The Golden Triangle aka Li’l D
Did you know that 5 Texas cities made it to the Top 100 Most Livable Cities in America? These five generally make several lists a year as to best small towns, top places to raise a family, among other things. Today I’d like to feature my town that made #72: Denton, Texas.
If you look at a map, find Dallas. Now go west and you’ll see Fort Worth. Those two cities make up the base of the Golden Triangle. The point of the triangle is Denton. We are about equidistant from Dallas and Fort Worth. We can get to Austin in about 3 hours, Houston in about 4 and San Antonio in about 5.5. Even the Texas coastline is only about 4.5 hours away.
(All you non-Texans are probably gasping at the nonchalant mention of driving hours… yes, in Texas we measure distance with driving hours. We love being able to travel around the entire state and not being able to reach the borders for hours and hours. )
Back to Denton.
Yes, there are universities here, but the town is much more than a college town. There is a strong educational foundation here, with top rated schools, including an IB High School. Music is an integral part of the community here. It’s easy to find festivals, live shows and even a one-of-a-kind record store. Recycled Books, Records & CDs is the largest used and rare bookstore in Texas, so it’s a must-stop. It is frequently featured in Texas Monthly Magazine.
Dentonites love their town square. It’s full of unique shops and restaurants, a wonderful place to celebrate local businesses. You’ll find several murals on the walls around town and historical markers spread out over the entire town. The town was founded in 1846 and has been thriving ever since.
One fun fact that you might not know is that Denton has a pretty great airport. It serves as a major mid-continent refueling station. In fact, it is the 10th busiest in the state and has been approved for a second runway.
Denton County was also named the healthiest county in Texas last year, citing its health outcomes, or how long people live and how healthy they feel while they’re living.
In the spring, you can attend the Redbud Festival, the Arts and Jazz Festival or the world-reknowned ThinLine Film Festival. While you’re on the square, dine at Barley and Board and you just might run into one of their famous owners, Jason Lee. Or step back in time to the black and white checkerboard floors of Beth Maries Ice Cream Parlor. The local farmers market starts in April and runs through November, another great chance to support local businesses.