Things to Do in Fort Worth, Texas

The Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District is the city's most famous attraction — home to the world's only twice-daily cattle drive, where real cowhands drive a herd of Texas longhorns down the brick streets. The district is packed with Western shops, saloons, and rodeo history.

At its heart is Billy Bob's Texas, billed as the world's largest honky-tonk, with live music, dancing, and even indoor bull riding. The Stockyards is where Fort Worth's 'Cowtown' identity is fully alive, and it's a must-see.

On the west side, Fort Worth's Cultural District holds a cluster of world-class art museums. The Kimbell Art Museum is an architectural masterpiece with works from antiquity to Monet and Picasso, and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, designed by Tadao Ando, holds more than 3,000 works in a striking building over reflecting pools. The Amon Carter Museum of American Art rounds out the trio, free to visit.

Having this concentration of major museums is remarkable for a city Fort Worth's size, and the district is a genuine cultural destination.

Downtown, Sundance Square spans 35 walkable blocks of restaurants, shops, and entertainment around a central plaza with landmark umbrellas and a fountain. It's one of the most pleasant, safe, and lively downtowns in Texas.

The crown jewel is Bass Performance Hall, an ornate concert hall marked by its giant angel sculptures, home to the Fort Worth Symphony, opera, and ballet. Between the plaza and the hall, downtown is built for an evening out.

The Fort Worth Zoo is consistently ranked among the top zoos in the nation, home to more than 7,000 animals with interactive exhibits, a play barn, and a train — one of the best family outings in the metro.

Nearby, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, the oldest major garden in Texas, offers 2,500 species of plants and a beautiful Japanese Garden. Together they anchor a green, family-friendly side of the city.

Downtown's Fort Worth Water Gardens is a dramatic terraced water feature designed by architect Philip Johnson — cascading pools and quiet corners that make a striking urban oasis. And the Trinity Trails, more than 100 miles of paths along the river, connect the Stockyards, downtown, and the Zoo for cyclists and walkers.

Between the cowboy heritage, the museums, the downtown, and the outdoors, Fort Worth easily fills a multi-day visit, and it does it with a character all its own.