City Guide / Fort Worth

Fun Things to Do in Fort Worth

By Bri Hand | Sep 27, 2021
Street in the Fort Worth Stockyards historic district

Although it may be smaller than Houston and Dallas, they don’t call Fort Worth the Crossroads of Cowboys and Culture for nothing. If you’re moving to Fort Worth, Texas, you’ll find a vast array of cultural options at your disposal.

Maybe you’re looking to explore the city’s rich history at the forefront of the American Frontier. Maybe you’re looking to settle down and are browsing for furnished apartments in Fort Worth or the best neighborhoods in Fort Worth. Perhaps you’d like to have some fun at the rodeo, eat at a steakhouse, and enjoy a good old-fashioned hoedown. 

No matter your tastes, whether you’re looking for artistic freedom or rough-ridin’ recreation, there are plenty of fun things to do in Fort Worth, Texas, such as:

  • Eat like a Texan
  • Get historic
  • Partake in some friendly competition
  • Indulge the arts
  • See the sights

Let’s get started!

1. Eat like a Texan

Although there’s some stiff competition from Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern California, Texas is still the best place for delicious Southwestern cuisine. City-slickers may dismiss the possibility of fine dining in a place called Cowtown, but the fact of the matter is quite the contrary: Where else would Texas’ top-notch steakhouses be found?

  • Cattlemen’s Steakhouse: For the best steak in Fort Worth, look no further than Cattlemen’s. With over 70 years under their belt, Cattlemen’s is the place to go for sampling succulent, high-quality cuts of aged USDA prime beef in an authentic western environment.
  • Bonnel’s Fine Texas Cuisine: With Southwestern-, Mexican-, and Creole-influenced recipes, Chef Bonnel ensures that each dining experience will be robust, distinctive, and satisfying at Bonnel’s Fine Texas Cuisine. Bonnel’s is also committed to locally sourced food products, so nearly everything on the menu—from wagyu beef to cheese, and even the oysters—comes from the Sovereign State of Texas.
  • Billy Bob’s Texas: The World’s Largest Honky Tonk: With pool tables, a photo bull, handprints from famous artists like Ringo Starr and Willie Nelson, Honky Tonk Volleyball, and two-step and line dancing, it’s nearly impossible to not have a good time at Billy Bob’s Texas—not to mention its mouth-watering menu items like burgers, BBQ, and chicken fried steaks. Both your stomach and your heart will find a sense of wonder at this Lone Star legend.

If your cravings call for a more refined palette, it’s important to note that meat and potatoes aren’t the only foods the best restaurants in Fort Worth have to offer. We recommend trying:

  • Paris 7th: The namesake has its roots in the 7th district of Paris, where the most universally recognizable French landmarks are located. In the spirit of the Tour d’Eiffel, the Musée d’Orsay, and cafes and gourmet shops found there, the menu at this Fort Worth attraction is not only decadent, but culturally rich.
  • Waters Restaurant: Executive Chef Anthony Felli is quite proud of the fact that the seafood featured on his menu is sustainable, seasonal, and wild caught. That means that when they say their halibut is fresh, they mean flown-in-from-Alaska fresh. With a Southwest-Louisiana style, coupled with a fabulous outdoor dining patio, Waters is a sleek atmosphere fit for special occasions.

2. Get historic

An icon of the American West, towns and cities all over Texas have rich and fascinating histories, and Fort Worth is no exception. Take advantage of this cultural district to travel back in time when seeing the sights of Fort Worth:

  • Log Cabin Village: Despite being just south of Downtown, the world outside will disappear as you’re transported to the simpler times of the American Frontier at Log Cabin Village. Historical interpreters play the part of 19th-century pioneers, bringing history to life in front of you.
  • Stockyards Museum: Learn exactly how Cowtown earned its name at the Fort Worth  Stockyards Museum. Visitors can delve into the storied tradition of the famous Fort Worth stockyards and the longhorn cattle drive that saved old west Fort Worth from being swept away during the Civil War.
  • Military Museum: With free admission to all who serve or have served in the armed forces, the Fort Worth Military Museum is the proud home to countless authentic artifacts recovered from real soldiers. Honor their service by learning more about their unique stories through many interesting exhibits at this Fort Worth museum. 
  • The Bull Riding Hall of Fame: Where else besides a Texas cowboy hall can you go to pay tribute to the greatest men to ever mount a bull? Fort Worth’s Bull Riding Hall of Fame is the next best thing to meeting the heroic champions who’ve set the standard of excellence in the sport of bull riding.

3. Partake in some friendly competition

The Fort Worth area has a variety of options for getting out and enjoying the beautiful Texas sunshine. Whether you’re looking to have a meeting on the fairway, or just get away from everything and catch some bass, Fort Worth has it all:

  • Golf: You don’t have to belong to a country club to swing your driver. Fort Worth maintains several public golf courses, including the Rockwood, Meadowbrook, and Pecan Valley. The city proudly promotes the sport, hosting tournaments like the annual City of Fort Worth Championship.
  • Tennis: If you’re looking to learn the game or just grab a game with friends, check out the Mcleland Tennis Center, which offers memberships, private lessons, and tournaments. They also provide court reservations, ball machine rentals, and racket restringing. The venue is even expanding to include pickleball!
  • Fishing: You can fish all year round at Greenbriar Lake, home to largemouth bass, bluegill sunfish, green sunfish, catfish, and rainbow trout in the winter months. The rules only require a fishing permit and limit catches to five fish. Other than that, it’s open season!
  • Adult Sports League: If you’re more of a team player, the Fort Worth Department of Parks and Recreation maintains several sports teams including basketball, flag football, softball, and volleyball.

4. Indulge the arts

You don’t have to look far to find the art scene in Fort Worth. From museums to concert halls, there are plenty of ways locals can soak in all the creativity their heart desires. Here are some of the best ways to experience Fort Worth’s artists:

  • Kimbell Art Museum: Founded in 1936 by Kay and Velma Kimbell, their collection of English and French portraits quickly flourished into the menagerie of over 350 classical works by renowned artists from around the world, boasting names like Picasso and Monet. Their most recent exhibit features a collection of breathtaking works from several Asian countries originally assembled by the Rockefellers.
  • The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth: Constructed from concrete, glass, and steel by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, The Modern (as it is fashionably abbreviated) is ironically the oldest museum in all of Texas. This Fort Worth museum serves as a hub of fresh artistic expression, regularly inviting working artists to give talks and lead workshops.
  • Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra: The FWSO has provided the citizens of Fort Worth with the fine art of classical live music for more than 100 years and is widely considered the foundation of the city’s performing arts.
  • Fort Worth Opera: The FWO strives to bring the world of opera to Fort Worth and all of North Texas, with an emphasis on inclusivity and diversity for individuals of all races, genders, and orientations. 

5. See the sights

The attractions that you can only see in Fort Worth are, of course, the most spectacular and worthwhile. You don’t want to miss out on these incredibly unique and exciting experiences:

  • Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo at Dickies Arena: You absolutely cannot live in Texas, visit Texas—heck, you shouldn’t even pass through Texas!—without attending the rodeo like a real cowboy! There’s just nothing like it north of the Mason-Dixon line. In Fort Worth, the best of the best is at Dickies Arena. Their slogan, “This Thing is Legendary!” isn’t just blowing smoke. The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo does you right, with 23 days of competitions like the Best of the West Ranch Rodeo, Cowboys of Color Rodeo, and Bulls Night Out Extreme Riding.
  • Botanic Garden: Quite possibly the exact opposite of a rodeo, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden showcases Cowtown’s incredibly diverse cultural range. Wandering among the thousands of plant species inhabiting the 120-acre property will awe you as you pass by the meticulous stonework, breathtaking waterfalls, and nurturing koi pond.
  • Fort Worth Water Garden: Last but not least is an architectural marvel unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Water rushes down a series of cascading concrete levels, and steps lead to a pentagon at its center from where you can enjoy the relaxing, meditative flow of the rushing water. The Water Garden’s placement in the middle of downtown Fort Worth is no accident: Artist Philip Johnson created an urban oasis for cool, quiet contemplation to give city-slickers a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Discover everything Fort Worth has to offer with Landing

After perusing the breadth of historic, artistic, and recreational options available all over the great city of Fort Worth, there’s no doubt that there’s plenty of fun things to do in Fort Worth. Plus, with all the extra savings you have due to the low cost of living in Fort Worth, you’ll be financially ready to explore all the city has to offer! Now, if you’re ready to start hunting for an apartment, Landing is going to make your life a whole lot easier.

When you use Landing to find your next rental home, you’ll have access to our vast network of furnished homes with flexible leases, easy approval, and access to 24/7 support hosts when paying rent or scheduling cleanings and repairs. All you have to do is show up, grab the keys, and start soaking up all that Fort Worth has to offer. Browse our available apartments in Fort Worth today!

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Bri Hand

Bri Hand is Landing's Content Marketing Manager. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts, with her partner and dog, Arlo, but relishes any opportunity she can to travel so she can try new foods, see gorgeous sights, and daydream about living somewhere new after visiting there for less than 24 hours.