My hometown of Waco brings a lot of visitors to its city limits thanks to the Fixer Upper franchise. You know summer has begun when downtown gets more congested, and everyone is carrying brown paper Magnolia bags into the best local restaurants.
I am not complaining because the burst of tourism has brought amazing places to our town (check out Alpha Omega), but there are a few more things in my city that I think deserve some recognition.
So when you make your trip to Waco, consider stopping at some of these places:
Cameron Park
Cameron Park is the second biggest inner city park in the United States (Central Park in New York City is the first). There are so many things to do here – kayak, paddleboard, hike, cookout, etc.
I love taking my dogs on a hike along the Brazos, and if you feel like you are up for the challenge, climb Jacob’s Ladder.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdqc7Q0gDbk/?taken-by=repressingthecrazy
Cameron Park Zoo
Cameron Park Zoo is one of the best small zoos I have ever been in my life. My favorite part of the zoo is their nocturnal room.
You can find bats, owls, skunks and raccoons in this section. I always go to the owl that looks like Hedwig, and record an Instagram story with Hedwig’s Theme playing in the background. If you do this, please tag me @repressingthecrazy.
They also have a baby lion and a baby orangutan (as of May 2018).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiC_n_VAiUz/?taken-by=cpzoo
BSR
BSR Cable Park’s claim to fame is it is the longest lazy river in the world. While this is true, lazy rivers typically aren’t that long, so don’t be surprised because it’s going to be shorter than you expect.
However, it is still a great time. They have really cool slides if you are into that, and they just added a swim-up bar.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiYPe8Oju74/?taken-by=bsrcablepark
Dr Pepper Museum
To be fair, I do not like Dr Pepper. I might be the only Texan in the world, but it isn’t my thing. However, the Dr Pepper Museum is really cool, and you should definitely stop by if you are in the area.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbvAk7mgHDH/?taken-by=drpeppermuseum
Waco Escape Rooms
Escape rooms are a trending thing, and Waco has them! The shop front is really cute, and it is located super close to Magnolia.
I know it gets booked fast during the high tourism season, so make sure you reserve a spot.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg_viNqFSZe/?taken-by=wacoescaperooms
Balcones Distillery
Balcones is our world-winning whisky distillery located in the heart of downtown Waco. The distillery is some of the best whisky I have ever had, and their cocktails are great too!
Be sure to stop by for a flight to sample all of their varieties, and they have a great shop inside too!
Have you ever made the trip to Waco?
