Valley Ranch vs. Las Colinas (Dallas, Irving: apartment complexes, hotel, townhome)

[Cesarsmom]

I am relocating to Dallas, and am thinking about moving to Irving. Can anyone explain the difference between Valley Ranch and Las Colinas? I gather that they are close in proximity, but I am unclear about what makes them different.

Thanks for any help!

[jhami3]

Both Valley Ranch and Las Colinas are just fancy names given to neighborhoods in the northernmost parts of Irving.
Las Colinas is a 'planned' buisness/residential area straddling Hwy 114. There is a 'downtown' Las Colinas area (complete with suspended rail car system and canal) that is starting to get busier and will (someday) be part of a light rail expasion that should greatly increase the area's prominence in the DFW metroplex. The remainder of Las Colinas consists of a few more affluent neighborhoods, a ton of apartment complexes (old and new), and a few new townhome developments. (Search for 'Las Colinas' on Wikipedia for more background information.) My wife and I have lived there a few years now and find it to be a quiet area with a few very nice restaurants and not so far away from Dallas that we are hesitant to go there for entertainment (we don't have kids, so no perspective there).
If Las Colinas doesn't really feel much like Irving, then Valley Ranch REALLY doesn't have anything to do with Irving aside from the legalities. Valley Ranch is the part of Irving that is North of Hwy 635. Its kind of a southern suburb of the suburb Coppell. There are some decent schools there, some housing divisions, and many apartment complexes. Also, the headquarters and practice space of the Dallas Cowboys is prominently there. Not much new is going on there since it is a smaller 'neighborhood' and already pretty well-developed (as is much of Coppell).

[Cesarsmom]

Your comments were very helpful, and much appreciated.

[texasreinvestor]

Insiders and Dallasites preceive Las Colinas as more prestigious and exclusive than Valley Ranch. Residents in Las Colinas near 114 are of a higher income bracket than Valley Ranch residents. There are more apartments in Valley Ranch and starter homes, while Las Colinas has more neighborhoods that are gated and either near a lake or golf course. Las Colinas is also the site of the Byron Nelson Golf Tournament known all over the world and is highly publicized. The Byron Nelson PGA Tournament takes place on TPC Enclave Four Seasons Golf Course on the Four Seasons Hotel and Resort.