Perfect Fort Worth Itinerary: 3 Days

This handy Fort Worth itinerary covers three full days in Cowtown. With three days you can see the major attractions like the Stockyards National Historic District, visit the top museums like the Kimbell and the National Cowgirl Museum, and have time for walking tours, biking the Trinity Trails, or nearby day trips.

Fort Worth’s top attractions are spread around three main districts: Stockyards, Downtown, and the Cultural District, each of which is easy to access with or without a car.

In this Fort Worth guide I share the best things to do and see in Fort Worth in three days, plus where to stay, dining recommendations and how to get around.

At the end of this article I also include a Fort Worth map with all the places I’ve mentioned in this article.

Basic info for this Fort Worth Itinerary

1. You don’t need a car to follow this itinerary because Fort Worth is easy to get around without a car, and I’ll provide other transportation options.
2. This itinerary covers three full days in Fort Worth, not including arrival and departure days, so it’s best to plan to arrive the night before and book 4 nights for your hotel.
3. I encourage you to adjust this itinerary to suit your interests and needs. You can add extra days or shorten the itinerary to fit your schedule if you only have a day or two in Fort Worth.

This post contains affiliate links and I may receive a commission for purchases made through links. See my disclosure about affiliate links

Getting to Fort Worth

DFW is the nearest airport, and it’s located between Dallas and Fort Worth. To get from DFW to downtown Fort Worth, you can use rideshare like Uber or Lyft ($50 – $100 or more depending on time of day and traffic), a private airport transfer service, or take the Trinity Metro TEXRail which only costs $2 for a single ride and $4 for a day pass—a bargain!

Fort Worth Amtrak Station and the Fort Worth Central Bus Station are both located at 1001 Jones Street (downtown) officially called the Fort Worth Intermodal Transportation Center, about 3-minute walk to the convention center.

Getting Around Fort Worth

Getting around Fort Worth by car is fairly stress-free so long as you’re not traveling during peak rush-hour times.

Rideshare is available from Lyft or Uber.

Downtown Fort Worth is easy to get around on foot but you can also use the free Blue Line bus route from 7 am to 7 pm daily. Just hop-on and hop-off wherever you like along the route.

Trinity Metro has convenient bus routes from downtown to get to popular areas like the stockyards and the cultural district.

Trinity Metro Bikes offers electric bicycle rentals at dozens of places around Fort Worth.

Fort Worth 3 Day Itinerary

If this is your first trip to Fort Worth I recommend staying downtown. On your evening of arrival you can wander over to Sundance Square Plaza, then head to the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium for a burger and beer or go for something fancier at Waters Restaurant for seafood.

Get a good night’s sleep before you begin 3 days exploring the best of Fort Worth.

Day 1 in Fort Worth

Day one focuses on the Stockyards District and a walking tour of downtown.

Downtown Fort Worth Walking Tour

Begin your first morning in Fort Worth with a one-hour walking tour to get acquainted with the downtown area. If you didn’t have breakfast at your hotel you can pop into Corner Bakery (615 Main Street) for a hearty breakfast or coffee and pastries.

The walking tour begins at the historic Tarrant County Courthouse on Weatherford St. The next stop is Sundance Square Plaza and then it meanders south to the Fort Worth Water Gardens. I’ve added a map of the walking tour to the end of this section.

Highlights of this walking tour:

1. Tarrant County Courthouse Building at 100 West Weatherford St
2. Horse Fountain at Tarrant County Courthouse
3. Sid Richardson Museum – admission is always free
4. Knights of Pythias Building – on Sundance Square
5. Sundance Square Plaza: featuring the Chisolm Trail mural, a giant rhinestone cowboy hat, and a water fountain.
6. First Christian Church of  Fort Worth at 612 Throckmorton St
7. JFK Tribute is located at 916 Main St, just north of the Convention Center
8. Flat Iron Building at 1000 Houston Street
9. St Patrick Cathedral at 1206 Throckmorton St
10. Fort Worth Convention Center official address is 1201 Houston Street, but it takes up several blocks
11. Fort Worth Water Gardens official address is 1502 Commerce Street, but you can access it from Houston Street at 14^th Street across from the Omni hotel and Bob’s Steak & Chop House.

You can walk back on Main Street or Commerce Street to see a few more places of interest downtown or you can take the free Blue Line bus back towards Sundance Square or catch the Orange Line ($2/$4 day pass) to Stockyard Station (next up on today’s itinerary).

On Commerce St be sure to have a look at the stunning Bass Performance Hall located on East 4^th Street and Commerce. Also of note is the original Fire Station No 1 building at 215 Commerce St. The old fire station is now the 203 Café, serving breakfast and lunch on weekdays from 7 am to 2 pm.

Downtown Walking Tour Map

The map for my downtown Fort Worth walking tour is illustrated below, and you can access the map in Google Maps by clicking here.

Fort Worth Stockyards Cattle Drive

Make your way to the Fort Worth Stockyards, one of the famous landmarks in Texas. Plan to be there by 11:00 am so that you can get situated before the 11:30 cattle drive.

The Fort Worth cattle drive is a twice-daily event at 11:30 am and 4:00 pm on Exchange Avenue. So if you do happen to miss the 11:30 event you can always stick around and attend the 4 o’clock cattle drive instead.

About 10 minutes before the start of the event the announcer will provide some interesting history about the Fort Worth cattle drive. You can stand or find seating along Exchange Avenue, where you can also have a look in the boutique shops and grab a coffee at Avoca Coffee Roasters at 128 E Exchange Ave.

Getting to Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District

Driving or rideshare: From downtown it takes about 10 – 15 minutes. I couldn’t find any cheap parking at the Stockyards. I parked in Lot 2 and paid $15.15 for the day; there wasn’t an option to choose fewer hours.

Bus: From downtown take Trinity Metro Orange Line to Fort Worth Stockyards Station; it takes about 20 – 30 minutes depending on your starting point.

Bike: From downtown you can cycle to the Stockyards via the Fort Worth Branch of Trinity Trails in about 20 minutes. Google Maps route from Sundance Square. You can rent bikes from Trinity Metro Bikes.

Fort Worth Herd

The cattle drive only takes a few minutes but you can visit the longhorn herd afterwards at the observation deck just north of the Stockyard Station building.

Exploring the Stockyard Shops

If you’ve always wanted to buy a pair of cowboy boots, this could be the place to do it. Sassy Pantz Boutique (140 E Exchange Ave) stocks a whole bunch of women’s western boots in a variety of styles and colors.

For quality Southwestern jewelry check out Turquoise and Co. where they specialize in Native American handcrafted jewelry.

You can find good-quality leather goods, from Western-style belts to wallets, handbags, business-card holders, and more, at Will Leather Goods on Exchange Ave.

King Ranch Saddle Shop sells all sorts of quality western wear and gear, except for saddles :)

Traditional and contemporary fine Western art is available at Adobe Western Art Gallery at 2400 North Main Street.

Texas Trail of Fame

While walking around the Stockyards, you’ll no doubt notice the bronze markers on the sidewalks featuring five-pointed stars. These markers are placed by the Texas Trail of Fame to honor people, organizations, and even animals that have contributed to the heritage, traditions, and preservation of the Western way of life.

There are markers for people you’ve heard of, like Davy Crockett and Willie Nelson, and some lesser-known individuals too. The markers are mostly for men, but I did see a few with women’s names.

I saw a marker for Stagecoach Mary Fields, so I looked her up, and wow, what a life she lived! She was born into slavery around 1832 (her exact date of birth is unknown) and emancipated in 1865; she worked on a riverboat and then as a groundskeeper at a convent. At the age of 63 (in 1895), Mary Fields got a contract with the postal service delivering mail using a stagecoach. She apparently never missed a day of work in 8 years delivering the mail. Mary Fields is the first known African American woman mail carrier.

Lunch at Stockyards

After all the walking around it’s time for lunch, and you have a variety of choices to suit any budget. The main dining areas are Mule Alley and along Exchange Avenue.

I had lunch at Biscuit Bar on Mule Alley because I was looking for something quick and affordable, and I LOVE biscuits. Even though I’m not supposed to eat them, because I’m prediabetic, I indulge once in a while. And yes, it was yummy!

Here are a few of the most popular food places at the Stockyards, from casual to more upscale dining experiences.

• Southern style Pub Grub: Second Rodeo Brewing $$
• Southern style: Biscuit Bar $$
• Tapas: Atico $$ – $$$ (lunch on Saturday & Sunday only)
• Tex-Mex: Paloma Suerte $$ – $$$
• Steakhouse: H3 Ranch $$ – $$$
• BBQ: Riscky’s BBQ $$ – $$$
• American: 97 West Kitchen & Bar at Hotel Drover $$$
• Western bistro: Lonesome Dove $$$$

Stockyard Historical Tours and Museums

After lunch it’s time to dive into the history of the Stockyards District. In hotter months the museums are a great place to escape from the heat of the sun. When the weather is pleasant and you want to stay outdoors do the Stockyards Historical Tour at 2:00 pm for a guided tour of the stockyards and learn why it’s one of the best historical sites in Texas.

Stockyards Guided Historical Walking Tours gives you the chance to explore the stockyards with an expert tour guide. The tour is 90 minutes leaves at 2:00 pm, tickets available at Cowtown Cattlepen Maze, 145 E Exchange Ave. (tours also at 10 am and 12:30 pm).

Stockyards Museum is small but packed full of artifacts and at $3 admission fee (free for age 12 and under) it’s a bargain. The museum is located in the historic Livestock Exchange building (built in 1902) at 131 E Exchange Ave.

John Wayne Museum is for diehard John Wayne fanatics, especially at the hefty price of $22.95 per adult and $17.95 for ages 6 to 15. There is also a store with a variety of John Wayne souvenirs for sale.

Grapevine Vintage Railroad

If you’d rather skip the museums and historical tour but love railroads and train rides, don’t miss the Trinity River Excursion, a 45-minute train ride that crosses over the West Fork of the Trinity River and through Trinity Park and back to the Stockyards Station. This is something fun to do for kids of all ages.

Departure time: 3:00 pm at Fort Worth Stockyard Station

Live Music Fort Worth Stockyards

You’re probably thirsty and hungry by now, so wander over to Second Rodeo Brewing at 122 E Exchange Avenue, where you can catch some late afternoon live music and enjoy a beverage and a bite to eat if you’re hungry.

Other options for live music include White Elephant Saloon, Love Shack, and the legendary Billy Bob’s Texas…

Billy Bob’s Texas

Billy Bob’s Texas—the world’s largest honkytonk—has room for you (and 6,000 friends) with 30 bars, including the guitar bar with 75 autographed guitars. You can peruse the handprints (and boot prints) of artists that performed sold-out shows at Billy Bob’s.

I was surprised that they charge an admission fee of $4 to get into Billy Bob’s, even just to have a beer and look around. I paid $6 for a Miller Lite and walked around. It is a museum of sorts, and I enjoyed wandering around the guitar bar and seeing the bull riding arena—you don’t see that in any other bar! There is also a gift shop, pool hall, and video games arcade.

Of course Billy Bob’s is famous for bull riding, music, and dancing. Every Friday and Saturday Billy Bob’s has bull riding. And no, sorry, you can’t just sign up to do the bull riding unless you’re a pro or semi-pro with a valid rider’s card. For live music, check their events page.

Weekend Rodeo at Stockyards

I’m pretty sure that the Fort Worth Stockyards is the only place you’ll find year-round rodeo. Every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm (doors open at 6 pm) at Cowtown Coliseum. The rodeo event features bull riding, barrel racing, bronc riding, and roping. For the kids there are calf and mutton scrambles.

If you’re staying in Fort Worth for the weekend and want to watch the rodeo, I recommend getting your tickets in advance.

If your hotel is in the Stockyards District, enjoy dinner at one of the previously mentioned restaurants, or if you’re staying elsewhere, you may want to have dinner closer to your hotel.

Day 2 in Fort Worth

Museums are the focus of day two, with something for everyone. You won’t have time to see all the museums in one day, but it’s easy to see several of them in the Cultural District, a short drive (or ride-share) from downtown. With Trinity Metro you can take the #2 bus from downtown; it takes about 30 minutes.

If this is your first time in Fort Worth, I recommend starting with the museums that interest you the most, whether that’s art, aviation, cars, history, Western culture, etc.

Alternatively, if you’ve visited several of the museums before, it’s fun to try something new and check out the museums that go beyond your immediate center of interest.

Cultural District Museums

If you’re not sure where to begin, I recommend starting with this trio:

• National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
• Amon Carter Museum
• Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

This gives you some variety, and all three museums are within walking distance of each other within the Cultural District.

Afterwards, take a short drive to the Kimbell Museum (free parking) where you can visit the permanent collection for free and choose whether to pay extra and visit the current exhibit if it interests you. An easy walk to the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (admission fee) for a taste of contemporary artworks.

Cultural District Restaurants

You can have lunch at the Kimbell Café in the Kimbell museum or Café Modern at the Modern Art Museum or go to one of the popular cultural district restaurants like La Cabrona (Mexican), Rodeo Goat (hamburgers), or the highly rated sushi restaurant Hatsuyuki Handroll Bar (expect to wait in line; they don’t take reservations).

Aviation Museums

If your interests lean more towards airplanes and all things aviation rather than art, then Fort Worth has got you covered with a trio of museums. It’s best if you have a car to visit these museums, but you could also use a rideshare service like Lyft or Uber.

Ft Worth Aviation Museum and Vintage Flying Museum are both located near Fort Worth Meacham International Airport, so you could drive or use rideshare. While American Airlines CR Smith Museum is close to DFW International airport so you could drive or use the TEXRail to get to DFW airport and then use rideshare to the museum.

Other Museums

DFW Car and Toy Museum is the perfect place for kids of all ages to explore.

Sid Richardson Museum is downtown near Sundance Square Plaza and admission is free.

Evening Day 2

Have dinner either in the Cultural District (see restaurants above) or downtown at Reata (530 Throckmorton St) for Texas Southwestern cuisine (reservation recommended), steak at The Capital Grille (800 Main St), or seafood at Waters Restaurant (301 Main St).

For after-dinner entertainment Thursday through Sunday, you can enjoy live music at Sundance Square Plaza. Other options are an evening of jazz at Scat Jazz Lounge or taking in a performance at Bass Performance Hall. Both venues are conveniently located downtown near Sundance Square.

Day 3 in Fort Worth

With a third day in Fort Worth you’ll have more time to see any museums you didn’t get a chance to visit on day two of this itinerary or do some other fun things if you’re already museumed-out!

Bike or Walk the Trinity Trail

In the morning enjoy breakfast or brunch then rent a bike and cycle the Trinity Trail for 2 or 3 hours. Rike rentals are available from Trinity Metro Bikes at Panther Island Pavilion, also in the Stockyards District (close to the Chisholm Trail marker), and various locations all around town.

You can find all the locations on their website along with rental rates. As of this writing, 200 minutes costs $25. Not into biking? No worries, you can walk the trail instead.

After lunch choose from 4 options

1. Check out the murals at the Foundry District as well as shops, restaurants, and breweries in the area. Start at Doc’s Records & Vintage, and behind the shop (off Carroll St) you’ll find Inspiration Alley full of murals.
2. Immerse yourself in nature at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, open daily from 8 am to 4 pm (some holiday closures), and featuring a garden shuttle to get around. Tip: It’s cheaper to buy your tickets online rather than at the garden.
3. Visit the Sid Richardson Museum (free admission) and then revisit the Water Gardens with more time to enjoy each of the water features and climb up the “Mountain” for a better view of Fort Worth.
4. If you have a car and feel like doing more outdoorsy stuff, you can take a short drive to Lake Worth (20 minutes from downtown) or Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge (30 minutes from downtown, or about 6 minutes from Lake Worth).

Dinner and Music

Have dinner at your favorite restaurant again or try someplace new, then finish up at Sundance Square for some live music (Thursday – Sunday). Or check out what’s happening on the patio at Flying Saucer Draught Emporium.

Where to Stay in Fort Worth

I recommend staying downtown for budget and mid-range hotels, but if luxury is what you’re after, then the cultural district has better options. If you don’t have a car, you can use the free Blue Line bus to get around the greater downtown area.

I chose to stay at the Avid Hotel downtown for 3 reasons: last-minute deal was a great price, free on-site parking, and the excellent location a short walk to downtown attractions, bars, and restaurants.

Budget

Avid Hotel is a budget-priced hotel with the luxury of free parking in downtown Fort Worth (other hotels charge up to $40 per day for parking). Avid also has free breakfast, and it’s a pet-friendly hotel. Note that there is a railroad track behind the building, so there are train sounds at night. I’m a light sleeper and I always sleep with a white noise machine, so the train didn’t bother me. If you’re a light sleeper, and don’t use a white noise machine, maybe this is not the best choice.

Mid-range

Omni Hotel (4-star hotel) is across the street from the Convention Center and the Water Gardens, so you can’t beat the location if you’re attending a conference in Fort Worth.

Luxury

Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection (4-star hotel) located on Mule Alley in the Stockyards National Historic District. If you’re attending an event at Billy Bob’s, this could be just the right place for you.

Bowie House, Auberge Collection (5-star hotel) located in the Cultural District within walking distance to museums and Dickie Arena.

Fort Worth Map

I created the map below to share all the places I mentioned in this article, and you can access the map in Google Maps by clicking here.

Fort Worth Itinerary FAQ

Here are the most commonly asked questions about spending a few days in Fort Worth.

How many days in Fort Worth?

In order to see the most important stuff you don’t want to miss (without feeling rushed) I recommend spending at least three days in Fort Worth. Add an extra day or two if you plan on doing some full day trips from Fort Worth, such as Lake Worth or Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge,

Are 2 days enough to see Fort Worth?

You can see most of the main attractions in Fort Worth in two days, and if that’s all your schedule (or budget) allows, then I say go for it!

When is the best time of year to visit Fort Worth?

Early spring (March and April) and late fall (October and November) are the best months to visit Fort Worth for pleasant weather.

If you visit during hot summer months I recommend spending less time outdoors during the hottest times of the day and increasing the indoor activities.

Winter weather is somewhat unpredictable in Fort Worth; it can be beautiful and sunny, or it can be freezing cold. I’ve visited in January, and the weather was sunny and warm during the day but chilly at night.

Do you need a car in Fort Worth?

A car can be helpful, but parking can be expensive, and you can easily get around Fort Worth without driving. There’s a free bus service in downtown Fort Worth called the Blue Line. It makes a loop from Main and 2nd Street to W Lancaster Ave and back again. Fort Worth also has bicycle rentals available through Trinity Metro. And rideshares such as Lyft and Uber are readily available in Fort Worth.

Final Thoughts

With three full days, this Fort Worth itinerary covers all the main attractions and still leaves some time to explore on your own. Certainly after experiencing the unique vibe of Fort Worth and exceptional scenes like the Fort Worth longhorn cattle drive, you’ll take home lasting memories.

If you have more time and want to add a few more days to your itinerary, I recommend visiting Austin, the capital of Texas and the live music capital of the world.

Texas has much to offer the curious and adventurous traveler; have fun!

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