There’s more to dating in Fort Worth than dinner and a movie. And don’t let your budget stop you two from going on memorable dates. Whether you’re checking out the natural side of Fort Worth, or two-stepping the Texas way, here are five date ideas guaranteed to be a blast without breaking the bank.
A Distillery Date
Add locally made, small-batch spirits with some of the yummiest cooking around — and you’ve got the makings of a date to remember. Lockwood Distilling Co. just opened up a new location in Fort Worth, and it should definitely be on your list of date night ideas. Try noshing on the specialty smoked bologna sandwiches and sipping on a flight of house-distilled vodka while listening to live music. It’s almost a guarantee of a good time.
Hike or Bike Fort Worth
This date idea is a choose-your-own adventure-concept. Fort Worth is home to miles and miles of trails, whether it’s the Trinity Trails 100+ mile trail system or the pathways that meander through the 3000 acres of the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. Whether you like to go for trail runs or rides together, or you’re looking at all the native wildlife and plants — Fort Worth’s trails are a free date where you and your honey can stop, smell the roses (or Texas sage), and enjoy each other’s company.
Go Tubing
Texas is lucky to have a tubing season that lasts past Labor Day, thanks to the heat. You and your date can soak up the rays while floating down the Trinity River. Make it a four-some. Rent tubes at the Panther Island Pavilion. If you’re looking for something to get your heart racing — besides your date — you can rent kayaks and stand up paddle boards too.
Boot Scootin’
A date in Fort Worth should have some real North Texas flavor. That’s why the self-proclaimed world’s largest honky-tonk, Billy Bob’s Texas, is high on the list of date destinations. You two will love the live music, the two-stepping, the mechanical bull riding — the whole honky-tonk experience. If you don’t know how to dance, don’t worry. You can take dancing lessons at Billy Bob’s to learn how to boot scoot just right.
Ride ‘em Cowgirl
Fort Worth is home to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, and this might be the most Texas date idea of all. Twelve dollars will get you a ticket, free parking, and an exploration into the women who won the wild West. Fittingly, the museum is in the Fort Worth Cultural District, just a hop away from other museums like the Amon Carter Museum of Art and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. You can take a whole day exploring the museums with your date, without breaking the bank.
There’s always something new to do in the Metroplex, but this list of date ideas can help you keep the drive time and cost down and the date ideas fresh and local. The less time you spend in the car means the more time you spend on your date, and the more fun the two of you will have.
Jimmy Myles is a Fort Worth native who loves watching the cattle drives at the Stockyards, eating butterfinger brisket, and taking his pup to the dog park with his girlfriend. Like the city, Myles is a cross between Cowtown and Funkytown.
