If you’ve fallen in love with all things Fixer Upper, if your mouth waters just thinking about Silos Baking Co. perfectly baked cupcakes, or if the thought of taking your kids along for a weekend to visit Magnolia and the Silos…this post is for you!!!
If you follow me on IG, you know I love all things modern farmhouse and that in my wildest dreams Joanna Gaines and I are BFFS so a weekend in Waco is always on my to-do list. When Mom came to visit us for the first time in our new Texas home, we had to make a girls trip to the mothership! A little wrench in the plan, is our girls (ages 6 and 9) were also coming along. We put our google-izers to the test and researched to find all the great family-friendly things to do in Waco amidst the trip to Magnolia Market, Magnolia Table and of course the bakery too! I decided to do a quick recap of our amazing weekend in hopes that it will encourage you to make the trek and have a fun-filled time for all ages!
Where to Stay
If you’re adventurous and are willing to go the non-hotel route, there are a million of vacation home options to explore. Okay, maybe not a million but a couple hundred for sure! We decided to use Airbnb for this trip and picked out the most darling Tiny Home. I looked for a loft with twin bed option because I knew the girls would get a kick out of being up and together in a special space. I also loved that it didn’t have a TV which meant full eye contact and lots of quality family time from wake up to sleep! If you’re really going all out, you can pick from a handful of Fixer Upper homes for rent including my favorite- the Matsumoto Farm. The Silos are pretty much downtown Waco but if you want to get out of the city a bit there are lots of great options with a quick 15 minute drive where it feels more like Texas country living.
Eating
Magnolia Table: If you’re wanting to dine at Magnolia Table, the best tip is to get there right away. They do not take reservations and by about 10 am each morning there is a mile long line and the wait list is into the afternoon. They close early too…just a breakfast and lunch place so if you’re later than 10 am, chances are you won’t be eating there that day. We went on Friday am about 30 minutes after they opened and waited 30 mins to get a table. There is an outdoor space for kids, a cafe with beverages and the Take Away are that has some merchandise, fresh biscuits and a few other to-go options. If you get there late and miss getting a table for a meal, stop by the Take Away and get the biscuits and strawberry butter. GAh. Mouth is watering. I ordered the Eggs Benedict and it was unreal. I may or may not have dreams about that plate. Mom loved the Pecan coffee but I think it’s seasonal. H ordered a hot tea and took our sweet waiter by surprise. I guess most 6 year olds don’t order hot tea for at breakfast. HA! The girls got the kids breakfast and it was more than enough- they should have split one.
Magnolia Market & Silos Baking Co:
At Magnolia you’ll find a handful or two of food trucks, a mini Magnolia Table truck and of course the bakery. The line for the bakery will usually wrap around the side of the building but I promise it goes fast. They’ll hand you a card to write your order so when you finally make it inside (it’s tiny but there is one restroom), it’s a super fast transaction. They have water and bottled beverages in the bakery with a tiny selection of souvenirs. Fresh popcorn is right outside of the checkout area at Magnolia’s lower level too!
Cafe Homestead: If you need a break from the Magnolia-craze be sure to check out Cafe Homestead. Amazing, fresh and super cute! The line gets long here too and they don’t take reservations so be sure to get there early for each meal. Organic and all made in Central Texas- it was a must to check out!! You can explore the entire Homestead Heritage…keep reading to find more about this gem!
Hey Sugar: While you’re downtown, you’ll win major mom points for a quick stop to the candy shop. Great classic candy, ice cream and all the soda you could ever think of! Maybe give the kids a set amount they can spend on candy because most of it is $ by the pound and things can get wild with the hundreds of options.
Oh My Juice!: Great smoothies and açaí bowl a couple blocks from the Silos. If your kids get that mid-afternoon crash, you can jazz them up with some fresh fruit.
Kid Friendly Stops
Magnolia Market has a huge lawn that has games, comfy chairs and plenty of running room but things get quite full quite quickly so if you’re looking to break away from the crowd check out these few kid-friendly stops in Waco:
Dr. Pepper Museum: My girls love DP thanks to their Texas-raised family influence. Seeing how DP was made, how it evolved and also to participate in a taste test was a thrill for them! We mixed in the museum between antique shops and they didn’t even blink when we went from store to store with their free Dr. Pepper sample in hand.
Mammoth National Monument: Go on a short nature walk with a guided tour and see an excavation site just minutes from downtown! The girls loved spotting a green snake on our walk (I screamed, everyone laughed at me but it’s fine….really…), seeing how bones and fossils are found, and not being around shiplap for a hot minute.
Homestead Heritage: This is an agrarian, craft-based village that was literally next to our Tiny House rental. Not only is there an incredible restaurant but you can tour the shops, visit with the blacksmith, the basket weavers and the fiber arts house. They have homestead members in each place that are so friendly and willing to share about their lifestyle. Our girls were mesmerized by seeing how socks and linens are made! Sure makes me appreciate my jiffy fast sewing machine at home! Stop by the cheese shop on the way out to sample some of their cheese and watch a batch being made.
Fixer Upper Home Tour: If you’re cheap like me and hate to pay for yet another tour, check out this map of the first three seasons of Fixer Upper homes. Our family did a binge sesh of FU before the trip so it was super exciting to see some of the homes in real life! K really wanted to see the Unstately Manor and then was shocked at how it looked now… guess she learned that lesson about Show Biz huh?
Baylor Bears: I think the biggest highlight of the trip was going to the live bear exhibit on Baylor campus. The bears were just soooo active and cute! Go late in the afternoon/early evening or on a cool day to see them moving about and eating their snacks!
Where We Shopped
A quick list of where you can fit in some great shopping in between the kid-friendly stops other than the Mecca of Magnolia Market:
Spice Village: close to the Silos this place has allllll the things. Great souvenir stop!
The Findery: If you need just a bit more farmhouse style, walk across the street from the Silos to this stop!
Savage Finds: a cute antique shop across from the Silos as well. Head to the back for a gorgeous mural perfect for IG pics!
The Magnolia Warehouse: Visit Jo’s old storefront and get some of the slightly damaged or clearance items from Magnolia Market. This isn’t always open so check the website. Also, if you bring in your Magnolia Market receipt, I think you get a deeper discount!
I hope that gets you inspired to plan a family trip to Waco!!! Let me know if you have more ideas to add to the list and I’ll update my post.
Cassie Nicole Creates 