Family Travel: Visiting “The Stockyards” in Fort Worth, Texas

by Joanie Zisk on April 6th, 2017 | 1 Comment »

Last month, my family and I traveled for the weekend to Fort Worth, Texas. Our son attends the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas which is about 30 miles away, so we decided to "play tourist" and visit some of the surrounding area.

Fort Worth is REAL Texas. It's cowboys, cattle, saloons, and simply a great place to visit. Fort Worth is about 30 minutes from Dallas. So if your destination is Dallas, The Stockyards in Fort Worth can be a great day trip!

Fort Worth is rich with Texas history and The Stockyards are a huge part of that history. Upon entering the Stockyards, you immediately feel transported to another era. There's so much to see and do in Downtown Fort Worth, here are a few of the highlights:

What to Do in Fort Worth, Texas

Stockyards Station

Your first stop should be the Stockyards Station. Located in the heart of the National Historic District, Stockyards Station exemplifies Texas. The Stockyard Station is where cattle were loaded and unloaded from trains from all over the west. Inside the station are over 25 unique shops, restaurants, a winery, and a vintage turn-of-the-century train that will take you to the neighboring city of Grapevine. Each weekend throughout the summer, you can see a Gunfight Show featuring "The Legends of Texas." It may be a little too loud for younger children since they are shooting guns inside, but it is a lot of fun to watch.

The Cattle Drive

The Texas Longhorn and the Cowboy are true symbols of the Wild West. Every day at 11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. you'll see a herd of Texas Longhorns being driven by genuine cowhands through the center of the Stockyards.

The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame

This interesting museum highlights the achievements made by some of the greatest rodeo riders in Texas. There's also the Sterquell Wagon Collection, which is the world's "largest lifestyle wagon collection" with over 60 horse drawn vehicles. There are many interactive games for the kids within the museum where they can learn about how a Cowboy actually prepared and worked the cattle drive trail.

Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show

This fantastic show features Trick Roping, Trick Riding, Trick Shooting, a Bullwhip Act, and a Singing Cowboy. This show recreates the great wild west show that brought the wild west spirit to cities all over the world in the early 1900's. It's a great mix of story telling, country music, and a demonstration of cowboy skills. Showtimes are twice daily on the weekends.

Stockyards Championship Rodeo

The longest continuous running rodeo in the world with shows every Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m.

Billy Bob's Texas Bar-B-Que

The world's largest honky tonk featuring live entertainment daily.

Rodeo Zone

A fun, hands-on way for children to experience and learn the art of rodeo.

Downtown Fort Worth is a destination in itself. You can find accommodations within the Stockyards as well as in the surrounding areas. It's a perfect day trip or a wonderful weekend family get away.

Have you ever visited Fort Worth, Texas? What was your favorite part?

My name is Joanie Zisk and I currently live in Houston, Texas. I’ve been married to the love of my life, EJ for 25 years and we have five children. Three of our children are in college, one is in high school, and one will be entering middle school this fall. I’m a freelance writer and enjoy writing about great food, wonderful wines, amazing travel experiences, and family life on a blog I share with my husband, www.zagleft.com. You can also follow Zagleft on Twitter and Facebook.