A Family Travel Guide to Fort Worth, Texas

Fort Worth, Texas, is famously known as “Cowtown.” Its city amenities, Western vibe and small-town feel make it an excellent destination for families seeking a luxury, laid-back vacation. Fort Worth offers big-city amenities just like its neighbor 30 minutes east (Dallas), but with a more relaxed vibe — and we like it that way. Being a native Texan, I have always said that Fort Worth and Dallas are like night and day. 

Although the weather is mostly mild, it can get cold in winter months, so plan a vacation for clients any time of the year, depending on their preference. 

Anyone visiting Fort Worth for the first time will want to know about the Fort Worth Stockyards, Sundance Square (Downtown Fort Worth) and the Fort Worth Cultural District.  After all, these are the three top places to experience the city. (Blue jeans approved!)

Fort Worth Stockyards

Have you had a conversation with a real cowboy lately? The Fort Worth Stockyards is the best place to experience the Old West cowboy vibe for which Fort Worth is known. Thanks to the Western overtones mixed with luxury hotels, upscale dining and high-end shops, families can enjoy an experience in a lively yet laid-back part of town — and they're bound to run into a cowboy or two while there. 

Families can spend the day walking East Exchange Avenue from one end to the other, visiting the many places depicting the Old West. Stop in at the Stockyards Museum, which tells the story of the Chisholm trail that came through Fort Worth many years ago. There’s also the John Wayne: An American Experience museum and retail store, where visitors can learn about Wayne’s life story and see memorabilia pieces he once owned or used in movies. 

Then, at 11:30 a.m., and again at 4 p.m. every day (weather-permitting), travelers can stake out a place on East Exchange Avenue to see "real" cowboys riding horses and driving a herd of Texas longhorns down the street. For $10 each, family members can have their picture taken on a steer, and children will enjoy riding a carousel with real ponies and pet animals at the Stockyards Barnyard Petting Corral.

Continue the cowboy vibe at the world's largest honky-tonk: Billy Bob's Texas, where listening to country music, enjoying a beer or two and riding a mechanical bull is the day's highlight. For some grown-up time, parents can check out the headliners playing in concert.

Another option for exploring the city is a walking tour. Historic Walking Tours guides guests around the Stockyards National Historic District, where they can soak up the history and culture of Fort Worth's famous cattle drives and stockyards of the 1800s. The whole family will come away with a vivid understanding of this vital period in Texas history. 

For dinner, enjoy a steak at Cattlemen's Steakhouse, one of Fort Worth Stockyards' famous steak restaurants. Or, send clients to Riscky's Steakhouse, where cowboys and ranchers have been coming since the 1920s. If barbecue ribs are in order, there’s H3 Ranch on the corner of East Exchange Street and Main Street, or small mom-and-pop restaurants at the far east end of the Stockyards. 

Don’t miss a stop at Joe T. Garcia’s, a famous 100-year-old Tex-Mex restaurant near the Stockyards that's one of Fort Worth's staple iconic restaurants. It only serves two options: enchiladas or fajitas (and a mean margarita). Recommend clients ask to be seated on the outside patio; it's beautiful out there, and it plays host to many weddings. (Travel tip: Bring cash — no credit cards are accepted.) 

There are a handful of luxury hotels in the Stockyards, all within walking distance of restaurants and attractions. The newest is Hotel Drover, part of Autograph Collection Hotels, and the oldest is Stockyards Hotel. If families are looking for a chain, Hyatt Place Fort Worth Historic Stockyards is within walking distance of everything.

Downtown Fort Worth - Sundance Square

Downtown Fort Worth caters to the entire family with festivals, fairs, live entertainment and more. And Sundance Square is in the middle of it all. This area includes boutique hotels, one-of-a-kind shopping and streets lined with restaurants. Clients can explore murals, water fountains, fine dining, live music, theater productions, outdoor concerts, a splash fountain and kid-approved sweets everywhere. 

Omni Fort Worth Hotel offers spacious, Texas-themed suites with separate living rooms, floor-to-ceiling windows, minifridges, wet bars and pull-out sofas. There are also on-site bars and restaurants, as well as an outdoor pool. The property is located directly across the street from the beautiful Fort Worth Water Gardens, which is free to enter and walk around.

Fort Worth goes all out for the holidays, playing holiday music and adorning the streets with wreaths, bows and garlands. Sundance Square has many activities for children, including hot chocolate, vendors and photos with Santa. 

For outdoor recreation, visit the Trinity River (adjacent to downtown and near the Fort Worth Courthouse). Here, families can swim, rent kayaks, canoes, paddle boats and listen to outdoor music.

Fort Worth Cultural District

The Cultural District of Fort Worth consists of many major attractions, such as the Kimbell Art Museum, Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and Fort Worth Botanic Garden. At the gardens, little ones will love exploring the Forth Worth Japanese Garden, the Rose Garden and the kid-friendly nature playscape. (It’s also Texas's oldest public botanic garden.)

To complement Fort Worth's Western theme, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame celebrates the historic women of the American West. Interactive exhibits let young guests imagine themselves as cowgirls and learn about rodeos, cowgirls in the arts and pioneering women's contributions. 

Just south of the Cultural District is Fort Worth Zoo, named the top zoo in the nation many times. It houses more than 7,000 native and exotic animals, and children will also love the carousel and mini-train.

With its family-friendly attractions, rich history, diverse culture and celebration of the Old West, Fort Worth welcomes families for an upscale but laid-back vacation.