Fort Worth is the quintessential Texas city—it has a compelling heritage, dynamic culture, and true grit. With a comfortably sized population of more than 650,000, it’s easy to get around, which is handy considering there are several days’ worth of activities and attractions to experience.

A big part of the city’s appeal is its rich history, which began in 1849 when it was established as a military post on the Texas frontier. By the 1860s, Fort Worth was the main destination for cattle drives, which originated on large South Texas ranches and moved along legendary routes like the Chisholm Trail.

The city’s historical heyday was during the late 1800s and early 1900s, when railroads transformed Fort Worth into a major cattle industry town with a railhead, extensive stockyards, and beef packing facilities. Although the city would continue to grow as an agricultural center, the stockyards remained the most prominent feature of its cultural identity.

The area where most of the activity took place serves primarily as a tourist hub these days, but there’s still some honest-to-goodness cowboy-related business in the stockyards. Livestock auctions are held weekly and there’s a rodeo each weekend night at the legendary Cowtown Coliseum. Culture of a completely different variety lies just a few miles down the road, where a collection of world-class museums (The Kimbell, The Modern, The Carter) showcase fascinating artwork from Texas and throughout the world.

Getting There

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located exactly between Dallas and Fort Worth, so Fort Worth visitors arriving by air can take a shuttle service or taxi to their destination for a somewhat reasonable ($40-ish) charge.

Upon arrival to Fort Worth, visitors can get around town rather swiftly on the transit system (known as “the T”), but a car is perhaps the best option for getting to and from restaurants, attractions, and hotels more conveniently.