The Silos in Waco, TX which is home to Magnolia Market and the Silos Baking Co. started by well-known Fixer Upper stars, Chip and Joanna Gaines, has attracted 1000s of visitors each day since opening back in 2015. Every year the popularity has grown more and more attracting people from all over to come and visit Waco, TX to see what’s so special about this town!
In early April my family and I decided to take our family trip to Waco, TX since we all wanted to go somewhere warm AND we all love Fixer Upper (yes, the hubby and kids love it too, thanks to Chip’s silly personality)! When friends and family who had already visited Magnolia Silos in Waco had heard that we were going for 5 full days, they warned us that we would get bored. Seeing the Silos would only take a day, if that, and then we would be twiddling our thumbs the rest of the time.
Slightly concerned that I had just booked a vacation with nothing to do but hang out in the hotel, we went forward with our trip with a good attitude determined to get everything possible out of Waco (whatever else it had to offer…)
Guess what?
We literally filled every single day with cool things that you must do too! So that brings me to addressing the question that I was wondering before we journeyed to Waco: What else is there to do after experiencing the Magnolia Silos?
Well, before I answer your burning question, I will tell you that a good half day at the Magnolia Silos is perfect! Arrive right when they open (I think 9 am or 10 am) so that the cupcake line at Silos Baking Co. isn’t too long and then venture into Magnolia Market (which is heaven for those who love modern farmhouse decor). You will spend a good 45 minutes browsing both levels of the market. Oh, it is just so fun to browse and search for that perfect Joanna Gaines-style souvenir. (here is the souvenir that I found)!
After you have finished with the market (or your kids complain that they are SOOOOO tired of shopping), there is an adorable turf area made just for kids and families to run around. They even have frisbees, balls and giant Jenga blocks available to play with. The turf is lined with bean bags to lounge in while you watch your kids and butts up to a beautiful pavilion area with picnic tables. It really is a fun place to just hang out and be.
Hungry? The Silos outdoor area is literally lined with food trucks of all types so you can grab a bite to eat and just hang out! Chip & Joanna literally created their own little outdoor community center smack dab in the middle of Waco, TX.
Her garden store also is in this same complex and is a super neat place to check out.
Okay so you spent your day at the Magnolia Silos…. now what?
Fear not, my friend I have 7 other places to keep you entertained on your trip!
#1 Waco Tour
If your main goal of visiting Waco is because you love the show Fixer Upper, then doing the Waco Tour is a must! This guided tour takes you to many of the well-known places that you know and love from the show including Jimmy Don’s shop, Harp Design Co. (where you get to stop and shop), Common Grounds Coffee (where they buy you a coffee), the original Magnolia Market (before she opened the Silos) and they also take you past some of the actual fixer-uppers. We saw the Shotgun House, the Mid-Century Modern, the Bachelor Pad and the German Schmeer house (and a couple more that flee my memory at the moment).
In addition to getting a guided tour through some of the spots that we wanted to see from the show, they did a wonderful job of relating the culture and history of the city (which is super interesting, by the way)! I had no idea Waco had such rich culture and history!
Another bonus of the tour is that they take you to places in Waco that you otherwise would not have known about if not for the tour. As we went along, I took note of places that I found interesting and wanted to explore more thoroughly, which brings me to my next suggested activity for you and your family in Waco, TX.
#2 Cameron Park & Cameron Park Zoo
Did you know that Waco has cliffs?? Me neither! Until we were on the Waco Tour and they took us through Cameron Park. Cameron Park is a 500-acre park with a hilly windy road that is located along Brazos River. Even if you just have time to drive through it… do it! It’s gorgeous!
If you do have time to get out and explore I encourage you to look up Jacob’s Ladder. We did not do it, because I wore the wrong shoes! However, it looked cool. It is 100 uneven steps that lead to the top of a bluff. Supposedly quite challenging, but you’ll earn well-deserved bragging rights if you complete it!
Another attraction within Cameron Park is Lover’s Leap which is a cliff located on the Brazos River. Here is a family photo of us by the edge, isn’t it beautiful?! The legend that goes along with it is interesting as well, but I won’t spoil it for you because they will tell you all about it on the Waco Tour!
In addition to several playgrounds and a splash pad, Cameron Park also has a ZOO! And it isn’t a Podunk cheesy zoo! Cameron Park Zoo is fantastic! Easy to navigate, clean, well spaced out with a perfect variety of animals! My kids saw every animal they had hoped to see and more! I highly recommend this zoo, the admission rates were very reasonable as well!
#3 Homestead Heritage
Although we ran out of time and did not get to experience this attraction first hand (hence the lack of photography), Homestead Heritage was definitely on the list. It is basically a large farm made up of several family homesteads. They have a restaurant which is supposed to be AH-MAZING and a craft village.
The craft village is what really interested me. They do a variety of live demos including pottery making, cheese-making, woodworking, furniture making, knitting, spinning and weaving amongst other things.
Check out the Homestead Heritage website, it is super informative!
#4 Mayborn Museum
This was one of the places we wouldn’t have discovered if not for the Waco Tour! Seriously, that tour was awesome!
Anyway, if you are traveling to Waco with elementary to middle school age children, then you must take a half day to experience the Mayborn Museum. It is a science museum located on the Baylor University campus.
Lots of hands-on stuff for the kids to explore, including several themed discovery rooms. Our favorite was the bubble and water room where you could literally put yourself in a bubble! Super cool!
#5 Baylor University
I left Waco as a total Baylor Bears fan! I secretly wished I was college age again so I could attend Baylor! What a cool university!
I think any college campus is fun to explore and Baylor is no exception! They even have two real live bears you can go see which are the official mascots!
(As I revise, I realize I just ended every sentence in that section with an exclamation mark… I LIKE BAYLOR!!!!!)
#6 The Riverwalk
So when I knew we were heading to Texas I originally thought about taking a day to drive to San Antonio to experience the Riverwalk that I have heard so much about… not necessary!
Waco has its own river walk! While it is not lined with businesses, restaurants, and bars like San Antonio, it is incredibly peaceful and beautiful. The suspension bridge is a footbridge that you can walk over to get from side to side. There is a neat WWII memorial, as well as, MLK Jr. tribute and if you are lucky you just might see a train go by too! This unexpected gem ended up being one of our favorite parts of Waco as a family!
#7 Magnolia Table
Don’t worry I didn’t forget Magnolia Table! This is obviously a non-negotiable if you want the full Magnolia experience!
As you might imagine, Magnolia Table is VERY popular. They do not take reservations and it is a first come, first serve type of diner and it is always busy!
I recommend arriving within the first couple hours of their opening time which is 6AM. Upon arriving they direct you to an outdoor hostess who will put you on the waitlist and give you an estimated wait time. You can choose a private table or the community table or first available. I recommend first available for fastest seating if you don’t mind sitting with strangers. We got lucky and ended up with a private booth!
Next, you will be directed to the gift shop while you wait for a text message notifying you that your table is ready. We went to Magnolia Table at 7:30 AM on a Friday and were seated within 10 minutes!
Once you are seated they are so efficient! The servers are very knowledgeable and chat just enough (but not too much) to make you feel welcome! They will help you if you can’t decide what is best to order. I recommend Joanna’s Biscuits (even if you aren’t a biscuit person)! I never had a perfect biscuit until then…
Once you are finished, you can head back to the gift shop to finish shopping, if you didn’t have enough time earlier!
And there you have it! Seven more amazing things to do in Waco Texas AFTER you have experienced the Silos! Have fun and enjoy!
xoxo Allison
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