Trip to Magnolia Market & Waco

You know that feeling you used to get as a kid when walking into your favorite candy shop? Well that's exactly how I felt when I arrived in Waco and visited Magnolia Market. It's literally paradise for home designers (and just anyone in general)..no joke.

Since I'm a huge fan of Fixer Upper and the Gaines' family, it was such a neat experience being able to see their dream come true in person. If you read their book, you know that they really started with very little, so seeing their vision come to life is pretty inspirational.

As you read along, you'll find a brief itinerary of our trip to Waco and a few tips if you plan on visiting as well.

My mom and I spent two days in Waco, which included plenty of time at Magnolia Market and exploring some of the other Fixer Upper spots around Waco.

Day 1

We started off the day by flying from Atlanta to Dallas Love Field (yes, we really did come all the way from Atlanta just for this..crazy, right?) and we rented a car from Dallas to drive to Waco. We felt like the easiest way to get around was to have our own car to go exactly where we wanted to go on our own time. Our check-in to the Hilton hotel wasn't till later in the afternoon, so we didn't waste any time and drove directly to Magnolia Market to spend the rest of the day exploring. There are parking lots around the area (some are free, and some require $10). Since we got there later in the day we ended up paying for parking, but learned later that our hotel offered a free shuttle. Tip #1: If you are staying a hotel nearby check with them to see if they offer a shuttle around the area. There's also a free trolley that takes you around the area as well. Be sure to take a look at their site for information regarding the trolley and which days tend to be the busiest.

We arrived at Magnolia Market and explored the grounds, which included the actual market, Silo Baking Co. (the yummiest cupcakes you'll ever eat), Magnolia Seed + Supply, food trucks and the Silos. An employee told me that the inside of the Silos won't be open till later this year but will include a restaurant and a few other shops. Tip #2: Be sure to talk to the employees while you're there. Everyone is SO friendly and you'll learn more than you know. Most of them have met Chip and Jo and one person had her house done on Fixer Upper, so it was neat hearing their experience.

For lunch we grabbed food at one of the food trucks at the market. Gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches? Yes, please! We spent the rest of the day walking around and went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Ninfa's is a popular Mexican restaurant in Texas and it was right across the street from our hotel so it was a great place for us to grab some dinner and end the day.

Day 2

We started off the day bright and early and grabbed some breakfast at Silo Baking Co. They offer more than cupcakes, even though cupcakes for breakfast isn't such a bad idea..The weather was pretty chilly and the rain was coming in the early afternoon so we skipped the trolley and drove in our car around Waco to see some of the other spots on my list. Tip 3: While the main attraction in Waco is Magnolia Market and the Silos (for me at least), be sure to explore the area and plan out a few other stops to get the whole experience.

The first stop was right down the street from the market at The Findery. The Findery is housed in the 100-year-old Percy Medicine Building and offers unique shopping from several vendors under one roof, many of which have similar decor to what Joanna uses in her homes.

The next stop was to Harp Design Co. As many of you Fixer Upper fans are familiar, Clint Harp is usually featured on every episode since Joanna works with him to create unique wood pieces for her homes. He really is a master of all wood creations. The pieces in his shop are so unique and I wanted to take all of it home with me. Next door to his shop is his house, which was featured on Fixer Upper. If you're a fan of CLint and his work, a new DIY series on HGTV will be coming out soon called Against the Grain.

After visiting Harp Co. we continued our journey by visiting Joanna's very first Magnolia shop (also referred to as "the little shop on bosque.") The shop isn't open anymore since they have the market, but the original Magnolia letters are still up and if you look inside you can see that they probably still use the shop for working purposes. While the shop is adorable, it's amazing seeing where she started and where she's at now. There are a few other shops we explored in the area: Spice Village and LaSalles antiques (this shop has been featured on Fixer Upper since Chip and Joanna have shopped there for a few pieces for homes.)

Other stops I suggest at least driving by include Baylor University, McLane stadium and Common Grounds (the coffee shop owned by a couple who was on Fixer Upper.)

We ended the day by having a lovely dinner at DiamondBack's, a steakhouse/seafood restaurant. Half price bottles of wine on Tuesday's? Sure!

Hope you guys enjoyed reading this post about my trip and if you ever get a chance to visit, do it. You won't regret it. Be sure to check out my Instagram for more photos from the trip and an upcoming giveaway from Magnolia Market!