Activity Overview
If you ever wanted to be a cowboy or cowgirl, Fort Worth Texas is the place to be. The Fort Worth Stockyards boast a historically accturate "Cowtown" with authentic rodeos, stables, museums and more. The city is outfitted with themed-dining complete with good, ol' fashioned Texas BBQ, steakhouses, and a few saloons for the parents. A live cattlehard happens in the middle of the city twice every day, so plan your visit around this awesome sight. Take old-timey photos as a family and then venture into the Cowtown Coliseum for a night-time rodeo show complete with ropin', hog-tyin', cowboys, and clowns.
The Fort Worth Stockyards date back to the 1860s when the fort itself acted as the last stop for cowboys and cow herders on their way up Chisholm trail to the railroads. You can experience this history when you book a Trail Ride or Texas Cowboy Adventure, a five-hour cattle drive through the Texas countryside complete with dinner, dessert, and a cowboy campfire. These adventures can be booked privately for Birthday Parties and each event offers childcare and children's activities for the younger ones.
The Four Hours of Fun Education Package, offered by the family-friendly Stockyard Station, is perfect for large families or field trips. It includes a historical walking tour through Fort Worth Stockyards as well as stops at the Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Cowtown Cattlepen Maze, and a visit to the Fort Worth Herd so you and your family can get up close and personal with the cattle that made this historical city so famous.
Things to Do
- Stockyards Museum: Visit for full Stockyards history; Open every day except Sunday
- Cowtown Cattlepen Maze: 5,400 square feet of ever-changing pathways; $6 per person; open daily
- Cowtown Coliseum: Hotspot for the rodeo, which happens every Friday and Saturday night at 8pm
- Jersey Lilly Photo Parlor: Choose your costume and strike a pose! Groups of up to 30 welcome
- Petting Zoo: Goats, cows, alpacas, even camels! $2 per person; only open Thurs-Sun
- Texas Cowboy Adventures: One-hour, two-hour, five-hour, and overnight camping packages available
- Stockyards Stables Pet and ride the horses! Arena, trail, and carriage ride packages available
Stockyard Insider Tips
Some of the packages can be expensive, including the Cowboy Adventures and the Trail Rides. If you're looking for an affordable Western experience, pass on the Adventure and visit the Stockyard Stable instead. The children can enjoy the horses up close and take an arena or carriage ride.
It will cost $5 to park and another $5 if you want to take your picture with an authentic Texas Longhorn, so be sure to keep cash handy.
Sunday is the best day to visit the Stockyards. Along with the live cattleherd, the Cowtown Opry performs for free every Sunday afternoon on the steps of the Stockyards Museum. And because the Fort Worth Stockyards are a tourist attraction, the weekends will be busy and crowded. Sunday is the day you can expect less crowds and a slower pace, giving you and your family time to absorb this rich, historical experience.
