Those letters! The infamous hodge podge Fixer Upper letters! I have to admit that even as a 2% fan, these letters made me a little bit giddy inside. These days you’d be hard pressed to find a 30-something mom who isn’t a fan of Fixer Upper, the Chip and Joanna Gaines story in general, and Joanna’s farmhouse style. So since I’m included in that group, and live about 200 miles from Waco, we recently decided to take a day trip to Magnolia Market to check it all out.
Is it worth the hype?
Everyone has been asking me this question since we made our trip, and the answer as with most things is, it depends. I did a little research before we left, and by research I mean I polled my friends on Facebook and discovered there was a lot more to do and see since the last time I’d been to Waco. Unfortunately, because the time in our trip was limited, we didn’t get to do much outside of visiting Magnolia and Spice Village, but I’m going to include all of my “research” here in case you decide to make the trip sometime soon yourself!
Making the Most of Your Day Trip To Magnolia Market
Getting There
The trip from Houston is a solid 3 – 3.5 hour, but the scenery along the way is mostly country – and so beautiful. There is no shortage of farm animals, big hay bales, and small town sightseeing to keep you and your kiddos entertained along the way.
Once you get to Waco, you’ll want to park in any of the open lots that have Silo District Trolley signs by them. You won’t be able to miss them; they’re very visible, with a trolley running every fifteen minutes or so. Or if you prefer, you can also pay to park closer or skip the trolley and walk too.
There will probably be tons of people at the Silos no matter what time of the day/month/year you decide to visit. I read that earlier in the week is much less busy — and with each day closer to the weekend, the busier it gets. Let me tell you, “they” weren’t joking. We went on the Friday before the new year, and it was PACKED! That being said, if you or anyone you’re traveling with really dislikes crowds, I’d say skip visiting and just shop their website. On the other hand, if you can handle the hustle and bustle and really want to mark this off your bucket list like I did, then I say go for it!
What To Do
Everything about the Silos is mostly as you would expect it. As soon as I got off the trolley, I was in awe of the landscaping, signage, and organization of the market, the lawn area, and the bakery. The only thing that wasn’t as I expected was the size and setup of the actual store. For some reason, I was under the impression that the actual “market” was located inside the silos. But in reality, the silos are apparently only used for their offices. {However, I did hear that they would soon be transforming one of them into a store curated by Chip instead of the little corner he currently has!}
The Magnolia store itself is to your left when you first get inside the front gates. It is confusingly big and small at the same time. The front half of the store was filled with shoppers, and it was difficult to walk around in much less shop. The back/downstairs half of the store, pictured below, was much bigger, but it was still quite full and had a lot of the same items as the front of the store.
I absolutely love Joanna’s style, so I was surprised I didn’t want to buy every single thing in the store. There were two magnolia wreaths that I absolutely adored, but they were a bit outside of my price range – so I had to pass. I did, however, buy some cotton sprigs, a little double tier metal organizer, and a decorative vase holder. All of which I love. Each of the items I bought were somewhat reasonably priced, and I quickly added them into my home decor as soon as I got home that night!
Kid’s Activities
As far as the rest of the “Magnolia experience” goes, we walked around before and after I shopped. My daughter quickly saw all the children playing with soccer balls, bean bag chairs, and swings and had so much fun that she never stopped playing until it was time to stand in line for cupcakes. They were so entertained outside that they didn’t even go into the store with me, which was ideal because she had fun playing and got some energy out for the ride back home. I’m pretty sure my husband had just as much fun watching her … and not shopping in the crowded store too!
There were about 10-15 food trucks surrounding the lawn and the seed store. Everything smelled so delicious, and the food truck menus looked equally amazing. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t on our side, and while we were bundled up pretty well, the intermittent freezing rain deterred us from trying any of the food trucks because we’d have to sit outside to eat whatever we ordered. On a sunny day, we would have probably tried something from each truck, sat under one of the many shaded tables, and played for a few more hours before heading home.
Final Stops
The last two stops we made in Waco were pretty quick, as we had to get back to Houston, but they are worth mentioning for sure. We rode the trolley to Spice Village where I got off to check it out while my husband and daughter finished riding the trolley to get back to our car. Spice Village was so great; think multiple boutique shops in one large storefront. There was everything from baby items and clothing to home decor. Think Nutcracker Market – but a little higher end. I kept thinking, “I wish Houston had a place like this.” {Which we might, and if so, hook a sister up in the comments below! I’ve never seen anything quite like this here in town before, but maybe I’m missing something?} Then, on our way out of town, we stopped and ate at In-N-Out Burger, which we didn’t realize was in Waco. {Bonus!} When my husband discovered it, there was no question that would be where we would be eating lunch. It is one of our very favorites, especially for my California-born husband.
The Verdict
If you have a day to kill and live within 300 miles of Waco, I say go for it. Enjoy the experience for what it is, and check it off your bucket list! Also, feel free to use my “research” below with other suggestions for more shopping, places to eat, and things to do while you’re visiting Waco.
Other Things to Do In & Around Waco
Shopping
- Magnolia Market {obviously!}
- Harp Design {Clint Harp is often featured on Fixer Upper and makes many custom furniture pieces for the show.}
- Spice Village
- The Findery
- Junque Queens
- Junque in the Trunk
- Rex Crown
Food
- Multiple Food Trucks at the Silos, and on Franklin and University Streets
- Shorty’s Pizza
- Vitek’s BBQ
- Manny’s on the River {Tex-Mex}
- Cafe Cappuccino
- The Backyard {American}
- Hey Sugar Candy Store
- Common Grounds {Coffee, also has a setup at the Silos}
- Heritage Creamery {Ice Cream}
- Dichotomy {Coffee & Spirits}
Is spice village similar to shopping at Kuhl-Linscomb? Would you take kids in there or would that be too chaotic for everyone?
The Mayborne Museum was very entertaining for mine when they were younger (7,9). Touring the Baylor Campus was also fun.