A TRADITIONAL TEXAN TOWN
Are you looking to visit a traditional Texan town? We had a great day out at Stockyards, Fort Worth so I would absolutely recommend it!
A little warning though. This historic town has become quite touristy, but hey, I’m a tourist! We visited on a beautiful, sunny Saturday in February. If possible, try to visit mid-week to avoid the crowds.
Read on for my full guide to Stockyards, Fort Worth!
Getting There
We were staring in Downtown Dallas (read my post on that HERE). We took a TRE train from Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station to Fort Worth Central Station which took about an hour. Then, a number 15 bus to
“Main & Exchange – 24th”. This was roughly half an hour.
If you’re taking this trip from Fort Worth you can skip the train and just take the bus!
A Regional ticket cost $12 and covered the train and the bus.
About and History of Stockyards, Fort Worth
Stockyards remains a traditional Texan town, just outside Fort Worth. The brick streets are lined with saloons, general stores, historic buildings and places to eat. I thought there was a really great atmosphere here.
Cowboys or Drovers used to herd millions of cattle through Fort Worth. Eventually, with the arrival of the Railroad, Fort Worth became a major point for trading livestock. From this Stockyards was born, which was also known as “The Wall Street of the West” due to the livestock exchanged there.
TOP TIP: A lot of the outdoor vendors, for example, the children’s train ride, was cash only. Make sure to take some with you!
Things to Do at Stockyards, Fort Worth
Watch the Cattle Drive
This is the main attraction of Stockyards. Daily, at 11:30 am and 4 pm you can see the town’s cattle drive. Drovers or “cowboys” walk the livestock through the town so you can see them close up. The bulls have a horn span of up to 6 feet!
See a Longhorn Close Up
Some of the bulls stand at the edge of the street. For $5 you can sit on/ pet/ pose for a photo with one.
I’m usually against things like this but the longhorns looked well looked after. Also, they seemed to work in shifts so they weren’t stood there for too long.
Eat and Drink
There are a lot of choices of places to eat and drink! We went to Second Rodeo Brewing for a drink and some food. There was a live musician playing and the atmosphere was brilliant.
Browse the Shops
There are plenty of shops to enjoy browsing in. If you’re looking for a Texan souvenir you’ll definitely find cowboy hats and boots here!
If you have a similar fashion sense to me, you should check out Flea Style – I enjoyed browsing in there!
Children’s Entertainment
There are so many things for children here, we sadly, couldn’t do them all. My son chose to ride on the little train and he absolutely loved it! He also had a pony ride. Some of the other options include free outdoor games, a petting zoo and a corn maze!
Other Things to Do
Finally, there are quite a lot more things to do here. Such as catching a Rodeo Show. We didn’t do this, but it is a popular thing to do here! Other things include the Stockyards Museum, horseback riding and horse and cart rides.
Ultimately, Stockyards is a very small place so it’s easy to explore and pick your favourite things to do!
Exploring Stockyards, Fort Worth really is a great day out and visiting this Texan town is definitely something to tick off your bucket list!
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy your day there!
