DALLAS — Dallas can be an intimidating place — especially when you're new around here.
It's not just that Dallas-Fort Worth is big, boasting more square miles (9,286) than the entire state of New Jersey (8,723). It's not that it's crowded, either, as the ninth-largest city in the U.S., and the core of the nation's fourth-largest metro region. And it's not just that it's growing at a rapid rate: According to most estimates, the Dallas Metroplex will surpass the greater Chicagoland as the third most-populous area in the states by 2030 — with the sky being the limit after that.
Add up all those things — and, let's face it, plenty of other factors, too — and it becomes tough to wrap your head around this place.
How do you even begin to feel settled around here?
There's never really been an obvious answer to that question previously. Until now, you mostly had to rely on your own guile and wits (or maybe a well-meaning coworker) to get your bearings around here.
But now there's a new, free-to-download and free-to-use tool from WFAA parent company TEGNA that's aimed at trying to help.
It's called How to Dallas.
How to Dallas is a community-based app that's specifically targeted at young people who have freshly relocated to the area and are interested in discovering cool things about their new city. But, really, it's open to all comers — anyone interested in exploring all that Dallas has to offer.
Think of it as a non-toxic Nextdoor where Gen Z Dallasites can gather to crowdsource tips, tricks and advice on ways to best enjoy Dallas — together — from real people, and not some shiny influence they've found on Instagram or Tiktok. After all, who better to help you navigate these streets than people like you, who've just endured the same hurdles you're now facing?
Need help figuring out the best neighborhood to move to based on your wants and needs? Pose the question in the How to Dallas community feed.
In desperate need of a quiet spot to get some work done while sipping on a tasty latte? Your How to Dallas peers likely have some tips.
Sick of the same old haunts that everyone and their cousin parties at weekend after weekend? The How to Dallas network can probably help you find new ones to explore.
There's more to it than just that, though. How to Dallas will also take users off the URL and into the IRL, inviting them to regular, exclusive meetups intended to help them grow their networks and their local know-how — gatherings like "adult field trips" to museums, happy hours and classes meant to help users get the most out of all this city has to offer.
In the coming weeks, those will take shape in the form of a visit to the Dallas Museum of Art, an anti-office party networking happy hour, a virtual course on how to avoid going broke during the holidays and a group trip to attend the Deep Ellum Block Party. Beyond a network of peers to make newcomers feel more comfortable venturing out than they might if they were to try doing so on their own, each of these events will also offer How to Dallas users additional perks meant to enhance their experiences — things like discounts and freebies.
But How to Dallas' real benefit is even greater than that. It'll help you turn Dallas into your home.
Download How to Dallas for free on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.