Every summer, my friends and I take a girls’ trip. Usually, it’s more like a shopping trip on steroids! But this year, we decided to take an experience trip rather than go somewhere just to shop! So, when Carolyn suggested we do Waco…We were all in! I mean HGTV…Chip and Joanna Gaines (Jo to all the people in Waco!)…Magnolia Market…sign me up! And, let me tell you…it did not disappoint! I’m giving you the tips to plan a successful trip to Waco, the home of Fixer Upper and all things Magnolia that helped us!
We arrived on a Monday evening. It was an hour and 40 minute drive to Waco from Austin. It actually took us 2 hours because we had to stop at Whataburger! What a what! Whataburger….my friend, Carolyn, said we had to stop there! Supposedly we had to have a burger…animal style! Not sure what that means but apparently it’s a thing! So we whipped into a Whataburger. I let my friend do the ordering because she knew exactly what we should order! And…when she asked for a burger animal style…the girl said, ummm that’s at In-N-Out! What!!! As you can imagine we had a great laugh! And I still don’t know what animal style means! Clearly…It doesn’t take much for us to laugh!
By the way, I rented a car from Costco. I highly recommend Costco for all your rental car needs! You can rent a car with no money down and continue to check for better pricing right up til the day of your trip!
Tip #1 Where to Stay in Waco
We stayed at the Residence Inn Waco because all of us are Marriott Rewards Members and earn free nights! It was a great location and we could see the Silos from our hotel. The Residence Inn was literally down the street from the Waco Suspension Bridge. We could’ve walked to the bridge as well as Magnolia Market and Silos. But parking is free in Waco and then there’s the Texas heat! So why not drive! You can also stay at a Fixer Upper house! Several of the homes featured on Fixer Upper are for rent through VRBO and Airbnb. This isn’t a complete list but here’s a list of what I found.
- Mid-Century Modern Home
- Three Little Pigs House
- Little House on the Prairie
- Bicycle House
- German Schmear
- The Brick House
- Bachelor Pad
- The Giraffe House
- Rustic Italian
- All American Farmhouse
- Barndominum
- Harp House
- The Morrow House
Tip # 2 – Visit on a Tuesday or Wednesday!
Our first stop Tuesday morning was Magnolia Table, Chip and Jo’s restaurant. It’s a few miles from downtown Waco so it’s definitely a drive. We were up and out of the hotel by 6:15 a.m. to avoid a long wait! And after talking to the waitress, she said that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are definitely the slowest days but still busy. A perk for being there early on Tuesday was one of the hosts offered to take our picture! He even took us to 3 spots for pictures that are fan favorites! You can’t beat that for service!
We had breakfast at Magnolia Table on Wednesday as well, but didn’t arrive until 9:15ish. Although we had a 30 minute wait, there’s an outdoor bar and a little market that you can visit. Everything we ordered was delicious! Some of the orders are big enough to be shared. Needless to say, I highly recommend eating at Magnolia Table “Where Everyone Has A Seat at the Table” (Quote on the wall at Magnolia Table).
Tip #3 – Talk to the locals!
While eating at Magnolia Table, 2 ladies in the adjoining booth overheard us asking the waitress questions about Waco and Magnolia Market. They said, “Excuse me, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but we heard you asking questions about Waco. We’re from here and here’s what you should see and do…!” I can’t tell you helpful and sweet they were! They even handed us a napkin with a few things they’d jotted down before they left! Talk about southern hospitality! Everyone we talked with was very nice and helpful! And believe me…we asked lots of questions! You see, we’re all teachers and we believe you can never ask a dumb question! And the locals know all the about a trip to Waco, the home of Fixer Upper, and all things Magnolia because they’ve been there from the beginning!
Waco Restaurants highly recommended by the locals.
1. Ninfa’s is a Mexican restaurant that was delicious! Portions are huge so you can definitely share plates.
2. Vitek’s is a barbecue restaurant. They have this dish called a Gut Pack! Omg! Delicious!!!
3. Cajun Craft was also highly recommended but we didn’t eat there.
4. Common Grounds – Coffee Shop on the edge of Baylor’s campus and the owner’s home was an episode on Fixer Upper.
Tip #4 Go early and beat the crowds!
I’d say this is the best tip on how to plan a successful trip to Waco. Silos Baking Co. adjoins the Silos, hence the name! Because we were there early on Tuesday (just before 8 a.m.) there wasn’t a wait. By getting an early start, we avoided the long waits and crowds that many people we talked to spoke about. At Silos Baking Co. everyone raves about the cupcakes. But, we only had coffee! We did get Silos cookies to go. And, they were delicious!
While waiting for the Magnolia Market to open at 9 a.m., we walked around the Magnolia Courtyard. It’s a very large space with turf that you can play on or grab a beanbag chair and relax. There were lots of people there just hanging out…which is what they want you to do! Parked around the perimeter of the courtyard are 10-12 food trucks. Although we didn’t order anything from the food trucks, all of them come highly recommended.
Another place to see at the Silos is Magnolia Seed + Supply. It’s a garden shop that sells gardening tools, flower kits, and several types of planters. It adjoins the courtyard and the flower gardens are beautiful! It’ll have you wishing you had a green thumb!
Tip #5 – The Market doesn’t ship items bought in store.
Magnolia Market, across from the Silos and Silos Baking Co., did not disappoint! It’s definitely worth the visit. People started lining up at about 8:45 a.m. to get into the market! It’s a huge grain barn that’s been transformed into a store offering everything from home decor, kitchen accessories, Fixer Upper t-shirts & hats, planting tools & planters, and so much more! However, they no longer offer shipping. Yes, they use to but stopped that service about a year ago. So if you buy something at the market, be sure you can fit it in your luggage or carry it on a plane.
If you make a purchase at Magnolia Market, you get 10% off at the original Magnolia shop called The Little Shop on Bosque at 3801 Bosque, Waco, Tx. That’s the first store that Jo opened. It’s now considered their warehouse store where you get discontinued or damaged items at a discount of 40% or more. I bought a couple large candles from their Spring line at 40% off and almost bought 3 light fixtures for my new laundry room but I would’ve had to get them boxed (they didn’t have boxes to give me) and find a place to have them shipped. The Little Shop on Bosque is definitely worth a visit. Also worth noting, Magnolia Market, The Little Shop, and Silos Baking Co. are closed on Sunday!
Tip #6 Chance of seeing Jimmy Don is pretty good!
Every Fixer Upper fan knows who Jimmy Don is! Jimmy Don, owner of JDH Iron Designs, is a fan favorite! His trailer of metal works is on 8th street just a few blocks away from Magnolia Market. We stopped to see his work and there he was! He’s so nice and was more than happy to take a picture with us! Although we didn’t do the Waco Tour, everyone we talked to raved about how great it was. The day we were there, the Waco Tour stopped at Jimmy Don’s to see him. Although his shop is in a trailer, there’s a sign on the building next to it that he’s purchased for a permanent shop!
Tip #7 You can do your own Fixer Upper Tour!
We ended our trip with a do-it-yourself Fixer Upper Tour! I mean that’s a given right? And one of the great tips to plan a successful Waco trip! So, yes…we googled Fixer Upper tour and the addresses of 7 houses in addition to Chip and Jo’s house and Magnolia House in McGregor, Texas came up! We mapped our do-it-yourself tour to see the Fixer Upper houses in Waco, then Chip and Jo’s house in Crawford, Texas and finished with the Magnolia House in McGregor, Texas. We also found the castle that they’ve purchased but have yet to start the renovation. So our do-it-yourself tour was quite a success! Keep in mind, you shouldn’t stop traffic or approach these houses!
Here’s the homes that we did a drive-by of…
- 2517 Wooded Acres Dr., Waco, TX – Mid-Century Modern House
- 3601 Hillcrest Dr., Waco, TX 76710 – Hillcrest Estate
- 5517 Lake Highlands Dr., Waco, TX – The German Schmear
- 625 S 7th Street, Waco, TX – The Shotgun House
- 121 Castle Ave, Waco, TX – Pilot Show-The Home That Started it All
- 1902 Alexander Ave, Waco, TX – The 3 Little Pigs House
- 822 N 15th Street, Waco, TX – Harp House
- Hwy 6, Crawford, TX – Chip & Jo’s House
- 323 S Madison St, McGregor, TX – Magnolia House
Tip # 8 Magnolia House Sells Out Quickly
When we got to the Magnolia House, we did get out and it was quite the treat! Not only did the gentleman that owns the insurance company which sits adjacent to Magnolia House stop and give us a history lesson on the house, the caretaker at Magnolia House came over to talk to us while we were taking pictures. He said that it’s technically not a Bed & Breakfast (as had been said on HGTV) and never was! They do offer to get the guests reservations at Magnolia Table but no one fixes breakfast at the house.
The caretaker’s house which is called the Carriage House is also available for rent. The caretaker and his wife moved out about a year ago so they could have a place for their grand-kids to visit. If you’re interested in staying at Magnolia House or the Carriage House, reservations for 2020 open up sometime in August according to the caretaker. You can book reservations by visiting the Magnolia website and he said it will sell out quickly. The Hillcrest Estate is also a Magnolia property and sells out quickly!
New to the Magnolia scene is soon to be Magnolia Press Coffee Co. Chip and Jo are opening a coffee shop adjacent to Magnolia Market. It’s under construction now and suppose to open Fall 2019.
Tip # 9 Take Time to Visit These Shops
Besides seeing all things Magnolia, these are definitely worth a visit!
Harp’s Design. Clint Harp’s woodworking store
Spice Village – Huge space with several different vendors
Findery – Home decor, jewelry & clothing
Savage Finds – Antiques
Fox & Gray – Clothes & Accessories
Iron Willow – Painted and original designed metalwork
Giddy Up Glamour – Fashion, shoes, accessories
Gather – Customized Pottery by Black Oak Art (as seen in Fixer Upper)
Cedar Chest Antique Mall – One of Jo’s favorites located in McGregor
If you’re a Fixer Upper fan, this is a must do trip! We spent 1 1/2 days in Waco which was plenty of time to see and do everything on our list! I hope these tips to plan a successful Waco trip, the home of Fixer Upper, and all things Magnolia, are helpful!
Let me know if you’ve been to Waco and your thoughts about it in the comments below! And if you have any tips to plan a successful Waco trip! Or, if you have any questions about my trip to Waco!
Thanks for stopping by and taking time to read this post!
