Fort Worth Tours

When it's 80 degrees out in the City of Cowboys and Culture, and there's a nice cool breeze floating through the air, there's no better place than a good patio. When in Fort Worth, anything better than a good patio is a great rooftop spot where you can take in the sights and sounds of our buzzing city. Whether you're looking for a beautiful bird's eye view of Sundance Square, TCU or the Stockyards, there's plenty of options!

Live Oak This Near Southside rooftop bar and patio on Magnolia Ave. has a fabulous view of the downtown Fort Worth skyline, 50 beers on tap, and an inventive menu of burgers, sandwiches and entrée salads that far exceeds the usual “bar food.” If you're looking for a change of pace, head downstairs for a sit-down dinner or casual concert hall which showcases marquee-name touring acts in a 500-seat superbly engineered auditorium. 

Dutch's Named after legendary TCU coach Leo “Dutch” Meyer, Dutch’s is a lively TCU-area hangout known for its all-natural, juicy-not-greasy burgers. Whether you're looking for a spot to pre-game or a casual weeknight dinner with family or friends, Dutch's patio is the place to be. Be sure to check out their weekly specials, (including 1/2 price Dutch Burger on Tuesdays) here.

Love Shack Iron Chef winner and owner Tim Love has created a gourmet burger joint featuring outdoor seating, live music, and a menu that will have you coming back for more! Love Shack has two locations, the Stockyards and the University area, but the Love Shack Stockyards offers an unforgettable view of the world-famous Exchange Avenue in the Stockyards National Historic District! Grab a beer, and get a spot for the twice-daily Cattle Drive (11:30a, 4p)!

Reata Restaurant is not just famous for their down-home cowboy cuisine, but their living-room type ambiance downstairs mixed with the cocktail-party atmosphere upstairs, makes this place perfect for any occasion. Overlooking Sundance Square (and the new plaza this fall), the Reata Rooftop is one of the top Fort Worth spots to take in the city sights and enjoy cocktails with friends! Be sure to share the starter sampler for a true taste of Texas! 

Capital Bar With the additions of the Backyard and the Back House, Capital Bar is one of the top music venues in DFW in addition to having an incredible rooftop bar that offers a spectacular view of the downtown skyline on one side and the park-like Fort Worth Cultural District on the other. Before you go, check out their Summer Music Series on Wednesday nights presented by 95.9 the Ranch! 

In the same breath as you utter the Kimbell Art Museum, what usually trips off the tongue are so many of the master artists that are the pride of its permanent collection: From Caravaggio, Velazquez, David, Rubens, El Greco, and La Tour, to Cezanne, Matisse, Murillo, Bernini and, of course, the first-painting believed to have been executed by a brashly talented, young artist named Michelangelo. And this constellation of European greats totally omits the museum's exquisite holdings of African, Asian, African and precolumbian art.

But it isn't often that the Kimbell serves as the podium -- or canvas -- from where one can appreciate art from the Andes. Until now. With Wari: Lords of the Ancient Andes, opening June 16, the museum will acquaint patrons with the creative force of the Wari people, the actual ancestors to the better known Incas. It is the first North American exhibition of its kind and it will transport patrons back to between 600 and 1000, when the Wari people created what many deem to have been Peru's first empire.

Containing 145 objects, the exhibit will run the gamut of media and materials the Wari worked in -- from precious metal ornaments, ceramics from polychrome, to joyously colorful mosaics, objects formed of sculpted stone and wood, and lushly woven clothing that constitute some of the most expertly executed textiles in what would form the illustrious tradition of Andean textile artistry.

Details: Wari: Lords of the Ancient Andes -- From June 16-September 8, 2013 at the Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth. www.kimbellart.org    

Other upcoming Kimbell Art Museum exhibitions and events to look forward to:

The Age of Picasso and Matisse: Modern Masters from the Art Institute of Chicago - October 6, 2013- February 16, 2014. This exhibition marks the grandest loan of its kind from the celebrated Art Institute of Chicago. Among the treasures, culled from the first 50 years of the 20th century, will be 10 works by Picasso, 10 by Matisse, in addition to great pieces by Braque, Juan Gris, Chagall, and Mondrian among many others. The Kimbell will be the only venue for this exceptional and landmark show.

Opening of the new Renzo Piano Pavilion -- November 27, 2013. The much anticipated new pavilion by one of the world's most sought-after architects will permit the Kimbell to host world-class touring exhibitions at the same time that it still has its permanent collection up for view in its classic Louis Kahn-designed original building. The glass, concrete, and wood-constructed pavilion will not only include plentiful classroom space, a well-stocked library, but also a 298-seat auditorium that is sure to become the next acoustically pristine music venue for Fort Worth music lovers. 

We showed you how to discover the Cultural District on a budget, and now it's time for some Sundance Square savings tips and how to visit downtown Fort Worth on a dime. When looking for free attractions in Downtown and Sundance Square, it is almost harder to find an attraction that does charge. This family-friendly Fort Worth area has plenty of hidden gems just waiting to be discovered by you and your family. Don’t forget to stop in our Downtown Visitor Center in Sundance Square for more savings: iFortWorth, located at 508 Main St.

Attractions:

• Bass Hall – Free tour on Saturdays at 10:30am
• Sid Richardson Museum – Free
• Fire Station #1 – Free
• Fort Worth Water Gardens – Free
• JFK Tribute – Free
• Heritage Trails – Free
• Sundance Square is always free to visit but check out their website and sign up for “Inside the Square” newsletter for additional discounts to be delivered straight to your email.

Most people eat something small for lunch and then consider dinner to be the larger meal of the day. Why not switch it up? Lunch menus often offer the same items but at a discounted price. Then check out a Happy Hour for dinner. Next time your in downtown Fort Worth, consider these dinner Happy Hours:

Taverna Pizzeria and Risotteria

• Monday-Friday 3:00 - 8:00 p.m., which includes Half-price Appetizers & Pizza /Well Drinks, Draught Beer, Bellini, House Red & White Wine $3.00 (Available in the bar and lounge)
• Wednesday Night-Enjoy 1/2 price bottles of wine with items off our regular menu or specials board (4:00 - 10:00)

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

• Happy Hour Sizzle, Swizzle, Swirl – The best of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse food and drinks for $7 Monday-Friday.

T and P Tavern

• Happy Hour Monday-Friday 4:00-7:00 and all day on Sunday.

Frankies Sports Bar & Grill

• Happy Hour 11:00AM-7:00PM week days
• Check out their website for daily specials!

Looking for a free way to get around? Molly the Trolley runs seven days a week from 10am-10pm. Check out Molly’s routes here! Don’t forget about Fort Worth’s brand new Bike Sharing too – there are several bike stations all over downtown for easy access! Check our out Deals & Discounts for more ways to save in Downtown!

It's hard to think of a more felicitous marriage of Fort Worth tourist-attractions than the marvelous music making of a Cliburn Concert, set against the incomparable backdrop of the Tadao Ando-designed Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

And, sure enough, both will come together this Sunday, May 5th for an event designed to celebrate all the cultural richness that has become Fort Worth's calling card. As hosted by the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau, the concert is also part of a multi-event celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week, running from May 4-12.

With a welcome from no less a potentate than Fort Worth's mayor, Betsy Price, the concert will also establish quite a cultural precedent as it will be the first musical event of its kind ever to be held on the verdant front lawn of the Modern. The free, outdoor concert will feature a familiar Cliburn performer, Spencer Myer, whose concert will also act as a prelude to the Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition -- kicking off on May 24, and running till June 9.

Besides the concert, the public can gain free admission to the spectacular Modern Art Museum and a free Spanish language tour at 2pm. 

In addition to the Cliburn Concert, the host Convention and Visitors Bureau will also be giving away everything from bandanas, and sunglasses to Molly Pins (get 'em while they last) to the concert attendees. 

Some of the other upcoming activities to celebrate Texas Travel and Tourism Week include Reata restaurant offering drink specials ($5 Frogaritas all day on May 6 just by mentioning "Fort Worth CVB Travel and Tourism week"); free docent-led tours at the Sid Richardson Museum in downtown, Fort Worth; and a "Public Knowledge" event (with Elvis as the principal topic of the occasion) at the Magnolia Motor Lounge --  organized by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

Details: Free Cliburn Concert at Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth this Sunday, May 5 at 3:30 p.m.

We all know that travelling can get expensive sometime. That is why doing your homework and finding the best deal is so important. Well we have done the homework for you. Take a look at these great deals in the Cultural District, West 7^th Street District and University Area.

Museums & Attractions:

-Amon Carter Museum is always FREE to visit.

-Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth - FREE to visit the first Sunday of every month.

-Kimbell Art Museum’s permanent collection is always FREE to see. Kimbell offers Half Price admission to their traveling exhibitions Tuesday from 10am-5pm and Friday from 5pm-8pm.

-You can received Half Price admission to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History with paid admission to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame (visits must be on the same day).

-The Fort Worth Botanic Garden is FREE to visit.

-The BRIT (Botanic Research Institute of Texas) offers FREE Self-guided tours during regular working hours, Mondays-Fridays, 10am- 5pm and Saturdays, 10am-2pm and FREE Guided Tours Thursday at 1:30pm and Saturday at 10:30am).

-Both Log Cabin Village and the Japanese Gardens are only $5 for adults to visit.

-Monnig Meteorite Gallery - located on the Texas Christian University campus is FREE to visit. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 1pm-4pm and Saturday 9am-4pm.

-Discount Tickets for the Fort Worth Zoo are available at iFortWorth and Wednesdays are Half Priced ticket days.

Don't forget to check out Fort Worth's new Bike Share program for a easy and affordable way to get around town.This is only the beginning on great deals to be found in Fort Worth. Feel free to let us know about other deals you've found by commenting below!

Get ready NASCAR fans because this weekend is the first big race week of 2013 at Texas Motor Speedway! This is one of the best racing events in Texas! The Sprint Cup events are annually rank among the largest sporting events in the United States and are also the largest-attended, single-day sporting events in the state of Texas.

This weekend’s races have made national news! The National Rifle Association has revved up its relationship with NASCAR and will title sponsor its first NASCAR Sprint Cup race. The former Texas 500 race will now become the NRA 500. This race will make its depute Saturday evening.

April 12^th - O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series

April 13^th -  NRA 500 NASCAR Spring Cup Series

For a complete list of weekend activities click HERE. Can’t make it this weekend? Don’t worry there are three major race weekends at Texas Motor Speedway each year. Can’t get enough of the action? Experience the thrill for your self during the Total Driving Experience where you can test drive a 405-horsepower Z06 Corvette at Texas Motor Speedway and experience the track from the driver’s perspective! Check out this and other Thrill Seeking Tours at www.FortWorth.com.

Spring has finally sprung! Now that the weather is warming up, it’s the perfect time to explore the great outdoors! What better place to do that than the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge? With over 3,600 acres for visitors to explore the Nature Center is one of the largest city-owned centers in the United States. The Nature Center offers an extensive list of monthly things to do.  This is the perfect kid-friendly outdoor activity for a Saturday or Sunday funday! Check out one of their family friendly nature hikes, kayak/canoe tours or educational programs. See the complete list monthly activities on the Nature Center's Calendar.

Mark your calendar for the 21^st annual Buffalo Boogie on Saturday, May 11th! This is the Nature Center’s annual event to raise financial support for the herd of Bison that call the Refuge home. In 1973, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge donated three bison to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. Since then the herd has grown and serves many purposes for the Nature Center like land management, recreation and conservation. The Buffalo Boogie is a 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk (the 5K Chip-Timed Run on a USATF certified course). 

Looking for something free and inspirational to do this Spring Break in Fort Worth? Look no further than the Fort Worth Cultural District, where the Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents Big Pictures, a culmination of nearly 50 works inspired by photographers thinking "big". On view through April 21st, the exhibition explores the impact of scale and the history of how thinking large has developed over the past 100 years. Expanding the image (no matter how simple) allows us as viewers to slow down and notice the details, which is a nice life lesson in general. For example, one of the photos in the first room, Landscape by Kathy Sherman Suder (b. 1959) conveys a boxer; however, the image's scale allows us to look deeper and pay attention to the form of his muscles, the sweat, and the direction of movement rather than just the image as a whole. 

Divided into five sections, loosely chronological in order, Big Pictures conveys grandeur style in looking at how photographers use size to affect the audience in different ways, many times by breaking the boundaries and thus, prolonging the gaze. Many have believed that large photographic prints are a recent phenomenon in photography; but interestingly enough, this exhibition reveals otherwise. In fact, the drive to create ever larger images has intrigued and motivated photographers from the medium’s earliest years. Don't miss this incredible exhibition at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art!  

What are you doing this weekend? Come enjoy a 2.5 to 3 hour delightful tour of some of Fort Worth's best restaurants! Texas Foodie Tours offers tours on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 1:30pm. Each tour consists of 5 or 6 locally-owned restaurants, wineries, pubs, and bakeries to sample their delicious food and drinks! Some of these might include favorites like J and J Oyster Bar, T and P Tavern, La Bella Cupcakes, Dos Gringos, Los Vaqueros, or  Times Ten Cellars. You will hear about local lore, learn about historic events, and experience the current culinary scene. Sit back and savor the sights on a climate-controlled bus as you travel to diverse areas of Fort Worth -- both historical and contemporary.

Check out their website for a complete list of tour dates. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Limit of 16 people per tour and ages 12 and up are welcome on these tours. For a limited time get 35% off your tour. Offer good now through May 31st, 2013 - get your coupon on our Deals & Discounts page!

The best part, no two tours are the same! You will experience new restaurants on each tour, so you can keep coming back! Check out www.FortWorth.com to learn more about Tours and Foodie Tours!

Check out this free Fort Worth activity during spring break at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where over half of the nation's currency is produced! From Tuesday, March 12 – Friday, March 15, 2013, enjoy two floors of interactive exhibits and displays showcasing the history of currency and the intricacies of the printing process. During your free self-guided tour (last tour at 4:30 p.m.), you can actually see billions of dollars being printed as you walk along an enclosed elevated walkway suspended over the production floor! It is an amazing sight to see, and kid of all ages will love this discovery! The tour experience also includes a high-definition theater film, the Moneyfactory Gift Shop, and a vending and rest area.

During the employee craft demonstrations, experience both floors of activities. On the first floor, witness Intaglio engraving artisanship at the engraver’s workbench, educational activities in the Kid’s Corral and see how currency was printed circa 1900 at the refurbished spider press (image below). Second floor activities include plate making for offset printing presses, see mutilated currency reconstructed piece-by-piece, and learn how Intaglio printing plates are “grown” in a nickel solution. For more information about this Spring Break event, click here.

For more Texas-sized fun to see and do this Spring Break, visit FortWorth.com/Spring-Break!

Photo Courtesy: Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Hometown: A born and raised desert dwelling Phoenix girl transplanted to the snowy plains outside Denver, CO

Occupation: Director of Social Influence for Traveling Mom, Travel Blogger at Mom Off Track

Describe Fort Worth in three words: charming, welcoming and full of character!

What is the number one thing you need to know when traveling with a teenage boy? Where to eat, of course. Fort Worth certainly has no shortage of answers to that question. Breakfast at Paris Coffee Shop is the way to start off the day with groggy, hungry teenagers.  Nothing gets their day started off right more than a little pie after a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon. It’s OK. You are on vacation. No one will judge your parenting skills although I may have to judge you if you leave there without at least a little piece of owner Mike’s coconut pie which is made fresh daily by 11 am.  

I travel frequently and I love nothing more than to sneak one of my teenage sons into my suitcase whenever I can. We were excited about seeing the cowboy culture in Ft. Worth, but didn’t realize until we got there for the Family Travel Conference that we would be eating like cowboys—just the way teenage boys like.

We enjoyed a lovely lunch at Joe T. Garcia’s where we had probably the best chicken tortilla soup we have ever had. It reminded me of the authentic Mexican food I grew up eating in Arizona. The patio was gorgeous and the margaritas were the perfect way to top it off for mom. I would have loved more time to just sit there and enjoy a second margarita. But, alas, teenagers are always on the go!

For dinner we headed over to the Stockyards area for some BBQ Texas style, (dry rubbed, not wet) at Riscky’s. There are lots of things on the menu but my teen went right for the All You Can Eat Beef Ribs. For $9.95 you can actually afford to feed a teenager here! After a few plates he slowed down and we decided to walk it off strolling through the Stockyards. He had a blast riding a mechanical bull and having his picture taken on a real one. We took a walk over to Billy Bob’s, billed as the world’s largest honkey tonk, where we took some great photos and bought some fun, logo t-shirts as souvenir’s.

Besides the constant worry of where your teenager will graze, what is the second most important thing you need to know about Fort Worth? There is plenty to do here! We enjoyed several of the museums in the Cultural District. The small cultural district is home to six world class museums. What I loved is that they are so close together that you can just walk from one to the other. So convenient and easy. One of our favorite Cultural Districts museums was the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History where we were able to see the amazingly powerful Titanic Exhibit which closes March 24, 2013 so if you have an early Spring Break, make this a must see on your itinerary.  I wasn’t sure how much my 16-year-old boy would enjoy the National Cowgirl Museum Hall of Fame would be for a 16 year old boy buy we went anyway because we had some time to kill. Turns out he enjoyed it because of the several interactive audio-visual exhibits. He really had fun making a video of himself riding a mechanical horse that he could share with his friends.

During our trip here we also enjoyed visiting JFK Tribute located at the southeast corner of Main and 8th Streets, in downtown’s General Worth Square. This is the last place the nation heard the 35^th President speak and the life-sized bronze sculpture commemorating that moment is stunning.

And, because he’s 16, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take a college tour. We chose Texas Christian University because of its small size and community feeling.  TCU students showed the warm and welcoming feeling we felt throughout all of Fort Worth. The campus was beautiful and we enjoyed learning about the history and tradition of the school. We were even able to rub the TCU mascot, The Horned Toad’s, nose for good luck.

The only unfortunate part of our trip was that we were only here for a day and a half. Those of you planning your Spring Break trips have the lucky ability to plan a much longer, relaxed trip. The Fort Worth Zoo was ranked one of the top 5 zoos in the nation by USA Travel Guide and is top of my list for when I have the chance to return. No matter how many days you have the good fortune to stay, I am certain you and the teens will have plenty of fond memories of Fort Worth just like Connor and I have.

They've found popularity among cycling cities such as Portland and Austin, but now Fort Worth has its very own Cycle Pub! Cowtown Cycling Party is a blast and one of the most fun (and active) ways to explore Downtown Fort Worth. We tried it firsthand and agree, it's perfect for any group activity from birthday parties, fund raisers, promotions, team building-up to 15 people. Completely powered by you and your friends pedaling, the Cycle Party provides a great work out while having fun and seeing the sights of Downtown cowtown. What makes it a party you ask? Cowtown Cycling Party is a BYOB Cycling Pub; you can even bring your own cooler or home-brew keg of beer! 

• Riders must be 14 years of age or older 
• You must book your tour at least 48 hours in advance: Standard tour start times Monday-Saturday are 10am, 12:30pm, 3pm, 5:30pm and 8pm. Sunday start times are Noon, 2:30pm, 5:00pm & 7:30pm. 
• Wear layered clothing as you may work up a sweat. No flip-flops; you will want shoes that stay on!
• Alcohol is BYOB – canned beer, boxed wine, pouches, pony kegs and home-brew kegs. No glass, hard liquor or half-barrel kegs.

For the past five years, Dusty Tuckness has been hired as one of two PRCA Rodeo bullfighters for the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. As part of being a bullfighter, Dusty puts his life and body on the line each time a bull is bucked and/or a rider is down or hung up. For this, bullfighters are one of the biggest reasons that bull riders are able to compete and stay healthy. He wears very little padding, his trademark makeup, cowboy hat, cleats and “baggies.” Like many bullfighters, Dusty has taken some hard hits in his career – most recently during the televised 2012 National Finals Rodeo – and if he is able, gets right back out there to do his job for each performance and never misses a beat. He fights bulls with a fluidity and style that makes his job look effortless which is one of the many reasons he has won the PRCA “Bullfighter of the Year” award  three times.

Name: Dusty Tuckness

Hometown: Meeteetse, Wyoming

Which rodeo Events do you/have you participated in?
 Bullfighting and I got on a few bulls but didn’t like it though.

What are your current rodeo related career achievements?
•    2X Professional Bullfighters Tour World Champion
•    3X Bullfighter of the Year – PRCA
•    4X NFR Bullfighter
•    3X College National Finals Bullfighter
•    6X Mountain States Circuit Finals Bullfighter
•    Salinas Bullfight Champion
•    Big rodeos I’ve worked: Odessa, Fort Worth, Houston, Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (previously DNCFR); Cody Stampede, Central Wyoming Fair, Cheyenne, Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo, Nampa, Idaho; National Western Stock Show & Rodeo, Omaha, Nebraska; American Royal, Oklahoma City and Greeley, Colorado.

What would your advice be to someone interested in getting into fighting bulls/ cowboy protection?
Get to a good Bullfighting school and learn from someone who knows what they are talking about.

What is the your most memorable/favorite Stock Show moment?
I survived, LOL. There are a lot of great moments from the Stock Show. My first year there, the group of guys that were working the Rodeo was a lot of fun: Andy Burelle, John Harrison, Gizmo, the trick riders and myself. We all got along and hung out all the time. My 2nd year, Andy Burelle, Ted Bert, Chad Denton and a few others would stay up late every night playing monopoly. We had a lot of fun with it. Sometimes when I am working the event, I’ll sit up in the stands and just look into the arena and think of all the greats that have either competed or fought bulls in that arena. The history is awesome, and I’m just glad to be a part of it.

What type of preparation does it take throughout the year to get ready for a Show the size/length of the FWSSR (23 days/ 36 rodeo performances)?
My preparation really doesn't’t change much going into the FWSSR because I work out and train all year long. The FWSSR is one of a kind rodeo though. You have to be mentally and physically tough because it is the longest rodeo you can work – 23 days, 36 rodeo performances, and 12-15 Bull Riders per performance.

How has your experience in the rodeo arena benefited you in life (to date)?
My experience in the arena has had a big benefit in my life because I grew up in one. My dad fought bulls and it’s something I have always wanted to do. It’s what has helped make me the person I am today.

What has been your worst rodeo-related injury?
Worst injury that I have had would have to be when I tore my shoulder up and had to have surgery.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of the FWSSR when you visit Fort Worth?
Well, we do make a few trips down to Fuzzy’s Taco Shop. We eat there a lot when we are there for the Rodeo.
 

We caught up with Rikki Buckalew, Fort Worth Stock Show exhibitor who presented the 2010 Grand Champion Market Steer, War Admiral (a 1,309-pound European crossbred). That year, during the Sale of Champions, she set an all-time auction record when Larry B. White Jr. Investments purchased War Admiral for a record of $210,000. What makes her story that much more special is that she overcame health issues just to be able to compete during the Show. She has since gone on to Texas A&M and will graduate next fall.

Name: Rikki Buckalew

Hometown: Graham, TX

Livestock Events: I showed steers at all of the major livestock shows in Texas for eight years and goats for four years. I also showed heifers at major live stocks in Texas for two years.

Favorite Stock Show moment: My favorite stock show moment was my senior year of High School when I showed my steer, War Admiral, at the Fort Worth Livestock Show. The experience was special because I knew it was my last livestock show as an exhibitor and it was my last opportunity to see what all of mine and my family’s hard work had brought. It was also special because I did not even know if I was going to be able to participate in my last livestock show. But thankfully through the work of my family, close family friends, and doctors I was able to show and win the title of Grand Champion Steer.

What type of preparation does it take throughout the year to get ready for a Show the size of the FWSSR? Preparing for a livestock show the size of the FWSSR is no easy feat. It requires time, patience, and lots of hard work. It requires making the trek to the barn to feed and water your animal when it’s freezing cold or blistering hot. It requires spending hours working with your animal so that they are properly trained and show ring ready. You have to groom your animal, keep them cool during the horribly hot days of summer, and clean their pens every day.

How has your experience in the livestock arena benefited your immediate future and how do you expect it to benefit you long term? Being in the livestock arena has benefited me in so many ways. The biggest two lessons it has taught me to be is being cool and collected under pressure. It has also taught me to accept defeat and success both with grace and humility. These lessons will benefit me in so many ways in my future career, school, and even in daily life.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of the FWSSR when you visit Fort Worth?
I enjoy walking around Sundance Square and visiting all of the shops. I also enjoy watching performances at Bass Hall, touring the Kimbell Art Museum, and visiting the Stockyards. Fort Worth has so much to offer and there is always something new and exciting to do!

Besides food at the Stock Show, what is your favorite place to eat when you visit Fort Worth?
My favorite place to eat when I visit Fort Worth is Razoos in Sundance Square. I love the atmosphere and I have always had great service. Everything on the menu is delicious and their bread pudding is the best I’ve ever had.

Fort Worth is excited to announce that they will be host to Go West Summit January 28th-31st, 2013! Go West Summit is the premier business-oriented travel tradeshow selling the American West. We bring together the world's top international tour operators with specialty suppliers who offer year-round products in a 13 state region of the Western United States.

Monday starts off with a Buyers only exclusive tour of Fort Worth. This will be for tour operators from all over the world to get a sneak peak at all the Fort Worth has to offer.

Opening night will kick off on Monday evening at Billy Bob's Texas with an event called "Two Step Across Texas". Cities from all over Texas are coming together to welcome this group. In the 25 years that Go West Summit has been meeting this will be the first meeting in the State of Texas!

Tuesday, after a long day of meetings this group will spread out across Downtown and the Stockyards for a dine around. This gives attendees the chance to Experience Fort Worth on their own. If you happen to be out and about that night and see someone looking lost show that Fort Worth hospitality that we are known for and ask if they need directions somewhere! Check out our dinning selection and point them in the direction of your favorite restaurant!

Wednesday the conference celebrates the last day of meetings with a reception by Omni Hotel, an evening out at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and after hours in Sundance Square at Lone Star!

Thursday offers six different tours around the Fort Worth area depending on the attendee’s interests. They range everywhere from the Western Experience at Wildcatter Ranch to Shopping at Paragon Outlets,  Cowboys Stadium Tours to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, a walk in JFK's footsteps to a fast pace tour at Texas Motor Speedway. There is never a short supply of things to do in North Texas!

Help us in Welcoming Go West Summit this January to Fort Worth! Fort more information contact your Tourism Team or Go West's Website.

On the morning of November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy presented his last public speech in Fort Worth outside of the Hilton Fort Worth, formerly Hotel Texas. On that rainy Friday morning, thousands of Fort Worthians gathered outside General Worth Square to listen to the President as JFK gave the crowd inspiration in an uplifting speech where he famously said, “There are no faint hearts In Fort Worth”. For nearly fifty years, the events of that day in 1963 had overshadowed his visit to Fort Worth. The JFK Tribute exists to honor the positive ideals and themes of the President’s historic final speeches.

The Tribute in downtown Fort Worth is a 1.53 acre permanent open air exhibit located at the southeast corner of Main and 8th Streets, approximately where President Kennedy delivered his outdoor address. Visitors to the JFK Tribute will see the elegant eight foot Lawrence Ludtke bronze sculpture of President Kennedy surrounded by a granite plaza featuring photographs from this historic moment in time and read quotes from a number of memorable speeches. The exhibit also includes a water wall and will offer both an audio tour and downloadable transcripts of the two speeches he made that day via mobile app or, via the Tribute website.    

Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. (DFWII) invites you to celebrate the opening of this exhibit with a public ceremony to begin at 9:00 a.m. Thursday, November 8, 2012. For more, including the full speeches on video and a project timeline, visit www.jfktribute.com

Bringing a group to Fort Worth? Let us help! The Fort Worth Tourism team is here to help all leisure travel groups traveling to Fort Worth. Some of the many services we offer free of charge to all groups coming to Fort Worth are:

• Happy Trails Greetings, we personally welcome your group to our city and offer a free souvenir gift to each person in the tour.
• We can assist you with itinerary planning: destination, region or stop over.
• We offer “one-stop” hotel rate quote assistance from our group and Motor coach-friendly hotels.
• With our promotional video, images, attraction brochures, maps, calendar of events, discount coupons and more, we can give you any marketing assistance needed.
• We provide group reservation assistance for attractions, performing arts and special venues.

For details on any of this please reach out to our Tourism Team.

A few weeks ago I went on my first ever Segway ride with Cowtown Segway Tours. Being that I am easily one of the most uncoordinated people I know, I was a little nervous. Segway Susie put me at ease and had me "hot-doggin" (riding in a zig-zag pattern) it through the Botanic Gardens in no time.

These tours a very reasonable priced and would make great family outings during the Holidays! The weight/age minimum is either 100lbs, or 14. Cowtown Segway Tours run 7 days a week at various times (10:00AM, 12:00PM, 2:30PM, 3:45PM, and 6:00PM) and last anywhere from 60-90 minutes depending on the tour.

Not only do the tours take you through the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, but you can also choose tours that take you through the Trinity Trails, Downtown Sights, or a Special Event Tour. Check out more Off the Beaten Path things to do in Fort Worth!

Now through January 2013, you have the opportunity to see the largest traveling exhibition the Amon Carter Museum of American Art has ever presented-completely free. Opening in Italy in 2010, traveling to Madrid, then Tokyo and now Fort Worth, To See as Artists See: American Art from the Philips Collection is composed of ten thematic units that takes you through a journey across time of American art. Fort Worth, the City of Cowboys and Culture is one of only three cities to host the exhibition.

Duncan Phillips, one of the few voices to champion American art as well as young struggling artists, opened The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. in 1921 as America's first museum of modern art. To See as Artists See is the first large-scale, traveling presentation of The Phillips’s celebrated collection of American art. The exhibit offering a historical narrative of the collection from 1850 to 1960, includes work by over 63 American artists including Georgia O’Keeffe, Stuart Davis, Arthur G. Dove and Walt Kuhn.

After a guided tour last week , what I found most transparent about the exhibit was Duncan Phillip's compassion for young, struggling artists and his artistic eye for paintings that at the time of purchase were worth very little. In the 1920s, Phillip purchased Edward Hopper's Sunday (pictured below) for just $600; now the painting is estimated to be worth well into the millions. This reoccurring motif is apparent throughout the exhibit and uniquely parallels that of the American Dream: taking a chance on someone or something to follow the pursuit of one's passion. Don't miss your chance to view the passion that paid off and see this incredible exhibit in the world-renowned Fort Worth Cultural District.