Welcome to greater Dallas. The five million plus population of Dallas-Fort Worth rolls over a 16-county region that covers 12,800 square miles (which is larger than nine of the US states). It is also one of the fastest growing regions in the country.

Growth. Speed. Size. Those are the characteristics of D-FW, a region that likes to think of itself as smarter and more efficient – but also friendlier – than those other cities its newest residents left behind.

What does that mean for the visitor? It means that you'll fly into the third busiest airport in the world (D-FW). You'll have a choice of eating at more than 10,000 restaurants, shopping one of the biggest malls in Texas (Grapevine Mills) and doing business at the world's largest wholesale merchandise mart, the Dallas Market Center.

If you visit in the winter, mild temperatures that dominate the region will thrill you. Come in the spring, and you'll see acres of bluebonnets (the state flower) blanketing the highways. Fall is the time for the State Fair of Texas, the biggest in the country. Come in the summer and you'll appreciate air conditioning even more.

TriQuint's Texas operations are located in Richardson, north of Dallas, and easily reached from D-FW Airport by the new George Bush toll road. Richardson, dubbed the "Telecom Corridor", is 20 miles from the center of Dallas, and is known as one of the best suburban cities in the region. The city offers a strong, vibrant economy and affordable housing.

Richardson's close proximity to both Fort Worth and Dallas allows it to enjoy all the benefits of metropolitan city life while at the same time remaining affordable and moderately sized. Richardson began as a popular suburb for upper income college-educated professionals and as a result education continues to be a focus for the community. The Richardson Independent School District, honored as being one of the top 25 school districts in the United States by the U.S. Department of Education and other agencies, offers an outstanding curriculum for community children. The University of Texas at Dallas also has a campus in Richardson, with an enrollment of approximately 7,700 students.

The city of Richardson is committed to maintaining an outstanding quality of life for residents. It sponsors many annual events including the award winning Wildflower Arts and Music Festival. Also, the annual Huffhines Art Trail event is a unique blend of arts and crafts. Located in the beautiful Huffhines Park, it offers a wonderful collection of handcrafted pottery, jewelry, paintings and whimsical arts and crafts. Children in Richardson look forward to Santa's Village each holiday season.

Richardson has some of the best dining in the area with more than 60 restaurants woven throughout the city. An exotic potpourri of Asian products awaits discovery in retail shops, markets and restaurants in the city's old downtown area.

The Visitors Guide is exclusive to GuideLive. © 1999 The Dallas Morning News

Additional information on Dallas:

• GuideLive: Arts and Entertainment in Dallas and Fort Worth
• About Dallas: Statistics & Facts
• CitySearch Dallas
• All About Dallas
• Welcome to Richardson, Texas