True story… I want to be  Joanna Gaines when I grow up.

I’m OBSESSED with Chip & Joanna and all things Fixer Upper, and I’d guess many of you are too.  What’s not to love about a wholesome couple with adorable kiddos and a knack for demo day and interior design?

Recently, my husband Kevin mentioned that he had to go to Dallas, Texas for a business trip and asked if I’d like to tag along with him.  I’m never one to pass up an adventure, but I honestly had no idea what there is to do in Dallas.

 

I’m a bit… challenged… when it comes to geography, so I had no idea how far away Waco is from Dallas, but when I realized it’s only a couple hours away, I KNEW I’d be joining Kevin on his trip.

If a chance to see the land of Chip and Jo Jo wasn’t exciting enough, my bestie Laura lives near Houston and was available to meet me in Waco for the day while Kevin was working.

We had THE BEST girls’ day in Waco and at the Magnolia Market.  Today I’m sharing our tips for making the most of a quick trip to Waco, Texas.

Waco, Texas and Magnolia Market In A Day

Eat Breakfast at Magnolia Table

Be sure to arrive early if you go because there can be LONG lines!  We were lucky to go on a day soon after school started back so we didn’t have a wait.  I’m told it can be up to two hours long during prime times.

The food was DELICIOUS!  I’ve had my eye on Joanna Gaines’ biscuits since seeing the recipe teased from her cookbook.  They were as delicious as I expected and were served with a unique and tasty strawberry butter.

I kept it simple with eggs and bacon which were served with tater tots.  These are not just any tater tots… so yummy!  They’re huge and they have a different texture that was really good.  My friend also got a HUGE cinnamon roll which I tried.  It was excellent!  I got one of my own at the Silos Baking Co. later in the day to bring home.

Walk The Grounds At Magnolia Market

There is so much to do at the market.  There’s a huge lawn with outdoor games – perfect for kiddos or the child at heart.  There were food trucks (we didn’t partake due to being stuffed from Magnolia Table). My favorite part of the grounds was the garden area.

I’m no green thumb, but I’ve always been drawn to Joanna’s garden  from seeing it on Fixer Upper.  Magnolia Market has a garden center and an actual garden – I loved strolling through it.

Have a Sweet Treat From The Silos Baking Co.

I always say that the best way to judge a bakery is how well they can do white cake, vanilla frosting.  You may call me basic, but I want to know how well a bakery can handle a classic before I try anything crazy or new.

The appropriately named “Shiplap” vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting is quite literally the best cupcake I’ve ever tasted.  Until this one, I would say that Magnolia Bakery in NYC was my all time fave but Joanna Gaines does cupcakes right.

The cupcake itself didn’t have a stark white color, it had an almost rustic look that mimicked Joanna’s design style.

 

Shop Your Heart Out

I definitely recommend packing a large suitcase and leaving some room for shopping!  I was blown away by the merchandising of the store.  Everything was stunning!  There were honey pots hanging from the ceiling, huge displays and gorgeous decor.  I wouldn’t expect anything less from Joanna given her incredible knack for design.  It was truly something special to see.

We all know I’m a bit frugal, so I will say that I found a lot of the decor to be pretty expensive but there was a huge sale/clearance section which was nice.  I’ve also heard that they recently opened up a whole separate shop with with discounted items.  We didn’t check that out but I plan to next time.

Don’t Pass Up a Photo Op

Of course, bloggers can’t pass up a good photo op anywhere… but at Magnolia Market, EVERYONE needs to grab a good photo or ten.  There are so many adorable spots throughout the grounds for great pictures and everyone was so nice about taking photos of one another (gotta love the south)!

Don’t Skip Spice Village Market

My friend Laura is quite the regular in Waco because she always takes her guests to Magnolia.  She recommended we stop by Spice Village Market before we parted ways.  I am so glad she did!  It’s an awesome old building that houses 60+ shops and boutiques under one roof.  There were so many cute and funny items – a PERFECT place to pick up a gift.

I was especially fond of the OKURRRRT tee shirt Laura picked up for her sister and the tarts I bought in the Spice Market’s signature scent.  It can only be described as what I hope heaven smells like one day.

Lodging

We only stayed in Waco for one day, so I don’t have recommendations for lodging in the area.  I do know that you can find some homes from Fixer Upper on Air B&B.  I’d LOVE to take the whole family back to Waco and stay in the Barndominium (the coolest Fixer Upper of all time in my humble opinion).

I hope you enjoyed this overview of our quick trip to Waco, Texas and guide for how you can do the same!  Please let me know if you like this type of content.  It’s a lot of effort to create it but also really fun! Would you like to see travel guides to some of my other favorite destinations?  If so, let me know where you think we should go next!