Ft. Worth Overview

Surpassing a colorful past filled with all that made the West legendary and a decades-long battle to wriggle out from beneath Dallas' shadow, Fort. Worth has forged a new identity as a city bustling with tourism, the arts, and big business.

Districts

Fort Worth's typical Texas sprawl makes it virtually impossible to get around comfortably using public transportation. Your best bet is to rent a car and take advantage of the several excellent maps available in any tourist center as well as the equally excellent signage throughout the city. You'll quickly learn the four or five major arteries and how to navigate to and from them, plus most Texans, true to their friendly image, will help you with directions if they know them.

Sundance Square is a 16-block area of buildings that have been restored and/or replicated to match their turn-of-the-century appearances. The historic old homes usually offer both self and guided tours. Sundance Square is also easy to walk, and there are buses that can take you all over downtown very inexpensively, as the area is not all that big. Again, the city has ensured ease of getting around with colorful signs directing visitors to major attractions.

A few minutes west of downtown lies the third largest arts and cultural district in the United States. Numerous museums, theaters and galleries reside in an area bound by West 7th Street, Montgomery, Interstate 30 and University Drive. Nature and animal lovers will find a variety of classic venues located in this district.

The Fort Worth Stockyards National Historical District is a living museum depicting life in both the Old West and the new. Designated an historical landmark in 1976, the Stockyards constitute one of the state's most popular tourist attractions. The Stockyards is a fairly compact area, and you can cover all of it in an afternoon without being too tired to two-step later (especially if you end the tour with a steak dinner!).

You'll probably want to drive the Cultural District, as it's more spread out than the other areas. If you're really in shape and like to walk, you can drive, park your far, and then walk part or all of the district. Many of the attractions here are somewhat clustered, so you can drive between them if you wish.

The areas surrounding Fort Worth include many other worthwhile places to visit, but you'll want to rent a car to get around comfortably. If you're game for leaving Fort Worth proper, head east on Interstate 30 to Arlington, where you'll find Six Flags Over Texas amusement park, The Ballpark at Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers baseball team, the huge Hurricane Harbor water park and the University of Texas at Arlington.

Entertainment

Fort Worth is an art lover's paradise, boasting some of the finest museums and galleries in North America. Original works and those of rarely performed playwrights are featured at Hip Pocket Theatre, which has been in business for over 25 years.

Bass Hall, on the corner of 4th Street and Calhoun, is home to Fort Worth's premier performing arts organizations and is the venue of choice for top artists from all over the world. Artists from ballet dancers to bagpipers perform here; there is something for every musical and artistic taste.

A variety of other entertainment options may be found in and around Fort Worth. For 17 acres of manmade water fun, take the kids to NRH2O, where there are attractions for every age from a water choo-choo to a 65-foot tall water coaster and a breathtaking waterfall drop ride. If racing is your bag, there are two fabulous places less than an hour away for watching the best of the best: Lone Star Park and Texas Motor Speedway.

Just south of the Fort Worth Convention Center is the Fort Worth Water Gardens, a four-and-a-half block park with assorted lakes and waterfalls. Entertainment possibilities in the downtown area are almost endless; from the fabulous Bass Performance Hall to the Caravan of Dreams, you're sure to find something to keep you busy.

Where To Stay

Just as the city itself is full of contrasts, so too is the list of places to stay. Whether you want the intimacy of a bed and breakfast, the amenities of an ultra-modern luxury hotel, or just a reasonably priced, clean room to sleep in after a day of sightseeing, there is lodging to suit you and your wallet.

Did You Know?

The United States Bureau of Engraving prints half of all U.S. currency at its Fort Worth branch.

Orientation/Geography

Fort Worth lies in the central part of Texas, not far from Dallas.


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