After our short visit in Waco, we headed north to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Unfortunately, the further north we traveled, the higher the temperature and wind speed! We had wind speeds of up to 30 mph and over 90 degrees every day. However, we made the most of our time there.

The Vineyards Campground & Cabins

We stayed at The Vineyards Campground & Cabins for two weeks. We chose Site 81, which had a beautiful view of the lake. If not for the wind and the heat, this would have been a wonderful site. We even had families visiting us every day!

Fort Worth Stockyards

The Fort Worth Stockyards, a must-see when you’re in the area, was about a 30-minute drive from the campground. After a morning of working and some lunch, we took off on our adventure.

The History of the Stockyards

Fort Worth is best known as the last stop on the Chisholm Trail in the late 1800s as the drovers moved longhorn cattle across Texas. Here, they would get some sleep, feed the cattle and themselves, and stock up on supplies for the final push to their destination. Check out the website above for more information on this important part of American history.

Sites around town

While the Stockyards only encompasses a small area of Fort Worth, there is a lot to see and do. The old cattle barns have been converted into shops and restaurants, and they have succeeded in keeping the feel of the old southwest.

If you time it right, you can see a rodeo at the Fort Worth Live Stock Exchange. At the very least, go inside and see the Hall of Fame display that surrounds the arena.

Fort Worth Herd Cattle Drive

Of course, the event most people are familiar with is the Herd Cattle Drive. Every day at 11:30 am and 4:00 pm, The Stockyards hosts a longhorn cattle drive right down the main street. The event takes about five minutes for the cattle to go a couple of blocks, but it is definitely a sight to see.

Parking at the Stockyards

There are quite a few options for both paid and free parking. We parked behind the cattle barns and paid to park.

Check here for all the parking options available.

Conclusion

We enjoyed our afternoon at the Stockyards. It’s not every day that you are that close to longhorn cattle.

Next up: AT&T Stadium – an amazing place even if you aren’t a Cowboys fan!

We’re Mike & Jennifer Skinnell, and together we are The Rambling Quilter. We travel the country full-time in our 41ft. fifth-wheel pulled by our F-350 – affectionately named Beauty & The Beast. Mike still works part-time, and Jennifer writes our blog, travel articles, and contemporary fiction. Our blog is purely for entertainment purposes. However, if you’d like to support Jennifer’s writing career, her author link is below.