BigDCon Information

Main Programs and meals will be held in the Century Ballroom. The Century Ballroom is available to us around the clock from Thursday at 6:00 pm to Sunday at 1:00 pm, so unofficial activities can be held here when there are not official activities taking place.

Breakout rooms are in Sam Houston A, B, and C on the mezzanine level. One set of rooms will hold about 60 people and the other will hold about 30 people. The Sam Houston rooms are available to us from Thursday at 6:00 pm to Sunday at 6:00 pm. We also have the W. Lee O’Daniel room, which is set up like a conference room with a monitor that we can use.

Other good places to solve are in our spacious Hospitality suite #820 and in the hotel lobby. The hotel has many seating areas that are great for puzzles and small gatherings.

Hospitality is located on the eighth floor in suite #820. Your room key will open the door to Hospitality. Hospitality is open from 6:00 pm on Wednesday to 1:00 pm on Sunday. Hospitality has several tables for solving, along with snacks and our own personal restroom.

• Friday
• dinner 6:00PM-7:30PM
• Saturday
• breakfast 8:00AM-9:30AM
• lunch Noon-1:30PM
• dinner 5:30PM-7:00PM
• Sunday
• breakfast 8:30AM-10:00AM

locale: Century Ballroom

????? Hidden Contest by Neendy — It may be presented anytime. Find it. Solve it. Do what it says. The solution will not be explained until Sunday morning.

Thursday, July 11th

Friday, July 12th

Saturday, July 13th

Sunday, July 14th

Dallas is full of great restaurants. Don’t limit yourself to those mentioned here, as these are just a few that are worth mentioning.

The Adolphus Hotel - There are four restaurants on the premises of the convention hotel. You can get a hot meal without going out into the hot weather. Otto's Coffee is a coffee shop with the usual pastries; Rodeo Bar is a casual steak-burgers-and-beer joint; City Hall Bistro is a cafe with cocktails; and the hoity-toity French Room serves high tea in the early afternoon. If you're only thirsty for an adult beverage, try out Social Lobby, which is a bar in the, er, lobby; the French Room Bar; or the poolside bar next to the rooftop pool. 1321 Commerce St.

Discovery District - Right across Commerce St. from the hotel, towards the huge LCD, there is a food hall called The Exchange, where you can find tacos (of course), waffles, sliders, Mediterranean, Asian fried chicken (it’s awesome), poke bowls, ice cream, pizza, and probably more than that. 🗺️ The Exchange 211, S. Akard St., Dallas TX

Starship Bagel – Did you know Dallas is home to the WORLD’S GREATEST BAGELS??!! This restaurant actually won the World’s Greatest Bagel contest, beating all of the entries from NYC and those other usual bagel spots around the world. And it is only a five-minute walk from the hotel. The official address is 1520 Elm St., but from the hotel, just head north to Main St., then head east on Main St. At 1525 Main St., look for a walkway heading north. It is called Stone Pl. on GoogleMaps. You will know you are there when you see the giant eyeball, which you literally can’t miss. Starship Bagel just has a few outdoor tables, but you can bring your order back to the hotel to eat in air-conditioned comfort. These bagels are so good they will have you grinning like a possum with a sweet potato. Go early – they close at 1:00 pm, or when they sell out. 🗺️ Starship Bagel, 1520 Elm St., Dallas, TX

Partenope Ristorante - Their pizza was ranked #16 in the nation, and their Neapolitan-inspired menu will have you salivating. Partenope is a restaurant where you sit down and order from a menu. This is only an 8-minute walk from the hotel. 🗺️ Partenope Ristorante, 1903 Main St., Dallas TX

Campisi's - A traditional Dallas restaurant serving thin-crust pizza with a tangy sauce. This restaurant is just north of Starship Bagels, next to the giant eyeball, in an alleyway called Stone Pl. which connects Main St. and Elm St. This is a sit-down restaurant where you order from a menu. There is also a Campisi's at Love Field Airport. 🗺️ Campisi's, 1520 Elm St, Dallas TX

CBD Provisions - If you're looking for a good steak, this could be your place. The name sounds like a feed store, but it is actually a swanky restaurant that locals rave about. If you are on a budget, this is a good place to get a quality meal for a decent price, especially if you go for breakfast. But if you order dinner with drinks, dessert, etc, you will probably notice how much you spent. You will probably need reservations if you want to eat dinner. If you give them 24-hour notice, they will serve you their specialty pig's head carnitas for up to 4 guests. 🗺️ CBD Provisions, 1530 Main St, Dallas TX

Cafe Momentum - While you might go there to support the cause, you will find that the food overshadows that. Cafe Momentum hires at-risk youth and gives them an intern experience that allows them to learn the restaurant business. But rest assured that you will still get a good meal. Cafe Momentum consistently ranks as one of the top restaurants in Dallas. It is priced comparable to a fine restaurant, and while the food is worth the money, so is knowing that you are helping the community. If you are staying over, they are doing a supper concert on Sunday, July 14. You should make reservations, and unfortunately their hours are limited to Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, which is when convention activities are taking place. Their earliest reservations are at 5:30pm, which should give you enough time to make the convention activities in the evening on Thursday and Friday. Keep in mind that on Friday and Saturday evenings, dinner is provided by the hotel as part of your registration fee. 🗺️ Cafe Momentum, 1510 Pacific Ave, Dallas TX

Whataburger - Whataburger is a distinctly Texan burger joint. Expect burgers, fries, patty melts, and their famous spicy ketchup. The Dr. Pepper Shake is a favorite, and they serve breakfast from 11pm to 11am. Whataburger was founded in Corpus Christi and remains centered in the southeastern US. There are no Whataburgers downtown, but there is one at 🗺️ 2428 N. Haskell that is 2.5 miles away, and therefore within the service radius of the hotel's free SUV service. There is also a Whataburger at Dallas Love Field, and two Whataburgers at DFW Airport, in Terminals D and E.

Also check out Klyde Warren Park, near the art museums, where you can find lots of food trucks and tables, plus a shady outdoor seating area at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Local member Brigand has made a list of restaurants in the downtown Dallas area which are good options for the Krewe at BigDCon. She has included all the Diner's, Drive-ins, and Dives locations that you can get to easily from the hotel, plus lots of other tasty options, along with her helpful comments for each one.

Neuromancer has created a Google map of some notable (and affordable) restaurants around the area with day trips to the attractions and nearby shops in mind.

There are many great barbecue restaurants in Dallas and the surrounding area. Here are a few that are both the best and easiest to get to.

Pecan Lodge has really great barbecue that is easy to get. They have found the balance between cranking out barbecue for the masses and keeping the quality high. You can find better barbecue, but you won’t find better barbecue that is this convenient. Pecan Lodge is only a few minutes away from the hotel by DART train, and you can walk leisurely up to the counter and get top-notch barbecue, some great banana pudding, and root beer on tap. That is a Texan trifecta of good eats, and you won’t have to jump through hoops to get it. If you go via DART, Pecan Lodge is close to Deep Ellum Station and Baylor Station. 🗺️ Pecan Lodge, 2702 Main St, Dallas, TX

Terry Black's Barbecue also has barbecue that is really great but easy to get. It has gotten great reviews online. It is in the Deep Ellum neighborhood and is closest to Baylor Station. It is very close to Pecan Lodge, if you are crazy enough to try to eat at both of them in one day. 🗺️ Terry Black's Barbecue, 3025 Main St, Dallas TX

Dickey's Barbecue is a local chain and is close to the hotel. For mass-produced chain barbecue, it is pretty good. (But Pecan Lodge or Terry Black's is still much, much better.) This location closes at 3pm and is not open on Saturdays and Sundays. Dickey's is also at Love Field Airport, and at DFW Airport in Terminals C and E. 🗺️ 1201 Main St.

Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse is another local chain with locations around Dallas where you can get a decent sandwich and some good onion rings. The closest is 5 miles from the hotel, farther than the places above. Sonny Bryan's is also in Terminal E at DFW Airport.

Check out all the barbecue recommendations of Texas Monthly in their Where to Eat Barbecue in Dallas article. Unfortunately, Cattleack Barbecue will be closed during the week of BigDCon (through July 16th), but there are plenty of other good barbecue joints in that article.

You can't throw a stone in Dallas without hitting a taco, and most of those tacos will be tasty. This is not an exhaustive list, but here are a few places near the hotel to try.

The tricolor trifecta - Traditional, high-end, and Mexican street food are side-by-side at 🗺️ McKinney Ave. and Miguel Martinez Way For traditional Tex-Mex, try 🗺️ El Fenix. Traditional Mexican food like enchiladas, rice, and beans that will fill you up without emptying your wallet. (There will be a Tuesday night outing to El Fenix.) Next door, you will find 🗺️ Meso Maya. It is a little pricier than El Fenix, and the food is more modern, but still very good. Try the chicharrones. Behind Meso Maya, you will find 🗺️ Taqueria La Ventana, a walk-up taqueria offering street tacos from 7am to 10pm. There is no indoor seating at La Ventana. The three are a 16-minute walk from the hotel and are closest to Victory Station. They can also be reached from West End Station with just a tiny bit more walking. 🗺️ El Fenix

Uno Mas Tex Mex - Just around the corner from the hotel, Uno Mas offers a variety of reasonably priced Mexican dishes. This is a sit-down restaurant where you order from a menu. 🗺️ Uno Mas Tex Mex, 1525 Main St, Dallas, TX

Twisted Trompo - If you need a taco fix after your late nights puzzling, Twisted Trompo is open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, and is only a 2-minute walk from the hotel. Three tacos with rice and beans will only set you back $9.99. 🗺️ Twisted Trompo, 1211 Commerce St, Dallas, TX

The Empanada Cookhouse - For something different, get a variety of empanadas, including dessert empanadas with Nutella. There is limited seating inside, but usually seats are available. The Empanada Cookhouse is near West End Station, or is an 11-minute walk from the hotel. 🗺️ The Empanada Cookhouse, 1001 Ross Ave, Dallas, TX

Fuel City Dallas - For fun, try the tacos at Fuel City Dallas. You can gas up the car, see some actual live longhorn cattle, and get some decent tacos. You can walk to Fuel City, but it would not be a pleasant walk, so using a car to get there is recommended. The tacos are cash only and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 🗺️ Fuel City Dallas, 801 S. Riverfront Blvd, Dallas, TX

Ruins' - Hyperion recommends this restaurant, which features Aztec-inspired Texmex and mezcal cocktails. It is a trendy spot that also features live music. The kitchen is open until 2:00am everyday. It is a couple of stops away on the DART train, in the Deep Ellum neighborhood, and within range of the hotel's free one-way SUV. 🗺️ Ruins, 2653 Commerce St, Dallas, TX

Of course there will be root beer in hospitality (Suite #820). For the house root beer, A&W will be available. For those with more refined palates, there will be something a little more special. The code word is "renard".

Out and about, here are two root beers worth mentioning:

Snappy Salads has root beer on tap from Oak Cliff Beverage Works, a local soda producer. This root beer is made with real cane sugar and is a quality root beer, with a sharp, sweet flavor. The other sodas made by Oak Cliff Beverage Works are also tasty. The salads and food at Snappy Salads are also tasty, and this is a good place to go for a healthy lunch that includes plants. The location at 717 N. Harwood St. is a 13-minute walk from the hotel, and it closes at 3pm. 🗺️ Snappy Salads, 717 N. Harwood St, Dallas, TX

Farther afield, there is Buc-ee's, which is worth a trip on its own. Buc-ee's is a Texas-sized roadstop providing gas, kitsch, and clean restrooms. They also serve their own root beer, on tap, and it is an amazing root beer. It is made with pure cane sugar and has a rich, sweet vanilla taste. You will need a car and a road-trip attitude - the closest Buc-ee's is about 40 minutes away by car. 🗺️ Buc-ee's, 15901 N Fwy, Fort Worth, TX 76177

The Escape Game is offering a 10% discount until July 19. Use the code NationalPuzzlers. The Escape Game is located near Meow Wolf in Grapevine. NPL member Chainsaw works for The Escape Game, but not the one in Grapevine.

Escapeology is offering a 20% off discount. This discount must be used per group, not per person. The discount code is NationalPuzzlers and is good for rooms done July 11-14. Escapeology is the escape room located nearest to the hotel. It is about a 20-minute walk or an 8-minute car ride.

Meow Wolf in Grapevine just opened a year ago. According to the website, it is a “a family-friendly cosmic adventure inside a world of explorable immersive art.” Lots of neon colors and puzzles! Plan to spend about 2-3 hours there. It is located in Grapevine Mall. It takes about 25 minutes to get to Meow Wolf from the hotel if the stars align, but you should plan for it to take an hour if there is traffic. And there is almost always traffic. And construction. Just go early and hang out at the mall until you go in, or do an escape room at The Escape Game, where NPL member Chainsaw contributes.

I think using a car to get to Meow Wolf is your best option, you can also take public transit to Meow Wolf. It requires taking DART to DFW Airport, then taking TexRail to the Grapevine Station, then using the visitor shuttle from there. 🗺️ Meow Wolf, 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy Suite 253, Grapevine, TX 76051

Thank you to ; for Meow Wolf information. He is available for questions about Meow Wolf.

If you're planning on doing some sightseeing when you come to Dallas, check out the Dallas City Pass. It gives you admission to the Science Museum and the Reunion Tower Deck, which are both must-sees, and your choice of two of the following: The Bush Presidential Museum, the zoo, or the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. I've been to all of these, and they are all worth seeing. The Science Museum, Tower Deck, and Human Rights museum are close to the hotel. The other two are easily accessible via mass transit. If you are sure you will be using it, you can buy the pass in advance — it is good for one year from date of purchase, and good for 9 days after you first use it.

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is worth visiting even if you don’t buy a ticket. The outside architecture is designed to grab attention, there are spray fountains outside to play in, and the lobby is free and has neat science-y stuff. If you buy a ticket, there are five levels of exhibits, accessed through the cool escalator on the side of the building, and including the obligatory dinosaur fossils that we all love to see. During the con, there are special exhibits featuring a twin model of the Perseverance rover and info about the T-Rex. The museum is named after the Perot family – you may have heard of Ross Perot. The Perot Museum is a 17-minute walk from the hotel and is closest to Victory Station. 🗺️ Perot Museum of Nature and Science, 2201 N Field St, Dallas, TX 75201

The Sixth Floor Museum covers the assassination and legacy of President John F. Kennedy. You can look down on the grassy knoll and wonder what might have been if he had lived. A sobering visit, but one of the most-visited sites in Dallas. Outside, you can see the “X” on the street that is removed by the city regularly, and then repainted regularly by unknown forces. Engage in lively debate with the assassination theorists outside and see where Erykah Badu filmed her video. The Sixth Floor Museum is a 14-minute walk from the hotel and is closest to West End Station. 🗺️ Sixth Floor Museum, 411 Elm St, Dallas, TX 75202

The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is one of my favorites. There is a comprehensive exhibit about the Holocaust, which segues into how the fight for human rights continues in many different areas. Upstairs, you can engage in live conversations with holograms of Holocaust survivors. The current exhibit, on display through July 14, is on women’s shoes and the role they played in the history of women’s rights. The DHHRM is a 14-minute walk from the hotel and is closest to West End Station. 🗺️ Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, 300 N Houston St, Dallas, TX 75202

The Museum of Illusions will help you get that perfect selfie to post on social media. Expect optical illusions and trickery. They recommend buying tickets beforehand. The museum is a 13-minute walk from the hotel and is closest to West End Station. 🗺️ Museum of Illusions, 701 Ross Ave, Dallas, TX 75202

The Dallas Museum of Art is free and air-conditioned. They do recommend reserving tickets beforehand, but I have never had a problem getting tickets when I walk in. Along with the usual modern sculptures and oil paintings, the pre-Columbian art section is impressive. They do charge for some of the special exhibitions. The museum is a 14-minute walk from the hotel and is closest to St. Paul Station. 🗺️ Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N Harwood St, Dallas, TX 75201

The Nasher Sculpture Center is a crown jewel in the Dallas Arts District. The building was designed by Renzo Piano and is a work of art itself. There is a landscaped lawn behind the building that feels like an oasis in the city. The Nasher is a 16-minute walk from the hotel and is closest to St. Paul Station. For more sculptures owned by the Nasher family, visit Northpark Mall, also called Northpark Center. Alongside the traditional food courts and clothing stores that are in every mall, you will see sculptures by Henry Moore and KAWS. Northpark Mall is 13 minutes from the hotel by car. It can be accessed by DART and is closest to Park Lane Station. 🗺️ Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora St, Dallas, TX 75201

The Crow Museum of Asian Art has some interesting jade sculptures. The pieces rotate regularly so I can't say for sure what will be on display, but I have never been disappointed. The building design is also impressive. The museum is a 17-minute walk from the hotel, and is closest to St. Paul Station. 🗺️ Crow Museum of Asian Art, 2010 Flora St, Dallas, TX 75201

Reunion Tower is well-known from the opening credits of the old TV series “Dallas”. It also provides a great view of the city. It is a 19-minute walk from the hotel and is closest to Union Station. There is also a swanky restaurant at the top of the tower called Crown Block. 🗺️ Reunion Tower, 300 Reunion Blvd E, Dallas, TX 75207

Even a landlocked city needs an aquarium, and ours is aptly named the Dallas World Aquarium. Expect lots of fishes and sharks, with a walk-through tunnel. The aquarium is an 11-minute walk from the hotel and is closest to West End Station. 🗺️ Dallas World Aquarium, 1801 N Griffin St, Dallas, TX 75202

Check out Klyde Warren Park while you are at the art museums. It is a park built over a highway. There are lots of food trucks here and fountains to cool off in. There are plenty of tables in the park, and also across the street to the south, at the Dallas Museum of Art, there is a shady outdoor seating area where you can eat. 🗺️ Klyde Warren Park, 2012 Woodall Rodgers Fwy, Dallas, TX 75201

The Bush Presidential Museum is located on the Southern Methodist University Campus. This is the one for George W. Bush, the younger Bush who was president from 2001-2008. The museum has interesting exhibits covering his time in office, including the terrorist attacks in 2001. It is 13 minutes away by car. The closest DART station is Mockingbird. 🗺️ George W. Bush Presidential Center, 2943 SMU Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75205

There are two FedEx Office stores that are about equidistant from the hotel. The first one is in a converted service station from the 1920s, which is cool to see. The other is in a shady underpass. Other than that, they are roughly equivalent.

The first is at 902 Ross Ave. This one is about a 10-minute walk from the hotel. You can shorten the walk by taking the train from Akard Station to West End Station. This one is open until 7 pm on weekdays. 🗺️ FedEx Office, 902 Ross Ave, Dallas TX

The other FedEx Office is at 1999 Bryan St., or at the corner of Federal St. and N. Harwood St. Sometimes this one doesn’t show up on maps, but it is there and they do make copies. It is about a 10-minute walk from the hotel. You can shorten the walk by taking the train from Akard Station to St. Paul Station. It is also open until about 7 pm on weekdays. 🗺️ FedEx Office, 1999 Bryan St, Dallas TX

NOTE: A FedEx Office shows up at 400 Olive St. on maps. I have been unable to find this FedEx, therefore I do not recommend trying to use it.

The Minuteman Press at 325 North St. Paul St. shows up as a copy shop on some maps, but they do not make copies. 🗺️ Minuteman Press, 325 North St. Paul St, Dallas TX

The closest convenience store is a 7-Eleven to the west of the hotel, on the other side of Field St, at the intersection of Field St and Commerce St It is small and has the usual drinks and snacks. It is open 24/7. 🗺️ 7-Eleven, 1295 Commerce St, Dallas TX

The closest non-convenience store is a CVS Pharmacy just to the north of the hotel at 1411 Main St. It is large (for a pharmacy) and is more like a small grocery store than a pharmacy. There are frozen foods, wine, and all of the usual pharmacy and convenience store items. Hours are 7:00am to 12:00am. 🗺️ CVS, 1411 Main St, Dallas TX

... and Come to BigDCon Anyway

10. Cool off at the rooftop pool at The Adolphus!
9. You can pack light, because warm weather doesn’t require bulky coats and layers.
8. Frozen margaritas and ice cold root beers just taste better when it’s warm outside.
7. We have air conditioning, and we are not afraid to use it.
6. Unlike that other big puzzle gathering, you don’t have to worry about getting iced in at the airport.
5. The Dallas/Fort Worth area is home to over 7 million people. We manage the heat, and so can you!
4. After the sun sets, you can sit outside on the balcony of the Hospitality Suite (#820) and enjoy the breeze while checking out the enormous LCD display across the street. (See “AT&T Discovery District”)
3. Whataburger.
2. Wearing sunglasses looks cool and makes you feel cool too.
1. Weather is unpredictable. Wouldn’t you hate to stay home only to have a heat wave shut down your city (See “Seattle, 2021”) while the rest of the Krewe is enjoying puzzles and the world’s greatest bagels (See “Starship Bagels”) in air-conditioned comfort?