Top Things To Do In Fort Worth Texas

Fort Worth is the 13th largest city in the United States.  It is a distinct city that merges western culture with modern day living.  There are a lot of western and cowboy themed events, museums, and areas in the city.  If you are coming to Texas hoping to get a taste of the Cowboy culture, this is the city for you.

Fort Worth was originally an army outpost and center for livestock trade with it’s large stockyard.  It was originally a stop on the Chisholm Trail, which was a cattle drive trail from Texas to Kansas.  Though the cattle drives do not take place anymore, you can still see evidence of this history.

The city is full of fun, historical, and entertaining things to do.  If you have not visited already, you should definitely add Fort Worth to your list!  Here are the top things to do in Fort Worth.

Journey For Jasmine understands that there is a pandemic right now and is not encouraging travel in any way.  These are suggestions for when it is safe to travel again.  Some of these places may also be temporarily closed due to the pandemic.

 

Fort Worth Stockyards

A visit to Fort Worth would not be complete without visiting the Stockyards.  This area is actually part of the historic district where they used to hold a livestock market and cattle drive.  Now, it consists of shopping, restaurants, and other entertainment.

According to the Library of Congress, the Fort Worth Stockyards are the last standing stockyards in the U.S.  The area is Western themed and even has a rodeo.  There are other events held here including a gunfight show, a cattle drive where you can see the longhorns up close, and barrel racing.

If you are looking for a fun place to eat in the area, check out Billy Bob’s Texas Honky Tonk Kitchen.  The place is huge and often has concerts going on.  They are even the 10-time winner of the country music’s “Club of the Year” award.  This will definitely give you a taste of country music.  The food is mostly BBQ, which is something you must try when visiting Texas!

If country music is not really your thing, you can still check out all the other great restaurants in the stockyard district.  Some other great choices are Cattlemen’s Fort Worth Steakhouse, Riscky’s Barbeque, and Trailboss Burgers.

 

Fort Worth Stockyards

 

 

Fort Worth Zoo

The Fort Worth Zoo is often touted as being better than the Dallas Zoo.  There are tons of animals to see including my favorite, the elephants.  They have had several baby elephants born in the past few years.  We went to visit one New Year’s Day specifically to see one of the new baby elephants.  Of course, it was unusually cold that day and the elephants were not outside.  The moment we left the zoo, I saw the zoo post on Facebook that the elephants were out!  It figures!

The zoo is dedicated to education and conservation as well and holds many camps and programs for kids.  According to their website, they have over 540 different species.  This includes mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles.  This is a great family friendly activity.

 

Botanic Gardens

The Botanic Gardens are a must see when visiting.  The gardens are beautiful and full of fun things to see, no matter what time of year you visit.  They are open 7 days a week and have free parking.  You can look at the What’s Blooming section of their website to plan the best time of year to visit.

There are 17 different gardens to see, including the Japanese Garden, Rose Garden, Native Texas Boardwalk, and the Cactus Garden.  The Fort Worth Botanic Garden also aims to provide educational opportunities to it’s visitors about different plants.

 

Fort Worth Botanic Gardens

 

Water Gardens

The Water Gardens are located around the Fort Worth Convention Center.  There are a variety of different water features you can view as you walk through the park.

Fun fact, there were some scenes from the movie Logan’s Run that were filmed at this water park.

The main water garden attraction is the active pool experience.  This allows visitors to feel surrounded by the sounds of the water around them.

 

 

 

Fort Worth Museums

Fort Worth is home to many fun and interesting museums.  Some of the notable ones are listed below.

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth– This museum features a large collection of modern art and sculptures.

Kimbell Art Museum– The Kimbell Art Museum has a wide range of items, along with several rotating exhibits.

Amon Carter Museum of American Art– The Amon Carter features a range of different exhibits.  They boast containing one of the great collections of American Art that are regularly changed.

Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame– The Cowboy Hall of Fame features individuals who have shown excellence in supporting the rodeo and western lifestyle in Texas.

Stockyards Museum– The Stockyards Museum features the history of the Fort Worth Stockyards.

National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Museum– This museum showcases women of the past and present who helped shape the West.

 

Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art- Photo Taken By Parker Miles Blohm on Flickr

Kimbell Art Museum

 

 

Sundance Square

Sundance Square is in the heart of downtown Fort Worth.  There are tons of restaurants, shopping, and other entertainment options.  One of my favorite restaurants in this area is the Flying Saucer.  You can find everything here from Sushi, to Tex-Mex, to Burgers.

This is also the location of Bass Performance Hall, which features the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Texas Ballet Theater, Fort Worth Opera, and the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. They also have various Broadway plays throughout the year.  Make sure to check out their calendar to see what events are going on while you are in town.

The Circle Theatre is a more intimate setting that has more contemporary plays.

If comedy is more your thing, be sure to check out Hyena’s Comedy Club.

 

Sundance Square- Photo By Shiva Shenoy on Flickr

 

 

Ale Trail Breweries

I don’t know about you, but I always like trying out the local beer or cider in the places I visit.  Fort Worth is home to many different breweries.  They are several that are part of what’s known as the Ale Trail.  This is made up of 13 different breweries located around various parts of Fort Worth.

Cowtown Brewing– A fun taproom that has 12 selections on tap, along with great barbecue.  Some of their current on tap offerings include Agree to Disagree, Flux Capacitator, and Nick’s Cold Black Heart.

Fort Brewery– Sample their different beers while also eating some amazing food, including delicious pizza.  On tap offerings include Moonrider, 1849, and Zeppelin.

Turning Point Beer– Turning Point has barrel-aged releases every 4-8 weeks.  One of their new releases is called Velvet Thunder and is made with blueberry and maple syrup sour ale!  They also have one called Pecan Brownie.

HopFusion Ale Works– HopFusion contains 18 different beers on tap, along with wine and cider.  Right now, some of their on tap offerings include Feisty Blonde, Feisty Brunette, Feisty Redhead, Fur Slipper, and Orange Blossom Special.

Locust Cider– You can buy cider here available on tap or in cans.  Some of their flavors include Honey Pear, Vanilla Bean, Dark Cherry, and Watermelon.  They also serve pizza, including one with nutella and bacon!

Maple Branch Craft Brewery– This includes a craft brewery and a biergarten.  They have several options on tap, including Santa’s Little Helper, Fool Me Twice, and Island Time (which is made with mango and pineapple).

Martin House Brewing– This taproom is open each day for purchasing beer-to-go.  Some of their most popular are the Sour Pickle Beer, Friday IPA, and True Love Sour Raspberry Ale.

Panther Island Brewing– They have year round offerings, along with fun seasonal ones.  One of the most interesting is There Gose My Hero, which has flavors of pink guava and pink Himalayan sea salt.

Rahr & Sons Brewing Company– This one is always dear to my heart because they are big supporters of DFW Pug Rescue.  We have rescued three different dogs from DFW Pug Rescue.  They even have a beer called Ugly Pug (based on a pet of the owners).  All of their beers are available in cans.

Wild Acre Brewing– Some of their fun flavor options include a Mango Hatch Chile IPA, Snap’d Gingerbread Strong Ale, and the Magic Brine Pickle Hard Seltzer.

 

 

 

 

Log Cabin Village

This is a great family friendly activity!  Log Cabin Village is a living history museum that shows the life of people who lived in the 19th century.  There are 6 different log houses and many different artifacts on display.  Each cabin has a different theme including a schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, and an herb garden.  This attraction is both fun and educational for children.

 

Map From The Log Cabin Village Website

 

Panther Island

Panther Island is full of different activities for the whole family.  It is an outdoor concert venue that holds various events throughout the year.  The Trinity Trails are where you can ride a bike or take a nice walk.

There is also a beach overlooking the Trinity River that you can visit.   Kayaks and paddleboards are available for rent if you want to go out on the water.

Make sure to check out their events calendar to see what is going on while you are in town!

 

Bridge at Panther Island Park

 

Seaquest

Seaquest is an aquarium that also offers a fun hands-on experience.  Some of the animal encounters include snorkeling with stingrays, interacting with the Asian Otters, or a Sloth Encounter.  The various exhibits provide educational opportunities through hands-on activities. Both kids and adults will love the fun interactions with the marine life.

 

 

I hope you have found some fun things to do during your visit to Fort Worth.  What are you most looking forward to seeing or doing?  I would love to hear in the comments!

If you are interested in visiting more of the North Texas area, check out our post on the 12 Best Things To Do In Dallas.

 

Pin for Later!

Top Things To Do In Fort Worth Texas

15 thoughts on “Top Things To Do In Fort Worth Texas”

  1. Ahhh this is such an awesome post, cannot wait to travel again! I love how you added in the perfect mix of nature, culture and city x

  2. My partner’s extended family is from Texas, and we still haven’t made it out there, crazily enough! This is such a great guide, definitely pinning and saving for later!

  3. I love the history of the city and the botanical gardens are absolutely stunning. I’d like to see the water gardens too. Such a wonderful guide!

  4. Fort Worth really has much to offer the traveler but it is always lumped in with Dallas. You may posted many reasons that Fort Worth stands out n its own.

  5. Those gardens look so lush and green, somehow seems quite surreal for someone who thinks of Texas as a desert! Interesting history too.

  6. I had no idea that Fort Worth was the 13th largest city in the states! I haven’t been before but it looks like there are some great things to do here.

  7. Kitti Around the World

    Never really heard of Fort Worth before but the botanic garden looks stunning during autumn! Also the water garden looks pretty interesting too.

  8. Wonderful ideas for places to visit in Fort Worth. I particularly like a 13 brewery Ale Trail. I’d enjoy that. The gardens are also beautiful.

  9. The log cabin village sounds fun! When I was little, I went to Colonial Williamsburg and was facinated, so I know I’d love visited here!

  10. Wow I hadn’t heard of this city until now, this is probably the first blog I have read about it. So much to do in and around, I would love to make a weekend trip out of it!

  11. Manish Ambaliya

    Amazing! I know nothing about traveling all over the country, what a wonderful looking place to explore.

Leave a Reply