6 Awesome Things To Do With the Whole Family in Fort Worth

Fort Worth, Texas, has a variety of attractions that are ideal for families. Kids and adults alike can have fun in this great city. Whether you’re a local or just visiting, you can relax with your children, enjoy nature, and explore the area. Here are some great things nearby that you can enjoy with your entire family.

Burger’s Lake

Burger’s Lake is a park with a spring-fed lake that covers an acre. Swimming is allowed, and there are two sandy beaches with plenty of shade and several volleyball courts. There are also more than 300 picnic tables and charcoal grills for cooking. You can enjoy six diving boards, a 20-foot slide, and a 25-foot trapeze. Inner tubes are available for rent. A sophisticated purification system keeps the water clean, and you can bring a picnic or have lunch at the concession stand. Alcohol and pets aren’t allowed.

The Fort Worth Herd

Image via Flickr by Julie Girard | License CC BY 2.0

This is the world’s only cattle drive that’s held twice per day. Every detail is historically accurate, from the saddles the cowboys use to their hats, and it’s an ideal way to teach kids about the Old West and the history of Fort Worth. You can see the cattle drive every day at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on East Exchange Avenue.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, you can see the Herd Experience on weekends from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Children and adults can learn how to groom and saddle a horse and watch roping and other activities. This attraction is part of the Stockyards National Historic District, and there are a variety of historic buildings and saloons nearby. It’s a great place to explore, go shopping, and enjoy a Texas steak.

The Stockyards Championship Rodeo

The Stockyards Championship Rodeo happens every Friday and Saturday in the historic Cowtown Coliseum. This building was completed in 1908, and the world’s first indoor rodeo happened there. Today, it’s still the world’s only year-round rodeo. Rodeo is a competitive sport that involves riding and roping contests based on the daily tasks of Old West cowboys. You and your kids can watch tie-down roping, team roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing, bull riding, bronco riding, and more.

There’s also a calf or mutton scramble that children can participate in. You can register at the table next to the main entrance, and the first 20 kids to sign up will get to participate. You’ll need to sign a waiver, and the winner of the scramble will get a prize. The rodeo begins at 7:30 p.m., and it lasts from one and a half to two hours depending on the number of competitors. While you watch the show, you and your kids can snack on hot dogs, corn dogs, nachos, barbecue, quesadillas, chips, candy, or popcorn.

The Stockyards Stables

The Stockyards Stables is part of the Stockyards National Historic District as well. There’s a petting zoo with calves, goats, lambs, and other animals, and you can get a picture of yourself riding a real Texas longhorn. Kids 3 and older can participate in 10-minute arena rides, and children 11 and up can take a ride along the Trinity River that lasts for half an hour or an hour. Cowboys often used the same route to drive herds of cattle north for transport on the railroads. Today, it provides an excellent view of the Fort Worth skyline.

Riding helmets are available, and people of all ages can enjoy a stagecoach or carriage ride. You can choose a replica of a Concordia stagecoach that was popular in the 1800s or a carriage with an open top. Kids under 4 ride for free, and there’s a discount for children 9 and under. You can visit every day from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Log Cabin Village

The city of Fort Worth operates this living history museum, and it teaches visitors how people lived in the 19th century. Officials moved six historic log cabins to the village in the 1950s, and it opened in 1966 after extensive restoration. The Foster Cabin, a plantation log house from the 1850s, was added in 1974, and a marine school from the 1870s was moved to the village in 2003. The Reynolds Smokehouse was moved in 2004 and restored in 2005. All of these historic structures are furnished with authentic artifacts.

You can see a one-room schoolhouse, an herb garden, a water-powered mill, a blacksmith’s workshop, and more. Historical interpreters pretend to be Fort Worth citizens from the 1800s, letting kids get a close-up view of activities like weaving and candlemaking. The Log Cabin Village is a popular place for school field trips, and virtual activities are available. Reservations are recommended, and you can visit from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The Fort Worth Zoo

The Fort Worth Zoo is the oldest in Texas, and it has more than 500 species of animals. USA Today called it one of the best zoos in North America, and camps and educational programs for kids are available. You and your children can see bald eagles, flamingoes, macaws, ostriches, toucans, pelicans, lions, elephants, black bears, black rhinos, coyotes, giraffes, gorillas, jaguars, mountain lions, and more. There’s a carousel, an interactive play barn for toddlers, a 25-foot rock climbing wall, a hurricane simulator, a tornado simulator, and a 60-foot suspension bridge.

Zookeepers hold chats and presentations with different animals throughout the day, and your child can ask questions to find out more about their favorite animals. You’ll encounter several restaurants and concession stands while you explore the zoo, including Pizza Hut, Bluebonnet Cafe, Dickey’s Barbeque, Ranch Grill, Zoo Creek Cafe, and Savanna Grill. There are ice cream stands that serve Blue Bell ice cream as well. There are plenty of outdoor picnic areas where you can enjoy your meal. The Fort Worth Zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and it closes at 6 p.m. on weekends. After July 4, it’s open every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

These are some of the interesting things that you and your family can enjoy in Fort Worth. Did we miss any good attractions? Contact us and let us know what your kids like to do in the city.