3 Days in Fort Worth, TX {with kids!}

One of our favorite cities to visit in Texas to visit is Fort Worth, mainly because we find there is a lot to do there for all ages.  I encourage my friends if they are looking for a weekend away to head there as much as I can.  Why?  Fort Worth offers cultural, fun activities in a relaxed atmosphere.  Really a weekend is not enough time to discover all that Fort Worth offers, but it you have 3 days and you want to get away, here’s an itinerary to get you started.

3 Days in Fort Worth with Kids

Day 1 

The best place to stay in Fort Worth is downtown.  It’s centrally-located and there is a ton of great things to do in Fort Worth, all within walking distance.  I recently stayed at the Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel & Spa which is directly across the street from the Fort Worth Water Gardens.  They recently underwent a multi-million dollar transformation.  The facelift is noticeable and the rooms were quiet & comfortable.  The Sheraton boasts the “largest guest rooms in the city” and is perfect for families.

Fort Worth Water Gardens

Head across the street to the Fort Worth Water Gardens and walk into a quiet oasis amid the concrete jungle of downtown.  Feature 3 water features, my children enjoyed walking down into the one with the steps.  it’s a great place to relax and unwind after a day of driving to the city.  Head a few blocks north to the JFK Tribute, honoring where President John F. Kennedy spent his last night in Fort Worth.

Sundance Square Plaza

Walk a few blocks north or hop on the Molly Trolley, the city’s free, vintage-style bus, that will take you over to the Sundance Square Plaza. Opened in 2013, the great outdoor space is the heart of downtown Fort Worth.  Kids played in the splash fountains while we sat under an umbrella and had a nice margarita and dinner at Taco Diner.  There are many choices of dinner & shopping in the area. During weekends, you may find concerts going on in the plaza.

Day 2

Cultural District

Start your morning off with a bit of culture and take in some incredible museums.  It is hard for me to narrow down just one museum to visit in Fort Worth, as each has it’s own attributes.  If you have little ones with you, the Fort Worth Museum of Science & History is great with interactive exhibits, my 10 & 5 year olds particularly enjoyed the dinosaur dig and Air Flow areas. They have rotating exhibits that are a big draw as well.  When we visited last, they had a Titanic exhibit that was fantastic.

My 2 favorite art museums are the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Kimball Art Museum.  Both museums do a nice job of making the art relatable to children with children’s scavenger hunts and on site docents. My children enjoyed the Modern’s exhibits as they were so unique & different.  They have works by Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, & Andy Warhol.  And the Kimball has the only painting in The Americas by Michelangelo, The Torment of Saint Anthony.

Fort Worth Stockyards 

Ready for even more culture??  Head north of the city to the Fort Worth Stockyards. Every day at 11:30 am and 4:00 pm, the Fort Worth Herd heads down the street in the world’s only cattle drive.  You can take a horseback ride, get lost in the Cowtown Cattlepen Maze, shop for your very own cowboy hat and even learn to line dance.  Billy Bob’s Texas is the world’s largest honky-tonk and they will teach you how to line dance each night at 6 pm.  Stick around for the Stockyards Championship Rodeo every Friday & Saturday night at 8 pm in the Cowtown Coliseum.  If you need even more ideas, here’s 10 Fun Things to do in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

Cooper’s BBQ

Directly across the street from Billy Bob’s Texas is the best BBQ you will find in Fort Worth.  Cooper’s BBQ originated in the Hill Country of Texas and they bring you some of the best smoked meat you will ever taste in your life.  Don’t expect fancy.  You pick your meat directly off the grill and eat on picnic tables with beans & potato salad served family-style.  But it’s good y’all.

Day 3

Fort Worth Zoo 

Head to the Zoo to catch some of the animals while they are playful & active in the morning. The Fort Worth Zoo is one of our favorite zoos in the nation as it is so vast, yet very comfortable to walk. It’s very shaded, which makes the zoo bearable during the summer. We especially love the Texas area of the zoo where you can find animals that are all over Texas in their natural habitats. Make sure to catch the Forest Park Miniature Railroad before leaving the zoo.  It’s a fun ride with families.

Log Cabin Village

My family really enjoys history and we found a hidden gem at the Log Cabin Village.  I tell everyone who is heading to Fort Worth that they must go here with the children.  This village is filled with 19th century homes, mills, schoolhouses and more that you can walk through the living history of Texas.  We hand dipped candles, whittled toys out of wood and learned how wool was made.  The docents were fantastic and really worked with our children.

And while there is so much more to do in Fort Worth, this is a great start.  Below are some links to other places to visit in the area.

Have you been to Fort Worth?  What was your favorite thing to do there?

Disclosure: I was hosted for 2 nights at the Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel & Spa.  I was not paid for this article.  All opinions are my own.