Spotlight: Fort Worth, Texas - Water Gardens

Spotlight: The Water Gardens were built in 1974 by noted New York architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee. The urban park, known as a "cooling oasis in the concrete jungle," covers 4.3 acres, and features three pools of water and a terraced knoll. Each pool is unique, featuring a different aspect of water: the Quiet Water Pool, the Aerated Water Pool, and the Active Water Pool.

Location: The Water Gardens are located in downtown Fort Worth at 1502 Commerce Street.

Cost: Free

Time: The park is open daily from 7:30 am - 10:00 pm.

Description: The Quiet Water Pool is surrounded by cypress trees and towering walls. The walls are covered with a thin sheet of water cascading down, creating the soothing sound of rain.

     The Aerated Water Pool features an array of about two dozen spray fountains shaded by oak trees.

     The feature attraction is the Active Water Pool. The pool features hundreds of thousands of gallons of water cascading 38 feet (11 meters) down a series of terraces into a central pool. In order to experience the effect fully, visitors can descend the stone steps that lead down to the central pool, where you are immersed in the sound of water crashing down around you without getting wet.

     In addition to the pools, there is a terraced concrete knoll known as the Mountain.

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - The active pool was closed for a couple of years after four people drowned in 2004. The tragedy happened because the water was unusually deep as a result of a pump malfunction and heavy rains. To make the pool safer, the depth of the central pool was reduced from 9 feet to 2 feet.
- The Water Gardens were featured in the film Logan's Run. They were also seen in the TV adaptation of The Lathe of Heaven.
- Occasionally one of the pools may be closed for cleaning. We missed the Aerated Pool on our first visit but made a quick stop when we passed by it again for a picture.

Nearby: Fort Worth Convention Center, Cowtown Segway Adventures, Trinity Park, Fort Worth Botanic Garden