Chip and Joanna Gaines Fans Rejoice: Our Ultimate Guide to Waco Is Here
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If you're planning a vacation to Waco, Texas, a love for Chip and Joanna Gaines might have something to do with it. But the "city to believe in," as the new tagline reads, holds a lot more than Magnolia and their famous Silos. Waco is full of unique small businesses, creatives and tastemakers, and endless design inspiration—from the historic buildings to the charming neighborhoods to the curated home stores that exist outside of Magnolia Market.
While the Silos attract a healthy number of tourists every year for good reason—especially during the annual Silobration, which brought in over 64,000 tourists in 2023—you'll discover that there's more than enough reason to step out of that Magnolia bubble once you've gotten your fill and explore the rest of the city. We recommend renting a car if you fly in to visit; although Magnolia Market is walkable, like many other smaller cities, the rest of the area is not. In addition to the Cultural District with its plethora of museums, art galleries, and memorable restaurants, you'll want to experience Waco's beautiful parks and lakes during your trip.
Since I only had 24 hours to enjoy Waco when I visited last year, I also asked locals for all the best tips on where to stay, eat, drink, shop, and explore while you're there. Even if your next trip to Waco is simply to see the Silos, we have a feeling this guide will inspire many fun additions to your itinerary.
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Where to Stay
Hotel 1928
Even though this isn't a Magnolia-centric guide, you know I couldn't recommend hotels in Waco without mentioning the Gaines's very own boutique hotel in the list. However, that's the beauty of Hotel 1928—it's the best of both worlds. I had the chance to stay there during my trip in November, and while it is obviously covered from head to toe in Joanna's style, the vibe isn't modern farmhouse. The interior is decorated in an Art Deco style with Moorish touches serving as nods to the history of the building (which you can read more about here). The overall effect will transport you straight to the 1920s.
It's only an 11-minute walk to the Silos—yes, I timed myself—and has two restaurants on site, a little cafe, a rooftop, a library, a gift shop (I recommend the candle), and you can expect steaming hot coffee delivered to your door in the mornings for the duration of your stay.
Pivovar Hotel
Another luxury hotel just steps from the Silos, the Pivovar Hotel, is a Czech getaway in Waco. Funnily enough, it is also located in a historic building in the city—the "New Katy hotel"—and it is quite the unique experience. While its warm interiors, copper tubs, and green leather chairs are beautiful, the star of the show is the attached brewery and all the amenities that come with it. The word "pivovar" translates to "brewery" in Slavic languages, reports the Waco Tribune-Herald, and there's an on-site restaurant and beer garden where you can dine on Czech-Texan fusion foods, drink the unique beers, and have good conversation.
But we haven't even gotten to the best part: The hotel has Texas's one and only "beer spa." That's a spa where you can soak in copper tubs filled with—you guessed it—beer. Taking baths in the yeasty alcoholic beverage is not a new practice, as you can find on their site, and it is quite the unique experience, especially in Texas.
Mohawk Valley Inn
This inn was once located in New York—now it's a 12-minute drive from downtown Waco. Built in 1817, the Mohawk Valley Inn was transported to north Waco and restored in 2021 by Clint Harp's team from Restoration Road, one of Magnolia Network's shows. (Even when you leave the Magnolia grounds, do you ever really leave Magnolia in Waco?)
This charming, historic building only has four suites for rent—all of which are decorated in a different New York-style theme to pay homage to the building's roots—which can be booked separately or as a whole package if you've got a lot of people in your party. It's built in the center hall Colonial style that's so popular in older east coast homes with Dutch-style framing and wide pine floors, though the exterior was updated in a classic Southwest "Territorial style" to fit in with its surroundings.
Waco Creekside Resort
Have you ever wanted to stay the night in a treehouse? Well, you can in Waco. It's definitely more glamping than it is camping (though the resort does offer space for RVs to park), but the Waco Creekside Resort offers an experience to sleep alongside nature from the comfort of a king-sized bed. The treehouses are designed to look like quaint cabins on the outside with themed interiors after different Texan songbirds, and each one is set up with a covered deck and seating area and a stocked kitchenette. If you'd prefer to have both feet on the ground, the resort also offers regular cabins you can rent.
Technically, this resort is located in a suburb northeast of Waco called Elm Mott, but it only takes about 14 minutes to drive to the Silos.
Green Door Lofts
Who doesn't love a theme? The Green Door Lofts are where maximalist lovers and campy designophiles will long to stay. This collection of lofts are all centered around a heated courtyard pool behind the famous, hobbit-like green door that opens to the courtyard. There are nine units in this complex which was once a dry goods store in its first heyday. In the 1970s, the building and store began to fall in disrepair until local architect Grant Dudley purchased the it and got to repairing it with the help of other local artisans, turning it into a luxury hotel experience.
According to the website, the themes are: Retro, Boho, Tuna, Magnolia, Urban Cowboy, Stained Glass, Waco Rose, and Silo Chic. Some themes are more obvious than others simply by looking at the name (looking at you, Tuna), but each one promises to provide a unique decorative experience in an industrial, Art Deco-inspired vibe.
Where to Eat & Drink
Milo
Southern food isn't hard to come by in Waco, but high-quality, locally-sourced Southern food is less common. Milo "started as a food truck and is now one of the hottest restaurants in the city," Chris Sotz, chief merchandising officer at Magnolia and Waco resident, tells House Beautiful. Sotz explains that the owner of the soulful restaurant, Corey McEntyre, is "always thinking about new projects" and constantly trying to think of new ways to present his food, ensuring that it's something special. Milo's is covered in potted plants and geometric decorations, giving it a very open and fresh-feeling interior.
Z's at the Curry
Located in the historic Curry building built in 1946, this glamorous lounge offers mouthwatering appetizers, flatbreads, sweets, and a stunning drink menu that has something for everyone. After surviving the devastating tornado in 1953, the Curry building also caught on fire not once, but twice in the 1980s. Thankfully, after mindful renovations, many of the original features have been preserved and live alongside modern upgrades to create an upscale experience. With purely Texan decorations, industrial-style fixtures, and historic built-ins and archways, this restaurant is so perfectly Waco.
Sloane's
Another one of Sotz's recommendations is this "great little bar" called Sloane's. It's a retro vibe inside, fit with a vintage-style radio, a mishmash of eclectic decor, glass blocks, and a hot pink neon light that spells out the name of the restaurant. The drink menu is multiple pages long, complete with classic, signature, and tiny cocktails, a good range of beer, fun shots, and refreshing non-alcoholic beverages.
Harvest on 25th
This one's for the vegans and vegetarians. "Harvest on 25th is fabulous," Sotz says. "It's a breakfast and lunch place, and they're not exclusively vegetarian and vegan, but they really cater to delicious, healthy vegetable-focused breakfasts and things. So that's a really fun, casual place. You always feel cool when you hang out there." The restaurant offers elevated toasts and classic breakfast sandwiches for the morning and comforting bisques and fresh salads in the afternoon. But note: They only offer lunch from Wednesday to Saturday.
Where to Shop
Moon Rein
Did you know Gaineses actually weren't the first Wacoans to grace our televisions?Christi Proctor Hurst, owner of Moon Rein, is an interior designer in Waco who starred on TLC's Trading Spaces from 2003 to 2007. Hurst opened Moon Rein Bedding Company in 2009 to provide the people of Waco (and anyone who shops online) with custom bedding furnishings and other interior items in the Texan style with a bohemian emphasis. Her shop is on Austin Avenue in downtown Waco, just a four-minute drive or 20-minute walk from the Silos.
Studio Grocery
This vintage shop on Washington Avenue offers a curated selection of homewares, art pieces, jewelry, and clothing scattered around the chic open space. Though they technically have a website, it is not yet fully fledged out so the current pieces they carry aren't able to be previewed, but we promise the chic, minimalist space alone will be worth the trip. Keep in mind that the studio is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays if you do want to visit.
Black Oak Art
For handcrafted pottery, look no further than Black Oak Art. "They make things for Magnolia and for a lot of other local businesses and just really beautiful work," Sotz says. Their collections range from standard mugs to rainbow bowls to speckled jars, all beautiful and unique. With Magnolia and Milo, Black Oak Art is a place where the creative community in Waco gathers and grows, as they also offer workshops on how to create ceramic pieces. If that isn't enough to visit, just remember that handmade mugs make amazing souvenirs.
Spice Village
To Presley Cortez, a Baylor grad and interior designer at Palmer Davis Design, Spice Village is a go-to spot in Waco. "It's kind of a giant hub for multiple small businesses," says Cortez. "I can't even call it a store because it's like a warehouse basically. It's so big. And there's different vendors and small businesses that sell their products, ranging from clothes, bath things, grilling stuff—literally anything you can think of, it's probably in there." You can check out some of the online stores of the vendors here, but it's definitely a place you should visit to get the whole experience. It's just south of the Brazos River and only a 12-minute walk to the Silos.
Where to Explore
Cameron Park
Cameron Park covers 416 acres of Waco and is lush with beautiful trees, has two rivers, cliffs, trails, playgrounds, open fields, and even a zoo. Hilary Walker, the creative director of photography and styling at Magnolia, calls Cameron Park "one of the city's greatest amenities." While she loves the park because her kids can enjoy outdoor activities there, like mountain biking, she also loves its beauty and uniqueness to Waco.
Dr. Pepper Museum
As someone who loves a fresh D.D.P. (a diet Dr. Pepper), the Dr. Pepper Museum is right up my alley. While this doesn't really have a design angle besides the fact that an editor from House Beautiful would live here if she could, this is a fun experience you can try out when you're in the city. From making your own sodas to a paranormal tour, this museum offers a wide range of activities and learning moments for all who visit.
Martin Museum of Art
Head to the Baylor campus to hit up the Martin Museum of Art, an integral part of the Department of Art & Art History at the university. The museum showcases different exhibitions throughout the year and features "nationally and internationally recognized artists" as explained on their website. You can check out the current exhibitions here and peruse the upcoming ones as well.
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