Fort Worth Stockyards | Texas Family Adventure

The Fort Worth Stockyards is a National Historic District that turns the Old West into a full day of family fun, and the best part is that a lot of it is free. Longhorns still walk the brick streets twice a day, cowboys and cowgirls work the district, and there’s a rodeo, a maze, museums, shops, and barbecue all within a few walkable blocks. For kids, watching real longhorns amble past with drovers on horseback is the kind of only-in-Texas moment they’ll talk about for weeks.

Start With the Cattle Drive

The Fort Worth Herd cattle drive is the signature experience, and it’s completely free. Drovers walk a herd of Texas longhorns down East Exchange Avenue twice a day, at 11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., weather permitting, every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. The drive itself only lasts about eight minutes, so arrive early and stake out a spot near the Livestock Exchange Building at 131 East Exchange Avenue for the best view. If your kids want to get closer, the Behind-the-Drive Experience at 1:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays lets visitors meet the drovers and the longhorns up close and hear the history behind the herd.

More Things to Do

Once you’ve seen the herd, the district keeps going:

• Cowtown Cattlepen Maze — a wooden maze that’s a reliable hit with elementary-age kids burning off energy.
• Stockyards Championship Rodeo at the historic Cowtown Coliseum — real rodeo action, typically on weekend evenings.
• Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame — wagons, memorabilia, and Western history in a hands-on setting.
• John Wayne: An American Experience — a Western film and history exhibit.
• Pony rides, a petting area, and a mechanical bull scattered through Stockyards Station, plus Western shops full of boots, hats, and candy.

Best for Which Ages

Toddlers and preschoolers do best with the cattle drive, the pony rides, and the petting animals, all of which are short and visual. Elementary-age kids get the widest run of the district: the maze, the rodeo, and the hands-on museums. Tweens and teens tend to enjoy the rodeo, the John Wayne exhibit, and the general Old West atmosphere. Because so much is outdoors and walkable, it flexes well for mixed ages.

Costs, Parking, and Timing

• Walking the district is free — the streets, sidewalks, and cattle drives cost nothing, which makes this an easy budget outing if you skip the paid attractions.
• Individual attractions charge separately. As of 2026, the Stockyards Championship Rodeo runs about $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, and $15 for kids 3–12 (under 3 free), and the John Wayne exhibit is around $22.95 for adults and $17.95 for youth 6–15 (5 and under free). Prices change, so confirm on each venue’s site before you go.
• Parking is available in nearby paid lots.
• Plan on a half day, and build it around one of the cattle-drive times.

What to Bring

The district is a lot of walking on brick streets, so wear comfortable shoes. Much of it is outdoors, so bring water, hats, and sunscreen in the warmer months, and check the events calendar before you go, since rodeos, festivals, and parades make some days far livelier than others.

Make It a Fort Worth Day

The Stockyards anchors a great Fort Worth family day. Pair it with the Cultural District’s family-friendly museums like the Kimbell Art Museum and the free Amon Carter Museum, or wind down in walkable Sundance Square downtown.

Planning a Fort Worth adventure? Browse our full directory of family-friendly attractions across DFW to map out your day.