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Arts & Entertainment

10 things you should add to your Dallas bucket list

Many folks have a bucket list they've been clutching onto for a while. In fact, the list may be more of a wish list, with little activity crossing off the items. So to help nudge some of those items to completion, we've gathered a list of 10 Dallas Bucket List items you can aim for. From gas station tacos to soaring high above the skyline, we have experiences to appease all bucket lists (big and small).

Night Flight

www.starlightflight.com

Most folks have taken a flight on a commercial airplane. But experiences of popping up in a propeller plane are few and far between. What about a nighttime flight over Fair Park to see the blinking lights of the fair grounds? The Texas Star Ferris Wheel is sure to sparkle and shine from sky views. Starlight Flight is a local company that fulfills bucket list items weekly in a Cessna 172 airplane. They'll even fly you over downtown Dallas at 1500 to 2000 ft. in the air. The planes hold up to three folks (in addition to the pilot of course) so this bucket list item could be shared with friends.

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Paddleboard on White Rock Lake

www.whiterockpaddle.com

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Many people think that adventurous water sports require a trip to the coast. Perhaps with surfboarding this is true, but plenty of water sports are accessible right here in many Dallasites' backyards. Paddle boarding down White Rock Lake is a popular activity, especially for summertime to beat the heat. Some folks even take their four-legged friends along for company, but the two-legged variety of companion works, too. This activity is ideal for groups, but can easily be executed solo.

Fuel City

www.fuelcity.com

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The great thing about this bucket list item is it's open 24/7. Fuel City's Dallas location sits on eight acres and is known for many things besides gasoline. Perhaps it's most famous for its street tacos. Who knew gas station tacos would be on a bucket list? But consuming tacos is just the icing on the cake with this gas station experience. There are karaoke opportunities, a swimming pool by the car wash and even live animals. From zebras to buffalo, they've showcased all sorts of livestock on the land. This is certainly an experience that is unique to Dallas that would be hard to replicate elsewhere.

Blanca Ponce checks out customers at Fuel City on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015.  Behind her is a...
Blanca Ponce checks out customers at Fuel City on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015. Behind her is a stuffed brown bear.(Rex C. Curry / Special Contributor)

Buzz Bike

www.thebuzzbike.com

Pairing physical labor with consumption of libations is a new popular pastime in Dallas. An apparatus known as the "Buzz Bike" hauls folks around from bar to bar, powered by bicycle pedaling. From Deep Ellum to Uptown, the Buzz Bike crew has special routes stashed throughout Dallas to appease all. Along the routes, pit stops are made for the ultimate pub-crawl experience. Known as the Het Fietscafe in its native country of the Netherlands, the bike is used by the Dutch as a mobile pub. At least a dozen folks will need to be recruited for this bucket list item, as the group literally propels the cart by pedaling their feet. So the more the merrier to help lighten the load when pedaling.

Highland Park Village Christmas Lights

www.threejayscarriages.com

During the holiday season, every tree trunk, limb and twig glistens with twinkly white lights at Highland Park Village. Folks come to see the glimmering lights from all over, as part of their holiday ritual. To enjoy the festivities to the full effect, hop on a carriage ride. There are various routes that can be taken through Highland Park Village, and down Beverly Drive in Highland Park. The holiday spirit will surely set in with the horse-drawn carriage by Three Jays Carriages, Christmas carols and a warm cup of hot chocolate.

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Drink a Mambo Taxi (Or Two) at Mi Cocina

www.micocinarestaurants.com

Perhaps you're not a true Dallasite until you've tasted the sweet slush of a Mambo Taxi at Mi Cocina. Word on the street is they'll cap you off at two since they're so strong. A Frankenstein crossbreed of a margarita and Sangria, there is a lot swirling around in this drink. As Mi Cocina is such a Dallas staple on the Mexican food circuit, enjoying a Mambo Taxi is fairly obligatory for the ultimate Dallas bucket list.

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Stand in Line at Pecan Lodge for BBQ

www.pecanlodge.com

First sprouting up in the Farmer's Market, Pecan Lodge caused quite a stir. Eventually opening up a brick and mortar operation in Deep Ellum, the stir is still stirring. In fact, the line busts out the front door and wraps its way around out front by 11 a.m. Folks literally throw elbows and run to vie for their spot in line. The brisket is one of their many claims to BBQ fame. And it must be accompanied by their mac 'n cheese, which is a culinary odyssey between the gooey cheese, bacon and green chile.

Diners wait in line to place an order inside the Pecan Lodge restaurant in Deep Ellum, on...
Diners wait in line to place an order inside the Pecan Lodge restaurant in Deep Ellum, on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014 in Dallas.(Ben Torres / Special Contributor)
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Shoot a Gun at Elm Fork

www.elmfork.com

With this being a Dallas bucket list, it's only appropriate to include a trip to a bona fide Texas gun range. Elm Fork has a variety of weaponry to choose from, including shotguns, rifles, pistols and archery. 467 acres of shooting sports stretch out to offer folks a variety of shooting options. Elm Fork even has an air gun field target, which is a hunting simulation game. Participants shoot air gun rifles and pistols at falling, metallic silhouettes of small game animals at range from 10 to 55 yards. So this is a good option for the animal lovers who don't want to actually pull the trigger and go on a legitimate hunting trip.

Visit Dealey Plaza

www.jfk.org

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One of the most pivotal and tragic moments in history occurred in Downtown Dallas with the assassination of President Kennedy. Tourists flood the grassy knoll and Dealey Plaza daily to visit the Sixth Floor Museum and explore the core exhibit, John F. Kennedy and the Memory of a Nation. The museum's collections include original documents and manuscripts, photographs, newspapers and magazines, artifacts and audio-visual recordings.

The new white "X" has been replaced at Dealey Plaza after the 50th-anniversary commemoration...
The new white "X" has been replaced at Dealey Plaza after the 50th-anniversary commemoration of John F. Kennedy's assassination. The new white X, marks the spot where JFK was shot on Elm Street in front of the former Texas School Book Depository. Shot on Tuesday, November 26, 2013.(David Woo / Staff Photographer)

Eat a Slice of Pie at Emporium Pies

www.emporiumpies.com

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Bishop Arts District is a treasured Dallas neighborhood with eclectic shops and restaurants lining Bishop Avenue. At the end of the block is Emporium Pies, a cozy pie shop with mismatched china and a line overflowing out the front door. But the line is worth it for the first taste of the Smooth Operator pie. Silky-sweet chocolate is piped into a salty pretzel crust and topped with a chocolate rosette. The pie menu changes seasonally, so folks can make this a reoccurring item on their bucket list to try every slice on the menu.

By Kimber Westphall, Special Contributor

Emporium Pies' bourbon-pecan pie with shortbread crust pictured on November 1, 2013 at...
Emporium Pies' bourbon-pecan pie with shortbread crust pictured on November 1, 2013 at Emporium Pies in Dallas.(Sarah Hoffman / Staff Photographer)