Reunion Tower, Dallas

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Update: Reunion Tower is being refurbished and is closed for now.(Feb. 2008)

Picture the skyline of Dallas unfolding beneath you as the platform rotates 360 degrees in an hour's time. This view and more is yours from atop Reunion Tower and I recommend this site if you're traveling to the 9th largest city in the United States.

We've taken out-of-town guests to the Dome Lounge, where we've enjoyed a convivial glass of wine and tray of hors d'oeuvres. The Antares Restaurant serves lunch and dinner or Sunday champagne brunches and features New American cuisine.

Although we've never dined at the restaurant, friends have recommended forgoing dinner and just enjoying dessert and the city's panorama. An observation deck is also open to the public.

Reunion Tower is part of the Hyatt Regency Dallas. A parking lot is located on the premises, as well as, across the street. A validated ticket from Reunion Tower will give you a small discount from either of these two lots.

Hours for the Antares Restaurant are Mon.-Sat. 11:30 am-2pm; nightly 6pm-10:30pm or Sun. 10:30am-2:30pm for Sunday brunch.

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Reunion Tower is one of the Dallas landmarks, which is why it is pretty funny that I did not even take any notice of it when I was there in 1997. It must have been on the city tour I took, but I don't remember it and took no pictures of it.

It is about 50 stories (560 feet - 15th tallest in Dallas) in height and is part of the Hyatt Regency Hotel complex, which I also find funny. I don't know of any other hotel with a huge geodesic dome on top of a tower that is part of it. That's probably also why the parking is normally listed as being at the hotel instead in of the less expensive Reunion Arena lot. Both the Tower and the Hyatt were designed by Welton Becket & Associates from Los Angeles, California.

The shaft of the tower is four concrete cylinders. The three on the outside in a triangular pattern house elevators that offer the passengers a view as they ride up or down. The center one houses stairs and mechanical shafts. The top of the tower is a three level structure, also constructed of poured in place concrete. Surrounding this top is a geodesic dome formed with aluminum struts. The dome has 260 light bulbs that blink at night in deferential patterns. The lighting patterns are created by computer, which operates 40 circuits of lights across the face of the dome.

This tower is less expensive to go to the top of than some others like the CN tower in Toronto. But it is still a good place to have a meal and enjoy the city landscape.

Trivia from the Reunion Tower web site:
* The elevator trip to the top takes 68 seconds.
* The structure weighs 23,600 tons.
* It takes 55 minutes for the restaurant to revolve once.
* Each strut is 15-feet long.
* The dome is made of more than 100,000 parts.

Also known as the Hyatt Ball. You can go up into the top of the ball and see just about the entire city. It can be a very romantic and memorable place. The cost between parking and taking the elevator is around 5 dollars. At night the ball lights up and can be seen from all over the city.

Reunion Tower can be seen all around the downtown dallas area and even further at night, with over 200 lights that light up the dome. The tower has been a Dallas landmark for over 25 years. There are 3 levels at the top of the 50 storey strucutre.
Elevators will take you to the top levels in 68
seconds, unless of course you want to walk the 837 steps which go up the middle of the tower. On a clear day you can see for miles and even when not, the view over downtown Dallas is quite something. The tower opened in 1978.

A nominal admission is charged.

If you are ever in Dallas, you must go by Reunion Tower in downtown. While the revolving restaurant at the top is rather expensive, many people forget that just a level below this is a lounge area with a bar and appetizer type food that also revolves. Drinks are still a little pricey for Dallas standards, but it is well worth the view to stop by for a couple of drinks and a snack whether during the day or night. The view of the entire Dallas area is breathtaking and there isn't really another easily accessible place for such a view in this city on the plains of north Texas.

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Reunion Tower is definitely a Dallas landmark and stands about 50 stories in height. It is part of the Hyatt Regency Hotel complex. There are 260 light bulbs in the dome that blink at night in deferential patterns. The lighting patterns are created by computer, which operates 40 circuits of lights across the face of the dome.

There are three levels at the top of the tower dome, the lower level is (The Lookout) observation area, the second level is the (Antares) a revolving restaurant and the highest level is (The Dome) a revolving lounge with entertainment.

Views from the Tower in my travelogue.

There's Reunion Tower which is 50 stories tall. It's no Eiffel Tower, but, it's a good view. There are three levels on top: lower level is the lookout deck - second level is a restaurant (Antares); the third level is a lounge area with entertainment.
Price: $2 for adults and $1 for seniors and kids (3-12)
Hours: Mondays - Thursdays, 10 am to 10 pm; Fridays, 10 am to midnight; Saturdays, 9 am to midnight

I wonder how many times I've seen this icon in my life. Hmmmm...

Well, Reunion Tower is quite famous. Although, I don't think it's visited as much as the Eiffel one...Just joking.

The ball is actually not that old. It was constructed in the late 70s. It currently is apart of the Hyatt Regency hotel and restaurant. I think I read there are at least 8 proposals a week at the restaurant. However, this is a THINGS TO DO listing, not restaurant.

My family took me when I was kid. It was actually a bunch of kids. Therefore, we didn't go anywhere near the elegant, romantic restaurant. You can go to the observation desk for a tour without having to do anything with the hotel/restaurant.

Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for seniors (age 65 and over) and children (age 3-12). They'll take you up in the elevator. Or, of course, you could take the 837-step stairwell. Completely your call!

Open Hours: 10a-midnight F, 9a-midnight Sa, 10a-10p Su-Th

Can't beat the photography opportunities for $2 if you're in the area! It's also very beautiful lit up at night.

My advice: Plan to stay for an hour. In 55 minutes you will turn one complete circle!

The Reunion Tower is a trademark of the Dallas' Skyline. The tower belongs to the Hilton Hotel and there is a lounge area and a revolving restaurant at the top. It is also possible to just go to the look out floor, from where you can get nice views of Dallas (the pic from the Dallas intro page was taken from Reunion Tower). The fee to go to the look out is only $2 (but free for hotel guests).

Antares restaurant in Reunion Tower is closed and has been replaced by Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck. The Reunion Tower observation deck is still closed to the public. http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/3917