The Fort Worth Stockyards are interesting to visit especially for those who did not grow up anywhere near Texas. It is a way to experience the cowboy culture both as it is today and how it was in the past.
Things to do in the Fort Worth Stockyards
This area of Fort Worth has a lot of preserved charm, from the brick streets to the old west architecture. But the major tourist draw to the stockyards is the livestock. You can walk through the stables anytime during the day and view longhorns, horses, and even reindeer for free. They offer guided tours, as well, if you want to learn more about each animal, it’s purpose, and the history of the stockyards. For a small fee, you can even take your photo on a real longhorn.
There is a petting zoo, pony rides, and a maze for children that also comes with a small charge.
Fort Worth Stockyards Museum
At the heart of the Fort Worth Stockyards is the Stockyards Museum. It is free to enter, but a $2 donation per adult is requested to help cover the operating costs. Inside the Stockyards Museum you can learn about Fort Worth’s history, how the stockyards came to be, and the beginning of the cattle and ranching industry in Texas.
Fort Worth Stockyards Cattle Drive
Twice a day (at 11:30am and 4:30pm) cowboys in early 20th century attire conduct a cattle drive down Exchange Street, which is the main street in the stockyards. Tourists and locals alike will line the street on each side to watch the longhorns herded through the street. There is no charge to watch the cattle drive, and I really don’t know of anywhere else where you can view this type of daily occurrence.
Fort Worth Stockyards Restaurants
A visit to the Fort Worth Stockyards wouldn’t be complete without sampling true Texas cuisine. Texas is known for its love of steak and potatoes, and there is no place in Fort Worth better to try these Texas staples than Riscky’s Steakhouse, the oldest restaurant in Fort Worth. The food is great and the prices are surprisingly reasonable for being in the heart of the tourist area.
The largest dance hall in Texas
Billy Bob’s is another experience worth having in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Billy Bob’s is the largest dance hall in Texas. Having lived in Fort Worth for the better part of my twenties, I spent many nights at Billy Bob’s watching some of my favorite country artists perform. Billy Bob’s often host large concerts and live bull-riding. It is a kid friendly ‘honky tonk’, although there are certain areas of the venue where children are prohibited. At Billy Bob’s you can learn to line dance or two step, watch cowboys ride a bucking bull, have a cold beer, and listen to some of the best names in country music perform… all of this under one roof.
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