Things to do with kids in Fort Worth
Fort Worth is worth the hour's drive from the northern suburbs because everything for kids is in one place: the zoo, the science museum, the botanic garden, a pioneer log-cabin village, a miniature railroad and a big riverside park all sit within two miles between the Cultural District and Forest Park, and downtown adds the Stockyards cattle drive and a waterfall you can walk into at the Water Gardens.
The classic day trip: the Fort Worth Zoo at 9 when it opens, a picnic under the big trees of Trinity Park and a turn at Dream Park at noon, then the Forest Park Miniature Railroad along the river in the afternoon. On rainy or scorching days, swap in the children's museum and DinoDig at the Museum of Science and History. On a second visit, catch the 11:30 longhorn drive at the Stockyards, then walk down into the Water Gardens downtown; in summer, the spring-fed Burgers Lake.
- 10 places
- 4 free
- 9 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
10 places
Drive times from Fort Worth
Fort Worth Water Gardens
3.0Fort Worth · 5 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Paid garages and street meters around the convention center, cheap on weekends
Trinity Park riverside trail
5.0Fort Worth · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots along University Dr and Trinity Park Dr
Dream Park (Trinity Park)
5.0Fort Worth · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot next to the playground on Trinity Park Dr
Forest Park Miniature Railroad
5.0Fort Worth · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot next to the Forest Park station (Colonial Pkwy)
Fort Worth Botanic Garden & Japanese Garden
5.0Fort Worth · 10 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free garden lot
Fort Worth Zoo
5.0Fort Worth · 10 min drive
4 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Zoo lot about $5/car
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
5.0Fort Worth · 10 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Free Cultural District lot (Gendy St)
Fort Worth Stockyards & longhorn cattle drive
4.0Fort Worth · 10 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Paid lots nearby about $10–20/day, easy to find before 11am on weekends
Log Cabin Village
4.0Fort Worth · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot at the village entrance
Burgers Lake
4.0Fort Worth · 15 min drive
4 h · carrier recommended
$$ · Parking: Free lot on the grounds
💡 Good to know
- Cultural District parking (the science museum, Kimbell and Amon Carter) is free, the zoo lot is a few dollars, and Stockyards lots run $10–20; all are easy before 11am on weekends.
- The Fort Worth Zoo is half price on Wednesdays, and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad is the train fan's way to reach the Stockyards.