When looking for an authentic country experience – head to the gateway of the wild west: Fort Worth. A quick 72 hour whirlwind to Fort Worth will have your following professional bull riders and truly appreciate the skills needed to be a roper.

Day 1: After flying in, we took some time to enjoy some pool and welcome drinks at the Bowie House Hotel in the Cultural District. One step into the impeccably designed hotel with quintessential southern hospitality – we knew it would be a trip to remember.

After spicy margs, we regrouped and dressed in as much western wear as we could to head to Cowtown Coliseum for Professional Bull Riding (PBR). Cowtown Coliseum is home of the world’s first indoor rodeo in 1918, and currently home of the world’s only year-round rodeo. People of all ages gathered with drinks and popcorn to enjoy a Thursday night of Bull Riding Competitions.

Post- bull riding, we checked out Fort Worth’s Oldest Saloon, White Elephant for some pool, live music and a history lesson. Opening in 1884, this saloon was  once a lively hub for cowboys on the Chisholm Trail, it thrived in one of the nation’s most dangerous areas, where the spirit of the Old West still resonates today.

Day 2: With the effort to find a more “local” experience, we sought out a local roping competition at Will Rogers Memorial Centre and spent the morning admiring the horses and having the hat makers teach us the ropes or roping.

For lunch we hit up the second outpost of the ever-so popular Terry Black’s BBQ. Delicious family meal complete with the best banana pudding we’ve had- a charcoal margarita to wash is all down.

Spending the afternoon enjoying the shops at The Stockyards. If you’re in the market for a hat, Maverick’s Western Wear, dedicated hatmakers take time to work with each individual to make a custom hat. For more shopping we headed across the street to M.L. Leddy’s: A fourth-generation family business known for handmade boots, saddles, hats, and Western fashion. Their Stockyards store is a Fort Worth institution.

The Stockyards also put on a Cattle Drive in the morning or afternoon along East Exchange Avenue. An old tradition the Stockyards has kept which brings onlookers to line the main street and catch the drovers and longhorns parade down for all to see.

Dinner at 97 West was a classic feast of tomahawk steaks and sides of devilled eggs and salads. The Stockyards nightlife is full of saloons, basement clubs and live music, 2 stepping and line dancing to really keep you entertained until closing time.

Day 3: Waking up in need of a hearty breakfast, the Bowie House serves it all, including wagyu beef sausages and another side of devilled eggs. Taking the early hours of the day to relax, the Bowie House pool was the perfect spot for laying out and enjoying poolside snacks.

In the evening we headed back towards the stockyards dining at Celebrity chef Tim Love’s flagship restaurant, Lonesome Dove enjoying rattlesnake sausages and more steak. On our list was Joe T Garcia’s but the line up wrapped around the street wasn’t going to get us in on time. A testament of how good the place is!

As a fan of Marcus King, we were lucky to catch him play at Billy Bob’s the world’s largest Honky Tonk, fitting approximately 6,000 with an amateur bull riding competition ring in the back, a pool hall, dance floor, merch shop and more! Marcus King gave a rousing performance while the crowd was seated at long tables in the pit surrounded by more fans around the bars.

These 3 days in Fort Worth were truly a country/Americana experience to remember.