Paul W. McCallum - Executive Director of the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau

The best thing about Grapevine is…

The location! Grapevine is centrally located between Dallas and Fort Worth. International travellers can easily connect with Grapevine through the DFW International Airport, which is within Grapevine city limits. From the airport it’s a quick 12-minute journey by TEXRail, or you can take the Grapevine Visitor Shuttle bus into Grapevine’s historic Main St.

From there it’s easy to get around. You can walk to great entertainment, dining, or wine tasting rooms. You can watch artisans at work and shop unique boutiques. You’re less than 30 minutes to Fort Worth and Dallas. There’s also national sports venues hosting football, basketball, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, NASCAR and horse racing. The AT&T Stadium will host nine matches, including one semi-final for the 2026 FIFA World Cup – it’s just 25km south of Grapevine.

If you visit…

Make sure you check out the Historic District. Go up the Observation Tower, which is right next to the TEXRail Station. From the 45m platform enjoy 360-degree views of the Grapevine area and the skylines of Dallas and Fort Worth. Afterwards I recommend you walk down Main St, position yourself at a sidewalk cafe, enjoy a cold beverage and watch the characters strolling by. Staff working at the bistros, boutiques and galleries live in Grapevine and warmly welcome visitors. You may run into them when they’re off work. The people who work here, play here too. 

The best place to eat…

When it comes to food, Grapevine has plenty of choices. If you enjoy barbecue head to Bartley’s BBQ, if you’re in the mood for a Texas steak (like most Aussies are) savour one at Bob’s Steak and Chop House. Texas is about Mexican food, and you’ll find mouth-watering fajitas at Esparza’s, the Margarita capital of Texas. Head to Mac’s on Main to try a chicken fried steak. Tolbert’s on South Main St are famous for their Texas Red chilli. We also have French, Italian, or Mediterranean dining options too!

A tour you should do…

Every international visitor should make time to visit the mighty Gaylord Texan, it has more bars than Pentridge. It’s filled with atriums and thousands of plants and flowers. Add to your list Grapevine’s Bass Pro Shop, packed with fishing, hunting, camping and boating items. Any Aussie with a hankering for the bush will not want to miss this cathedral to the outdoors! But remember, you’re likely to get lost inside the football oval-size store. Picture: Marriott

I tell my friends they must…

Come back for a festival! Visit in spring and experience the New Vintage Wineries and Galleries Trail, come in the autumn for GrapeFest – A Texas Wine Experience. And if you want to revel in the festive season, then come in December to experience the Christmas Capital of Texas. You can ride on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad which transforms into Santa’s North Pole Express at Christmas time.

If you like wine…

You will make a lot of new friends in Grapevine. And they will be on both sides of the countertop. Don’t be bashful, brand yourself as an Aussie, wear your Akubra and get ready to say, “G’day” to the Texans!

Make sure you…

Plan enough time to enjoy Grapevine and surrounding Texas. Almost everyone thinks they need to race off to Arizona or NOLA (New Orleans) when they were having such a great time in Grapevine. Stay longer, make connections. That’s what makes this place different, the friendly people you will meet. Oh, and stash a little money aside, so you can buy another suitcase for all the memories and retail fun you’ve had in Grapevine.