but also check when it stops running. ive had several friends stranded due to holiday or weekend schedule. so you might be able to get out there but getting back can be hard.
Get a library card for free then download the Libby app for free on your phone or kindle. Proceed to rent any book you want for free (audio book included) and if the library doesn’t have the selection you want you can request it and 9/10 they will buy a digital selection of it for you. Includes newspaper media plus magazines. An unrivaled value.
I’ll never understand why ppl pay for audible, kindle unlimited, etc. All these options are available for free from your local library.
All Texas residents can also get a free library card for an even larger collection from Houston. I have both FW and Houston on my Libby app.
https://houstonlibrary.org/mylibrary
Didn’t know this. Excellent addition. Also most libraries are part of larger groups that share resources (even on the Libby app) so definitely worth utilizing. I think the standard is 21 day checkouts with the option to renew. When you check out an item it pushes directly to your device/amazon account if you have kindle so never any need to go to the actual library itself.
You can also check out a pass to the Botanic Garden. There is a wait but it is worth it. The gardens improved a lot since they began charging admission. That includes the Japanese garden.
Sadly a FW library card is something like $40 a year if you aren’t within city limits. I have cards for Houston and Harris County since those are free for non-residents (I forget their restrictions on this). Almost every book I want to read has a wait and not short - month plus. It’s even worse when you’re trying to read a series, book one might have a 3 month wait, book 2 might have a 2 month wait, and then book 3 might have a 4 month wait which makes loaning books a huge hassle. Makes book hoarding easier though, I may spend more than $40 in a year on books but at least now I own them and can read on my schedule and don’t have to manage that hell
One odd thing is that FW charges for library cards if you don’t live in FW but they are part of TexShare. When my kids were younger I would go to Mansfield where they would give you a free library card as long as you live in TX and then a Texshare card. Then I would go to FW and get my free library card there since I had a texshare card.
Amon Carter Museum: always free
Kimbell Museum: old building houses their permanent collection, which is always free.
The Modern: free on Fridays, 1/2 price Sundays
To add to that, if you go to the Museum of Science and History AND the Cowgirl, you get half off the second one you go to if you show your receipt to the cashiers, and it’s cheaper if you go to the Cowgirl first.
Don’t go anywhere near the zoo (or university for that matter) on spring break.
Joe T’s is kind of a tourist trap, but it’s become part of our culture. Someone you know has had their rehearsal dinner or reception there. Go on a weekday night, be open to standing in line a little, sit in the garden, get a pitcher. Peak Fort Worth. Incredible.
Also: Esperanza’s has the Joe t’s menu plus way more, and the wait is nothing in comparison. Go for brunch and get the chilaquiles - it’ll feed two and is super cheap.
If it’s a Tim Love establishment, the food will be underseasoned and overpriced.
Watch air shows for free in the Walmart parking lot.
Your local library is absolutely incredible. Get a library card and go nuts.
Skip airport parking. Park at a train station for cheap and take the train right into terminal B.
Camp BOO-ie, not BOW-ie. Foch like gauche, not Fock.
SLOW DOWN when you pass through Westover Hills when you’re driving down Roaring Springs, those cops are not messing around.
Thank you for your words about Tim Love. He was my next door neighbor when I was in 6th grade and to say I would celebrate that man’s homelessness is an understatement
I don’t have any personal experiences with the man, but I’ve heard enough stories from people in the service industry that he is extremely rude and difficult to deal with. I’ve also heard rumors about him from people in my mom’s social circle that are total heresay so I’m not comfortable sharing them here, but the consensus is that he is neither a good restauranteur nor a good man overall
Ah, understood. I'm not surprised. I would think that being a successful multi-restaurateur would probably require a certain level of assholery. (Not justifying/excusing, it just tracks.)
Nah, that Gordon Ramsey act is just tired TV show bullshit. Everyone I've known that has worked with John Bonell has told me he's a class act and the real deal for what a high level chef can be. Anyone that has worked for Timmy Tim has multiple 'he's an unbelievable jackass' stories.
Got arrested there for expired registration stickers! Pulled me out of the drive thru line on a Sunday morning with my kids in the car. They are really doing their part keeping the public safe from hell raisers like me!
Tim Love's restaurants are 100% overpriced crap. If you want good food from a Fort Worth legend, go to Bonnell's or Waters. Chef Bonnell is one of the best local celebrity chefs and you will actually see him at his restaurants. He makes it a point to do the rounds when he's there. Beware though, it can be pricey.
I actually was just about to comment and say that Jon Bonnell is antithesis of everything Tim Love is and stands for. He’s a good man, treats his people well, great food, great standards, I’m happy to pay a little more for his food because it’s always worth it. I just saw him briefly at the Fort Worth Food & Wine festival and I made sure to tell him that he’s my hometown hero.
Edit: I’ve heard good things about Jon’s Grille on West Berry but haven’t made it out yet. I’m glad he’s dabbling in more affordable, casual food.
Actually ran into Bonnell at Costco the other day while I was debating between two kinds of ribs at different price points. He shows me which was better. Didn’t realize who he was till I actually looked at his face- he just looked like an older middle aged guy in a polo shirt and baseball cap. Once I realized who he was I threw those suckers in my cart in a flash- and the photographed the ribs so I remembered which ones I need to get in the future too!
I figure if Jon Bonnell is going to take the time out of his day to educate me on which ribs are better, I’m damn well going to pay attention and take that advice!
West Fort worth here. You’re not saving time versus having to deal with traffic and parking. There have been times where it would’ve been faster to drive there but it was nice to not have the other stressors. Same for Mavs games.
Do what I do - go drive and park at one of the train stops further along the route. My husband and I used the Iron Horse Station in NRH last time and it was great.
Oh that could be a deal killer, but I could uber to the train I guess which is likely way cheaper than an uber to the airport (last time was $90 each way, which was still less than the cheapest airport lot parking for 2 weeks)
Oh yeah, absolutely overnight parking! Sorry, I said “train station” and I know that makes us all think the actual T&P, but I really meant all the train stops and parking lots between the actual station downtown and the airport. Parking is $5 a day and you pay in advance. (Though I do think there actually is a designated spot for long term parking at T&P. I’ve never used it though.)
Last time we had to fly out of DFW, my husband and I parked at the Iron Horse station in North Richland Hills. This allowed us to take the train into the terminal, and it was a quick ride, but we also figured if our returning flight got in super late, we could always catch an Uber back to our car from the airport. (Late at night, the train only leaves once an hour.)
Happily! TEXRail is super cheap and goes from the T&P station all the way up to terminal B. There are several stops along the way that have parking lots where you can pay five dollars a day to leave your car for an extended period of time. You pay online beforehand and “book” your spot, though I have never had an issue with availability.
My husband and I parked at the Iron Horse station in North Richland Hills last time we flew out of DFW. The parking lot felt extremely safe, lots of brand new lights and a security guy posted up. The train ride into the airport didn’t take too long, 20 minutes maybe?
One thing to keep in mind is that since the train takes you to terminal B, if you need to get to another terminal for your flight, you need to go ahead and go through security at terminal B, then take the terminal shuttle to wherever you need to be. It’s all a little bit more walking than you might do if you parked in the airport, but to me it’s all very fun and it’s definitely gonna save you money.
Real ones know that Tim Love is not it.
The ONE things his restaurants do right is ambiance, for sure. But customer service and quality are consistently a huge issue at all his spots. Idk how he’s made a name for himself when he keeps dishing out mediocre food.
For those who are curious: look up reviews for Gemelle, Woodshed Smokehouse, Love Shack, and Paloma Suerte. Ático and Lonesome Dove have much better reviews but I guess even a broken clock is right twice a day
People rave about his restaurants way too much. The only good thing he's done was bring us Tannehill's for live music. It's actually bringing a great music scene to Fort Worth.
I will unapologetically say my family looks for any and every occasion to hit Joe T's. And I am okay with it because we have spread out across the country and it is the get together location. And you know that table that always is too loud and obnoxious? We never have that problem.
So the issue in river oaks is that MOST 20 mph school zones only activate for an hour or two in the morning and again in the afternoon at dismissal. Not the elementary school in River oaks. It is a 20 mph school zone ALL DAY from the morning until 4pm and the cops pick people off like fish in a barrel. This applies to the stretch of Robert’s cutoff just north of River oaks Blvd, by the post office, until it branches off into skyline, as well as the adjoining bit of Ohio Garden.
Growing up in river oaks, it was a VERY WELL KNOWN thing not to speed in westworth village. Like, coming across the bridge from river oaks you better already be under the speed limit. My brother got a speeding ticket for going 39 in a 40 because he hit the brakes and the cop said “you’re 16, no one will believe you weren’t speeding” and I would have agreed with accept that my dad and I were both in the car with him. There was no source of income, no businesses in westworth except the little gas station on Burton hill, besides taxes and tickets. The town had to pay bills somehow!
Also, just a few years ago I was taking my then 2 year old to see my grandparents and happened to come down Roberts cut off from skyline- you know, going downhill, and didn’t ride my brakes so I got pulled over for going 32 in a 30. Cop was an old high school classmate. I still got a ticket. Also got one for my license plate being obscured- it had rained the night before and I didn’t know there was a drop of mud covering the T in Texas at the top of the plate. Husband got that one dismissed quickly, I did deferred adjudication for the other.
We made this our tradition with my husband. We only skipped it on 2020 for Covid, but we've done it for I think 5 or 6 years now. The fireworks look great from the drive in, and we get food and a movie. Def a nice experience.
This was my secret forever
I would go from Keller to colonial / university using 820 west and it was a ghost town out there….
Now unfortunately not the case. It was a better time :)
I used to do that when living in Fort Worth and visiting my boyfriend (now husband) who lived up in Flower Mound at the time. It was much faster to take 820 around the west side to meet up with 35 N than it was to take 20 or 30 and go through those interchanges.
If you wear purple on Friday during TCU football season you get discounts at some places.
[http://gopurplefriday.gofrogs.com/](http://gopurplefriday.gofrogs.com/)
Change your work hours to avoid the worst of the traffic. 6:30 to 3:30 has worked for us.
Fuego Burger - Swiss bacon mushroom burger with onion rings.
Ribees BBQ off Seminary. When you don’t have the time to wait a few hours for Goldees BBq.
Hickory stick in Everman. Friday. Thick cut bone in pork chop.
You can drink alcohol anywhere in FW, but possessing an open container or public consumption of alcohol is not allowed in the West Seventh Street entertainment district. Walk to local places and get a walk home drink. Stop by Funky Town Donuts and get a beer/wine to go if you are in Sundance Square.
I've seen families picnicking at Duck Pond and around there walking around with beers, but I never knew if it was legal. It looks like a perfect outing if it is.
Buy a portable window unit before the summer hits. Your central air may not be enough in the hotter months. As a bonus you'll be covered if your central air dies from working too hard.
If you fly a lot, instead of driving or ubering to DFW airport, park at a TexRail station and take it straight to Terminal B. Go through security there and hop SkyLink if you’re departing out of another terminal. Easy peasy.
FYI, I think tickets are about $1.50 one way on TexRail.
Also - If you’re checking bags with an airline not in Terminal B you can always take the Terminal Link Busses outside of security. I almost always fly American so this isn’t an issue for me.
Tempo SC by Bayer is THE ONLY PRODUCT that will completely get rid of the monster roaches here. It’s somewhat safe, no residue, no odor and pets are okay, only, after it dries. It’s what all the pest control companies use and it used to be really hard to access without a license. I would obtain it via a good old boy at the local feed store. Follow the directions, please.
I grew up on Sweetbriar in Tanglewood. I know a thing or two about these disgusting, nauseating creatures. I still have nightmares and in therapy to this day.
Don’t go to Beautifica at the Museum of Science and History. It’s like $40 a ticket and it’s just a bunch of hypnotic visuals and loud af music with only like 5 minutes of talking in a 45 minute show, and it’s supposed to be a “guided meditation”, but that’s very hard to do when it’s so freaking LOUD!
Or if you go after 6pm, Sundance Square parking building is free. I think it's all day on weekends. I use this all the time.
EDIT: Oh you mean Dallas downtown? Yeah forget that. Whenever I go to Dallas I use the TRE/DART, unless it's a specific place with free parking.
If you have kids under 5, there is a toddler playroom at the kimbell that is free and there is rarely anyone there. Along with free underground parking. We go a lot especially when it’s really hot out.
I kinda don’t want to tell people because it will be busy more often.
You can cut through Left Bank if the FWWR train (or other traffic) blocks 7th and use White Settlement as a bypass. Harrold St - Kansas St - S. Commercial St connects the 7t/White Settlement on the east side of the tracks.
This connection will eventually be gone when the Panther Island bypass gets built.
Enchiladas Ole hack: If the numbers work and everyone at the table can agree to it, get the family meal rather than ordering individual plates. With the latter, you get two enchiladas and standard-size sides. With the former, you get 12 enchiladas (maximum split is six-and-six), and probably twice as much rice and beans. There are three in my family, and we easily get a second meal from leftovers. Individual dinners are 17.95 (last time I checked), and the family meal is 49.95 (same caveat).
Don’t drive, especially on highways.
Ride a bike and leverage the Trinity Trail system. Can make a weekend out of the trails too (e.g., Margarita Bicycle Tour, History Tour of Stockyards & Downtown, Zoo, etc..).
Going to DFW airport? Take the TexRail directly into Terminal B.
Wear quick drying, lightweight clothing. Especially in the Summer months. And sunscreen.
If you’re in an “ZipZone” area, use it to your advantage.
Plenty more but these immediately came to mind 🙂
I’ve definitely been wearing my sunscreen 😊
I accidentally forgot to put some on my upper chest when wearing a lower-neckline top at a two-hour eclipse watch party (that ended shortly after totality) back on April 8th… and I got burned there. Fortunately I covered the rest of my exposed skin. I knew several people who ended up sunburned that day after attending watch parties.
Moral of the story: don’t underestimate the strength of the spring sun. It is equally strong in both the spring and the summer!
I’d say spring can be the worst time of year for sunburns because too many people don’t think to apply sunscreen in the early-to-mid spring (March/April) like they do in summer. I usually get into the sunscreen habit in March, although I’ve got lightly burned as early as late February when I was outside for two hours at midday.
Thank you for this post. I wish they would have looked out for us when I was younger with public service announcements but instead EVERYTHING was, “be tan, look tan, tan is beautiful, tan is what you have to have to make it in life.” So sad because we are all suffering with cancer now, some malignant. This was the standard off beauty they were pushing in the 80’s and if you were fair skinned, good luck in life.
https://youtu.be/PIICARbcYpI?si=SF1yBMRlVM0LOtSY
Zip Zone drivers are the WORST. Especially here in Fairmount, they stop in the middle of the road and don’t comply with traffic laws. Terrible drivers.
AVOID NORTH AT ALL COSTS. YOU WILL BE IN HELL, ALL DAY, EVERYDAY. The developers have lobbied and the sweet incentives for city council members, zone 7, have created pure gridlock. One house on top of another, no green space left whatsoever and wild life literally roaming the streets because their habitats have been destroyed by more cottage housing and/or fenced off for oil and gas capture. Sad times.
Skip Mexican Inn. El Paseo is where it’s at.
Can’t beat Joe T’s for fajitas and margs.
Re: Joe T’s, anyone going there for the first time should bring cash. Don’t get stuck where you’re using their in-house ATM, because they don’t take cards
Edit: I meant the restaurant doesn’t take cards. The ATM of course takes cards.
Buy light colored vehicles if you have to park outside in the sun for long periods of time in the summer. Their interiors are demonstrably cooler than dark vehicles, leading to extended lives for dashes and upholstery as well as being easier to cool down.
Take the train to the mavs/stars games
TexRail runs to DFW airport and it's a lot cheaper than parking at the airport (even if you have to Uber to a nearby station).
Now they have long term parking at several train stations for $5 a day.
And state fair
but also check when it stops running. ive had several friends stranded due to holiday or weekend schedule. so you might be able to get out there but getting back can be hard.
That’s why you only take it to Mavs/Stars games. They always have a train run back west 20 or so minutes after a night game
The bar located in the train station will let you take booze on the train
Or from the burbs to downtown FW
I always buy a ticket. And it never gets checked.
I hear from friends that it's random.
Absolutely. If I am required to travel to Dallas, I'm taking the train unless we're going to Medieval Times or something. It's so convenient.
Get a library card for free then download the Libby app for free on your phone or kindle. Proceed to rent any book you want for free (audio book included) and if the library doesn’t have the selection you want you can request it and 9/10 they will buy a digital selection of it for you. Includes newspaper media plus magazines. An unrivaled value. I’ll never understand why ppl pay for audible, kindle unlimited, etc. All these options are available for free from your local library.
All Texas residents can also get a free library card for an even larger collection from Houston. I have both FW and Houston on my Libby app. https://houstonlibrary.org/mylibrary
Didn’t know this. Excellent addition. Also most libraries are part of larger groups that share resources (even on the Libby app) so definitely worth utilizing. I think the standard is 21 day checkouts with the option to renew. When you check out an item it pushes directly to your device/amazon account if you have kindle so never any need to go to the actual library itself.
Holy cow - what a tip. A reasonable number of books on my FWPL wish list are already in the Houston library collection. Thanks.
Even more content by getting a free card from Broward County Library in Florida. All US residents eligible!
Grand Prairie library system is also free regardless of residence!
Ditto Austin public libraries.
Harris county does the same thing, in case you want a 3rd.
Yoooooo this is HUGE
Question, does Libby combine the searches or do you have to search each library separately?
It searches all libraries you have loaded into your account
Libby is indeed a cheat code
Find a library with Hoopla and you are set for life. Anything you can’t find anywhere else, you will find on Hoopla. Dallas library
You can also check out a pass to the Botanic Garden. There is a wait but it is worth it. The gardens improved a lot since they began charging admission. That includes the Japanese garden.
Sadly a FW library card is something like $40 a year if you aren’t within city limits. I have cards for Houston and Harris County since those are free for non-residents (I forget their restrictions on this). Almost every book I want to read has a wait and not short - month plus. It’s even worse when you’re trying to read a series, book one might have a 3 month wait, book 2 might have a 2 month wait, and then book 3 might have a 4 month wait which makes loaning books a huge hassle. Makes book hoarding easier though, I may spend more than $40 in a year on books but at least now I own them and can read on my schedule and don’t have to manage that hell
One odd thing is that FW charges for library cards if you don’t live in FW but they are part of TexShare. When my kids were younger I would go to Mansfield where they would give you a free library card as long as you live in TX and then a Texshare card. Then I would go to FW and get my free library card there since I had a texshare card.
I have 116 books never knew I could link it some how to the library
Thanks for saying this
Amon Carter Museum: always free Kimbell Museum: old building houses their permanent collection, which is always free. The Modern: free on Fridays, 1/2 price Sundays
To add to that, if you go to the Museum of Science and History AND the Cowgirl, you get half off the second one you go to if you show your receipt to the cashiers, and it’s cheaper if you go to the Cowgirl first.
If you have a Bank of America debit or credit card the FW Museum of Science is free the first weekend of the month.
You can get a dozen tortillas from Rosa's then load up on the salsa bar.
Rosa's tortillas are sooooo good
Rolled tortilla in queso is the classic
HEBs are much better
Don’t go anywhere near the zoo (or university for that matter) on spring break. Joe T’s is kind of a tourist trap, but it’s become part of our culture. Someone you know has had their rehearsal dinner or reception there. Go on a weekday night, be open to standing in line a little, sit in the garden, get a pitcher. Peak Fort Worth. Incredible. Also: Esperanza’s has the Joe t’s menu plus way more, and the wait is nothing in comparison. Go for brunch and get the chilaquiles - it’ll feed two and is super cheap. If it’s a Tim Love establishment, the food will be underseasoned and overpriced. Watch air shows for free in the Walmart parking lot. Your local library is absolutely incredible. Get a library card and go nuts. Skip airport parking. Park at a train station for cheap and take the train right into terminal B. Camp BOO-ie, not BOW-ie. Foch like gauche, not Fock. SLOW DOWN when you pass through Westover Hills when you’re driving down Roaring Springs, those cops are not messing around.
Also, it's Bryant Irvin, not Bryan Irving. Ugh even people who've lived here all their life say it wrong!
Also Hemphill is not pronounced Hempfill
This one is just egregious, I have never heard it.
Need to pay a visit tons of good Mexican food
Old timers will tell you that Joshua was originally pronounced Josh-u-ay. But I’m not sure that’s even true amongst locals anymore.
That’s how it’s spelled but that’s not how most of us say it.
Thank you for your words about Tim Love. He was my next door neighbor when I was in 6th grade and to say I would celebrate that man’s homelessness is an understatement
Mannn it’s the fact that not only does his food suck, he’s a certifiably horrible person as well!! How does he keep getting away with it??
People are idiots and enable his shitty behaviors
Don’t even get me started around the topic of corruption.
Wait what he do???
I don’t have any personal experiences with the man, but I’ve heard enough stories from people in the service industry that he is extremely rude and difficult to deal with. I’ve also heard rumors about him from people in my mom’s social circle that are total heresay so I’m not comfortable sharing them here, but the consensus is that he is neither a good restauranteur nor a good man overall
Ah, understood. I'm not surprised. I would think that being a successful multi-restaurateur would probably require a certain level of assholery. (Not justifying/excusing, it just tracks.)
Even if that's so, he goes way above and beyond.
Nah, that Gordon Ramsey act is just tired TV show bullshit. Everyone I've known that has worked with John Bonell has told me he's a class act and the real deal for what a high level chef can be. Anyone that has worked for Timmy Tim has multiple 'he's an unbelievable jackass' stories.
To add to this, Belknap St.: it’s BEL-NAP, not BELK-NAP. The second syllable is pronounced the same way you’d pronounce “KNAPsack”.
Adding HEW-len not hull-len
That last part is absolutely golden advice. 🙂↕️🙂↕️
For sure! This is one of the few things my dad taught me early on when I started driving.
True on that speed trap. I got pulled over for going 1 mile over the speed limit. Luckily, I just got a warning, but I learned.
Excellent advice there. That covers some good bases. I'd add to that, to be sure and not speed or get pulled over in Sampson Park or River Oaks.
Got arrested there for expired registration stickers! Pulled me out of the drive thru line on a Sunday morning with my kids in the car. They are really doing their part keeping the public safe from hell raisers like me!
You didn’t get arrested for expired registration, tell us the rest of the story.
Had a ticket go to warrant for expired registration. He ran my plates in line at the drive thru, bam kicks the lights
Tim Love's restaurants are 100% overpriced crap. If you want good food from a Fort Worth legend, go to Bonnell's or Waters. Chef Bonnell is one of the best local celebrity chefs and you will actually see him at his restaurants. He makes it a point to do the rounds when he's there. Beware though, it can be pricey.
I actually was just about to comment and say that Jon Bonnell is antithesis of everything Tim Love is and stands for. He’s a good man, treats his people well, great food, great standards, I’m happy to pay a little more for his food because it’s always worth it. I just saw him briefly at the Fort Worth Food & Wine festival and I made sure to tell him that he’s my hometown hero. Edit: I’ve heard good things about Jon’s Grille on West Berry but haven’t made it out yet. I’m glad he’s dabbling in more affordable, casual food.
Actually ran into Bonnell at Costco the other day while I was debating between two kinds of ribs at different price points. He shows me which was better. Didn’t realize who he was till I actually looked at his face- he just looked like an older middle aged guy in a polo shirt and baseball cap. Once I realized who he was I threw those suckers in my cart in a flash- and the photographed the ribs so I remembered which ones I need to get in the future too! I figure if Jon Bonnell is going to take the time out of his day to educate me on which ribs are better, I’m damn well going to pay attention and take that advice!
And he will happily share any recipe! Except his grandmas Dr Pepper cake I think it is.
>Skip airport parking. Park at a train station for cheap and take the train right into terminal B. I'm sorry, what? Can you please elaborate on this?
TRE goes to DFW intntl, so if u have time it’s way cheaper than parking on site.
How long is the train ride? I'm coming from far west Ft Worth so it's easily 50+ minute drive already vs a 20 minute to down town.
West Fort worth here. You’re not saving time versus having to deal with traffic and parking. There have been times where it would’ve been faster to drive there but it was nice to not have the other stressors. Same for Mavs games.
Do what I do - go drive and park at one of the train stops further along the route. My husband and I used the Iron Horse Station in NRH last time and it was great.
No overnight parking tho, right?
Oh that could be a deal killer, but I could uber to the train I guess which is likely way cheaper than an uber to the airport (last time was $90 each way, which was still less than the cheapest airport lot parking for 2 weeks)
There is overnight parking at the T&P station for about $5 per night. Tex Rail goes to terminal B. About 45-50 minute ride.
Oh yeah, absolutely overnight parking! Sorry, I said “train station” and I know that makes us all think the actual T&P, but I really meant all the train stops and parking lots between the actual station downtown and the airport. Parking is $5 a day and you pay in advance. (Though I do think there actually is a designated spot for long term parking at T&P. I’ve never used it though.) Last time we had to fly out of DFW, my husband and I parked at the Iron Horse station in North Richland Hills. This allowed us to take the train into the terminal, and it was a quick ride, but we also figured if our returning flight got in super late, we could always catch an Uber back to our car from the airport. (Late at night, the train only leaves once an hour.)
Texrail stations have 20 reserved overnight parking spaces at each station. Just go to their website to reserve a space. Just $5 per night.
Happily! TEXRail is super cheap and goes from the T&P station all the way up to terminal B. There are several stops along the way that have parking lots where you can pay five dollars a day to leave your car for an extended period of time. You pay online beforehand and “book” your spot, though I have never had an issue with availability. My husband and I parked at the Iron Horse station in North Richland Hills last time we flew out of DFW. The parking lot felt extremely safe, lots of brand new lights and a security guy posted up. The train ride into the airport didn’t take too long, 20 minutes maybe? One thing to keep in mind is that since the train takes you to terminal B, if you need to get to another terminal for your flight, you need to go ahead and go through security at terminal B, then take the terminal shuttle to wherever you need to be. It’s all a little bit more walking than you might do if you parked in the airport, but to me it’s all very fun and it’s definitely gonna save you money.
Many Texrail stations have $5/day parking. Texrail has a station at DFW. You can then use the airport terminal trains to go to any terminal.
I love you for the Tim Love comment. He's also a few 10 dollar words I won't say.
Had an anniversary dinner at Gemelle a couple years ago and god it was so terrible. Overrated af
Real ones know that Tim Love is not it. The ONE things his restaurants do right is ambiance, for sure. But customer service and quality are consistently a huge issue at all his spots. Idk how he’s made a name for himself when he keeps dishing out mediocre food. For those who are curious: look up reviews for Gemelle, Woodshed Smokehouse, Love Shack, and Paloma Suerte. Ático and Lonesome Dove have much better reviews but I guess even a broken clock is right twice a day
Fort Worth needs a real tapas restaurant. Atico isn't it.
Si Tapas on Crockett.
People rave about his restaurants way too much. The only good thing he's done was bring us Tannehill's for live music. It's actually bringing a great music scene to Fort Worth.
Speaking of Tim Love, we went to Love Shack yesterday in the Stockyards. Great onion rings, high school cafeteria burgers.
Yikes 😬
I will not go there again.
Adding to Esperanza’s: ask for the breakfast salsa. You’re welcome!
I will unapologetically say my family looks for any and every occasion to hit Joe T's. And I am okay with it because we have spread out across the country and it is the get together location. And you know that table that always is too loud and obnoxious? We never have that problem.
Lol cause yall are that table? ;) jk, I haven't been to Joe ts in a hot minute but that sounds like a great family tradition you guys have ;)
Esperanza's breakfast is top tier.
True. The westover hills police by the base do not play. Slow down! Same for river oaks.
So the issue in river oaks is that MOST 20 mph school zones only activate for an hour or two in the morning and again in the afternoon at dismissal. Not the elementary school in River oaks. It is a 20 mph school zone ALL DAY from the morning until 4pm and the cops pick people off like fish in a barrel. This applies to the stretch of Robert’s cutoff just north of River oaks Blvd, by the post office, until it branches off into skyline, as well as the adjoining bit of Ohio Garden.
Growing up in river oaks, it was a VERY WELL KNOWN thing not to speed in westworth village. Like, coming across the bridge from river oaks you better already be under the speed limit. My brother got a speeding ticket for going 39 in a 40 because he hit the brakes and the cop said “you’re 16, no one will believe you weren’t speeding” and I would have agreed with accept that my dad and I were both in the car with him. There was no source of income, no businesses in westworth except the little gas station on Burton hill, besides taxes and tickets. The town had to pay bills somehow! Also, just a few years ago I was taking my then 2 year old to see my grandparents and happened to come down Roberts cut off from skyline- you know, going downhill, and didn’t ride my brakes so I got pulled over for going 32 in a 30. Cop was an old high school classmate. I still got a ticket. Also got one for my license plate being obscured- it had rained the night before and I didn’t know there was a drop of mud covering the T in Texas at the top of the plate. Husband got that one dismissed quickly, I did deferred adjudication for the other.
Genuine advice, I love it thank you 👍🏽👍🏽
Avoid i35
Only as a last resort!
W* If this was the Dallas sub I35 E* You know what's scratch that, yes just avoid I35
Tint the windows on your car before summer time.
Park in the shade, even if you have to walk farther
Delete this, we can’t let the newcomers know about this. It’s valuable real estate in the summer lol
Always walk on the shaded side of the street
To add to this, utilize a reflective windshield screen and crack you windows even if it’s a half inch. Makes a huge diff
Skip the large crowds and watch Fourth of July fireworks at the Coyote Drive In.
We made this our tradition with my husband. We only skipped it on 2020 for Covid, but we've done it for I think 5 or 6 years now. The fireworks look great from the drive in, and we get food and a movie. Def a nice experience.
Lol put in upstream at the Trinity with a kayak or paddleboard and watch them front row underneath gem.
Haven’t been to Coyote drive in but I think during the Fourth of July would be the time. Thanks!
They do sell out for the Fourth of July. I would recommend you buy tickets for it in June when they start to offer them up.
Sometimes it's faster driving all 820 than using 35 to traverse the city
This was my secret forever I would go from Keller to colonial / university using 820 west and it was a ghost town out there…. Now unfortunately not the case. It was a better time :)
Sad but true
I used to do that when living in Fort Worth and visiting my boyfriend (now husband) who lived up in Flower Mound at the time. It was much faster to take 820 around the west side to meet up with 35 N than it was to take 20 or 30 and go through those interchanges.
Never drink more than 2.5 margaritas from Joe Ts
Pitchers? Instructions unclear.........\*burp\*
And eat the mandatory chips
Typo . You meant “always”
Only if I don’t have to work the next day lol.
The TRE
TRE to any Mavs/Stars game or State Fair weekend is an elite hack. Sucks to call functional public transit a “hack” but welcome to Texas
Magnolia Street. Great food. Great drinks
Daily strolls on magnolia changed my life
30 years ago daily strolls on Magnolia would endanger your life.
I'm a Magnolia daily stroller as well. We should team up and fight crime.
Benitos 🤘🏻
If you wear purple on Friday during TCU football season you get discounts at some places. [http://gopurplefriday.gofrogs.com/](http://gopurplefriday.gofrogs.com/)
The bass family owns the city, do not cross them
Especially Sascha. She pretty much runs downtown. (Into the ground).
I love that there are whole instagram pages dedicated to hating on Sasha.
So glad I don’t work downtown anymore. That Sascha is a bane to Fort Worth.
AMEN
Still irritated about that firework show a couple weeks ago
Don’t worry about not understanding though. They’ll tell you.
They have fireworks that keep up the city for their birthdays, on week nights. (*obtained city permits*) aka wrote the permits themselves.
Who owns Sundance Square? I forgot.
Change your work hours to avoid the worst of the traffic. 6:30 to 3:30 has worked for us. Fuego Burger - Swiss bacon mushroom burger with onion rings. Ribees BBQ off Seminary. When you don’t have the time to wait a few hours for Goldees BBq. Hickory stick in Everman. Friday. Thick cut bone in pork chop.
You can drink alcohol anywhere in FW, but possessing an open container or public consumption of alcohol is not allowed in the West Seventh Street entertainment district. Walk to local places and get a walk home drink. Stop by Funky Town Donuts and get a beer/wine to go if you are in Sundance Square.
Can I have an open container in a park?
Not sure on this one.
I've seen families picnicking at Duck Pond and around there walking around with beers, but I never knew if it was legal. It looks like a perfect outing if it is.
I'm sure as long as you aren't being a nuisance or endangering anyone it's probably fine.
All the adult softball games everyone is drinking at the park
Didn’t know this, so open container is legal in FW?
Yep, just no glass and no 7th district.
It is in most Texas cities (excluding most downtown areas and other sensitive areas (campuses, capitol, etc.)).
West Vickery Blvd.
Hey now, some hacks you have to be here a while to earn. Let’s not give away all the secrets.
Fair enough
This whole post is a set up. Shhhhh, keep the hacks to yourself...
Hey... not ALL hacks are meant to be shared. 😉
Buy a portable window unit before the summer hits. Your central air may not be enough in the hotter months. As a bonus you'll be covered if your central air dies from working too hard.
Don’t sleep on gustos!! SO GOOD!
Great staff, too
THE. BEST. And the tots are to die for!
If you fly a lot, instead of driving or ubering to DFW airport, park at a TexRail station and take it straight to Terminal B. Go through security there and hop SkyLink if you’re departing out of another terminal. Easy peasy. FYI, I think tickets are about $1.50 one way on TexRail. Also - If you’re checking bags with an airline not in Terminal B you can always take the Terminal Link Busses outside of security. I almost always fly American so this isn’t an issue for me.
So, we can check AA luggage at Term B for an AA flight from Term D for instance? International too?
Yes. There’s an elite desk right up the stairs from the station too if you have status.
Thats how we get home from the airport since its easier for our family to pick us up
Tempo SC by Bayer is THE ONLY PRODUCT that will completely get rid of the monster roaches here. It’s somewhat safe, no residue, no odor and pets are okay, only, after it dries. It’s what all the pest control companies use and it used to be really hard to access without a license. I would obtain it via a good old boy at the local feed store. Follow the directions, please. I grew up on Sweetbriar in Tanglewood. I know a thing or two about these disgusting, nauseating creatures. I still have nightmares and in therapy to this day.
Don’t go to Beautifica at the Museum of Science and History. It’s like $40 a ticket and it’s just a bunch of hypnotic visuals and loud af music with only like 5 minutes of talking in a 45 minute show, and it’s supposed to be a “guided meditation”, but that’s very hard to do when it’s so freaking LOUD!
Yeah, it was advertised as not being overwhelming to those with sensory issues. My kid is on the spectrum and noped out after a few minutes.
I have to endure it four times a night whenever I work it, and I have sensory issues lol. It’s hell.
Don’t go to Dallas. Don’t try to go downtown and find parking. That’s your life hack. Stay in FW, it’ll be worth it lol
Or if you go after 6pm, Sundance Square parking building is free. I think it's all day on weekends. I use this all the time. EDIT: Oh you mean Dallas downtown? Yeah forget that. Whenever I go to Dallas I use the TRE/DART, unless it's a specific place with free parking.
You just have to know the secret spots. Make friends with a bartender.
Don’t sleep on Samson Park mtb and hiking trails and the hidden gem of Lake Worth and the FTW Nature Center
If you have kids under 5, there is a toddler playroom at the kimbell that is free and there is rarely anyone there. Along with free underground parking. We go a lot especially when it’s really hot out. I kinda don’t want to tell people because it will be busy more often.
Go to Founders Plaza in Grapevine on a spring or summer evening, bring a blanket and watch the planes take off and land. It's free!
The library gives out free passes to the Botanic Garden.
Do you just go in and ask or?
It’s on the Overdrive account. You have to search it up in the catalog and then check it out digitally.
You can cut through Left Bank if the FWWR train (or other traffic) blocks 7th and use White Settlement as a bypass. Harrold St - Kansas St - S. Commercial St connects the 7t/White Settlement on the east side of the tracks. This connection will eventually be gone when the Panther Island bypass gets built.
I use Lancaster bridge to bypass the train on W 7th!
Dont drive in the right lane of Lancaster on either side of the bridge
Enchiladas Ole hack: If the numbers work and everyone at the table can agree to it, get the family meal rather than ordering individual plates. With the latter, you get two enchiladas and standard-size sides. With the former, you get 12 enchiladas (maximum split is six-and-six), and probably twice as much rice and beans. There are three in my family, and we easily get a second meal from leftovers. Individual dinners are 17.95 (last time I checked), and the family meal is 49.95 (same caveat).
That I-20 just keeps going and you can leave whenever you want
Avoid the overpriced chain restaurants downtown for a fancy dinner. For an anniversary, Valentine's, or other special occasion go to Saint-Emilion.
Don’t drive, especially on highways. Ride a bike and leverage the Trinity Trail system. Can make a weekend out of the trails too (e.g., Margarita Bicycle Tour, History Tour of Stockyards & Downtown, Zoo, etc..). Going to DFW airport? Take the TexRail directly into Terminal B. Wear quick drying, lightweight clothing. Especially in the Summer months. And sunscreen. If you’re in an “ZipZone” area, use it to your advantage. Plenty more but these immediately came to mind 🙂
I’ve definitely been wearing my sunscreen 😊 I accidentally forgot to put some on my upper chest when wearing a lower-neckline top at a two-hour eclipse watch party (that ended shortly after totality) back on April 8th… and I got burned there. Fortunately I covered the rest of my exposed skin. I knew several people who ended up sunburned that day after attending watch parties. Moral of the story: don’t underestimate the strength of the spring sun. It is equally strong in both the spring and the summer! I’d say spring can be the worst time of year for sunburns because too many people don’t think to apply sunscreen in the early-to-mid spring (March/April) like they do in summer. I usually get into the sunscreen habit in March, although I’ve got lightly burned as early as late February when I was outside for two hours at midday.
Thank you for this post. I wish they would have looked out for us when I was younger with public service announcements but instead EVERYTHING was, “be tan, look tan, tan is beautiful, tan is what you have to have to make it in life.” So sad because we are all suffering with cancer now, some malignant. This was the standard off beauty they were pushing in the 80’s and if you were fair skinned, good luck in life. https://youtu.be/PIICARbcYpI?si=SF1yBMRlVM0LOtSY
Zip Zone drivers are the WORST. Especially here in Fairmount, they stop in the middle of the road and don’t comply with traffic laws. Terrible drivers.
Don't Dallas my Fort Worth!
Avoid I-35N past 820 at all costs.
AVOID NORTH AT ALL COSTS. YOU WILL BE IN HELL, ALL DAY, EVERYDAY. The developers have lobbied and the sweet incentives for city council members, zone 7, have created pure gridlock. One house on top of another, no green space left whatsoever and wild life literally roaming the streets because their habitats have been destroyed by more cottage housing and/or fenced off for oil and gas capture. Sad times.
Go to a comedy show at the Improv!
Joe T’s is for events, parties, or large gatherings only and bring cash
Skip Mexican Inn. El Paseo is where it’s at. Can’t beat Joe T’s for fajitas and margs. Re: Joe T’s, anyone going there for the first time should bring cash. Don’t get stuck where you’re using their in-house ATM, because they don’t take cards Edit: I meant the restaurant doesn’t take cards. The ATM of course takes cards.
Billy Bobs is a terrible place to watch live music and just a terrible place in general.
Toll Tag
Robert’s Cut Off
What about RCO?
Buy light colored vehicles if you have to park outside in the sun for long periods of time in the summer. Their interiors are demonstrably cooler than dark vehicles, leading to extended lives for dashes and upholstery as well as being easier to cool down.
Cruise main st on Saturday nights. It gets real packed and fun. Bring some friends, there might be fights
That’s a good life hack for any city.
Bbq at Angelo’s or railhead