A Perfect Long Weekend in Waco
How to Get to Waco
Waco, Texas is an awesome place to visit. There are several different ways to get there if you are having to fly into town. There are direct flights from Dallas/Ft Worth, Love, and Austin that will deliver you directly to Waco. However, there was almost a three hour lay-over to catch this 45 minute flight. The drive into Waco from any of the airports is around 2 hours.Β The other options if you don’t want to wait around for a flight are to Uber, if available, rent a car and drive, or perhaps you can catch a shuttle.
Where to Stay in Waco
Once you are in Waco, you will definitely want a nice place to stay and be your home base! We definitely will always recommend the place that we stayed – The Green Door Lofts. Whether you are traveling with a large group (like we did), single, or just a few friends, Jim, the owner will have the perfect loft for you. Ours came equipped with a huge kitchen, multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, and a living room. Outside was an awesome swimming pool that is perfect for a cool dip in the summer. It is also heated, so cool weather isn’t a problem either! It was the perfect place, especially when you consider the fact that it was just a couple blocks away from Magnolia Market. We simply walked and didn’t have to worry about parking a car. You can find their website here.
Where to Eat in Waco
Choosing an eatery in Waco is so hard because everything looks good. We were only there for a few meals, but they were all excellent. Here are a few suggestions you might want to consider.
Day 1
When we arrived at the Lofts, 900 Degree Pizza and the Pie Peddlers were waiting for lunch! So many pies!
The first night we were there, we went right across the street from the Green Door Lofts and enjoyed a light meal at the Klassy Glass Wine Bar.Β
Day 2
The next morning, we decided to go for a quick breakfast at Harvest on 25th. The food was great, and we were in and out in a flash!
For lunch that day, we had several options from the Food Truck Rodeo at the Magnolia Silos.
Dinner was great! This beautiful Legacy Limousine Service picked us up and took us to the wonderful One Thirty Five Prime Steakhouse for a delicious dinner.
Day 3
Breakfast the following morning was at the famous, Magnolia Table. The food was definitely excellent, as was the experience. However, they don’t take reservations, meaning we had a nearly 2 hour wait. So, make sure you get there early!
Our final dinner was at Brazos Bar and Bistro. Once again, the food was great. I think they brought out about everything on the menu! From appetizers to desserts, everything was wonderful.
Where to Shop in Waco
Waco is definitely a city designed for shopping. Adorable boutiques, specialty stores, antique shops and more are everywhere.
Boutique and Home Decor
Courtney’s boutique hosted our entire group for a private shopping session. Her store had the cutest clothes, both dressy and casual. There was definitely something for everyone here! My feet were killing me after walking all day, so I made sure to check out the cute shoes.
Linen and Cake is a beautiful little store on Austin. They have so many decor pieces, you will find yourself wishing you had brought another suitcase!
The Findery is awesome, and just down the street a block from Magnolia. So, make sure to plan a bit of time to explore both of their shops. They have everything from clothing to home decor! I may have purchased a new piece of clothing….or two.
Related to Magnolia Shopping
We also headed over to Harp Design Co.Β His store was amazing. It is full of his hand-crafted woodwork. (In case you don’t recognize the name, Clint Harp is the go-to guy for woodworking on Fixer-Upper). And yes, I did purchase a handmade tapered rolling pin……I was concerned about bringing it on the plane, but it made it through security!
JDH Iron Designs was another stop on our list. If you watch Fixer-Upper, he designs most of the metal works for the show. He had the neatest shop with all sorts of items both large and small. When I saw the sign that simply said Happy……….oh well, lets just say I am glad they ship.
Β Magnolia Market
Yes, we have finally made it to the Silos. It was a beautiful day, and the lines weren’t horrible, but don’t be shocked when you arrive. There are will be a lot of people here. The visitor’s bureau in Waco estimates that approximately 30,000 people per week are descending on the Magnolia Market/Silo Area.
So, for the 2 people out there who don’t know what Magnolia Market is, let me catch you up. Chip and Joanna Gaines were the stars of the HGTV show Fixer Upper for 5 seasons. The show centered on their rebuilding of houses in their hometown of Waco, Texas. The show has expanded to include books, magazines, a furniture line, additional tv shows, their own new television network, and much, much more.
The Magnolia Market, Silos, Bakery, are all together on a single property, and it is just beautiful. We took so many photos, it was nearly impossible to narrow it down to just these. Also, there is a food truck rodeo set up, so there is plenty to eat and a variety to pick from for a light snack or a full meal. And yes, the cupcakes are amazing.
Off the Magnolia Trail
One of the things we love to do when we travel is to adventure a bit. We like to go off the normal tourist trail, and perhaps see some countryside, or lesser known tourist attractions. One of the days we were in Waco, the weather was bad. It was raining cats and dogs! Randomly, we decided to hire a driver to take us around a bit. The tour of Waco was expensive, per person, and it didn’t really take you every where we were wanting to see…..but boy Walter did! Walter Jackson became our personal tour guide, and he was awesome. We spent 4 hours with him!! (We will put his contact information at the bottom of the post.) He took us to a bunch of stores, drove us through the countryside, and even drove by Chip and Joanna Gaines’ house, as well as some of the other Fixer Upper’s in town…..(sorry, Magnolia had to make another brief appearance). After that, we detoured and went into Crawford, Texas in an attempt to see President Bush’s Tree Farm and his ranch. We got close, but unfortunately there was an event at the ranch that day and the secret service had the road blocked going up to his house. Apparently, we weren’t on the guest list. We did, however, manage to see inside Laura Bush’s Monarch butterfly preserve. (See photo below)
The countryside was stunning. It had been storming and pouring rain off and on all day, so the light was just beautiful. The bluebonnets were in full bloom everywhere, so the ground seemed to be awash in a pastel purple, and the trees were so full and green they sometimes appeared to be glowing.
Just a couple more, we promise. After our detour through Crawford, he made sure we saw Baylor University up-close, and then he added a side trip that we were especially shocked to get to do. We had recently watched the documentary about the disaster at the Branch Davidian Compound in Waco. We looked it up, and online it said that if the gates are open when you arrive, you are welcome to come in,Β read the history, and see where it all happened. It was an odd feeling being there in person, and also, it was one of those things that you never thought you would ever see in person.
Final Thoughts
Our trip to Waco was perfect! We were able to do so much in just a short period of time, and if the weather had cooperated a bit more, we could have even squeezed in a few more stops. However, the time we spent there with friends, both old and new, was precious and something we will never forget. Waco is an awesome city to travel to whether you are planning a girl’s weekend or just a week-end get-a-way. Great shopping, great food, and great people. We hope you enjoy your trip as much as we did!
The Instagram Gang we were with:
Our other sponsors for the weekend:
If you are in Waco, give Walter Jackson a call! 254-747-0551. (Tell him Happy Days Farm sent you!)
