Hey y’all! I have spent the past few weeks/weekends in and out-of-town and am finally home for a few (mostly free) weekends! It’s always so fun to travel and see friends/family, meet new people, see all the sights and eat ALL THE FOOD, but it’s also super fun to sleep in your bed and snuggle your pups!
I went on a quick 24 hour trip to Waco this past weekend and met up with one of my best girlfriends! We packed in a LOT in a short amount of time and we had a blast! We didn’t have a chance to squeeze in everything that Waco has to offer, but since it’s the perfect meeting spot, I’m sure there will be several more opportunities in the future.
I drove to Waco and you know how nothing goes wrong with your car until you’re alone on a road trip!? Mhmm. Thank you to the super nice gentleman in the teeny tiny town of who knows where that put air in my tire and directed me to the next big town so I could get my tire patched. I’m just glad it was a small hole and not a flat! A short hour-long delay and then I was on the road again! If you haven’t made the drive between East Texas and Waco you are SERIOUSLY missing out! There are so many beautiful trees, pastures, lakes, and not a lot else and it’s perfect.
So, I finally rolled into Waco and met my friend at our Airbnb and the owner was there getting our keypad situated and dropping off fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies (5 stars FOR SURE!) We dropped all our things off and headed straight to Magnolia Table for brunch.
There was a 2-hour wait for Magnolia Table when we arrived. WOAH. We put our name on the list and then took a Lyft to the Magnolia Market Silos. We wandered around there and enjoyed a snow cone, and they had so many little vendors pop up shops outside! We bought a few things and then we made our way to the main attraction and oooed and ahhhed at all the beautiful pieces for sale. The lines were long but they seemed to move fairly fast. I didn’t end up buying anything inside because I don’t need anything else for my house, but if you’re looking for some Fixer Upper style decor this is the perfect place to go! Side note – apparently people come from all over the country to see the excitement that Chip & Jo have brought to Waco!! WOWSERS. I just want her to come and teach me how to keep my plants alive, grow fresh vegetables year round, and maybe gut my house and throw in a little shiplap. Is that too much to ask?!
There was an adorable Feed & Supply store where I picked up a few gifts and then we headed back to Magnolia Table. They also have a To-Go area AND sell a few of the great little gifts (coffee mugs, tea towels, etc.) so this would be a quick way to get a bit of the experience if you’re running short on time and pick up a keepsake for yourself or a friend. Our table ended up being ready 30 minutes earlier than expected and the restaurant is ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE. The outside of the building is beautiful and it’s so light and bright when you walk in you can’t help but love the space. Plus, they have little pouches on the wall to place your phones in while you’re dining. We had ours out taking pictures (oops) but still a great idea!
I started my brunch with the summer juice flight. All of them sounded so good and refreshing so I wanted to try them all. Plus, it’s August in Texas. Need I say more? After I hydrated with some fresh-pressed juices (they don’t serve alcohol so you won’t be doing a boozy brunch here), I balanced out that level of commitment to healthy with lemon lavender donut holes! They reminded me of powdered donuts which are my favorite. I had the watermelon Caprese salad and it was SO GOOD! I can honestly say I don’t think I would ever wait 2 hours for a salad under normal circumstances. However, I think the real appeal here is the atmosphere, experience, and it’s a bonus that the food is delicious. Heads up if you’re planning to visit, they do not take reservations so if you plan to eat here, plan ahead. They are not open on Sundays, but they do open early throughout the week and Saturday mornings!
We continued our shopping adventures and visited the Little Shop on Bosque. They had some great sales (some of the items are last chance), and since it was a bit further out it wasn’t as packed as everywhere else we had been. This is also the original location of the Magnolia Market – pretty neat! #whereitallbegan
We also visited Spice Village. It’s probably best that I’m on a no shopping for clothes during August challenge or I would have come home with plenty of new rompers, embroidered tops, jumpsuits, etc. So many cute things and also a great place to get gifts, paper goods/stationary/cards, jewelry, and various shirts, signs, trinkets supporting your favorite colleges! There are also a few other boutiques, restaurants, and a juice bar in this area so it’s a definite must!
We wanted to get a few steps in for the day so we chose a place near our cottage for dinner. Nothing makes you feel 30 something quite like walking to a neighborhood pizza shack and seeing all the Baylor kids hanging out and ordering pitchers of beer. Y’all. If I tried to drink a pitcher of beer by myself I’d still be in Waco 3 days later. Go ahead and put Shorty’s Pizza Shack on your list if you’re visiting! It’s the home of the Pizza Pillows. WHAT. Yes. You read that right. I didn’t try one because we split a pizza (plus I ate 3 chocolate chip cookies at the Airbnb beforehand, oops) but sounds like a pillow stuffed with pizza. Should have just called it heaven on a plate. It’s on my list for next time.
We had visions of grabbing a drink after dinner but then we ended up just going back to the house and watching a movie and relaxing, we’re 31, okay?! Shopping all day will REALLY take it out of you! It’s hard work, but someone has to do it.
One of my favorite parts of the weekend was Sunday morning. We wandered around the Baylor campus! I have driven past it so many times but we have been on our way or coming home from somewhere else and never had a chance to stop. The buildings have so much history and it was so neat strolling around and reading about everything and seeing the trees, the fountains, and since the semester hasn’t started we hardly saw anyone else!
There are so many things left on my “things I want to do in Waco” list! But for a 24-hour adventure, I’d say we knocked a lot out! I’m going to bring my husband along next time so we can visit Balcones Distilling, and possibly a day at the lake. I’d also love to go to a Baylor game and check out the rest of the boutiques and antique shops! I’d also really like to make it to Dichotomy Coffee & Spirits and Truelove Bar (they have foosball, count me in) next time!
Let me know your favorite things to do in Waco so I can add them to my list for next time! Special thanks to my sweet friend for being a great travel buddy and willing to walk instead of Uber when we could! I love being able to stroll around a town (then again, it was hot as heck so sometimes the cars were necessary!)
Thanks for stopping by!
Taryn
YOGA MATS & HARD HATS 