Top 20 Fort Worth Attractions & Things To Do You'll Absolutely Love

Just north of the Business District in Fort Worth, you'll find the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards.

Several decades ago, the Fort Worth Stockyards was the home of the cattle trade in Fort Worth. Each week, thousands and thousands of cows would be sold on these very streets.

Now? Well, the Fort Worth Stockyards are a celebration of that cattle trade.

Many old buildings from the cattle trading days still stand, most of which have now been converted into various entertainment venues.

This is an area that leans heavily on that whole 'cowboy' thing.

So, a quick wander through the streets of the Fort Worth Stockyards, and you'll be greeted with all sorts of cowboy memorabilia, souvenirs, clothing and, of course, lots and lots of steaks.

Depending on the time of year you go, there may be a cattle drive (the fancy word for selling cattle) or two that you can attend.

But, even if there is no cattle drive running, this is still one of the top Fort Worth tourist attractions.

First opening in 1909 with not more than a few animals (mostly rabbits), the Fort Worth Zoo has rapidly expanded and now plays host to over 7,000 animals.

It is regularly voted as one of the top zoos in the United States.

Fort Worth Zoo is home to tigers, lions, penguins, elephants, rhinos, and more. Recently, they've even opened up an exhibit dedicated to the animals of Texas, which is absolutely tremendous!

If you can name a popular animal you want to see, then chances are that Fort Worth Zoo will have it.

Besides seeing the animals, you can visit the Outdoor Learning Theater, ride the Yellow Rose Express Train or the Country Carousel, pet the animals at the Petting Corral, and experience the Wild West at the Wild West Shooting Gallery.

This must-see in Fort Worth is affordable. Tickets start at $18 for adults and $14 for children over 2 (anybody under 2 is free).

Opening hours can vary, but most of the year, it is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This gives you plenty of time to see everything.

If you are looking for a far more relaxed visit than the zoo, the Kimbell Art Museum may be a good choice.

This stunning art museum focuses strictly on Asian and European artwork. Even the building that the art museum is in is a stunning piece of work.

The Kimbell Art Museum collection comprises over 300 pieces (on display), including sculptures, paintings, and tributes to architecture.

On top of this, you'll find a revolving set of art exhibits. So, there is always something new to discover at the Kimbell Art Museum.

Some of the rotating exhibits from the past or planned for the future include Casanova, Louis Kahn, Monet, Castiglione, and Guest of Honor: Titian’s Entombment of Christ.

Unlike many art museums, getting into the Kimbell Art Museum is not free. Adults cost $18, and children (over the age of 6) $14. Although, it is 100% worth the visit if you love art.

The opening hours for the Kimbell Art Museum can vary, but most days, it is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In the heart of Fort Worth, you have one of the top entertainment spots in Fort Worth - Sundance Square.

Sundance Square never sleeps. It seems as if barely a night goes by when there isn't some event where people are partying until the early hours. It is a massive amount of fun!

Within Sundance Square, there is a lot to discover. You have plenty of fantastic restaurants (and fast food joints), nightclubs, music clubs, and many boutique stores.

You can wander around for hours just checking out everything that this one of the top attractions in Fort Worth offers.

If you plan on heading to Fort Worth, we suggest you look at the event calendar for Sundance Square to see what's happening.

There is an event happening almost every single day of the week. For example, at the moment, Sundance Square has live music every Thursday through Sunday.

Opened in 1961, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art is 100% dedicated to some of the best American artists in history, with thousands of works of art on display and in their extensive archives.

We absolutely love how vast the collection of art is at this museum. The curators are fantastic. You've got paintings, sculptures, photographs, lithographs, as well as Amon Carter’s personal collection of Remington and Russell works of art.

This is the type of art museum where you could easily wander around for days and still feel as if you have not experienced everything.

The best part is that this is one of the free things to do in Fort Worth. The museum is supported by their generous donors, allowing anybody to just wander in and explore the history of American artwork.

Opening times for the Amon Carter Museum of American Art can vary. It primarily operates from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, established in 1934, is Texas' oldest botanic garden. If you love your plants or just want to experience pure beauty, there is much to see and do here.

The main highlight (in our opinion) is the 10,000-square-foot conservatory, which is packed with trees, orchids, and more.

There is also a stunning Japanese garden, which has been so wonderfully designed that you would swear you have somehow managed to get teleported to the heart of Japan.

That's just scratching the surface of places to explore here too. You can easily spend hours exploring the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens.

Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children over 6. However, the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens does have 'free admission' events throughout the year.

You may want to check the calendar if you are looking for free attractions in Fort Worth.

The gardens are open from 10 am to 6 pm, 7 days a week.

The Fort Worth Water Gardens is a series of water pools near the Fort Worth Convention Center. Inside the 4.3-acre space is a meditation pool, an aerating pool, and an active pool.

These water pools were designed by John Burgee and Philip Johnson.

These sculptured pools are a little paradise in the heart of Fort Worth. Not only is the area visually stunning, but it sounds terrific, too.

More than once, we have visited the Fort Worth Water Gardens just to hear the sounds of the cascading water falling down the 38-foot-high steps.

Although, we are sure some people may prefer the meditation pools instead.

This area is free to visit and easily accessible for locals and tourists alike to enjoy moments of serenity amidst bustling urban surroundings.

Oh, how we love the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. This building hosts over 3,000 stunning pieces of work produced after World War II, which looks incredible.

We're not just talking about the artwork here (which you know looks good), but the entire building with a beautiful reflecting pool at the center.

We've spent many hours wandering through the artwork here, and we spend even more whenever a new art exhibition rolls into town (and there are a lot of art exhibitions that make their way through the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth).

Admission is free on Fridays, with adults paying $16 every other day of the week. Children under 18 are always free.

The museum is closed on Mondays, with the opening hours from 10 am to 6 pm, Tuesday to Sunday.

When a museum has 'learning has never been so fun' as its tagline, it has a lot of standards to live up to.

We aren't expecting a big, dusty museum (although they can be fun). We are expecting hustle and bustle, fun, interactive exhibits. Thankfully, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History delivers.

There are a ton of things to explore in this museum. Far too many for us to mention.

You have dinosaur fossils (including a 12-foot high Paluxysaurus Jonsei), the Innovation Zone where children can draw and explore their creativity, a space gallery, a kid-sized grocery store, and more.

Honestly, children will have a ton of fun here, and adults may learn something too!

Ages 12+ (including adults) are $16, and children 3-11 are $12. Monday to Saturday opening times are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the museum opening at noon on Sundays.

Located in Sundance Square, the Sid Richardson Museum houses the best collection of Old West Art in the world, with permanent exhibitions featuring work from Charles M. Russell and Frederic Remington.

While the main focus of the Sid Richardson Museum is the artwork (it is an art gallery, after all), we love it for the fact that it tells the story of the Old West.

The photos and paintings that adorn the walls tell the story of Texas and the rest of the Old American West.

Quite a bit of the collection was purchased between 1942 and 1959 by Sid Williams Richardson, however, this museum did not open until 1982.

Sid Richardson loved paintings that depicted action or suspense, so people will see many of these throughout the museum.

Entrance to the museum is free. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall can be found in Sundance Square.

While this hall may have the grandeur of something built in the late 1800s, it is fairly new. In fact, it didn’t open until 1998.

This hall looks absolutely stunning from the outside (feast your eyes on the giant angel sculptures surrounding the entrance), but the inside is even better.

It is grand and the perfect place to host all the stunning music that echoes through the walls most days of the week.

Entrance fees and opening times can vary. Check out the official website for details of upcoming events.

Most of it will involve major musicians, but you’ll also find some theater shows and other events.

This is actually the official museum for American Airlines, and it can be found at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport right on the American Airlines flight training campus.

The museum is a tribute to both American Airlines and air transport as a whole, with thousands of feet of space dedicated to the history of flying.

You'll hear stories from past pilots and aircrews, see their old uniforms, and more. There's even a movie to watch.

However, the real highlight of the C. R. Smith Museum is the restored DC-3 aircraft, one of the most successful aircraft in history.

Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children. However, the museum is only open Thursday through Saturday (with limited opening hours).

Keep an eye on the official website for the museum, as opening hours can change.

We're 100% sure that you can't travel to the South of the US (especially Texas) without enjoying a good bit of motor racing, which is why we've included the Texas Motor Speedway on our list of the top things to do in Fort Worth.

Barely a week goes by where you won't find cars speeding around the Texas Motor Speedway, with a number of NASCAR meets happening here each year (including NASCAR qualifiers).

So, if you want to see some of the fastest racing in history, the Texas Motor Speedway is where you need to be.

Admission and opening times will depend on the event.

We love the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. This is because while there are a lot of museums in Texas and the rest of the South dedicated to the Old West, many focus heavily on the Cowboys.

This museum is purely to celebrate the contribution that the brave women made to the Old West.

The exhibits inside the museum are varied, with tributes to each of the Hall of Fame members (and these members are equally diverse in their talents).

Our personal favorite exhibit is the 'Into the Arena' exhibit, which celebrates both historical and modern horsewomen.

The entrance fee is $12 for adults and $6 for children. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, most days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.

John Wayne turned his love of the Old West into a highly successful movie career. Even those who have never seen a John Wayne movie will know of him.

They know he was famed for his cowboy shenanigans on the big screen. If you love John Wayne, you'll be pleased to know that one of the top things to do in Fort Worth is a museum dedicated to his career.

This museum contains over 400 artifacts from his movie and personal life. The museum has been curated (and is still run) by John Wayne's family.

Even if you are not a fan of John Wayne, it is worth a visit. It is just lovely to wander through what is, essentially, a history of Old West cinema.

It is one of the more expensive places to visit in Fort Worth, with the adult entrance fee being $22.95 and children (over the age of 5) $17.95. But, we do enjoy this museum. We find that it is worth every penny.

Opening hours are 7 days per week, 9 am to 6 pm.

The Log Cabin Village is a living museum. Step into the Log Cabin Village, and you'll be transported into the past.

You'll learn how the residents of Fort Worth, Texas, may have lived back in the 1800s.

The Log Cabin Village hosts a wealth of old log cabins, each boasting its own exhibits.

As you wander through the area, you'll learn how the old blacksmiths would have operated, hear the music that would have sounded from the old parlor, and even experience an old schoolhouse.

Each building has live demonstrations where you can ask for more about the history.

The best part is that this is an incredibly cheap museum. It is $7 for adults and $6 for children, which makes it one of the cheapest places to go in Fort Worth if you want a historical museum.

The museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9:30 am to 4 pm.

Looking for something slightly different when it comes to places in Fort Worth? Why not check out Burger's Lake?

This beautiful 30-acre park boasts 2 sandy beaches, a lake, diving boards, a slide, BBQ areas, and hundreds of picnic benches.

It is not open every single day of the year, but if you want to cool off during the hot Texan summer, you should make a beeline for Burger's Lake.

Entrance is $20 per person (plus a 3% card processing fee).

Opening in 1892, Trinity Park covers over 250 acres.

Inside the park, you'll wander alongside the Trinity River (there are countless walking trails here) and see tons of wildlife, including numerous river birds.

Activities in Trinity Park are pretty much standard park fare. So, a basketball court, children's playground, BBQ areas, and more.

Entrance to Trinity Park is free, opening at 5:00 a.m. and closing at 11:30 p.m.

Billy Bob's Texas is the epitome of Texas. Within this famous building, you have a great restaurant (with meat galore), bull riding, country music, and more.

Honestly, we don’t think there is a single place in Texas more 'Texas' than Billy Bob's Texas (yes, we’re aware that we said Texas a lot. That is just how Texas this place is!).

The building is open daily, with plenty to enjoy. Events can vary, so you'll need to check the calendar (each event may have its own entry fee).

Even if there isn't something going on, you can still enjoy the fantastic food at the restaurant and even check out Billy Bob's Texas gift store.

Enjoy vintage aircraft? Then a visit to The Vintage Flying Museum may be in order. Although, this isn't quite like any vintage aircraft museum you may have visited before. It is a working museum.

Walk into The Vintage Flying Museum, and you won't see scores and scores of aircraft. There are just a few of them here, and all are airworthy.

This is a museum where you can get up close and personal with the people that keep these aircraft flying. You can see the work they carry out almost daily, and even chat with them.

The museum is open Friday to Sunday (the opening times vary), with adults paying $12 and children $7.