Things to Do

Hundreds of years ago, settlers who came to Fort Worth were greeted by rolling prairies for as far as the eye could see. Today, those welcoming fields have been replaced by growing cities and towns, but Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) remembers this heritage and culture with the annual celebration of Prairie Day.

BRIT's Prairie Day offers family-friendly education about the beauty and importance of the North Texas landscape through hands-on events and activities that kids will love. Kids will be encouraged to get a little dirty as they help to make seed balls, a Prairie Day tradition. Using a Native American technique, visitors will combine seeds, humus, and red clay into tiny packets of life that will be tossed into the fields surrounding  BRIT to populate the area with native plants. Imagine the fun of returning to the BRIT next spring to see the plants you helped to grow!

Other activities throughout the day will combine fun family games with opportunities to learn about nature, including face painting, balloon twisting, and a variety of games provided by the Log Cabin Village.  In addition, live music and cowboy poets will be on hand to entertain the crowd. 

Don't miss these other great activities:

• Beekeeping demonstrations
• Soap and candle making
• Children’s coloring contest
• Basket Weaving
• Solar Cooking Demonstrations
• Meet two special guest prairie dogs

The 3^rd annual Prairie Day event will be held on Saturday, May 18^th from 10 am to 2 pm at BRIT Headquarters 1700 University Drive.

This Earth Day, (April 22, 2013) Fort Worth will be celebrating in style as the city launches the Fort Worth B-Cycle, the first-ever bike sharing system in North Texas. Texas is making environmental strides as the only state with three cities to have a bike-sharing program: San Antonio, Houston and now, the City of Cowboys and Culture. If you're not familiar, bike sharing is an environmentally-friendly mode of transportation based on the shared use of public bicycles. Run by the nonprofit organization, Fort Worth Bike Sharing, the system will feature 300 specially designed Trek bicycles available for checkout from 30 docking stations located throughout the city: from Downtown Sundance Square to the Cultural District and the Near Southside.

Memberships for the new bike share program are for sale and if you sign up before the Earth Day launch on April 22, you receive a $10 discount on an annual membership by using promo code, "earlybird." An annual membership costs $80; students, seniors and military can purchase for $65. Annual members will receive "B-cards," which enable them to more quickly checkout bikes from the bike share station. Another perk for these annual members is that they can use their B-cycle memberships in other B-cycle cities, including San Antonio, Houston, Denver and Nashville. The Earth Day event launch will include a featured send-off of approximately 300 volunteers riding the bicycles from Burnett Park to each docking station. Avid cyclist, Mayor Betsy Price and Councilman Joel Burns will be among the riders. Come on out for this special Earth Day celebration at Burnett Park on April 22-Let's Ride! 

Photo: Fort Worth Bike Sharing - Jason Lamers, Mayor Price's Chief of Staff testing out the B-Cycle

This Thursday, March 21^st head on down to West 7^th Street for Trunk Show Thursday! The spring fashions are in stores, and you’re invited to a special evening showcasing this season’s collections. Shoppers will enjoy live music by the Marcus Rockwell Trio from 5 to 8 pm and complimentary Cosmo martinis will be served at each participating location. The Trunk Show will be the 2900 Block of Crockett Street and will include: Reads Jewelers, Flirt, Lane-Knight, Wrare, Moda Salon & Spa, Toni&Guy, Climate by CD Ski & Sports and Teskey’s Uptown. Each of the participating venues will have something extra special going on for one day only!

Reads Jewelers will play host to Rosemary Crowley from Konstantino Fine Jewelry. Konstantino jewelry comes all the way from Greece is known for its unique designs and remarkable artisanship.

At Flirt Boutique trunk show patrons can meet local designer Ashley Burghardt of Ashard Richley. Ashley will have her spring handbags as well as her new women’s clothing line on hand for preview and preorder before it hits stores at the end of April.

Lane-Knight will display MZ Wallace and their unique selection of bags made from quality Italian fabrics, thick zippers, and thoughtful pockets.

Daniel Wright from W Durable Goods will be at Wrare for the event.  W Durable Goods are handmade in Texas and are a line of well-made affordable briefcases, accessory bags and other goods.

Stop by Moda Salon & Spa  to enjoy a complimentary chair and hand massage. Receive 10% off retail on all products on this night only, plus a free gift (no purchase required for free gift). Make-up touch ups will also be available.

Call ahead because TONI&GUY will be offering Happy Hour Style Outs for $25 (by appt only). Also, receive a FREE makeup application with purchase of a cosmetic product.

A representatives from WORN for Peace will be at Climate by CD Ski & Sports. All  WORN products are hand-knit in the USA by women who have survived the afflictions of their war-torn and poverty-stricken homelands.

Alma Soul will be displaying their collection of handcrafted belts, bags, and scarves and  Willow Creek Jewelry will show off their line of semi-precious silver jewelry at Teskey’s Uptown.

This is sure to be an event you wont want to miss! Check out our website to learn more about Shopping, Nightlife and Restaurants in the West 7^th District!

Imagine a place built around color, creativity and extreme fun! LEGO® fans - young and old - are sure to love the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center located next to Fort Worth in Grapevine Mills Mall. This is the perfect spring break destination designed to thrill the minds of children ages 3-10, where they can reach out and touch the stars in the 4D cinema, learn top LEGO® building secrets from the Master Model Builder, and discover iconic landmarks in MINILAND®.

Comment below by Friday, March 15 at noon to be entered to win a family four-pack of tickets!

(Up to two adults and two children; valid through Oct. 2013). Winner will be emailed on Monday, 3/18. 

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

Join Goodguys for a Spring Fling at Texas Motor Speedway – the Goodguys 3rd Annual Spring Lone Star Nationals features three big days of hot roddin’ fun Texas style! March 15^th-17^th Texas Motor Speedway will be filled with race fans of all ages. Enjoy over 2,000 Rods, Customs, Classics, Muscle Cars and Trucks thru ’72. There will also be vendor and manufacturer exhibits and live music entertainment! Bring the whole family because there will be free kids entertainment - Revell Model Car Make n’ Take, PPG Kids Coloring Contest, clowns & more. Other activities you won’t want to miss include: Goodgals Arts & Crafts Gallery, Ahwooga.com Swap Meet, Model & Pedal Car Show, and Goodguys Autocross. Download the Weekend Hap’s Flyer for a complete list of details. General Admission is $18; Admission for kids (ages 7-12) is $6.00, (6 & under) are free, and parking shuttles are complimentary. For more event information and to buy tickets visit www.good-guys.com/slsn.

Two lucky winners who comment on this blog post will receive 4 general admission tickets!

How to Enter: comment below, and you will be automatically entered to win! You must enter by Wednesday, March 6, 2013. Click here for Contest Rules. 

Hometown: Albany, New York

Occupation: Freelance writer and editor of AlbanyKid.com, a blog about enriching family travel.

Describe Fort Worth in three words: Spunky, Spirited, and Surprising.

If you want to discover America’s frontier spirit, there’s no better place to find it than in Fort Worth. The Old West comes alive every day in the Stockyards when cowhands drive a herd of Texas Longhorns through the Historic District. But on a recent visit, I discovered that there’s a lot more to this “Cowtown.”

Lush Gardens

The Texas landscape of my imagination is one of dusty trails, lone oak trees and barbwire fences. Not the verdant gardens—brightened by cottage pink roses, towering azaleas, and abundantly stocked koi ponds--that graced my stroll through the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. And as if that wasn’t enough to permanently shift my mental picture, the Botanic Garden offers a number of educational exhibits, including the extremely kid-friendly Texas Native Forest Boardwalk.

Renaissance Art

I was expecting to see works by legendary Western artists such as Frederic Remington, but little did I know that Fort Worth is home to world-class art collections.  The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth houses the second largest collection of modern and contemporary American and European art in the United States. And the Kimbell Art Museum, known as “America’s best small museum,” permanently displays Michelangelo’s first painting, The Torment of Saint Anthony. Both museums are neighbors in Fort Worth’s Cultural District, where a number of outdoor sculptures prompted smiles (and even raised eyebrows.)

Loss and Remembrance

When I visited, Fort Worth had just unveiled the JFK Tribute commemorating the city’s place in history as the site of President John F. Kennedy’s final speech before his assassination. I was staying across the street at the Hilton Hotel (formerly Hotel Texas) where JFK and the first lady spent their last night together, and thus had ample opportunity to study displays celebrating JFK’s accomplishments. What struck me, though, was not the photographs and signage, but the sense of pride and gratitude in his legacy emanating from a Texan vet I met at the exhibits.

I hope you dance.

Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s largest honky-tonk, has to be seen to be believed. We dropped in early on a weeknight, so I didn’t experience the energy of a 100,000 square foot establishment capable of holding 6,000 people. Instead, I was able to get a good gander at the decorative displays: the world’s largest belt buckle; walls covered in hand prints from the likes of Ringo, Richard Petty, and Huey Lewis; and a homage to the Live at Billy Bob’s Texas” label listing county music legends from Merle Haggard to Billy Joe Shaver who have recorded onsite. The image that will stay with me, however, is that of a middle-aged couple dancing on the wooden floor, under neon lights and a rhinestone studded saddle.

Seems to me that Fort Worth is full of fun and educational things to do with kids, but it’s also the kind of place that makes you want to dance.

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Occupation: Database programmer

Describe Fort Worth in three words: Quintessentially Texas, y’all

My return to Fort Worth comes 30 years after I was last there.  I lived in Fort Worth for about three years in the early 80s – just long enough to attend middle school.  Looking back on my childhood, it was not the brightest time of my life, but that didn’t stop me from showing my wife, Stephanie, some sights and telling tales of a younger, less sure-footed me.

We started at the Fort Worth Stockyards.  I figure if there’s one sight in Fort Worth not to miss, this is it.  Historically, this district is where cattle and other livestock were bought and sold, earning Fort Worth the nickname “Cowtown.”  Now it’s a touristy stretch of bars, western-wear and souvenir shops.  We found some unique, and undeniably Texan items to bring back to the gang in Philadelphia.  We also found a spot where instead of a mechanical bull, you can ride remote controlled mechanical animals including a saddled bass, a TCU horned frog, and a “reinsteer” (a longhorn with horns and reindeer antlers).

Next up were the Fort Worth Water Gardens.  I remember this place (a) from when I was a kid, and (b) from the final scene of the movie “Logan’s Run.”  The Water Gardens feature three different pools of water.  The most famous is the “active pool” where you can walk down stepping stones and watch the water cascade all around you.  It is hard to describe the feeling of being surrounded by water falling all around you at different levels, while you stay dry, beneath the street level in the middle of a city.  There’s also a “Quiet Pool”, which is again below street level, lined by perfect rows of trees, and designed to make you feel very small in the large space around you.  Finally, there’s the Aerated Pool, where sprinkler-like apparatuses spray huge water droplets into the air before they fall back down into the pool.

After this we drove to my old neighborhood, where we saw the house where I lived, the synagogue I attended as a kid, and even the rectory where my Boy Scout troop met.  At the rectory, there is a short drainage culvert that I was afraid to walk through when I was 12, but was able to successfully – and probably illegally – navigate with Stephanie’s help.

We also paid a visit to the Hulen mall where in the early 80s I discovered the joys of video games.  The mall is now a crowded behemoth, especially since we were there two weeks before Christmas, but the cool clock is still hanging inside, so yay.

Every city in Texas seems to have its own personality, but Fort Worth screams “Texas” more than any others.  If you really want to sample a slice of the Lone Star State, start here.

Follow me and Stephanie, the Mile High Duo, as we travel around the world!

There's no doubt, Fort Worth has romance in the air. Just take a walk through Downtown Sundance Square and the tree lit sidewalks mixed with the historic atmosphere, will create the perfect setting for your Valentine's date night. Fort Worth offers plenty of Downtown dining options where you can dress it up at Mercury Chophouse, Del Frisco's or Ruth Chris and dress it down at Riscky's or Frankie's Sports Bar. 

If you're looking for an ideal Valentine's date night in Downtown Fort Worth, we recommend appetizers and drinks at Reata Restaurant in Sundance Square. If it's a nice evening, try to get a spot on the recently renovated rooftop patio. Walk down Main Street for a dining experience like no other at Grace Restaurant where award-winning Chef Blaine Staniford creates Modern American Classics like bacon wrapped scallops.

The highlight of your evening will take place at one of the most romantic spots in Downtown, Bass Performance Hall where Performing Arts Fort Worth presents Broadway at the Bass: Memphis (February 12-17, 2013). Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Memphis is a show-stopping, thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love with explosive dancing and irresistible songs. After the show, indulge in a gourmet cupcake at The Cupcakery or step into Scat Jazz Lounge, for live music and a nightcap.

Share your Fort Worth love this Valentine's Day, and you could win two tickets to see Memphis on February 14 plus a $20 gift card to Grace Restaurant! To enter, upload a photo of something you love about Fort Worth or a loved one, using the tag #LoveFortWorth. For more contest info, visit FortWorth.com/Love. One winner will be chosen at random and announced on Instagram and Facebook on Monday February 11 at 2pm. 

Fort Worth offers plenty of options for 2013 Super Bowl watching-parties to cheer on your favorite team! Here's our Top 3 picks for Sunday, February 3:

Frankie's Sports Bar in Sundance Square is making things easy with an all-inclusive Super Party. Guests will receive an unlimited food from a select menu, six drinks, and a "swag bag" full of party favors and gifts for $50/person. Plus, there will be chances to win more prizes with a raffle each quarter.

Reservoir, just off of Seventh Street, is one of the newest hangouts in Fort Worth and offers a non-traditional sports bar atmosphere but includes all the sports amenities a fan could need: drink specials, 38 HD screens and a projection TV on Super Bowl Sunday. Try some of their specialties on the menu including chicken and waffles or slow-roasted pork ribs.

BoomerJack's Grill & Bar located in Montgomery Plaza is known for accommodating big game specials, and for the 2013 Super Bowl, they do not disappoint.  Each location in the metroplex is offering 59-cent wings and $3 You Call It (Crown and Down) this Sunday.

If football isn't your thing, check out the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo this Sunday where you can catch everything from the "World's Original Indoor Rodeo™" to the Regional Red Angus Cattle Show and enjoy tons of carnival rides at the Midway!

There are many things coming up at the Kimbell Art Museum to get excited about, most notably the opening of the Renzo Piano Pavilion in late 2013, but next month, you will have the chance to see Bernini: Sculpting in Clay starting February 3, 2013. The exhibit, featuring 49 terracotta models, most of which done by Bernini, explores a deeper understanding of the sculptor and his incredible talents. Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who lived between 1598 and 1680, was the greatest sculptor of the 17th century—the Michelangelo of his age. He did for sculpture what Caravaggio did for painting, invigorating it with an unprecedented sense of drama and naturalism that launched the artistic age known as the Baroque. Over a career that spanned nearly 70 years, he reshaped the face of Rome with his spirited works—from marble statues of saints in chapels to dramatic fountains in civic spaces. Mark your calendar to set a date to visit the exhibit, Bernini: Sculpting in Clay from February 3-April 13, 2013! Caption: Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Model for the Lion on the Four Rivers Fountain (detail), c. 1649–50, terracotta. Accademia Nazionale di San Luca, Rome. Photo by Zeno Colantoni.

Taking a look at fall 2013, the Kimbell Art Museum will host some of the most celebrated works of modern art during The Age of Picasso and Matisse: Modern Masters from The Art Institute of Chicago (October 6, 2013-February 16, 2014). The exhibition will feature nearly 100 works from The Art Institute of Chicago which holds one of the greatest collections of modern European art in the world. In the largest loan of its kind from the Art Institute, the Kimbell will host The Age of Picasso and Matisse: Modern Masters from The Art Institute of Chicago as the only venue.The works span the first five decades of the 20th century and include 10 pieces by Picasso and 10 by Matisse. This exhibition has been booked to coincide when the new Renzo Piano-designed building is scheduled to open.

For more information on things to do in the Fort Worth Cultural District visit us online. 

The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame pays tribute to the cowboys and cowgirls who have excelled in the sports of rodeo, cutting and ranching, and those individuals who have dedicated their lives to promoting and preserving Texas Western heritage. The Sterquell Wagon collection features more than 60 Old West wagons, carts and sleighs. At the Exploratorium, children can learn to pack for a trail drive and dig for treasures in the sawdust, among other hands-on experiences. Western-themed apparel, jewelry and souvenirs are available in the gift shop.

Induction into Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed on individuals who have shown excellence in competition, business, and support of rodeo and the western lifestyle in Texas. This year's induction will take place January 17th, 2013 at the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District.

This year's Inductees include:

• Dr. Tandy Freeman, III - Medical Director for the Justin Sports Medicine Team and Professional Bull Riders Sports Medicine Program, Team Physician for the Dallas Mavericks and a member of the physician pool for the U.S. Ski Team.
• Sandy Kirby - A 9-time qualifier for the bull riding and 5-time qualifier for the bareback competition. Kirby took home the Bareback Average title in 1973 and the Bull Riding Average title in 1974.
• Edwards Family & Edwards Ranch - The Edwards Ranch, which has been operating over 160 years, is considered prime real estate in Fort Worth. Over the years parts of the ranch have been sold and developed into Trinity Park and the Fort Worth Zoo.
• Tommy Steiner - The Steiner Rodeo Company has been home to some of rodeos finest stock including 6 Black 6, the 1975 Bull of the Year; 11 Red Lightning, the 1978 Bull of the Year and Stormy Weather, the 1975 Bareback Horse of the Year just to name a few.

Rick Smith Spirit of Texas Honoree:

• Randy White – A retired professional football player, White has appeared in numerous western and children’s fundraising events and is involved in celebrity roping events as well as with other western organizations.

Proceeds benefit the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in their ongoing education and preservation efforts. Click here for more information on the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony or other Events in Fort Worth.

Texas Motor Speedway is twinkling once again with Christmas spirit. This favorite Fort Worth venue is home to The Gift of Christmas where visitors will find more than two million LED lights in dazzling displays every night of the week.

The Gift of Christmas will be open November 21, 2012 through January 6th, 2013.  The gates are unlocked at 5:30 pm and don’t close until the last car in line gets through. Click Here for daily hours of operation.

Get your tickets in advance at Walgreens, Tom Thumb or online. The price is $15 per car Monday-Thursday and $20 per car Friday-Sunday. Part of proceeds will benefit the Tarrant Area Food Bank, Goodwill Industries, and KLTY Christmas Wish. 

The Gift of Lights is back and this family-friendly holiday show is a great opportunity to share the joy of the season with friends and family. Click HERE to learn more!

Show your support for the great men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces at the 10th anniversary Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl as the Air Force Falcons take on the Rice Owls at Amon G. Carter Stadium on December 29th! Click Here to purchase your tickets!

Enjoy an action-packed weekend of football, pageantry and much more! Rev up for the game Friday, December 28th at the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl Pep Rally at the Flying Saucer from 6-7pm (free). On game day, check out the Armed Forces Adventure area and enjoy a free pregame concert by Good Question Band and postgame concert by Le Freak.

This truly is more than a just a bowl game. All five branches of the service are prevalent throughout the game and each quarter honors a different service branch. Pregame ceremonies include flyovers and skydivers, joint military color guard, 36th Infantry Division band and Texas State Guard flag bearers. 

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is a 23-day extravaganza, offering a unique atmosphere rich in tradition and history. Also known as Tarrant County's largest annual event, the Show attracts more than one million visitors each year. This year's event will last from January 18th - February 9th, 2013.

The 117-year old event is the nation's oldest livestock show, featuring over 22,000 head of world-class livestock on exhibit. The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is home of the World's Original Indoor Rodeo®.

In addition to the various livestock shows and professional rodeo thrills, Stock Show patrons can also enjoy interactive educational exhibits, nearly 200,000 square feet of unique shopping, live music, an exciting carnival, great food and much more! Experience this legendary event full of western heritage, family entertainment and lasting education each January through February at the Will Rogers Memorial Center.

Rodeo tickets range from $19 to $25 and will be available for:

• "Best of the West" Ranch Rodeo @ 7:30 p.m. January 18-19th
• Best of Mexico Celebracion @ 7:30 p.m. on January 20th
• Cowboys of Color Rodeo @ 2 p.m. on January 21st
• "Bulls' Night Out" @ 7:30 p.m. January 22-23rd
• World's Original Indoor Rodeo January 24th-February 9th.

Check www.fwssr.com for a complete list of times and events for the 2013 Stock Show and Rodeo. Check back on our Facebook page for a FWSSR photo contest January 2-January 14! 

The ticket office at 3401 W. Lancaster Ave. will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Fans also can purchase tickets by calling 817-877-2420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. 

The holidays are upon us and with them, come so many traditions to take part in! Deck the halls, bake your favorite seasonal treats, sing classic Christmas carols, to name a few. One of our favorite holiday traditions that always puts us in that special Christmas spirit is catching a show at Bass Performance Hall or McDavid Studio in downtown Sundance Square.

Not only are the decorations in Bass Hall absolutely stunning this time of year, but the lineup is pretty stellar, too! Favorites like Michael Martin Murphey, Dave Koz and Robert Earl Keen are bringing holiday cheer to Fort Worth and tickets are on sale now! Choose one of the many entertaining shows and make a night of it in downtown Fort Worth! Warm up with some hot coco at Oliver's, indulge your sweet tooth at The Cupcakery, enjoy a brew at the Flying Saucer and visit Sundance Square's Winter Wonderland on Main Street. Visit the full list of upcoming events at Bass Hall and McDavid Studio.

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!