Fort Worth – The Wild West of Texas
The city of Fort Worth is an integral part of the massive Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan, considered the fourth largest urban area in the entire USA. Unlike the modern and somewhat impersonal Dallas, whose downtown is a short drive to the east, Fort Worth has a more historic vibe and is much more tourist-friendly. The city was formerly known as the center of Texan cattle trading, and to this day, there are cattle auctions in the Stockyards District north of downtown. Central Fort Worth, the Sundance Square district, has become something of a Wild West Disneyland, with an exact replica of the city from over a century ago. Around the square, there are reconstructions of old-time saloons, large theaters, cowboys, and all the fun of the Wild West.
How many days are needed for a trip to Fort Worth?
For a trip to Fort Worth, it’s worth allocating between half a day to a full day of touring.
It's highly recommended to find a place to stay in Fort Worth during your trip to the city and the Dallas metropolitan area.
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What must you see and do in Fort Worth?
- Bars, saloons, theaters, and entertainment in the Wild West district – Sundance Square
- A perfect blend of concrete and water sculpture at Water Gardens
- The scent of Texas cattle at Fort Worth Stockyards
- European masterpieces at the Kimbell Art Museum
- Local masterpieces at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art
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What is Fort Worth?
Fort Worth is located in the western and older part of the giant and modern Dallas-Fort Worth metropolis, many parts of which are not worth visiting. The center of Fort Worth itself is fascinating and safe, and it's definitely worth checking out this city associated with the Texan cattle world and an integral part of cowboy culture and the Texan cattle industry, earning it the nickname Cowtown.
- Fort Worth grew from a fort built in 1849, a few years after Texas joined the Union. During this period, the city quickly expanded but was severely affected by the American Civil War
- The city recovered by the end of the 19th century when it became a hub for cattle transportation from the state's western plains. Numerous slaughterhouses were built, as well as the wild west's stock exchange, the Fort Worth Stockyards, which is still active today
- Like the entire metropolis, the city rapidly developed from the mid-20th century, both in the context of Texas' burgeoning oil industry and with the transformation of the metropolis into a major aviation hub with the development of Dallas-Fort Worth Airport located between the two cities.
Today, the center of Fort Worth is somewhat touristy, primarily around Sundance Square, which aims to recreate the city's past glory as the Texan cattle hub.
Click here for a honky-tonk dinner and line dancing at a pub in Fort Worth…
Map of Fort Worth
How to Get to Fort Worth?
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is considered one of the largest airports in the USA. It's the headquarters of the American aviation giant American Airlines, making it one of the busiest airports in the USA. The airport was built in the late 1960s within the developing metropolis, midway between Dallas and Fort Worth. The airport has five terminals and is connected to all regional and international airports within the USA, Canada, and Mexico, as well as all major airports in Europe and the Far East.
The airport is located just a fifteen-minute drive east of downtown Dallas and west of central Fort Worth. There is public transportation from the airport that's not advisable to use, both because it's slow and because it goes through places you don't necessarily want to visit. The way to get to the city from the airport is either by rental car or taxi (or Uber).
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How to drive to Fort Worth?
The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex sits along Interstate 20, the highway of the Deep South. This road starts in South Carolina, traverses Atlanta in Georgia, Birmingham in Alabama, and Jackson in Mississippi. After passing through the northern part of Texas, it merges with Interstate 10 from east of El Paso. Dallas and Fort Worth form the northern apex of the Texas Triangle, with Interstate 45 connecting them to Houston and Interstate 35 linking them to San Antonio. Interstate 35 continues north to Oklahoma City.
When is the best time to visit Fort Worth?
Like all major cities in Texas, Fort Worth is known for its southern, scorching weather, with a sun-blazing summer and a typically mild winter that can range from warm to freezing at times.
- The best season to visit the city is winter. Winter in Fort Worth is pleasant to cool, with plenty of sunny days and a scarcity of precipitation. Winters can be sunny and warm during the day but cold to freezing when night falls. There's not much precipitation in the city during winter, and snow is quite a rare commodity.
- Late spring and fall months in Fort Worth are relatively rainy, with May and June being quite wet. Nonetheless, spring and fall are great times to enjoy city strolls.
- Summer in Fort Worth is hot, sunny, and can sometimes be rainy in the afternoon, especially during August and September. Wandering around the city during summer isn't always pleasant, as it can be extremely hot and sometimes dry, yet occasionally muggy.
Everything You Need to Know About Accommodation in Fort Worth
Accommodation in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area follows the American model, with a mix of large urban hotels in the downtown areas and a variety of motels scattered along major routes connecting the two cities.
If you have to choose between staying in the heart of Dallas or the center of Fort Worth, it's definitely worth opting for the latter. Staying in the center of Fort Worth is more comfortable and pleasant, and it's certainly a good idea to book a hotel in the historic part of the neighboring city.
Sun Dance Square is a major urban space designed specifically for tourists looking to experience a touch of the Wild West. In the city's central district, you'll find excellent hotels, restaurants, bars, and an overall Wild West vibe.
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In the vast metropolis, there are many routes where it's worth staying at a variety of motels. Along the east side of Highway 35 (near Dallas) or the west side (near Fort Worth) and the roads connecting the city centers through the international airport, you'll find a tremendous concentration of all the major American motel chains. If you're coming to the city with a car (it's really tough without one), it's definitely recommended to stay in motels along the route near the metropolis's large airport.
Map – Where should you stay in Dallas and Fort Worth?
How to plan a travel itinerary in Fort Worth?
Planning a travel itinerary in Fort Worth is an integral part of the trip to the greater Dallas metropolis. You can combine a visit to the city's downtown with another in Dallas on the same day, but it's better to spread the visits to the city centers over two separate days.
The hub of your trip in Fort Worth is, of course, Sundance Square, one of the most captivating places in Texas and a taste of the Wild West. Nearby, you'll also find the charming Water Gardens, one of the most impressive urban parks in the entire state of Texas.
North of the city center is the Stockyards district, offering a more authentic Wild West vibe. When exploring the city, don't miss visiting the two outstanding museums in the Cultural District: both the Kimbell Art Museum and the Amon Carter Museum.
Everything to See and Do in Fort Worth
Sundance Square
Sundance Square is the charming heart of Fort Worth, a perfect blend of a modern Texan vibe with touches of the Wild West. The square is named after the Sundance Kid, a nickname for Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, who was one of the legendary partners of Butch Cassidy's group of outlaws. Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were part of the lawless folklore of the Wild West and are known to have roamed and drank in the saloons of Fort Worth back in the day.
The square is a collective name for the central district of Fort Worth, which underwent a facelift and preservation under the financial umbrella of Ed Bass. Bass, a local billionaire, invested significantly through a subsidiary, and a large portion of the businesses in the area belong to him. The renovation included the preservation and restoration of buildings from the late 19th century, which were part of the once-wild city.
The district is very tourist and pedestrian-friendly, full of shops, restaurants, hotels, bars, and large theaters featuring the city's best dance and music troupes. It's a very lively area with great nightlife and a particularly fun Texan atmosphere. The main theme of the Sundance Square area is, of course, the Wild West, including cowboy shows, Wild West characters, and more.
Water Gardens
The Fort Worth Water Gardens were built in 1974 in the southern part of downtown Fort Worth, south of Sundance Square. The gardens were constructed on the ruins of 19th-century homes that were once the wildest hangout spots in Fort Worth's wild west days. The place was known for its rowdy saloons and the city's infamous large brothels, which became legendary. The gardens were designed by the renowned French designer Philippe Starck, who invented the Microsoft optical mouse and designed the Eurostar trains. This is a stunning urban park combining concrete with water channels, waterfalls, and fountains. The Water Gardens are a very popular spot to hang out amidst all the hustle and bustle of Sundance Square.
The Fort Worth Stockyards
The Fort Worth Stockyards is the city's former industrial district where the cattle trade and famous slaughterhouses were once centralized. The district is located three kilometers north of today's city center – Sundance Square, and it's an integral part of exploring the most central Texan Wild West city. Although there's no longer massive slaughtering in the district, it remains standing with an old-time appearance (and distinct smells), and cattle fairs and auctions of massive Texas bulls are still held there.
Similar to Sundance Square, the Stockyards district also features a kind of urban preservation of the Wild West atmosphere, complete with cowboy bars. Unlike Sundance Square, which feels a bit like a Wild West Disneyland, the vibe at the Stockyards is much more authentic and rugged, and there are real cowboys too.
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Kimbell Art Museum
The Kimbell Art Museum is a particularly surreal experience amidst the Wild West atmosphere of Fort Worth. After enjoying the cowboys and saloons of the Wild West, there's nothing like concluding with masterpieces by El Greco, Paul Cezanne, or the great Georges de La Tour. The museum, alongside the Dallas Museum of Art, completes a magnificent duo of very important art museums right in the heart of Texas.
The museum's collection is based on the collection of Kay Kimbell and it was opened to the public in 1972. In the museum's collection are several important masterpieces:
- The painting “The Torment of Saint Anthony” by the Renaissance giant Michelangelo
- “The Cardsharps” by the Italian Baroque giant Caravaggio
- “The Cheat with the Ace of Clubs” by the French Baroque giant Georges de La Tour
- The pre-impressionist masterpiece by the great William Turner “Glaucus and Scylla”
- The “Meat Shop” by the Italian Mannerism giant Annibale Carracci
- Additionally, the rare collection features other significant paintings by Gustave Caillebotte, Théodore Géricault, El Greco, and other European giants
Address: Camp Bowie Blvd. 3333, Fort Worth
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Amon Carter Museum of American Art
Just a short walk west of the Kimbell Art Museum, you’ll find the impressive collection of the Amon Carter Museum. While the former focuses on important European art, the Amon Carter Museum collection boasts some of the finest works by American art giants like Childe Hassam, Georgia O'Keeffe, and more. The museum is an experience for those who love American art, including both white and Native American art, featuring collections from Central and South American cultures.
Address: Camp Bowie Blvd. 3501, Fort Worth
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