts children’s birthday parties. Kids and teachers will also be delighted with the stadium’s educational tours, which are considered to be the experience of a lifetime. For culture savvy visitors, the stadium hosts a collection of museum quality contemporary art. This unique stadium art gallery showcases audio and video stories, and allows for interactivity with a free Art App for your mobile device.
 
Self-guided and VIP Guided Tours are also available. Knowledgeable guides lead visitors through luxury suites which lease for over $800,000 a year as well as press boxes and the locker rooms of both the Cowboys and their cheerleaders. Guests will be thrilled to throw passes and have their pictures taken on the Dallas Star in the middle of the field, looking out into the most seats (80,000) they will see in any stadium. Many visitors will also take interest in the restrooms, which include 1600 toilets, and the 286 concession areas, where 20-inch pizzas cost $60!
 
Whether for a sports event or for its many other attributes, Cowboys Stadium offers something for everyone. The stadium in Arlington is less than 30 minutes away from the Best Western Plus Duncanville.  After an exhilarating day at the Dome, we hope you’ll enjoy returning to our clean, quiet, and comfortable hotel.
April
23

Don’t Pick the Bluebonnets!

posted by: BEST WESTERN PLUS Duncanville on: April 23, 2013 3:37:51 PM
As you’re driving down on of the Lone Star State’s many sprawling highways this spring, taking in all the rolling hills and the big Texas skies overhead, you may notice more than a few cars parked along the side of the road, next to fields and fields exploding with clusters of vibrant blue and white flowers.  What you’re witnessing is a tried and true Texas tradition, where families throughout the state will all gather into the car for an afternoon and take a drive through the countryside to stop and photograph themselves amongst the many beautiful wildflowers that flourish along the roadsides and medians of our highways.  The most prized among these flowers?  The bluebonnet, Texas’ official state flower.
 
 
 
The family photograph amongst the bluebonnets has become a time-honored tradition among both Texans and tourists alike, once the spring months hit and the flowers blossom into their full glory.  Given their name because the flower’s appearance resembles a pioneer woman’s bonnet, there are six species of bluebonnets all together, and since 1971, all six have been designated as the state flowers of Texas.  This was because originally in 1901, Texas lawmakers designated a far more obscure and less stunning species of the bluebonnet as the state flower, an action many felt was a serious oversight.  As a result, in the 1970s, the law was changed to incorporate the remaining five species.
 
The flowers’ spread along the highway is mostly thanks to former first lady, Lady Bird Johnson, wife of 36th President Lyndon B. Johnson.  It was she who convinced the government of Texas to plant the bluebonnets and other wildflowers along the highways of the state, giving the roadsides the beautiful spray of color we now see every spring.  On any given beautiful spring afternoon, it is not uncommon to see upwards of 30 – 40 cars parked along the highway, snapping photos of the flowers and children playing among them. 
 
 
Bluebonnets have become such a staple in daily Texas life that they’ve even found their way into the realm of urban legend.  You’ll often hear the phrase “Don’t pick the bluebonnets” and many Texans will tell you it’s illegal to pick any of the vibrant blue blossoms.
 
While the idea that picking the bluebonnets will land you in hot water with the local law enforcement is merely a myth, it is still very frowned upon by locals to disturb the flowers or remove them.  It’s simply viewed as inconsiderate, as a lot of time, money and hard work goes in to planting and maintaining the beautiful flowers that are enjoyed every year by so many.  Especially considering bluebonnets can take up to 35 years to germinate, they certainly are not easy to replace!  So take all the beautiful photographs you like, but please, leave the flowers for everyone to enjoy.
 
Then, after a long day of driving and basking in the sunlight, capturing those special family moments amongst the fields of bluebonnets, make sure to kick up your feet at our location right in Duncanville.  We’ve got the perfect accommodation package just for you.