Fort Worth calls itself "Where the West Begins," and it means it. The western half of the DFW Metroplex has a completely different personality from its flashy neighbor to the east. This is Cowtown, Panther City, the place where cattle drives once ended and cowboys blew their wages in Stockyards saloons.
The Fort Worth Stockyards remain the top attraction, with twice-daily cattle drives, honky-tonks, and the kind of Western atmosphere that Dallas cannot replicate. But Fort Worth also has some of the finest museums in the United States. The Kimbell Art Museum is world-class, the Amon Carter Museum holds outstanding Western art including works by Frederic Remington, and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is architecturally stunning.
Downtown has been beautifully renovated around Sundance Square, and the Fort Worth Water Gardens make a refreshing stop on a hot day. The zoo is excellent, the Japanese Garden is serene, and Camp Bowie Boulevard on the west side is lined with red brick streets dating to World War II, eclectic restaurants, and night spots. Do not leave without trying chicken-fried steak with cream gravy at a local restaurant.