I was a local in Texas once. Maybe more local-adjacent. Years ago, I was studying in a certain super manicured city there and spent a good amount of time exploring other places in the state. Dusty ranch towns without stoplights or with odd industries. Metros famous for music or a world-renowned food scene. All places with a certain something worth traveling for. But I never made it to Fort Worth.
True locals will tell you their city is known for its frontier spirit. The real Texas is there, they say. How did I miss it? Once I arrived, it hardly took an evening to begin to see what they meant. A few solid days in Cowtown, and it was clear its cattle-country roots have only deepened over time.
Then and now, those locals will tell you that Fort Worth is where the West begins. It was once positioned at the very edge of the frontier, one defensive outpost in a string of several stretching from the Rio Grande to the Red River. For cattle drivers in the late 1800s, herding longhorns from south Texas northward to transport trains, it was the last major stop on the well-worn Chisholm Trail. From there, they faced a rough, several-hundred-mile push through what was then Indian Territory and into central Kansas.
When these drovers blustered in, they came for hot meals, possibly soft beds, and fresh supplies. Creature comforts. They rubbed elbows with outlaws and pioneers, tired ranch hands and sharp-eyed speculators, each looking for something. The town also offered a rowdier side, a tightly packed jumble of saloons, gambling parlors, and dance halls. A final hurrah before they hit the trail again.
Although the era of peak cowboy collapsed rapidly in the 1880s, that unpretentious Americana spirit remained — and so did the various draws of the city. These days, you still come to Fort Worth for a good time, but you stay for the history and tradition built on those cattle-country roots.
Things to do in Fort Worth to embrace the city’s cowboy culture
National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame
Photo: Jacqueline Nochisaki
While swaggering cowboys and their rugged charm often take center stage in history, their museum is far away in Oklahoma. In Fort Worth, cowgirls are the stars. The National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame presents both the pretty side of performance and the grit of real-life ranching.
A gorgeous exhibit showcases the dresses worn for the Mexican rodeo’s all-female event, escaramuza charra. Participants ride side saddle in full sequins, reminiscent of the women who rode alongside men into battle. More humbling were the stories of modern American cowgirls who pushed through hardships, unlike what many today can imagine. One photo sequence features a woman who’s broken every bone in her body while tending her land; another tells of a woman who sleeps outside in all weather except snow.
The museum does give a shout-out to one infamous cowboy. Buffalo Bill Cody used his fame for good and gave women opportunity by inviting them to join his Wild West show. The museum holds a few sweet artifacts from arguably the best-known cowgirl, Annie Oakley, a sharpshooter and Cody’s star attraction. Look carefully to spot her thin gold wedding band and initialed travel trunk.
If you stop by after November this year, you can look forward to a rideable bucking bronco, a custom carousel, and extended fashion and photo exhibits that are part of a 16,000-foot expansion currently underway.
National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame: 1720 Gendy St, Fort Worth, TX 76107
Stockyards National Historic District
Photo: Victoria Ditkovsky/Shutterstock
Twice daily, at 11:30 AM and PM, the famous Fort Worth Herd — a colorful bunch of longhorns — participates in a cattle drive down the city’s historic Exchange Avenue. And every day, there’s a crowd, taking in this ceremony of sorts that honors the long history here.
As the animals passed by, I expected a little speed and some jostling. But heads up: it’s more of a mosey. After their stroll, they head back to their pavilion to rest. That pavilion is open to the public, so make sure you make your way there. You’ll see cattle with horns reaching almost 10 feet across and the real Texas cowhands who attend to them. Plus, it’s a chance to watch history come to life. Every detail, from saddles to chaps and boots to hats, is historically accurate for the time period of the drive’s heyday. See if you can get your hands on cute trading cards featuring the herd and all its interesting stats.
Stockyards National Historic District: 131 E Exchange Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76164
Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo
Photo: Jacqueline Nochisaki
The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo isn’t just an event. It’s an annual 23-day extravaganza, loved by locals of all kinds, that since 1896 has kept the city’s connection to cowboy culture and tradition strong. It may also require locating a hat, boots, and possibly a large and decorative belt buckle — none of which made it into my suitcase.
Settled in our front-row seats, behind safety bars, we watched serious rodeo pros compete in their best events. That night was mainly about the back-breaking thrash of bull riding, and we stress-counted down the eight seconds to scoring eligibility, willing the riders to hang on against wild odds. When the dust settled, there were drinks and dancing in a massive tent set up right outside the arena.
The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is typically held in January and February. Be sure to go on an evening when the Grand Entry is slotted. The high-energy parade features horses, their riders, and the six different flags that have flown over Texas through history. Our group missed it (we had fireworks instead), but this moving kickoff to the evening’s show is something special — and one more reason to head back here one day.
Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo: 3400 Burnett Tandy Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76107
Where to eat and drink in Fort Worth when you’re not at the rodeo
Don Artemio
Though Texas got its first MICHELIN guide in 2024, it was a year later, in 2025, that Fort Worth finally got its due, signaling that its food scene has come a long way from cowboy days. Our group had dinner at the James Beard Award finalist Don Artemio, an upscale restaurant that takes inspiration from historic clay houses found in Saltillo, Mexico. The restaurant imports its blue corn directly from Oaxaca and has a rare Mexican wine list. While everyone said their beautifully presented dish was delicious, I couldn’t have been happier with the ceviche.
Consider pairing a meal at Don Artemio with a visit to the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame, as the two are only about 15 minutes from one another on foot.
Don Artemio: 3268 W 7th St, Fort Worth, TX 76107
Joe T. Garcia’s
Joe T. Garcia’s is a family-owned local institution that’s worth a reservation. A staple of the Tex-Mex scene since 1935, the restaurant focuses on simple, flavorful dishes. Expect brunch options like chilaquiles and huevos rancheros; lunch offerings like chimicangas, tamales, and tortilla soup; and all-day items like nachos, tacos, fajitas, and family-style combination plates. As impactful as the food is the setting: the sweeping, hacienda-style patio transports you as much as every bite (although the restaurant is actually located a convenient walk from the Stockyards National Historic District).
Joe T. Garcia’s: 2201 N Commerce St, Fort Worth, TX 76164
Righteous Foods
If the goal is something green and healthy, head to Righteous Foods. The casual spot is owned by the same family as Joe T’s and serves up organic, responsibly sourced dishes from morning to evening — think brunch bowls, bites like roasted beet hummus and yucca fries, and a long list of salads and handhelds with your choice of protein, including free-range chicken, organic salmon, or a hemp seed and black bean patty.
I say go for breakfast and pair a cortado with a fresh-squeezed juice, but it also makes for a good lunch stop. Like Don Artemio, Righteous Foods is within walking distance of the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame if you’re looking for something easy after sightseeing.
Righteous Foods: 3405 W 7th St, Fort Worth, TX 76107
Bowie House
Amid all the action of a Western-leaning trip to Fort Worth, don’t forget that you can always grab an easy bite at your hotel. I stayed at the Bowie House (more on that below), which has a full restaurant on site called Bricks and Horses, as well as lighter, snackier things in the lobby. My pick: go light.
Find a place to sit and order the Ritz crackers — still sleeved and served on a silver platter with an assortment of delicious dips. And wherever you go, whenever they’re on the menu, order a michelada. The spicy beer cocktails are slightly different every place you’ll go, but they never miss in Texas. And if you get into some cowboy-inspired after-hours adventures, rumor has it that they’re great for hangovers.
Bowie House: 3700 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107
Where to stay in Fort Worth
Bowie House
Photo: Jacqueline Nochisaki
I checked into the Bowie House (it’s BOO-ey) to see how Cowtown’s doing hospitality in modern times. My room — one of 88 guest rooms and 18 suites — at the relatively new, loft-style Auberge Resorts Collection property was both spacious and welcoming. No sparse design here; rather, it was packed with detail and decor that fully channeled a Western vibe without being overwhelming. Think fringed leather, brushed metal, and grounded, earthy colors.
The hotel site enjoyed previous lives as neighborhood institutions: a restaurant called Rick’s On The Bricks and then as The Ginger Man bar. The new property follows suit as a brimming hotspot for locals as much as for guests. It was easily one of the busiest hotel bars I’ve ever seen, with one regular swearing that on a really good night, the bar crowd hits five deep. But I found it’s the sheer variety of beautiful gathering spaces that make this place such a standout.
The large colonnaded lobby, which feels like the loveliest living room you’ve ever stepped into, is divided into smaller pockets of space by creative interior design. Find a comfy place to sit in the main room and listen to live music. Or peruse the library, cozy up in the fireplace lounge, or play a game of roulette in the billet room. Wherever you post up, it’s bustling in the best way. You and the celebrities who pop in can always find a place for an intimate chat, but you’re never too far from the action.
Bowie House: 3700 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107
Getting to and around Fort Worth
Photo: Victoria Ditkovsky/Shutterstock
Most visitors to Fort Worth fly into Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), about a 30-minute drive away. From there, it’s simplest to get around by car or rideshare. The city’s attractions are spread across a few distinct neighborhoods — notably the Stockyards to the north and the Cultural District and West 7th area closer to downtown — so you may want to plan your days by area rather than crisscrossing town. That said, the Stockyards area is very walkable, and part of the fun is wandering Exchange Avenue with boots on and no real agenda.
