Traveling To Magnolia Market in Waco!
My wonderful and amazingly sweet husband surprised my mom and I for our birthday with tickets to visit Magnolia Market! To say my mother and I were excited was an understatement. You see, we’re big Joanna Gaines, “Fixer Upper” and everything Magnolia fan girls! As I’m sure you are as well reading this, if you haven’t been to Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas and are thinking about traveling to it but may seem a bit confused on how to get there, since it’s in little ole Waco. I’ve compiled some tips on how we did it so that you can too!
Land in Austin, Drive to Waco
My mother and took a flight out to Austin, Texas from Orlando, Florida ( Austin–Bergstrom International Airport ) via JetBlue which was about a 2 hour flight, super fast and with much excitement it flew by! Now, you could fly directly into Waco but it’s a bit pricier, but this is how we did, so read along! And lets be honest, I needed to save any penny I had because helloooo…Magnolia Market shopping! Ha!
Once We Landed…
Once we landed, we made our way to rent a car at the airport, placed our luggage into the car and off my mother and I went on our road trip North to Waco! The drive is about one hour 1/2, pretty much a straight shot into Waco. Be aware of a ton of large and small trucks on the road. I swear, that’s pretty much what surrounded us our entire drive up there, but I got used to it! Most of the drive has pit stops, fast food exits and opportunities to grab gas. The weather was pretty overcast on our weekend visit so the view was basically a ton of land with cows or just simply the highway all the way up. But don’t worry, the views get better!
Cute & Comfy Dresses To Wear
Arrival & Where We Stayed
Once we arrived, we checked into Residence Inn Waco which is literally about 6-9 minutes away from Magnolia Market! My mom and I joked we could technically walk to Magnolia Market, but the problem was, what would we do with our bags and all of the goodies, so we decided to drive. The Residence Inn Waco was spacious and the perfect choice for our stay, not only is it a short distance from the Market, they also offered daily happy hour, complimentary breakfast and a light dinner every single night!
**Update**
On our second trip to Waco we stayed at Home2 Suites which was about 7 minute drive to the Silos, still so very close and a nice hotel! I recommend both equally!
Residence Inn Waco
501 S University Parks Dr
Waco, TX 76706
Free Light Dinner in the lobby along with Happy Hour
Home2 Suites
2500 Bagby Avenue
Waco, TX 76706, US
Free breakfast daily
A Home Decor Disney World
I’m not kidding you when I say this, Magnolia Market was a woman’s decor Disney World! I felt like I was going in circles and couldn’t put my phone down because every single area was perfectly detailed and oh so fabulously curated and designed.
As you walk in, you first bump into the Silos Bakery, inside you can buy coffee, the famous cupcakes, which we tried the Lemon Lavender and Strawberries & Cream, so delicious!
Silos Baking Co.
You then will find on your left hand side the market shop, where all of Joanna’s current collection of home decorations, books, “Chip’s Corner”, T-shirts, jewelry and so much more. The lawn was the perfect little area to sit, grab a nice cold or hot beverage and just chill. I took everything in, it’s amazing how they turned this old Silos in the middle of Waco into a beautiful location where locals and visitors like us to get inspired. Kiddos played on the lawn, people sat and chat, it was a nice pit stop before exploring the rest.
Gal’s Trip Tee’s
The Garden
The garden area was one of my favorites, Joanna’s collection of blooming roses, herbs, succulents and more surrounded in flower boxes were the perfect touch to the “Magnolia Seed & Supply”. In this area after you pass through the garden, a small gift shop is located inside with more items to purchase for your garden, home and more.
Be prepared to take many pictures, photo opportunities are in every corner!
Magnolia Table
Food Trucks are also available to grab some light food around the back lawn area but I believe that they open a bit later during the day on weekdays. It looks like for events or weekend the trucks are open much earlier and longer. A selection from crepes, hot dogs, lemonade, Mexican, etc! So if you don’t want to leave the Market you can grab grub there! We had our mind set on Magnolia Table…
Magnolia Table was about 10 minutes away and even though we could have eaten at the Market, my mother and I had to go try and see it! Not a far drive at all, and parking wasn’t too bad. We left the Market around 12:30pm and we only waited about 20 min to be seated, not too shabby!
The decor of Magnolia Table continues in the same aesthetic as the Silos. Black and white checkered tile, Magnolia branding everywhere, minimal and greenery galore. A little touch I enjoyed, were their “Water Stations”, these little handy stations were available every turn we made to stay hydrated!
We finally sat down and ordered two salads, soup and these crunchy fried potato balls! The portions were pretty large so if you’re someone who doesn’t eat much food, make sure to share your plates! Everything was delicious, even the bathrooms were cute! HA!
Everything Was So Tasty!
At this point it was about 2pm, and we hadn’t had enough of Magnolia Market just yet! As we only had one day to explore everything, we sure weren’t going to waste any second of our Waco adventures. We hopped back into the car, and before I set my GPS to Magnolia we made a pit stop at Harp Design Co. which was on the way back! Harp Design Co. is the carpenter you may have seen on “Fixer Upper” who designs and creates beautiful pieces for Chip and Joanne. He has his own little shop right inside of Waco with original pieces to purchase. *update* this shop is permanently closed.
After that, on the way back we went! Yup, we are major fan girls. I recommend traveling with a smaller group, it was so easy for my mother and I to drive everywhere super fast and not wait for anyone because it was just us two!
2-3 Days in Waco
You can most definitely tour Magnolia Market, and everything above in two days. It seems like a lot but if you wake up early, get a fresh start and ahead of everyone else you are sure to beat the lines and thoroughly take in everything that is Magnolia. All of the spots listed above were very close to each other and nothing was complicated or hard to get to.
Magnolia market closes at 6pm everyday, so keep that in mind when chiding the time you will arrive. On our way out, the bakery had a line that wrapped around the building…boy were we smart to get there early, I definitely wouldn’t have wanted to wait in a line that long at that point.
Magnolia Market
601 Webster Ave Waco, TX 76706
Magnolia Market opens at 9am and closes at 6pm, and after we found some side street parking ( there’s $10 parking that you can pay that’s super close but I searched and found street parking 2 blocks down because it was still early ) we walked down to Magnolia…ahhhh the Silos. Is this real life?
Other Places To Explore
Our first visit we were in Waco for 2 nights, I truly think having two full days you can do all things Magnolia Market, if you want to explore more of Waco as well, stay 3 days! Here are some spots we also had a blast at and grabbed a bite to eat at as well!
The Findery
The Findery is literally walking distance from Magnolia Market! It’s a two story building filled with antique items mixed with artisan merchant home decor to even a clothing boutique. From candles to frames and decor, most of the style in here will be a shabby chic look! Worth a visit and super good shopping!
Waco Foodie Spots
Waco foodie guide! Save this post if you plan on visiting @magnolia Market soon! Have you been or planning to go? I’m a huge foodie and one of the things I enjoy the most is trying local spots. So I’m going to warn you, Waco isn’t know just yet as a foodie location so searching for a unique place is a bit harder to find but we did visit spots that the locals go to!
Magnolia Table ( outside the market, short drive )
Located in a different location then Magnolia Market, you have to drive to it, but it isn’t far at all! The food is great, and you have to experience this restaurant at least once if you’re visiting Magnolia Market! There’s about an hour wait after putting your name in but it’s worth it when you sit down and take in the creation of what Johanna and Chip have created! There’s a ton of seating while you wait, great experience + nice environment for a girls breakfast or lunch. Dinner isn’t served here.
Magnolia Press ( The coffee shop at the market )
The most stylish coffee shop. Get here early, they open at 7am, we started seeing a line grow around 10am. Try some of their pastries paired with a delicious chai latte or coffee of course! You will love the seating area, even the cups are cute. Definitely an insta photo-op spot!
Torchy’s Taco
If you love queso and tacos, this is going to be your new favorite place! Torchy’s is a busy spot for students and locals! The tacos come in a variety of flavors and let me tell you about their QUESO! It’s truly delicious and the chips are crunchy and well, I couldn’t stop eating it! Go for lunch or dinner…you won’t be sorry!
Union Hall
This amazing indoor foodie market is located downtown Waco and 5 minutes away from Magnolia Market. It has an array of delicious merchants from wings, ramen bowls, coffee shop, pizza, icecream, po’ boys, chicken and waffles, ceviche and more! Honestly you could eat here for an entire 2-3 day trip if you needed to!
George’s
This is a classic Waco restaurant that has been serving since 1930 and it’s a hub for locals and tourists alike. From breakfast to dinner, you can also find a big menu filled with Southern dishes, with great portions + affordable prices!
Pie Peddlers
Is walking distance from Magnolia Market. If you don’t want to wait in the long lines for cupcakes and are craving something sweet or a treat to take back to the hotel for later ( what my mom and I did ) I highly recommend visiting Pie Peddlers. Delicious homemade pies and you can buy full, by the slice or minis.
Is located also a few blocks from Magnolia and next to Pie Peddlers. If you’re in the mood for Tex-Mex, we loved the clean, bright and amazing service of Hecho in Mexico. I ordered their chicken tortilla soup and my mom ordered ceviche, chips/salsa and refried beans were complimentary apps to snack on!
Other Places You May Like
Spice Village – Carve time out for this shopping experience. My mother and I stayed here for about an hour or so looking at everything. From gifts, clothing, shoes, home decor and much more! You’re sure to find something to fill your bags up to take home from here. This indoor mall filled with tons of merchants was a sweet highlight of our trip.
The Olive Branch Waco – Located downstairs before you head upstairs to strip your bank away from Spice Village, you will find the Olive Branch. This cute cafe vibe has delicious coffee, brunch and lunch that’s fresh and on the healthier side!
Dr. Pepper Museum – Did you know that Dr. Pepper originated in Waco? Yeah, I didn’t either! Tickets are $10 bucks or you can grab a groupon for two and save some money. It’s an interested little museum to walk through and kill some time, and hey…when in Waco!
Ending Our Stay
All around, Waco is a special place! It’s an amazing place where locals love their little city with pride, Magnolia has taken by storm such awesome opportunities for jobs and positivity. I love all that Chip and Johanna have created, how they inspire and continue to sprinkle their magical creative dust everywhere. A perfect choice for a mother daughter weekend, girls trip, family or just because! I hope this guide helped you and I cannot wait to hear how it went! Tag me in your next adventure and let me know how these spots were for you @andimans on Instagram!
