8 Places You Must Visit in Waco, TX

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Questions & Reviews

1. Roma says:

   Hi! Um, I think you might want to change Chip?s name to Clint in #2. Right?
2. Jess says:

   Make sure you head to the Mayborn Museum on your trip with the kiddos! It's the best children's museum I have ever been to. So interactive and so much for kids to do, and plenty of excitement for adults as well :)
3. Kris says:

   Oh man - thank you. I can reread it and reread it and a few things still slip through! Thank you!
4. Marsha says:

   Be sure to take your children to the Bear Pit on the campus of Baylor University so they can see the bears. Also if they are young enough to still enjoy rides like little boats, planes, merry-go-rounds, small ferris wheels, Lions Park has Kiddieland that is fun for littles. No scary rides and Putt-Putt is right next to it.
5. LC says:

   Go shop Spice Village! Not nearly the line of Magnolia and hundreds of shops by different vendors. A huge assortment of fun stuff. Also, poke around Cameron Park a little (but be careful of hikers/bikers) and go see Lovers Leap and Jacob's Ladder there. It's one of the nation's biggest inner-city parks.
6. Jeanita says:

   I have lived in Waco for a long time and am glad that the rest of the world is discovering what we have been enjoying for a long time. I am adding a few must do to these lists. For children: Mayborn Museum, Baylor Bear Pits, North Waco Tropical Fish on N. 15th, Cameron Park Zoo, Cameron Park, Kiddieland, Dr. Pepper Museum, Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village, The Homestead, Hawiian Falls Water park, Tonkawa Falls Park, Farmers' Market For shopping: Spice Village, Cameron and Company, Sironia, Honey's, The Cedar Chest, The Findery, The Silos, Junque in the Trunk, Shades of Shabby, Shoppes on LaSalle, Junque Monkey, Junque Queen, Harp's, Laverty's (check if open), Collage Places to eat: Ninfa's, Vitex, George's (two locations), Heitmillers, Leal's breakfast burritos in Woodway, LaFiesta on Franklin, Taqueria El Mexicano Grille #9 on N Valley Mills Dr., Poppa Rollo's Pizza (two locations), the food trucks
7. Becky says:

   Ditto on Mayborn Museum. I bought a season pass so I can take my grands any time.
8. Dalissa says:

   Shop at Spice! The family lived the Cameron Zoo and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame!
9. Jody says:

   The coffee shop next to Heritage Creamery that is often featured in Fixer Upper is called Common Grounds. The BBQ place referred to in the comments is Vitek's (not Vitex, if you happen to be googling that), and the Dr. Pepper Museum and Bill and Vera Daniel's outdoor living history museum is definitely worth your time.
10. Pam says:

    About a block from Magnolia's is a great place for lunch, The Backyard. The Backyard is also killing it with sold out crowds for awesome live music. OMG, their lunches are fabulous!!
11. Kristin says:

    I must second going to Junque in the Trunk! It's the cutest and most affordable furniture rehab shop I've ever been to. Tons of amazing furniture and accents at amazing prices!
12. Kat says:

    Waco really is a gem! Thanks for visiting! While incredibly delicious, Torchy's is a chain from Austin. For true local favorites, try George's (home cooking), Bangkok Royal (Thai), Poppa Rollo's or Shorty's (pizza), Cafe Cappuccino (breakfast), Milo (food truck), Cheddar Box (food truck) & Xristos (Greek food truck), Vitek's (BBQ - get the Gut Pak), Kitok (get the oriental fries - burgers/korean [seriously] ) or Dubl R (burgers), Baris (Italian) and Ninfa's (Tex Mex). #2 should be Harp Design Co - not Harper & Co. Next trip, definitely check out Cameron Park Zoo (not Waco zoo), the Farmers Market (LOVE Co-Town Crepes), Common Grounds, Spice Village (boutique), Dr Pepper Museum, and The Findery (boutique)!
13. Jeanne says:

    Go to Indian Springs Park and walk across the suspension bridge a block from Spice along the river. A great place for tossing tortillas off the bridge (a Waco tradition) and taking great pictures for your memory book! You can go down and walk along the river. There are often food trucks parked nearby.
14. Jeanne says:

    Also, great, authentic, reasonably priced Italian dining on Austin Avenue and 8th Street at Portofino's - a family owned restaurant, Nicky is chef and owner and there are no freezers... So pasta , meat and veggies are fresh every single day. It is delish! Also, it's across from the Historic Hippodrome Theatre... 100 years old. You can see movies and shows there. Also for more antiques, Cameron Trading Company is about a block down from Portofinos.
15. Kristi Pereira says:

    I am the manager of the Waco Downtown Farmers Market, and SO excited that we are on your list. Please stop by and say hello when you come back in June. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail before you come to town!
16. Paula says:

    The zoo here is known as the Cameron Park Zoo and it is wonderful! You also need to visit Spice Village on Franklin street across from the Hilton Hotel.
17. Christi Proctor says:

    Well, you ladies need to come down Austin Ave a bit farther and visit us at Christi's (my interiors, antiques and gifts boutique) and my lovely French import/antique neighbor, Papillon! Oh... "YES"to the other comments about Common Grounds for coffee -!-and if you'll follow Laverty's On Facebook, plan to come when they're open~ they have the best pickin' place in town!! Waco has SO much to offer! Thanks for promoting our wonderful Waco!!
18. Shannon says:

    Also World Cup Cafe and Fair Trade Market 1321 N 15th St has the best food and a fair trade shop.
19. Kerry says:

    I have lived in Waco all of my life (born & raised in South Waco) and I have never heard of a tradition of tossing tortillas off the bridge. That must be a Baylor thing.
20. Kerry says:

    There's a lot more things to do in Waco than most people realize. If your kids (or you) are Texas Ranger fans (not baseball, law enforcement), then the Ranger museum might be pretty interesting for them, and during a weekday, there's always the possibility of meeting an active Ranger.
21. Chris says:

    I hate to be a negative Nelly, but I hate Waco! It's super boring, & there's nothing to do here! That's why everyone goes to Dallas or Austin for special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.), because Waco is super lame. All of the places listed are boring, & don't interest me. However, I do have to admit that some of the restaurants listed are very good, but every city has good restaurants. FYI: Don't waste your time going to the zoo. You'll walk through the whole thing in about 10 minutes. If you're looking for a great zoo go to the Fort Worth zoo. I am born & raised in Dallas & I prefer the big city. I would move back to Dallas in a heart beat, but my wife & kids don't want to leave. They are all from here, so Waco is all they know. What can I say, I'm a big city guy & I like big city things. I'm sure readers & anyone contemplating making a trip to Waco would appreciate a broad range of opinions about this town. I'm not trying to offend anyone. I just wanted to share my feelings about Waco. I hate Waco, & I wouldn't waste my money visiting here.
22. Kellie says:

    Moved to Waco 6 months ago and love it! We try to visit a new place in Waco or the surrounding area ever Saturday, but it will be years before we get through it all. Coming from overly congested Southern California, Waco is such a breath of fresh air! The Silos are fun way to spend a few hours and walking along the river and bridges at Indian Springs Park is scenic and a great way to log in a few miles. We actually watched a family throwing tortillas off the bridge, lol. Cameron Park is a great drive and the zoo is next on our list. If you like vintage and antiques, there are big antique malls and little shops tucked away in every town. This summer we are looking forward to hiking, fishing and boating as well as checking out more of the great restaurants. By far the nicest thing about Waco is the people. Down to earth and super friendly. And yes, the gut pack at Vitek's is worth the trip!
23. Vicky says:

    I have lived in Waco all my life and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. I have worked downtown for the last 46 years and am excited about it coming back to life. I noticed last week that a couple of parking lots (owned by others) close to Magnolia are now charging $10 to park. For those of you who are coming to visit Magnolia, skip those and come park and visit downtown Waco. Austin Avenue is only 4 blocks away from Webster. Yes you have to cross the railroad tracks, but as long as a train isn't coming you are OK!!
24. HD says:

    And Harper and Co to "Harp Design Co." ;)
25. Erin Poulsen says:

    I would love to plan a sisters trip to Waco too. Did you guys fly into Dallas? And from there did you drive to Waco? Thanks for all info.
26. Bethany B. says:

    I grew up in Miami, FL, have called Waco home for almost 9 years now and absolutely love it! There is always something to do and we could not be happier! I miss the beach, but hey, there's always the small sandy beach and great playground at Speegleville Park on Lake Waco :) The city also has quite a few splashpads/spraygrounds around the that we love to visit in the summer! There are so many things to love about this city of mine, so glad you have enjoyed your visit!!
27. Cyd says:

    Kristen lives in Dallas, so she drove from there.
28. Amy says:

    Waco is such a great place to live- thank you for highlighting our fun city! Just a note- it's Harp Design Co. not Harper and Co.
29. Allison J says:

    The coffee shop is called Common Grounds - if you're a coffee person, definitely try Dichotomy Coffee and Spirits as well. Really great atmosphere and espresso. Other places to try, as others have mentioned - more food trucks on University Parks & Franklin, Taqueria Zacatecas and Health Camp (burgers and shakes) on La Salle, and Bari's Italian on Valley Mills. Cameron Park is beautiful and also check out Armstrong Browning Library on Baylor campus; it's consistently rated as one of the most beautiful libraries in America.
30. Courtney says:

    My first thought on this article.. SPICE is the absolute best place in Waco!
31. Julie says:

    Instead of the Cotton Belt Trail, do the River Trail in Cameron Park. Cotton Belt is great for those of us that live there, but Cameron Park is just beautiful...more of a hiking trail!
32. Kim M says:

    Don't forget to visit Dichotomy Coffee and spirits on Austin avenue. They are the best coffee shop!!! And often have a food trucked parked in front. They are also at the Waco farmers market on Saturdays.
33. Bobbie Aerl says:

    I live in Waco and have never been to world cup cafe. So excited, I am vegan and always looking for a new place. Thanks
34. Suzy says:

    The best BBQ around is Uncle Dan's. Go try it!
35. Darcy says:

    World Hunger Relief, Inc. is a non-profit Christian organization in Waco. They operate a 40-acre training farm open to the public that's only EIGHT miles from the Silos! It's a quaint environment where you're free to look around and see farm life from the kid goats to the interns who live and work there. THIS Saturday April 30 there will be a FREE Spring Farm Day (9am-3pm). Fun for the family or a day out with friends. There will be an artisan vendor area, hay ride tours of the farm, goat milking demonstrations, farm-fresh lunch, and more! It's a great activity to pop in on during your Saturday activities with the family or a group of friends!
36. Janna says:

    There is also a great boutique, "Roots" around the corner from spice. Lots of cute things!
37. Christi says:

    Check out Sironia on Austin Ave too!
38. Diana says:

    Craft Gallery has a lot to offer. It was voted #1 in Waco in several categories. Fun place!
39. Susie M. says:

    Like Chris, I do not like Waco. I lived there 50+yrs. Too full of crime. Police are . . . Well, the Keystone Cops would be better. They do not enforce the law, they protect the criminals, I can PROVE IT. They refused to take a report of a man who assulted me, causing me permanent physical damage. They are required by law to take my report, yet they refused to take my attempt to file charges against this man, becaise is well known. I would not recommend taking kids there, unless you hold their hand 100% of the time. Yes, there are a LOT of neat things to see, but how safe are you? Adults - Okay. Kids - No way I got out of there, and found a small town with a really LOW crime rate, in which to raise my tiny baby! Sad, but I have watched Waco go down hill over the years and it just keeps going down hill, so you finally reach a point where you join the crooks or get out. Yes, there are a LOT OF NEAT PLACES, but, never go alone, and hold on to your kids.
40. Donna Wyrick says:

    Kristi, is the Farmers Market open in December. Coming to visit Waco this weekend. Thanks, Donna