Fort Worth, Texas – Where Wearing a Cowboy Hat is Always a Good Idea.

Although Dallas and Fort Worth are part of the DFW Metroplex, they could not be more different. If you are looking for the cowboy hats and boots-wearing crowd, great BBQ, and night life than involves country-dancing rather than EDM, then you need to head to the Stockyards and Sundance Square in Forth Worth.

Not the best-looking mechanical bull I’ve ever ridden…

If you don’t have a car, you can get to downtown Fort Worth from the DFW airport by taking the DART – the local train system. You can also take the DART from downtown Dallas (an hour ride). Downtown Forth Worth is much smaller than Dallas and is very walkable, so not having a car won’t prevent you from enjoying it.

No visit to the Stockyards is complete without Billy Bob’s Texas. One of the biggest dance halls in the state, it offers live concerts and an opportunity to practice your two-step on a large dance floor. There is also an adjacent bull-riding arena that has bull-riding shows at 9 pm and 10 pm every Friday and Saturday night. While it serves food as well, there are other restaurants that are much better. I would suggest trying Cooper’s BBQ for real family-style Texas BBQ, or Joe T. Garcia’s – a Fort Worth staple with a large patio and stiff margaritas. Travel Tip: Joe T’s is cash only and the menu consists of two items: beef and chicken fajitas.

During the day, you can walk around the Stockyards Station, which has quite a few small museums, shops, restaurants, antiques stores and carriage rides to keep you busy for a couple of hours. Travel Tip: If you are looking to stay in the Stockyards, Hyatt Hotel is right in the middle of it all – within walking distance of Billy Bob’s and other Stockyards attractions.

If you are looking for a more modern or urban feel, than skip the Stockyards and stay in the Sundance Square in downtown Forth Worth. This is a 35-block shopping, entertainment, and dining area that has some of the best restaurants in town and nightlife that attracts young people from all around Fort Worth.

When planning a trip to Forth Worth, always check the calendar as frequent rodeos, concerts, and fairs can drastically affect the availability and pricing of the hotel rooms around the city. Some of the yearly events that draw thousands of people are the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (Jan/Feb), the Cowtown Marathon (Feb/Mar) and some events at the Texas Motor Speedway.