February 28 | A Whitney Detour Travel Journal

If Day 1 was about the chaos of getting here, Day 2 was about diving headfirst into the heart of Texas. We spent the day in the Fort Worth Stockyards, and let me tell you—it lived up to every bit of the hype.

Breakfast at Hotel Drover: The Bacon that Broke the Internet

We started our morning at 97 West Kitchen & Bar inside the Hotel Drover. The Drover is named after the legendary cowboys who drove cattle up the Chisholm Trail, and the “rustic-luxe” vibe is 10/10.

Before we even looked at the mains, we ordered the Sweet & Spicy Bacon. This wasn’t your average side of bacon. It was thick, house-smoked pork belly glazed in maple syrup, served hanging on a wire rack next to a slice of jalapeño cornbread.

Whitney’s Take: The bacon was incredible, but that cornbread? It might have been the best I’ve ever had in my life.

For the main event, I went with the Banana Foster French Toast. Rich, decadent, and worth every single calorie. It set a bar so high that it ended up being our favorite meal of the entire trip.

Boot Scootin’ & Longhorns

After fueling up, we hit the brick-lined streets of the Stockyards. It’s like stepping back into 1866. We caught the Fort Worth Herd—the world’s only twice-daily cattle drive. Seeing those massive Longhorns stroll right down Exchange Avenue is a surreal reminder of the Old West.

Denay also decided it was time to look the part and splurged on a new pair of boots at Tecovas. There’s something about buying your first pair of real Texas boots in the middle of the Stockyards that just feels right.

The Main Event: Cowtown & A Legend

After a quick afternoon recharge, we headed to the Cowtown Coliseum for the rodeo.

• Fun Fact: This arena held the world’s first-ever indoor rodeo back in 1918!

The energy was electric, but the night was far from over. We walked over to Billy Bob’s Texas, which is famously known as the “World’s Largest Honky Tonk.”

We were there to see the Josh Abbott Band, but halfway through the set, the energy in the room shifted. Josh started playing a Randy Travis song, and then—out of nowhere—Randy Travis himself rolled out on stage.

The entire place erupted. It was one of those “only in Texas” moments that you just can’t plan for. After a day of history, high-end breakfast, and country music royalty, we headed back to the Airbnb with our hearts (and stomachs) completely full.