Waco, Texas
When most people think of the relatively small city of Waco they think of a few different things. They either think of Fixer Upper and the Magnolia Market, the Waco siege in the 1990s of the Branch Davidian compound, or they think of Baylor University. While Fixer Upper/Magnolia and Baylor University are both great there is so much more to this city. For us its one of the best cities in Texas to see and do a wide variety of things. It might be a small city but it has the attractions of a much larger city. From ancient bones, Dr. Pepper, Texas Rangers, sports and so much more you can see it all in Waco. We have been there several times and helped others plan trips there and everyone that we know that has gone as enjoyed it! In this article I will cover all the not as well know great things to do in Waco!
Getting to and transportation in Waco
Waco is located on I-35 North of Austin and South of the Dallas area. Its fairly centrally located in Texas. From the Houston area its around a 3 hour drive to get to Waco. Driving is going to be your best option to get to Waco but American Airlines does offer service to Dallas from Waco Regional Airport. There are also flight options In Kileen on American and United. You could also fly into Austin and drive the 2 hours if you want. When in Waco your best option is to have a car to drive to the different sites but since the city is relatively small they will all be short drives.
Waco Mammoth National Monument
Located a few miles North of Waco you will find a spectacular site and a relatively new National Monument. The Waco Mammoth National is the site of the remains of 24 Mammoths and other animals from thousands of years ago. The Mammoths are thought to have died during a possible flash flood. Most of the Mammoths were female or very young so it was thought to be a nursery herd. At the first dig site they already have dug up all the Mammoths and they are at Baylor University. You can see the second dig site that is in a climate controlled building. They have only uncovered the bones so you can see the Mammoths, a ancient camel and other animals just as they were when they died. Its a very unique site and is a must see when in Waco. There is an admission fee and National Park Passes do not work for the tour. There are walking trails and some exhibits to see there as well. It will take an hour or so to visit if you do not take the nature trails.
Dr. Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute
Located in downtown Waco you can visit a museum dedicated to Dr. Pepper. The museum is located in an early bottler of Dr. Pepper. Dr. Pepper was invented in Waco in the 1800s and has grown to be one of the favorite soft drinks in the world. The museum chronicles the history of Dr. Pepper, Seven-Up and other brands associated with Dr. Pepper. It also has exhibits on the bottling Dr. Pepper and you can tour the Waco bottling plant and see the equipment. They have another building that houses a old style soda fountain where you can try Dr. Pepper made the old fashion was (one glass is included in your ticket). You can see all kinds of Dr. Pepper, Seven-Up and Big Red memorabilia. From NASCAR to Christmas decorations they have it. We also saw a very interesting temporary exhibit on failed sodas throughout the years. We also watched a presentation about the history of flavors of sodas. There have been some interesting flavors such as celery and clam. Its a nice museum where you can learn a lot. It will take you a couple hours to tour the museum and try your old fashioned Dr. Pepper.
Texas Rangers Hall of Fame and Museum
Not too far from the Baylor Campus or downtown you will find the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame and Museum. The museum starts at the beginning of the Texas Rangers in the early days of Texas as a outlaw and Native American fighting force to the current modern elite police force the Texas Rangers are today. There are many great artifacts you can see in the museum such as some of the guns that killed and artifacts from Bonnie and Clyde, illegal weapons and so much more. There is a video that gives the history of the elite force. There is also a hall of fame with some really tough Rangers in it. There is of course a pop culture section that goes over famous rangers such as Walker and the Lone Ranger. Its a great museum that goes over a unique Texas story. The museum will take an hour or two to go through and there is a fee to get in.
Texas Sports Hall of Fame
If you love any kind of sports you will love the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Located right next to Baylor University this museum goes over many of the sports people know and love. From Football to Rodeo to Horse Racing you can see Texas born or people who played for Texas throughout history. You can see artifacts from the Houston Texans, Dallas Stars, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Astros and so much more. No sport is left out and you can also visit the separate Texas Tennis Hall of fame located in the building. One exhibit I really enjoy is the Southwestern Conference portion of the museum. They have a large exhibit that goes over the now defunct Southwestern conference and each of the teams in it. I of course most enjoy the University of Houston section of Southwestern conference. This museum will also take an hour or two to go through depending on how detailed you look at the many artifacts or watch the videos on different sports. There is a small entrance fee.
Mayborn Museum Complex
This museum is on the Baylor Campus and is right next door to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. This museum goes over the Natural and Human history of the Central Texas area. There are interactive exhibits and a walkthrough of the Mammoth Dig site, a forest and replicas of Native American dwellings that could be found in the area. You can see plenty of ancient animal bones in the museum. At the back of the museum outside they have a replica 1890s village that has many buildings you can walk into such as a general store, a church and different homes. The museum has a great interactive discovery area for children where you can learn about many different things. This is a really great science museum and worth visiting while in Waco. This museum will take a couple hours to visit and also has a small entrance fee.
Cameron Park Zoo
In the nice Cameron Park that lies next to the Brazos River you can visit a nice little Zoo called the Cameron Park Zoo. The Zoo is great to walk through and has many animals such as Tigers, Bears , but no lions (Oh My). They have walk through aquariums, bird areas, and interactive centers. The zoo has an African, Asian and Texas zone. In the Texas zone you can walk through a bat filled barn, the Gulf Coast, central Texas and see the wildlife in those areas. We enjoyed the zoo but as expected during the summer it was extremely hot. If you enjoy zoos and animals this a great place to visit and the price is cheaper than a lot of big city zoos.
Waco Suspension Bridge
Built in the 1860s as a toll bridge you can still walk across the old suspension bridge across the Brazos River today. The bridge was used as part of the Chisolm Trail that brought many head of cattle to market. Today its a free tourist attraction and a gathering spot for locals. The bridge connects two nice parks on either side of the Brazos River. On the downtown Waco side there is a wonderful set of sculptures depicting a cattle drive across the bridge. During the day you can see people riding on the Brazos in Kayaks, Canoes and Stand Up Paddle boards. At night you might see a Brazos River cruise tour go by. The bridge is lit up at night. There are plenty of statues and monuments in the park flanking the bridge. The bridge is located right across the street from the Waco Hilton. Its a great place to stop by while in Waco and its completely free!
Tips and other things to do in Waco
Waco is a great place to visit in Texas for an affordable and nice trip that’s good for everyone in the family. The prices for the attractions are affordable and the hotel prices are good as well. If you want to stay in a place that is within walking distance of place like the Dr. Pepper Museum and Magnolia Market, the Waco Hilton is a great place to stay. We stayed there recently and it was very nice. If you go during the summer time be prepared for very hot weather as it was for us this summer. There are a lot of good restaurants in Waco so try out some of the places around when you are there. Give Waco a try and you will not be disappointed!