The Golf Clubs, Parks, Restaurants and Neighborhoods That Make This Part of Dallas Feel Almost Suburban

Everyone thinks they know North Dallas. But if most of what you’ve seen is from the Dallas North Tollway, there’s a good chance you’ve been driving right past some of the things that make this part of the city so interesting.

Go north of LBJ Freeway, while staying firmly inside Dallas city limits, and the city starts to feel different. There are sprawling lots shaded by hundred-year-old oaks, legendary private golf clubs tucked into residential neighborhoods, miles of trails, family parks and streets that can feel much more suburban than urban.

This time, This Is Our Dallas takes us north of LBJ to Bent Tree, Glen Abbey, Northwood Hills, Preston Highlands and Preston Trail. Each has its own personality, but together they reveal a side of Dallas that’s easy to miss when you’re simply driving through.

And yes, this is still 100% Dallas.

Where Golf Is Part of the Neighborhood

If you know Dallas golf, you probably know some of the names up here.

Preston Trail Golf Club opened in 1965 and hosted the Byron Nelson Classic from 1968 to 1982, with a membership history that includes names like Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw.

Nearby, Bent Tree Country Club opened in 1974 on 190 acres of former cotton fields and hosted LPGA and Senior PGA Tour events throughout the 1980s.

Both are private clubs, but their influence reaches well beyond the course. They helped shape neighborhoods where homes, mature trees and fairways become part of the same landscape.

You’ll also find The Creek course at Prestonwood Country Club, with championship character, pools, tennis courts and a clubhouse designed for more than golf.

In parts of Far North Dallas, golf is woven right into the neighborhood itself.

Parks That Become Part of Your Routine

The green space doesn’t stop at the golf courses.

Timberglen Park is a family favorite, with almost 26 acres, a splash pad, playgrounds, a recreation center and a shaded two-mile trail.

Fretz Park offers 15 lighted tennis courts, The Cove pool and a full recreation center. It’s also the starting point for Preston Ridge Trail, a six-mile path running north toward the Plano line.

These may not be the first amenities you search when looking for a home, but they’re often the ones that become part of everyday life: an evening walk, tennis after work or a Saturday at the pool.

Everyday North Dallas Is Easy, Too

Having more space here doesn’t mean giving up convenience.

Prestonwood Town Center at Belt Line and Montfort brings together Barnes & Noble, Ulta, DSW and restaurants in one easy stop. It’s less about luxury boutiques and more about having what you need close to home.

Then there’s the Galleria, still a landmark name in this part of Dallas and especially memorable at Christmas, when one of the country’s largest indoor trees rises above the ice-skating rink.

It’s a very different version of Dallas from some of the places we’ve visited in our previous This Is Our Dallas episode, and that contrast is exactly why we love exploring the city one neighborhood at a time.

And Then There’s Dinner

North Dallas also has the kind of restaurant lineup that quickly turns into a list of personal favorites.

There’s Deli News and Lavendou, The Sicilian Butcher and Brentwood, while one of Kaity’s favorites is Al Biernat’s North, with two bars, five dining spaces, a subterranean wine cellar, prime steaks and seafood, and the lobster mac-and-cheese she’d tell you not to skip.

La Stella adds handcrafted cocktails, an Italian wine cave featuring regional selections, house-made pastas and steaks, plus a live-music lounge. It was already on Janelle’s Saturday plans when the team put this episode together.

That’s part of what we love about This Is Our Dallas. A neighborhood isn’t just its homes. It’s where you eat, where you take the kids and the places you start recommending to friends.

What’s It Actually Like to Live Here?

Bent Tree, Glen Abbey, Northwood Hills, Preston Highlands and Preston Trail each bring something different to Far North Dallas.

Bent Tree and Glen Abbey are built around the golf courses, with mature trees, half-acre-plus lots and homes ranging from the high $600s into the millions for estates backing the fairways.

Northwood Hills has a curving, tree-lined feel inspired by the Park Cities, while Preston Trail sits closest to the Plano line.

But the common thread is space: bigger lots, bigger yards, established trees and residential streets that don’t necessarily feel like what people picture when they hear city of Dallas.

At the same time, you’re still minutes from the Tollway and Central Expressway, with easy access to the job corridors farther north in Plano and Frisco.

What This Means for You

If you’re comparing Dallas neighborhoods with suburbs farther north, Far North Dallas offers an interesting middle ground.

Maybe you want more yard without giving up a Dallas address. Maybe proximity to golf, parks and trails matters. Or maybe you simply want quieter residential streets while staying connected to the places you already spend your time.

That’s why a map only tells you so much. Sometimes you have to turn off the main road, drive the neighborhood and see which version of Dallas feels like yours.

Far North Dallas isn’t flashy. Honestly, that’s part of the point.

There’s room to breathe, everyday conveniences close by and easy access to the rest of North Dallas. You don’t necessarily have to choose between city life and suburban space.

Here, you can have a little of both.

FAQ

Is Far North Dallas Still Inside Dallas City Limits?

Yes. This episode focuses on neighborhoods north of LBJ Freeway that remain within Dallas city limits: Bent Tree, Glen Abbey, Northwood Hills, Preston Highlands and Preston Trail. Addison and Richardson aren’t included.

Which Golf Clubs Are Featured in This Part of North Dallas?

The episode features Preston Trail Golf Club, Bent Tree Country Club and The Creek course at Prestonwood Country Club. The courses are an important part of the character of several surrounding neighborhoods.

What Is There to Do in Far North Dallas?

The episode takes us to Timberglen Park, Fretz Park and Preston Ridge Trail, plus Prestonwood Town Center, the Galleria and local dining spots including Deli News, Lavendou, The Sicilian Butcher, Brentwood and Al Biernat’s.

If North Dallas has been on your radar, or you’re deciding whether Dallas or one of the northern suburbs better fits the way you want to live, we’d love to show you around.

Let’s connect.

Blog Article by Janelle Rawlston | with Mosaic RE Group at Compass, Kaity Gonzalez and Kristi Stacy

Let Mosaic RE Group guide you through your next move, and make your experience seamless. Call us at 469-360-2161 or email us at mosaicregroup@compass.com.

This Is Our Dallas: North Dallas Beyond Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway