Fort Worth, Texas: Every Country Girls’ Dream

Our first three years in the Dallas-Fort Worth area were spent mostly hanging out in Dallas since we lived only fifteen minutes from the heart of the city. Life had other plans, though, and we moved closer to the country, which made us visit Fort Worth more often.

That was seven years ago. Needless to say, the girls and I know our way around Fort Worth, and we can’t wait to give you our recommendations on where to stay, what to eat, and what to do while hanging out in Cowtown.

Before You Visit, You Should Know

Best time to visit: March-May is honestly the best time. The weather is mild, and the flowers are out; it is gorgeous all throughout DFW, with bluebonnets growing what seems like everywhere. One of the places we recommend visiting, the Botanic Garden, also has cherry blossoms in full bloom during April and May.

Here’s the weather forecast for the next few weeks:

What to pack: Whatever you do, don’t forget your cowboy/cowgirl hat! If you have boots, those are also recommended, especially if you’re going to the Stockyards. Most ladies will be wearing a dress to go with their boots. Otherwise, feel free to wear jeans or jean shorts, t-shirts, or whatever you feel comfortable in.

Your Home Away From Home

Hotel

• Embassy Suites Downtown: I treated the girls to a night at the Embassy right after Brandon died. I chose this hotel because, again, I know Hiltons. I know their consistency. Plus, it was downtown, and they had a pool. The lady at the front desk was wonderful. They gave us a room I didn’t like- there was no view. So I told her the circumstances, and she hooked us up with a beautiful room. There is a nice evening reception- snacks and two drinks.
• Great Wolf Lodge: GWL is actually in Grapevine, but there were not many super great hotel options in Fort Worth. Great Wolf Lodge is one of those hotels where you can stay and not have to leave for any other outings. If you have littles, they have a master maji game with wands that interact with items in the hotel. There is also the pool and the arcade area. The food is good over, but the breakfast buffet is ah.maz.ing. You don’t want to miss it.

Dig In! Let’s Eat

I have noticed something when writing this and the Dallas post. The girls and I tend to get in our zone when we go to the city. We love Summer Moon in Fort Worth and La La Land Kind in Dallas. We need to get out more! My Waco reviews were much fuller. Still, though, this is truly the best of the best list right here!

Breakfast and Coffee

• Summer Moon Coffee: This is probably my favorite coffee shop in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It originated in Austin, so there are plenty throughout Texas. Here’s what makes them so different, though: they don’t roast their beans in a traditional manner. Instead, they roast them over oak wood, giving the beans a slightly smokey flavor when ground. Then, they have their moon milk as a base, which is wonderful. It was so wonderful that people asked to buy it, and they obliged by selling it in a quart container at the stores! I recommend getting the half-moon as it’s a little less sweet.
• Flat Track Coffee My first experience with Flat Tack was in Austin, which was not good. The barista had a pretentious air about her, something I cannot stand in the coffee community (or anywhere, to be honest). I am glad that I took a chance and went to their Fort Worth location as well because the baristas were very nice the two times I’ve been there, and the coffee and food were superb. I mean, obviously, I went back, didn’t I? I recommend La Chingona, which is half horchata and half Mexican mocha. A solid win. They also had a homemade pop tart that was sweet without being too sweet!

Main Meals

• Goldee’s BBQ: There is a reason this BBQ restaurant won Texas Monthly’s 2021 Best BBQ in Texas award. Their food is delicious, and their employees are the best- super sweet and helpful. You can tell they love their job. If you are going here- plan to make a morning of it. Get there early and pull up a chair. Talk to the people around you- you learn a lot. Our BBQ neighbors were from Australia! I can’t give you a recommendation here- I’d say just get it all.
• Central Market: Yes, this is a grocery store, yet it never fails- I take someone there for the first time, and their eyes are bigger than their mouth is. They end up taking food home. I don’t recommend going here from noon to one, as there is a high school across the street that allows students to leave to get their lunch, so it can be a bit crowded. Any other time? Check it out for yourself. Get lunch and then look around at their vast variety of food. Ever seen a Buddha’s hand or mushrooms that cost over $100? You will at Central Market!
• Flower Child: This is Nevaeh’s second favorite restaurant in Texas- Mamaka Bowls being the first. The food is healthy, and their vegan pudding is outstanding. Every time we go, we order it. The vibe is funky, very open, and bright colors. My only major heads-up is that they don’t have your typical drinks. They have iced teas- non-sweet and seasonal lemonades.
• Woodshed Smokehouse: Woodshed is not your typical BBQ-flair place. Instead, they have more unique food items that are cooked over a wood fire. It’s outdoors and airy, with a very comfortable vibe in the winter (the only time I’ve been) because they have heat lamps nearby. My favorite things to get are the ramen bowl and the lamb brisket.
• Love Shack Burgers: Since we are already talking about Chef Tim Love’s restaurants, let’s talk about Love Shack. Located amongst the action in the Stockyards, this is a ca n’t-miss. We went to midday, and a band played- a nice touch to eating our meal. I ordered a Love Burger, which is a traditional burger with meat, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, love sauce, and… a quail egg! It’s one of those things; you don’t have to worry about the calories when it tastes good.

Sweet Tooth

• Melt Ice Cream: The owner, Kari Crowe-Seher, realized Fort Worth needed a specialty ice cream restaurant, so she set out to do just that. What better way than to go on an ice cream tour of the US? While on the tour, she met a man who told her that he sold ice cream because it “melts away people’s problems, if only for that moment in time.” Ugh. Such a great story. How could you not love it for that alone? Well, if that doesn’t sell you- they also have some seriously delicious ice cream. My favorite is their seasonal flavors- including their Harry Potter week, where they have ice cream like Weasley Brothers Ton-Tongue Toffee, with toasty toffee ice cream with housemade toffee pieces throughout, and a charcoal-activated Cone That Must Not Be Named.

Things to Do

• Check out the stockyards: If you’re looking for a unique place to go shopping or watch a cattle stampede, head over to the Fort Worth Stockyards. I personally recommend you dress up as well because it seems most people do. There is plenty to see and do while you are in the area, including learning to line dance at Billy Bob’s Texas or visiting the John Wayne experience.
• Fort Worth Zoo: Nevaeh had originally planned to take Breanna to the zoo for Valentine’s Day in 2024, but life had other plans, so we went a few weeks later. This zoo is especially known for its conservation efforts as it is a founding member of the Caribbean Wildlife Alliance and focuses on conserving native wildlife in the Caribbean. Throughout the zoo, you will see signs of how you can help animals like those seen there survive and thrive in their habitat. For example, which chocolates to buy because they don’t harm the animal’s environment to harvest the cocoa bean.
• Fort Worth Botanical Gardens: Want a quieter experience when visiting a Botanic garden? The Fort Worth one has you. There is plenty to do within the garden itself, and it is located near other great options in the area. Their greenhouse changes seasonally, and you can easily spend half a day there. I highly recommend going in the spring if you can because the cherry blossoms are beautiful.
• Visit the Water Gardens: This is a free place to go, and you can easily spend an hour or two there. Climbing down the stairs was a bit scary for me as there was no railing, but the view was beautiful from the top to the bottom.
• Check out the Wonderbar: Okay, okay. I am not a big fan of bars. It’s just not my scene; however, when I drove past this one on my way to the Embassy Suites, I googled it and decided I had to come back at some point. I finally got the opportunity in June and immediately had no regrets. The drinks were delicious, and the different areas were great to take pictures next to. they had me grinning from ear to ear the entire time I was there. If you’re the night owl type, don’t skip out on the Wonderbar!

Wrapping It Up

I will forever be exploring all the great things happening in the area and can’t wait to bring you more great things about Fort Worth. But for now, check out some of our other guides!