If you are Fixer Upper, Magnolia, or Chip and Joanna Gaines fans… all roads lead to Waco. My mom and are were looking for a fun mother-daughter trip and this Texas spot seemed like the perfect destination to explore. The Magnolia Silos were a highlight.
Joanna designed six boutique-style shops with a specific theme in mind. You’ll find gifts for the homebody, custom accessories, branded souvenirs, Chip-approved goods, hosting essentials, and more. Magnolia Market has curated themes and Magnolia Home presents fully-designed room scenes to help you imagine the possibilities for your own home. Both you are able to buy in the store and have shipped directly to your home, or you can also shop your online versions.
Of course we needed multiple coffee breaks every day we were in Waco. So we also made our way to Magnolia Press. The place is beautiful and inviting and we love supporting local coffee anywhere we go. Their signature drink, quickly became our go-to favorite — hot or blended! It’s The 1905 and it’s the house latte infused with toasted marshmallow and vanilla. Not too sweet but definitely full of flavor, a must-try when you visit Magnolia Press.
MUSEUMS & TOURS
For a limited time only you can tour The Castle that Chip and Joanna Gaines featured for a whole season on Fixer Upper. The famous Cottonwood Castle is a historic landmark and the Gaines did their best to preserve its original beauty. You can watch the whole season of Fixer Upper: The Castle and then relive the moments on the tour. We loved all the wood work, the way design was used to open up and creatively use spaces and how wallpaper and color worked together to give you a royal feel.
Many spots in the castle have been featured our cover photos for Magnolia Magazine… but we also love the book Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave, as well as her cookbooks Magnolia Table, Volume 2 and Volume 3.
Raise of hands, for who else does Dr. Pepper top the favorite soda list? I know I’m not alone because this summer Dr. Pepper just became the second most sipped on soda behind Coke! So when we found out there was a Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, we had to swing by.
MUSIC – ICONIC WACO HIPPODROME
At over 100 years old and newly renovated, the Waco Hippodrome Theatre is a historic building hosting a plethora of entertainment options. We took advantage of Christmas in July and went one evening to attend He Rules the World: A Concert Telling of the Nativity Story.
This a family-friendly, contemporary live concert event that blends song, narration, and imagery to tell the Nativity story in its entirety. The concert includes a live five-piece band with five singers and is complete with a light show and animation.
We love that a husband-wife duo created this show and one of the main goals is so their kids could enjoy it and the whole family could experience Christmas in this Biblical way. Check out our interview Peter & Jennifer Emerson and be sure to book your trip to He Rules the World when it returns to the Hippodrome mid-December!
HOW TO GET THERE AND WHERE TO STAY
If you don’t live in Texas where Waco might be a day trip, then we suggest staying at Hotel 1928. We flew in from California and you can either go to Waco Regional Airport, or the city is pretty much equidistant from Austin or Dallas. I think it would be great to plan a trip to one of those larger cities and then drive into Waco and spend the night at the hotel and explore the surrounding city on your way in and out.
The Gaines along with AJ Capital, have re-envisioned this historic building to create a hospitality experience with 33 guest rooms, dining, and a rooftop terrace. We loved the charm, the attention to detail and how the rooms all vary. One of our favorite perks was that you get hand-delivered coffee to your room every morning and there are Dyson hair dryers in the bathroom (hello my long haired friends you know this makes a difference!). Once you’ve stayed here, you won’t want to stay anywhere else in Waco.
