Grab your cowboy boots and let’s head on down to the Lonestar state! In July, my boyfriend Ethan and I went on another trip, this time to a family in Fort Worth, Texas. A sophisticated cowboy and a culturally filled city with fantastic food, museums, and local art. During our visit we did a bunch of different things (even visited Oklahoma) but here are a couple of highlights from our visit!
If you know me and my boyfriend from previous blogs, you know we love some animals. I think every adventure we embark on if there are animals around, we’ll find them. So it was no surprise that our first stop (which I highly recommend) was the Fort Worth Zoo! We went early in the morning (because this is Texas people in July and it’s HOT) and all the animals were highly active. There are currently ten exhibits within the zoo, housing 72 species of mammals, 148 species of birds, and 172 species of reptiles and amphibians. We were able to see flamingos, monkies, tigers, polar bears, and elephants and we were even able to feed the giraffes during our visit.
While exploring downtown, Sundance Square, the Fort Worth Water Gardens, JFK Tribute, and local historical monuments and artistic wonders were all checked off our list! When you visit Fort Worth, these are places you must go see. As you walk along the streets, you can’t miss the culture. It practically screams at you. Learning about Butch Cassidy’s wild bunch made me feel like I was traveling through time. Then the next moment I was back in the future feeling magical as I danced through the fountains in the plaza.
My personal favorite was the Water Gardens. Designed by Philip Johnson, the Fort Worth Water Gardens is an architectural and engineering marvel to be enjoyed at any time of the year. Although they’re called Water Gardens, they’re not designed for swimming or wading no matter how tempting it may be on a hot day. Walking down to the bottom of the waterfall piece in the gardens was an awesome experience and even though it’s an artificial waterfall, it makes for a pretty cool photo spot!
For our last day in the city, it was the Fourth of July. So, ultimately we had to pay tribute to the amazing country we live in so we took a quick thirty-minute drive to Dallas, Texas. While in Dallas, we visited the George W. Bush Memorial Library and the JFK Memorial. The library was interested as it was filled with artifacts and memorabilia from the president’s life in and out of office, interactive elements, and even a mock Oval Office. (Yes, I did get a photo)
Then, right down the road, we stopped at the location where our 25th President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated. Though it may sound a bit morbid, seeing the memorial was something on my bucket list. Though we only stopped for a bit to see the markings on the road and the area around the historical plaque markings, all I can say is seeing what we learn in our American history classes in real life is an emotional and moving experience.
To wrap up the trip, we celebrated our nation’s independence with the Fort Worth Fourth. Along the Trinity River, you’ll find thousands and thousands of people celebrating, which probably made this the biggest party I’ve ever attended in my life. People were in the river with tubes, there was a band, guys flying on jetpacks over the water, food, drinks, and tons of vendor booths. We enjoyed a VIP experience with an excellent view of the fireworks which made for the best end of our trip.
A city full of Cowboys and Culture, if you are planning a trip to Fort Worth there are certainly a bunch of different attractions in the area for you to enjoy. We didn’t get to visit the Stockyards during this trip, which is something I recommend seeing, but we will be back to see the cattle. I 100% recommend taking a trip to this Lonestar state if you get the chance, Just remember, if you visit during July as we did…STAY COOL!
With Love,
Lex Paige
