You may be shocked when you read the header for this article, but since the show aired its first episode it seems like all people care about now is Magnolia and the TV series. Don’t get me wrong, I love Magnolia, its new location, the Silos, and the show "Fixer Upper," but that’s not the only thing my hometown has to offer. Waco has so much history and culture behind it, and it would be a shame to only hear people talk about Magnolia while visiting Waco. So, here are nine things to do in Waco besides Magnolia Market!
Cameron Park
Sitting between downtown Waco and the Brazos and Bosque Rivers, this 416-acre park has some crazy fun trails and beautiful sites. While visiting the park you can: fish, hike, play disc golf, canoe, mountain bike, and have a picnic! If you plan on hiking I suggest Lovers Leap; once you make it to the top there is a beautiful view overlooking the Brazos River and the park. While visiting this site make sure you’re enjoying yourself and take a lot of pictures!
Cameron Park Zoo
Located in the park mentioned earlier, this 52 acre natural habitat zoo houses over 1731 animals from different parts of the globe! There are also fun activities for the visitors to enjoy which include, sliding with the otters, talking to the tigers, a playground and spray park, and recently feeding the giraffes! I recommend going to the orangutan exhibit because you can play with the floor chime piano and the orangutans love it when they make new friends.
Waco Hippodrome
Located in downtown Waco, this place used to be a theater for plays and concerts, but a few years back they changed it to a place to watch movies. This place is amazing because it’s a draft house, built in restaurant and of course a movie theater! You can have brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert while watching some oldies or recent movie releases. But make sure you get there early, because seats do fill up fast!
Waco Mammoth National Monument
This site was founded in 1978, but wasn’t open to the public until 2009. This site contains fossils of 22 Columbus Mammoths, a camel and a tooth from a juvenile sabre-tooth cat. When getting to the site a tour guide will take you to where the ancient animals were discovered and speak about their history. This is a great place for families learn more about the Ice Age and the awesome species that lived during that time period. Also, a chance to get to see what history has left for us outside of the museum!
Dr. Pepper Museum
Speaking of museums, this one is dedicated, in my opinion, to one of the if not the best soft drinks in the world, Dr. Pepper! Not many know, but Dr. Pepper was created here in Waco by Charles Alderton, aka Dr. Pepper. This museum houses a recreation of the old Morrison’s drug store where the soft drink was created, the Well which the company used to store the famous drink and so much more. The best part is at the end of your tour of the museum you can enjoy a soda from the old fashion soda fountain which is next door to the gift shop!
Texas Sports Hall of Fame
Down the road from Baylor University this place recognizes the coaches, athletes and administrators who had made a difference and had great achievements in sports here in Texas. This place houses over 300 Texas colleigate, tennis, and high school football legends. From its first inductee, Baseball player Tris Speaker to its most recent Cowboy’s Larry Allen, the hall makes sure that anyone who visits knows that everything is better in Texas.
Waco Escape Room
This place focuses on creating escape rooms with different themes or stories for people to test their wits in order to escape the room before time runs out. With only sixty minutes to solve the riddles and find the hidden objects this is one place to go in order to work together with your family or friends while having fun. Reservations required!
Hawaiian Falls
This place has crazy slides, a chill, lazy river and the best wave pool in town! This is Waco’s newest water park. Hawaiian Falls has great rides for all ages from a water fortress made for toddlers and small children to the high speed mat racer made for the teens and adults. If you are looking for a fun ride I suggest going over to the Tempest Tower; it’s a six story tall covered tube slide. Some times during the summer the park offers Movie Night. Make sure you pack sun screen before heading to the water park!
Mayborn Museum
Located across the street from Baylor University the museum is an interactive science and history exhibit. In the beginning of the tour visitors go back in time and take a look at the local dinosaurs that used to roam Texas, then ends in the 19th century with Indians and grass huts. After that you will reach the interactive part of you tour where visitors can experience fun activities like playing with the floor piano, dressing up like the pioneers or creating a water maze. You can even go outside and look at the frontier school house, barn and church. I could talk about this place forever, but I’d rather you go an experience this yourself.
Honorable Mentions--Grub
Before ending my article, I would like to tell y’all about a few of the great places to eat while visiting Waco.
Café Cappuccino
Is a small café that serves breakfast and lunch, but I recommend you go there for breakfast, because their coffee selections and French Toast are amazing. Make sure you get there early since tables fill up fast and it’s only open until two in the afternoon.
Double R
A down home local burger joint here in Waco. They only have one location and it’s a small diner close to downtown Waco. It has been around since the early 80s and has been a local favorite since then. I suggest getting the burger basket, it comes with a hamburger any way you want it, your choice of chips, fries or tater tots and a drink. This place has great atmosphere and is a good value.
Poppa Rollos
A great pizza place with an arcade and old movies. While eating you can enjoy watching the classic Little Rascals or play a Jurassic Park arcade game. I recommend the Rollo Special, it has pepperoni, hamburger, mushrooms, green bell peppers, sausage and onions. Make sure you stop by or you’ll regret it.
Pokey O’s
This mobile ice cream truck is worth a search through downtown for dessert. In order to enjoy their delicious ice cream sandwiches, you have to go on their social media accounts to find their current location, because they move around, a lot. They have daily specials, so they don’t serve the same thing every day. Make sure you bring a lot of napkins and running shoes because you are going to need them!
Well, I hope you check out one of these other places if you’re planning a trip to Magnolia Market at the Silos, and take in more of what Waco has to offer.
