If you’ve been to Dallas, you’ve probably been to Fort Worth. And if you’ve been to Fort Worth, you’ve—at the least—heard that the local stockyards played a big role in the American West.
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The Fort Worth Stockyards are a historic area where cattle drovers once stopped on the Chisholm Trail. They traded livestock and shipped products around the country as early as the 1870s. Today, the Stockyards are an entertaining historic district popular amongst tourists.
It’s a vestige of the past—one that captures the cowboy intrigue that Texas is known for.
But it’s just one of many experiences in the larger Dallas metro area that you can enjoy to feel like you’re stepping into the past. If you’re on the hunt for a little Wild West flair, check out these tours in Dallas and Fort Worth that will ignite your inner cowboy.
Tours in Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas for a little cowboy-themed fun
Fort Worth Highlights
This is a half-day, five-hour tour that shows you the very best of Fort Worth. Your guide will take you to several landmarks that define Cowtown, from the historic stockyards to Sundance Square. Not only will you learn plenty about the American West, but you’ll also get to see one of the daily longhorn drives that cuts through town. This is a private tour, as well, giving you a more personalized experience.
Distillery Tour and Tasting in Dallas
Enjoy this one-hour distillery tour of New Artisan Distillery & Tasting Lounge. Not only do you get to take a peek at on-site production, but you also get to learn about the real plants that create gin and bourbon—something that the cowboys of yore would have known a thing or two about. The experience includes Glencairn tasting glasses for added elevation.
Private Dallas and JFK Tour with Local Guide
Take to the streets of Dallas to dive deep into the topics that interest you most. Your expert local guide has three hours to show you the city. While some topics, like JFK, history is another key component of the tour. One option is to learn about Pioneer Plaza and the famous bronze statues there, which will transport you back to the Wild West.
Fort Worth Highlights, Billy Bob’s, & John Wayne Day Tour
This eight-hour day tour takes you deep into the history and identity of Fort Worth. You’ll learn about how the city gained its reputation as ‘Where the West Begins’, not only learning about the cowboys of the past, but also Native tribes, cattle, oil, and other impactful stories. The tour also includes stops at Billy Bob’s club, along with the John Wayne exhibit.
Hell’s Cowboys Adults Only Ghost Tour
Leave the history books behind for a moment. If you want to learn about cowboy culture in Dallas-Fort Worth, you need to hear from its ghostly remnants. This 1.5-hour tour focuses on scary, gruesome true crime tales and urban legends. Cowboys included.
Fort Worth Stockyards History Tour & Pub Crawl
This popular two-hour tour includes a deep dive into Fort Worth’s stockyards, followed by a cruise through its best saloons. As you learn about the history of cowboy culture, cattle driving, and more, you’ll sip on refreshing, ice-cold beers. Consider it a peek into cowboy culture in Fort Worth and throughout the Lone Star State.
Historic Dallas Downtown Self-Guided Walking Tour
Get the low-down on Dallas with this one-hour self-guided tour. Normally, I’m not a fan of self-guided tours, but this is a comprehensive journey that explores Dallas in all its eras, from the first settlers to Old Red to the famed Grassy Knoll. It’s also a professional self-guided tour with high-quality production, narration, and music—perfect for those who want to dig deeper into Dallas’s history, including its Wild West past.
Fort Worth Heritage & Landmarks
This is a van tour that comes with two options: a three-hour tour with a stop at the stockyards or a 70-minute version without a stockyard stop. The tour focuses on Fort Worth’s history and culture, letting you delve deep into Fort Worth’s identity and status as a hub for cowboys—both past and present.
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