Our Trip To Waco

I don't think it will shock anyone to hear that I'm a big fan of Fixer Upper. So when my sister asked if we wanted to go to Waco & visit The Silos it was an easy YAS! Let me start this by saying we went full fan girl & we might get a restraining order any day now, but like they say, 'When in Waco...'

We flew out of Atlanta into Dallas, about an hour and a half from Waco, on Southwest. Unfortunately, the flights out of Charleston were crazy expensive so we opted for the $99 flight especially since my entire family was going. When we arrived in Dallas we picked up the rental cars, scarfed down some lunch, then made the trip to Waco! TIP - Waco is super cute, but other than a few shops other than Magnolia Market there isn't much to do. So if I were you I would only plan for 2 nights in Waco max unless you plan on venturing out & finding some fun antique shops. 

You know you're getting close to Waco when you start seeing Chip & Joanna on the billboards. At this point try to contain your excitement & not run people off the road. Next sign that you're getting close is the number of people walking from off-site parking lots. TIP - There is a free gravel parking lot on the opposite side of the bakery. Try there first before paying to park. Next, you'll see the tent for Waco Tours, yes, it's a thing. Then, like a ship on the horizon the whole car will shout, "THERE THEY ARE!!" Not Chip & Jo sadly, but The Silos. Once again, resist the urge to run people over or just open your door & tuck & roll, just be patient! The Silos are like Disney World for women... it's magical, but there are people & lines everywhere. Every single person we met on staff could have not been nicer & more welcoming so take a deep breath & prepare for the crowds.

When you walk on the grounds you really appreciate the amount of work that went into making The Silos what they are today. It was cold & rainy our first day there, but kids were still playing soccer on the lawn & the line for the bakery was still wrapped around the block. We were super lucky because my amazing bro-in-law stood in line for the bakery. TIP - If you're wondering if the cupcakes are worth the wait the answer is hands down yes! Cody is not a sweets guy, but loved the cupcakes! After tasting how amazing they were I promptly pre-ordered Jo's cookbook.  I was really excited that we had amazing weather for the rest of our trip because The Silos on a pretty day really come alive. Kids are everywhere playing, the gardens look gorgeous, all the food trucks are up & running, it was just a gorgeous place to spend the day. 

TIPS FOR SHOPPING - Before you go check out the online store to get an idea of what's going to be there especially if you're flying. The layout is great, but it's so gorgeous you might get overwhelmed plus there are a lot of other people wanting to look at everything as well. There are a few things that are offered only at the store (from what I could tell), but almost everything in the store is available online. Shipping on orders over $100 is free & don't worry there is a FedEx shop on location. 

The next day we woke up early & braced ourselves for the wait at Magnolia Table. Spoiler alert, when you pull up & see the neatly formed line & think, 'oh, that's not that bad'... that's just the line to put your name on the waitlist. Our wait time was an hour and a half & we happily sat in the misty fog & waited (told you we went full fan girl). Luckily, there is a pickup counter for coffee so you can get your caffeine fix to survive the wait. And of course, there is a cute little shopping area. Once again, if you are wondering if the food is worth the wait, hands down yes. Like I mentioned earlier, there isn't much to do in Waco so unless you've only got a few hours to see everything I think Magnolia Table is a definite go to. I don't have any photos of our breakfast because you are encouraged to place your phones in these cute little leather pouches at each table to make sure you truly spend time with each other!

If you're a fan of the show then the names Jimmy Don & Clint Harp should ring a bell. Both of these talented fellas have shops you can visit while in town. Clint is Jo's go to carpenter who builds all those gorgeous farmhouse tables. His shop is on the other side of downtown from The Silos, not too far at all, but I would still drive (Pictured Below). Sweet Jimmy Don is the guy behind all those meaningful metal quotes used in almost every episode. His place is much further out, about a 30 min drive, but the views are gorgeous! TIP - Just about everything Jimmy Don has for sale is available at Magnolia Market. You will most likely meet Jimmy Don while you're there, but if you don't have the time to make the drive it might be something you want to skip. No offense Sweet Jimmy Don! You were a pleasure to meet! 

Another spot that's a drive to get to is the bed & breakfast, Magnolia House, that was featured on the show. If you're thinking about staying there know that this is not near The Silos, it's about 30 mins out as well.

If I haven't convinced you that we well 110% fan girl on this trip get ready to be amazed & slightly worried about our sanity. We stayed at a house from the show. Yep, we rented a house from Season 3 & it was so fun to see Chip & Jo's handy work up close! 

When you've seen all of the Magnolia empire be sure to check out The Findery right down from The Silos! I adored this shop & wanted almost everything! If you're looking for a great place to eat try Moroso Wood Fired Pizzeria (right down the road from the original Magnolia) & Vitek's BBQ (Joanna designed this spot as well!)! We had an amazing time in Waco with the fam & I would truly recommend seeing all the hard work that has gone into all things Magnolia!