# Things to Do with Kids in Fort Worth: The Big List

> Every family attraction in Fort Worth & DFW with real verified prices — zoo half-price days, free museums, splash pads, water parks, the drive-in, and what's actually worth it in the heat.
> Source: https://ftwmoms.com/guides/summer-activities · Updated: 2026-07-20

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<strong>TL;DR:</strong> The zoo is <strong>half price every Wednesday</strong> ($9–11/person). Three Cultural District museums are <strong>always free</strong> (Amon Carter even for special exhibitions). The <strong>LEGOLAND+SEA LIFE combo</strong> is $29.99 online with 14 days to use both. <strong>Burger's Lake is $20 cash.</strong> The Botanic Garden <strong>closes at 3 p.m. all summer</strong> — mornings only.
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*Every price and hour below was checked against official sites in July 2026. Anything seasonal can change mid-summer — the official link is on every listing so you can confirm day-of. Two big heads-ups right now: the **Botanic Garden closes at 3 p.m. in July–August**, and the **Zoo's elephants are temporarily off exhibit**.*

## Fort Worth Zoo

- **Where:** 1989 Colonial Pkwy (off University Dr).
- **Price:** Adults (13+) $22 · kids 3–12 $18 · under 2 free · parking $5.
- ** The best budget hack in Fort Worth: Half-Price Wednesdays — every Wednesday, all year.** No code, no advance purchase. Expect crowds; come at 9 a.m. open or after 1 p.m.
- **Hours:** Mon–Fri 9–4, Sat–Sun 9–5, open 365 days.
- **Right now:** the new **Predators of Asia & Africa** habitat (lions, tigers, clouded leopards) is open, and the renovated **air-conditioned Mountains & Desert building** in Texas Wild is a legit mid-day heat escape. Elephants temporarily off exhibit for habitat work.
- **Membership math:** Adult $80, child $40 — unlimited admission, **free parking**, 10% off food, reciprocal deals at 100+ zoos. Pays for itself in ~3 visits.
- **Mom strategy:** arrive at 9 sharp — animals are active before 11 and the park wilts by early afternoon in July. Outdoor loops first; save the indoor buildings for midday.
- [fortworthzoo.org](https://www.fortworthzoo.org/admissionhours)

## The Cultural District Museums (the free trifecta)

- **Amon Carter Museum** — **always free, including special exhibitions.** Free parking. Sketchpads welcome in the galleries; free stroller loans. [cartermuseum.org](https://www.cartermuseum.org/plan-your-visit)
- **The Modern** — **under 18 always free; adults free on Fridays, half-price Sundays.** The reflecting pond wows kids even when the art doesn't. Friday until 8 p.m. [themodern.org](https://www.themodern.org/visit)
- **Kimbell** — **permanent collection always free**; special exhibitions half-price Tuesdays & Fridays after 5. Free Kimbell Kids drop-in studios on selected Saturdays. [kimbellart.org](https://kimbellart.org/visit)

## Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

- **Price:** Adults $16 · kids 3–11 $12 · under 2 free — includes the Cattle Raisers Museum and Noble Planetarium. Active-duty military families free through **Blue Star Museums (May 16–Sept 7, 2026)**.
- **Hours:** Tue–Sat 10–5, Sun 12–5, closed Monday.
- **The news:** the **reimagined TCU Children's Gallery opened March 2026** — an interactive miniature Fort Worth built with Trinity Metro and Cook Children's. Toddler gold.
- **Strategy:** DinoLabs + planetarium + Children's Museum = a solid half-day indoors. Go at 10 a.m. before the camp groups land. Pairs with the free Amon Carter across the street.
- [fwmuseum.org](https://www.fwmuseum.org/visit/plan-your-visit/)

## Fort Worth Botanic Garden + Japanese Garden

- **Price:** Adults ~$14–15 · kids 3–15 ~$8–9 · one ticket covers everything including the Japanese Garden.
- ** Summer hours:** normally 8–6, **but in July and August the Garden closes at 3 p.m. (last entry 2 p.m.)**. Mornings only.
- **Kid highlight:** koi feeding in the Japanese Garden.
- **Free days 2026:** Celebramos kick-off Sept 19 · Veterans Day Nov 11. **Save the date: Fall Japanese Festival Nov 7–8.**
- **Strategy:** be at the gate at 8 a.m. — shade and breezes are gone by 11. Free parking.
- [fwbg.org](https://fwbg.org/plan-a-visit/admission-and-hours/)

## Fort Worth Stockyards

- **The Herd cattle drive: FREE, twice daily at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.** (weather permitting, ~8 minutes). Best viewing in front of the Livestock Exchange Building. In summer, do the 11:30 — the brick streets radiate heat by 4.
- **Add-ons:** Cattlepen Maze $8 (**half price Tuesdays**, code word "Cowtown") · Barnyard Petting Corral $3/person + $3 feed cup.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes early for parking + a rail-side spot.
- [fortworthstockyards.org](https://www.fortworthstockyards.org/faq/cattle-drive-times-locations)

## Grapevine Mills: SEA LIFE + LEGOLAND (the A/C day)

- **SEA LIFE Aquarium:** from $19 online ($24 walk-up), 10–7.
- **LEGOLAND Discovery Center:** $21.99 online ($27.99 walk-up), 10–5:30. Adults generally need a kid with them.
- ** The combo ticket is the move: from $29.99 online — and the second attraction is valid up to 14 days later.** A Peppa Pig World of Play combo exists too.
- Fully indoor: aquarium + LEGO + Peppa Pig + food court = a complete 105°-day itinerary. Buy online; the walk-up markup is $5–8/person.
- [visitsealife.com/grapevine](https://www.visitsealife.com/grapevine/) · [legolanddiscoverycenter.com](https://www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/dallas-fw/)

## Splash Pads & Pools

- **City of Fort Worth spraygrounds — free**, seasonal; pads close intermittently for maintenance, so check with Parks & Rec (817-392-5700) before driving.
- **Forest Park Pool** — the historic pool by the zoo: $6 adults / $5 kids, ~noon–6, late May–early September.
- **Marine Park Pool** (north side, near the Stockyards) — Tue–Sun noon–6.
- Regional list of free pads: [DFWChild's roundup](https://dfwchild.com/free-splash-pads-play-fountains-in-dallas-fort-worth/).

## Water Parks

| Park | Price | The verdict |
|---|---|---|
| **NRH2O** (North Richland Hills) | Weekdays from $19.99 online (under 48") | Gentlest big park, cleanest, best for mixed ages |
| **Hurricane Harbor** (Arlington) | From $29 online | Thrill-seekers 8+ — but **new-for-2026 Splash Island** (110 water features, 17 slides, tipping bucket) shifts it younger |
| **Epic Waters** (Grand Prairie) | ~$40–44, twilight from ~$29 | **Fully indoor, 80° year-round** — the rainy-day water park |
| **Burger's Lake** (Fort Worth) | **$20 cash** at the gate | Spring-fed swimming lake since 1954 — diving boards, 20-ft slide, the trapeze. Bring a cooler and cash |

## Free & Nearly Free Classics

- **Airfield Falls** (Westworth Village) — **free.** Tarrant County's largest natural waterfall; flat 0.4-mile walk, creek wading below the falls. Go before 10 a.m., bring water shoes; best after rain.
- **Forest Park Miniature Railroad** — $8–10, Wed–Sun, trains hourly 10–5. A ~5-mile, 45-minute ride through Trinity Park; a Fort Worth childhood rite of passage. Bring cash. [forestparktrains.com](https://forestparktrains.com/hours-admission)
- **Fort Worth Library Mayor's Summer Reading Challenge** — free, all ages, **May 30–Aug 8, 2026**, sign up on Beanstack (no library card needed); log minutes, earn prizes (signup alone earns a free IHOP short stack). 1,000+ free branch programs all summer. [fortworthtexas.gov/library/summer](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/library/summer)

## 100°+ Day Indoor Escapes

- **Cidercade Fort Worth** — $12 admission, then **all 275+ arcade games are free-play**; under 5 free. Kid-friendly by day (18+ after 9 p.m.), cider and pizza for the grown-ups. [cidercade.com/fortworth](https://cidercade.com/fortworth/)
- **iFLY** indoor skydiving (min age 3) — splurge-tier bucket-list birthday.
- **Main Event** — bowling/laser tag/arcade; watch for summer weekday all-activity passes.
- **Coyote Drive-In** (Panther Island) — ~$10 adults / ~$8 kids 5–11 / under 4 free, nightly, gates 6–6:30 p.m. Playground + free retro arcade for the pre-movie wait; kids in pajamas in the truck bed is the summer memory. [coyotedrive-in.com](https://coyotedrive-in.com/)

## Worth the Drive (Dallas side)

- **Dallas Zoo** — **summer special: $15 admission through Sept 3, 2026** (parking $14). Verify day-of hours — summer heat hours can shorten.
- **Perot Museum** — ~$25–30 adults / ~$15–20 kids (dynamic pricing). The Moody children's floor alone is worth the drive.
- **Dallas World Aquarium** — the rainforest-in-a-building downtown; sloths and toucans overhead. Stroller-tough — babywear if you can.

## The Budget Cheat Sheet

| Free | Under $15/kid | Full-price day |
|---|---|---|
| Stockyards cattle drive (11:30 & 4:00) | Zoo on Half-Price Wednesday | Zoo regular ($18–22 + parking) |
| Amon Carter (always) · Modern on Fridays | Forest Park train ($8–10) | LEGOLAND+SEA LIFE combo ($29.99) |
| Kimbell permanent collection | Forest Park Pool ($5–6) | NRH2O (from $19.99 online) |
| Airfield Falls + city splash pads | Cattlepen Maze ($8, ½ off Tue) + petting corral ($3) | Hurricane Harbor (from $29) |
| Library summer challenge (May 30–Aug 8) | Cidercade ($12, under 5 free) | Epic Waters / Burger's Lake ($20 cash) |

*Last verified July 20, 2026 against official sources. Texas summer hours shift fast — tap the official link before you load the car.*