What to Do in Fort Worth, TX — The City That's More Than Dallas's Neighbor

Let's address the Dallas-Fort Worth political situation: these are two genuinely different cities that happen to share an airport name and a major highway. People in Fort Worth have very strong feelings about being referred to as "near Dallas" — which is understandable, because Fort Worth has its own distinct identity that is, in many ways, more authentically Texan than its flashier neighbor to the east.

Fort Worth has the Stockyards. Fort Worth has a world-class museum district that would make much larger cities jealous. Fort Worth has Sundance Square, a legitimate walkable downtown that Dallas has been trying to replicate for thirty years. And Fort Worth has a BBQ tradition so deep and serious it qualifies as cultural heritage.

Purple Heart Limo serves Fort Worth and the entire DFW metroplex. Here's your guide to doing it right.

Fort Worth Stockyards: Where Texas Comes to Be Texas

The Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District is one of those places that manages to be both a genuine historical site and an incredibly entertaining tourist destination simultaneously. Exchange Avenue is exactly what you want from a visit to Texas — historic brick buildings, honky-tonks, Western wear shops, great food, and actual longhorn cattle being driven down the street every day at 11:30am and 4pm.

The Stockyards Championship Rodeo runs Friday and Saturday nights at Cowtown Coliseum — the world's first indoor rodeo arena, still in operation, still thoroughly excellent. The Billy Bob's Texas honky-tonk is the largest nightclub in the world (per their enthusiastic signage) and hosts live country music virtually every weekend. Lonesome Dove is Tim Love's celebrated restaurant on Mule Alley — exceptional food in a remarkable setting.

Fort Worth's Cultural District: Genuinely World-Class

This is the part of Fort Worth that surprises people who come expecting just cowboy hats and barbecue (though the cowboy hats and barbecue are excellent, too).

• Kimbell Art Museum — Designed by Louis Kahn, the Kimbell is considered one of the finest small art museums in the world. The building itself is a masterpiece. The collection — spanning 5,000 years of art history — is extraordinary for a museum this size. Free for the permanent collection.
• Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — A Tadao Ando building that is itself a work of art, set over reflecting pools. The permanent collection includes Picasso, Warhol, and a rotating cast of contemporary heavyweights.
• Amon Carter Museum of American Art — The country's finest collection of American art and photography, with an exceptional Frederic Remington and Charles Russell collection that gives you the authentic visual language of the American West.
• Fort Worth Zoo — Consistently ranked among the top zoos in the United States. Genuinely worth a full day, particularly for families.

Sundance Square: Fort Worth's Walkable Gem

Sundance Square is a 35-block entertainment district in downtown Fort Worth that Dallas has been trying to replicate since roughly 1995. It's walkable, it has great restaurants and bars, it hosts outdoor events and concerts in the plaza, and it actually feels like a living downtown rather than a series of parking lots interrupted by buildings.

Bar/restaurant highlights: Reata for elevated Texas ranch cuisine, Joe T. Garcia's (technically nearby in the North Side, not Sundance Square, but mandatory) for the legendary Mexican restaurant that's been feeding Fort Worth since 1935, Whiskey & Rye for craft cocktails, and Ellerbe Fine Foods for consistently excellent farm-to-table dining.

The Best BBQ in Texas (We're Going There)

This is a statement that will generate opinions. Fine. Heim BBQ in Fort Worth does bacon burnt ends that have been described, accurately, as life-altering. Dayne's Craft Barbecue in Godley (worth the drive from Fort Worth) has been called the best BBQ in Texas by people who take that question very seriously. Cattleack Barbeque (technically in Dallas but close enough for Fort Worth purposes) has lines that begin forming at 7am for a reason.

A limo to a Fort Worth BBQ lunch situation means no one has to be the responsible driver who can't fully commit to the experience. The brisket thanks you for your foresight.