Countless people have been through Waco, Texas; road trips to most larger Texas cities often require going through the town on the infamous I-35 highway.  Waco sits right in between some of the state’s major cities, so it’s a reasonable distance from each of them: it’s about an hour and a half from both Dallas and Austin, and under three hours from Houston and San Antonio.  For a long time, however, Waco was known as little more than a college town, or a place to get caught up in its infamous I-35 traffic on that aforementioned road trip.  The city has undergone something of a transformation in recent years, though, so after we recently stopped for a day, we found that it was definitely worth considering as a destination on its own.

What to Do: Visit the Magnolia Silos

This is likely the reason you may have heard about Waco in the first place – the success of the HGTV show Fixer Upper (which was/is based in Waco) has been one of the largest catalysts for the town’s growth and development.  So it makes sense that the complex hosting Chip and Joanna Gaines’ shops/restaurant/baseball field/etc. is the town’s biggest tourism draw by far.

When you first get to the Silos, your first thought might be something along the lines of ‘Disneyland for HGTV fans.’  That was definitely our reaction.  Upon further exploration, though, two things became abundantly clear: (1) the Silos aren’t just for HGTV fans, but (2) the Disneyland comparison isn’t far off.

This was our first time visiting, so without knowing how the Silos started out (they could have very well attracted fans of Fixer Upper exclusively at the beginning), it was clear that Magnolia has gone to great lengths to ensure that everyone can find something to do there, and that no one in your party is bored (regardless of age or interest-level in their show).   One of the latest expansions is a series of six shops, each of which has a different focus, from baked goods to jewelry, and from children’s toys to men’s tools and sporting goods.  

One of the more interesting aspects of their recent expansion is the addition of a whiffle ball field – throughout our time at the silos, there was never a moment without some kind of game going on. The Silos leave no detail unnoticed: seeing the need for more food options (to manage the consistently large crowds), Magnolia capitalized on the theme and added a concession stand with ballpark classics to eat and drink.

That consistency runs throughout the Silos; Magnolia has clearly gone to great lengths to create something for everyone, of all demographics, but in doing so, they never spare an opportunity to properly tie something into their brand. There are opportunities to shop for all sorts of home decor, from small pieces to large furniture, but at every turn, the experience of just visiting is given a level of attention that makes a trip to the Silos a must-do when in Waco.

Where to Eat: Heritage Creamery

Typically, we’d have a restaurant or the like here, but Heritage Creamery was so good that it topped the list, even with only ice cream on the menu.  We may legitimately never go to/through Waco again without stopping here.

First, ‘only ice cream’ is a bit deceiving, as they put just as much care into their freshly made waffle cones and the cookies (for ice cream sandwiches) as they do their wide variety of flavors.  But the ice cream is undeniably (and unsurprisingly) the star of the show.  The flavors rotate relatively frequently, and local ingredients are used in those regularly – for example, the Waco-based coffee shop next door makes a syrup that is used to complement the coffee-flavored ice cream. What stood out the most, though, may only make sense to those who have had true homemade ice cream. If you have, you may remember that there is a slight ‘grit’ to the ice cream, that only emphasizes that fresh sugar was used in making it. Heritage somehow replicates that same texture, showing that they take the same care in crafting their ice cream, while also utilizing complex flavors and high-quality ingredients.

While we enjoyed the Silos and Heritage Creamery, arguably the best part about how close Waco is to DFW (or any of the larger Texas cities, really) is the fact that it’s so easy to visit. As a town that is very much on the rise, we’ve found something new on every one of our trips through Waco, so this certainly isn’t all encompassing, and we anticipate being able to update this post with more discoveries with some quick and easy future trips to and through Waco. But with that said, if these are the only two things you do while in Waco, it would still make for a great day!