Tag: Gardens

Combine spring blooms with an interesting destination

Fort Worth is a town where a cattle drive, fine art and a nearby botanic garden add up to a fun and different vacation

First in the Spring blooms vacation destination series is Fort Worth, Texas

Fort Worth Texas is a fun "Western" town. Photo from Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau
Fort Worth Texas is a fun "Western" town. Photo from Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau

Think cattle drive. Think arts festival and art museums. Think acres of roses, poppies, irises and azaleas. Yes, these wildly disparate attractions can fit into a single vacation – if the vacation is in Fort Worth, Texas.

This Southwestern city has a twice daily cattle drive in its Stockyards National Historic District.

If you time the trip to coincide with the annual Fort Worth Arts Festival, this year April 14-17, you catch the city’s downtown “happening” of juried fine art show, street performers and concerts that fill nine blocks of downtown Main Street.

Even if the festival date doesn’t work, still put art on the agenda because the Amon Carter and Kimball Museums are worth the short drive over to the Fort Worth Cultural District.

Amon Carter is known for its collections of iconic Western artists Frederick Remington and Charles Russell. Its current special exhibition , Hudson River School: Nature and the American vision, goes through June19. on Carter 3501 Camp Bowie Boulevard  Fort Worth, TX 76107  (817) 738-1933

Go for the Art Festival or the Amon Carter Museum's Remingtons and Russells, , Fort Worth is an arts destination. Fort Worth CVB photo
Go for the Art Festival or the Amon Carter Museum's Remingtons and Russells, , Fort Worth is an arts destination. Fort Worth CVB photo

The Kimball Art Museum has a small but choice collection ranging from European to African art but also brings major exhibits to town. Coming are Picasso and Braque May 29-Aug. 21, 2011 and Caravaggio and his followers in Rome, Oct. 16, 2011-Jan. 8, 2012

Kimbell Art Museum 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd. Fort Worth, TX 76107 (817) 332-8451

To walk through a sea of color, save time for a half-day excursion to Clark Gardens Botanical Park, about 40 minutes west of Fort Worth off US Highway 180.  Begun as an extensive private garden by Max and Billie Clark in 1972, 143 acres were opened to the public in 2000.

Celebrate spring amongst the roses at Clark Gardens Botanical Park west of Fort Worth. Photo by Jodie Jacobs
Celebrate spring amongst the roses at Clark Gardens Botanical Park west of Fort Worth. Photo by Jodie Jacobs

Spring is prime time at Clark Gardens. Gorgeous double ruffle pink poppies and azaleas are blooming now to mid April. Roses and irises will be at their peak mid April to early May.

Clark Gardens Botanical Park, 567 Maddux Road, Weatherford, Texas, 76088, 940-682-4856.

If you go: Fort Worth has a wide choice of accommodations from hotels to B&Bs and luxury to budget.

For a top full-service downtown hotel check out the Fort Worth Omni.

More suggestions of places to stay and things to do at FortWorth.com