dress: similar, similar | bag: target | earrings: similar | sandals: similar | fitbit band | sunnies: karen walker
Ah, Waco. Waco holds such a special little place in my husband’s and my heart. Both of us went to Baylor University (and all of our siblings for that matter) and my husband and I met at the end of our Baylor careers. When you hear “Waco” you may think “small city” or “Baylor football,” but Waco is so much more than that. It has such sweet charm and character to it and it’s own history.
My husband and I recently traveled down to Waco for a wedding of some of our dear friends, and decided we would have a little fun sans kiddos by hitting up some of our old favorites as well as try out some new things! From visiting Magnolia Market to visiting a new bar to driving through campus, we had a blast!
If you’re not familiar with Waco however, we thought we’d share our “must dos” with you in case you ever travel through! There’s also a company that just started up that offers tours through Waco and we hear it’s going to be amazing!
COFFEE:
- Common Grounds – this has to be everyone’s favorite place to get coffee in Waco. The relaxed, rustic atmosphere, the amazing coffee, the outdoor concerts, and kind staff will keep you coming back time and time again. My two favorites are the “soy boy” and the “snickers.”
- Dichotomy – we visited Dichotomy for the first time during our trip to Waco and fell in love. The decor is amazing (see pictures below) and it boasts of one long bar, selling coffee from one half and spirits from the other.
DINING:
- George’s Restaurant – grab a burger and beer, but whatever you do, don’t leave without ordering some crazy wings and Baylor Beggars (rolls with ranch). Don’t worry, everything is calorie free…
- Ninfa’s – I’m not lying when I say I have dreams about their green salsa and Ninfaritas. Both are a must at this texmex restaurant.
- Food for Thought – located on Baylor’s campus, this is one of my favorite places to grab a sandwich. That being said, the service is always, always slow, so just be prepared to wait.
- Mr. Snow – if you love shaved ice, GO HERE! Order the love nest (a snow cone with a dollop of ice cream in the middle) and you can thank me later. Fun fact: this was one of Trav’s and my favorite date spots when we first met. 🙂
- Rudy’s – get your BBQ fix here at this Waco hot spot!
- Vitek’s – there’s really only one thing you need to be ordering here: the Gut Pak. The Gut Pak is basically a cheese, beef, sausage, beans, pickles, bread, onions, jalepenos, and BBQ sauce all piled on a bed of fritos. Heaven.
- DiamondBack’s – a great steakhouse for a more fine dining experience. Be sure to get the chocolate sack for dessert!
- 135 Prime – another steak house and my personal favorite. It’s a tiny little restaurant that has a quaint feel and the staff is super friendly. The food is great, too!
- Health Camp – a longtime favorite of all Baylor Bears and Wacoans, stop by Health Camp and grab one of their famous milk shakes!
- Schmaltz’s Sandwich Shop – wonderful sandwich shop located in quaint downtown Waco.
DRINKS:
- George’s Bar – made famous by Pat Green’s song, is a Waco staple! Go here to escape the heat and enjoy a “Big O” aka a very large beer. It won’t disappoint!
- Cricket’s Draft House + Grill – a great place to grab a beer from an extensive menu of beer. This is one of our favorite places to meet up with friends!
- Wine Shoppe – this was a new place for us and let me tell you, we will be going back next time! This little shoppe serves only wine that comes from small, family-owned growers. The service is good, the wine is better, and the people are so, so nice!
- Hotel Indigo – this hotel is relatively new in Waco and the modern design couples with great drinks makes their lobby bar a great place to enjoy a cocktail.
- Dichotomy – we had cocktails here before heading to the wedding and could not have been more pleased. The environment is comfortable, swanky, and calm, and the drinks are delicious.
WHERE TO STAY:
- Hotel Indigo – although we typically stay with friends, we have friends that have stayed here and had a wonderful experience. It’s probably one of the nicest hotels Waco has to offer.
- Airbnb – if we aren’t staying with friends, we try to stay in a home, a loft, or an apartment via airbnb and have yet to be disappointed.
WHAT TO DO:
- Magnolia Market – this is the storefront shop of the famous HGTV show, Fixer Upper, and it’s a must see! The shop is incredible – it’s impossible to leave without something in your hands and/or without feeling inspired by all the displays and decorations. It also has a huge green space in the middle full of yard games, swings, picnic tables, and food trucks to enjoy while mom shops.
- Cameron Park Zoo – the Waco zoo is actually really good and really clean. It’s a great place to go if you have little ones, too!
- Dr. Pepper Museum – this was the first building built to manufacture Dr. Pepper and is worth visiting, especially if you love DP!
- Baylor Campus – walk through Baylor’s gorgeous campus and visit the two Baylor Bears in the bear cage by the bookstore!
Here are some pictures from our latest trip down to Waco Town:
I mean, how cute is this coffee/spirits bar?
Made our first visit to Magnolia Market and unfortunately, it was raining, so we couldn’t snag any pictures of the outside, but felt so inspired by all that was inside. We ended up only walking away with a candle because we were so overwhelmed, but we can’t wait to go back and shop for real!
top: loft | jeans: nordstrom | sandals: similar | bag: target | sunnies: karen walker | fitbit band
We were so inspired by this faux fire place and the mirror collage and are hoping to use this to help us transform a blank wall we have in our living room!
xx – anna
