Fort Worth, Texas: Touring All Things Western

A worthwhile starting point for every visit to Fort Worth is surely the Stockyards National Historic District, a historic cattle trading post with many old buildings. Here, you’ll instantly feel like you have landed in an old Western town. Among the restaurants, many boutiques and shops (in which you can buy plenty of Western souvenirs), this is also the location of a special daily spectacular: the Longhorn Cattle Drive, during which Texas Longhorns are driven along the main street by cowboys on horses. A great experience for the entire family!

Also in the Stockyards National Historic District, we visit Billy Bob’s Texas, a live music venue that the locals commonly call a “Honky Tonk". As we enter, we can’t contain our amazement: Up to 6,000 people fit into Billy Bob’s! After all, it is the largest honky tonk in the world! Here, you can not only drink a good beer and savour a juicy steak, but you can also catch incredible live music and live bull riding. The venue hosts live concerts from country music legends such as Garth Brooks or Jerry Nelson. For a true rodeo experience, check out the Stockyards Championship Rodeo, the only all-year-round rodeo in the world, held at nearby Cowtown Coliseum.

Completely gripped by the Western fever, we visit Justin Boots Outlets the next day and marvel at the great selection of western boots for men, women and kids; all are offered here at amazing prices. Not far from here is the Firestone and Robertson Whiskey Distillery Company, where some of the finest whiskey in the U.S. is being produced. As we tour the distillery, one of the owners, Leonard Firestone, shows us all the steps of whiskey distillation, demonstrating both his great passion and expertise for the craft.

Along with a great Western vibe, Fort Worth is also home to a variety of significant museums in its Cultural District. Favourites include the Kimbell Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Amon Carter Museum of American Art and the exciting Fort Worth Museum of Science and History – all of which are located within walking distance of one another. Our last stop – a must-visit for lovers of Western U.S. culture and memorabilia – is the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, the only museum in the U.S. dedicated to the history and appreciation of the women of the American West. Before our journey takes us to other parts of Texas, we stroll through well-kept downtown Fort Worth to Sundance Square, a square surrounded by bars and restaurants. The atmosphere reminds me of a European piazza. A worthy last stop is the nearby John F. Kennedy Tribute, which commemorates the president’s visit to Fort Worth, one of his last public appearances. Fort Worth has so much more to offer, whether it’s a thrilling NASCAR race at the Texas Motor Speedway or a visit to the zoo, which ranks among the five best zoos in the U.S. No problem – we will certainly be back soon to see those next time!