The Ultimate Group Trip to Waco, Texas

Before You Go

Two Days in Waco on a Group Trip 

Day 1: Explore the City

Morning

• Fuel up for your day: Schedule an early morning visit to George’s Restaurant, a Waco mainstay since 1930 that has expanded to two area locations. Try the Big O burrito, a massive serving of chicken fried steak, eggs, potatoes, cheese, and bacon wrapped in a flour tortilla, served with salsa or gravy on the side for dipping. The restaurant’s regulars also opt for the Texas-style French toast, or the Texas Benedict, brisket-topped biscuits smothered in queso and barbecue sauce.
• Whistle while you walk: Stroll the seven-mile Waco Riverwalk, stretching from Baylor University to Cameron Park. You can also pass under the suspension bridge that was once the longest single-span bridge west of the Mississippi River.
• Get your bearings: Book a Brazos Tours excursion for an overview of Waco’s past and present that is tailored to your group’s interests. Each tour clocks in under 2 1/2 hours, and you can select between a Fixer Upper Tour visiting landmarks that made the show famous, a Brazos River Tour that shows off Waco’s history from the water, or a Waco Foodie Tour if you wanna skip a traditional lunch. Each can accommodate larger groups with private bookings, as well. Or, chart your own course using what residents call the Magnolia Trail—a list of all the top local shops, restaurants, attractions, and renovated homes featured on the Gaineses’ Waco-based Magnolia Network—as an informal, self-guided tour of the area.

Midday

• Prioritize a pit stop: Fill your belly with some authentic Texas barbecue at Papa Jack's BBQ, a spot that opened up only two months before the Covid pandemic before garnering a loyal following and plenty of five-star reviews. Or, if your group’s in the mood for burgers, head to the ironically named Health Camp Burgers & Shakes, a Waco favorite since 1948 thanks to a small, focused menu and big, juicy burgers.

Afternoon

• Beat the heat: If you’re visiting during the warmer months—especially the blazing hot summer—you’ll want to seek out some indoor activities with glorious air-conditioning. Gather the group and head to the Martin Museum of Art to peruse its permanent collection of 1,500 works, alongside its other temporary exhibits; the Texas Sports Hall of Fame where you can learn more about 400+ legendary Lone Star athletes; grab a cold soda at the Dr Pepper Museum; or explore western art and memorabilia from law enforcement at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame.
• Catch a lively happy hour: George’s Restaurant’s Mexican spin-off, Jorge’s Cantina, specializes in coastal and inland Mexican cuisine, but if you stop in for a weekday afternoon snack and thirst-quencher, you can sample appetizers, frozen drinks, and draft beer at a discount.

Evening

• Go on a ghost hunt: Snag tickets to a 6:00 p.m. Haunted Tour to scare up an appetite for dinner (or book the nighttime one instead if you prefer a little after-dinner adventure). Wander through haunted hotels, story-filled cemeteries, and immerse yourself in Waco’s more notorious past and the spirits who don’t want anyone to forget them.
• Head upward for dinner: Reserve a table with a view at Bertie's on the Rooftop on the top floor of Hotel 1928. The menu highlights Texas favorites, such as deviled eggs, pimento cheese, cowboy caviar, and juicy steaks from 44 Farms.
• Wind down with a nightcap: More than 1,200 whiskies await (and no, that’s not a typo). At J.S. Barnett’s Whiskey House, you’ll experience the most extensive whiskey collection in the entire state. Try a new or old favorite whiskey in a prohibition-era cocktail or a refreshing seasonal creation.

Day 2: Dig Deeper

Morning

• Batter up: It’s all about the crisp, fluffy carbs at Waco Waffle Co., a morning staple dishing out more than a dozen sweet or savory options piping hot from the waffle iron. Try the Classic 35 with fried chicken and syrup; the Texan with a jalapeño cheddar waffle topped with brisket, avocado, and fried jalapeños; or the University, a sweet waffle topped with bananas, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and caramel.
• Make home sweet home better: Chip and Joanna have created several retail shops designed to make your living spaces a little cozier. Work your way through Magnolia Market, Magnolia Home, the Shops at the Silos, and Little Shop on Bosque for plenty of souvenirs for your house, from small decorative accessories to large furniture pieces.
• Dress like a True Texan: Chances are high that a few people in your group will want to purchase a cowboy hat or custom boots. Whether it’s their first or hundredth visit, check out Rancher Hat Bar and City Ranch Boot Company to get the complete look.
• Take your new outfit for a ride: High-tail it to Brazos Bluff Ranch for a leisurely horseback ride before the heat of the day settles in. Book a private, 90-minute excursion for up to 15 people to see parts of Waco's natural beauty that you wouldn’t otherwise. Of course, you’ll want to snap plenty of photos to commemorate this equestrian adventure.

Midday

• Lunch it up: Coastal cuisine rules at Opal's Oysters, where the freshly shucked oysters await. Try them raw, broiled, or as part of an impressive seafood tower with several shellfish varieties and accompaniments. Or, head to the Clay Pot, which has operated since the 1980s and serves vibrant and punchy Vietnamese fare you might not expect to find in an often-overlooked city deep in the heart of Texas.

Afternoon

• Hang ten: Cool off at the massive Waco Surf compound, where visitors can surf, zip down a water slide, or simply float the afternoon away on the lazy river.
• Shop for additional treasures: Mosaic Makers Collective features handcrafted goods and unique gifts made by local female artists. Expand your wardrobe while supporting emerging designers and makers.
• Challenge your group to a paddle battle: Contact Pura Vida Paddle to rent kayaks and standup paddleboards by the hour, half-day, or full-day excursion on the Brazos, either on a public outing or as an option exclusively for your travel group. Special tours include sunset or glow-in-the-dark moonshine paddles.
• Swig local adult beverages: Waco is home to several locally crafted beers, wines, and spirits, so take the gang out for a cold, refreshing drink between sightseeing. Try Balcones Distillery for Texas Single Malt Whisky; grab a pint or flight of brews at Waco Ale Company; or venture out a little further to Valley Mills Vineyards (30 minutes away) and The Vineyard at Florence (an hour away) for uniquely Texas wines.

Evening

• Dine like a TV star: Reserve a seat at Magnolia Table, a full-service, seated restaurant from Chip and Joanna. BLT deviled eggs, white cheddar bisque, fried buttermilk chicken with jalapeño gravy, and cauliflower steak with chimichurri represent a few menu standouts. Make sure to save room for seven-layer strawberry cake.
• Sway the night away: Catch live music during Spring Season at the Silos, or at a number of venues across town, including Backyard Waco, Texas Music Cafe, the Waco Hippodrome Theatre, or a concert from the Waco Symphony Orchestra.

If you have three days

All of the above, but add...

• Central Texas continues to gain status as a wine-producing region, and if you have the time to visit more than one winery, a five-hour Waco Wine Tour allows you ample sample time to taste every varietal your heart desires. Best of all, as long as you have at least six people in your group, you can book a private tour that meets your goals and expectations. You can even throw in a brewery visit for balance and a lunch stop along the way.
• Still have time on the agenda and want to put that wine-fueled imagination to work? Black Oak Art offers private workshops for up to six people. You’ll learn to throw pottery or book a private sesh for up to 12 in your group if you simply wish to make a coffee mug. It’s a fun way to kill some time and leave with a handmade souvenir.

If you have four days

All of the above, but add...

• Step back in time the moment you set foot on the property at Homestead Craft Village. Schedule a group tour for a fully immersive experience that lets you get up close and personal with blacksmiths, livestock, craftsmen, and teachers ready to show you the ways of yesteryear as they live the lifestyle themselves. Go on a hayride around the property or explore on your own. While you’re spending the day, dine at Cafe Homestead or Red Wagon Barbecue, where smoked meats, hand-cranked ice cream, and Homestead’s famous cheeses tempt you from the menus.

If you’re bringing kids

• Go wild while watching the roaring, growling, and often playful mascots at the Baylor Bear Habitat, a Baylor campus tradition dating back to 1917. Then, take your animal admiration to the next level at Cameron Park Zoo, where giraffes, penguins, gibbons, rhinos, crocodiles, flamingos, and butterflies all shine in their own enclosures. Or, escape the high temperatures by retreating to the Ice Age (sort of) at Waco Mammoth National Monument, an immersive museum founded on the same site where Columbian mammoths roamed thousands of years ago.
• Most adults agree: Exhausted kids are a blessing once bedtime rolls around. So, if you want to wear them out before the group’s partygoers go out on the town, you have options galore. Waco Surf offers surfing (and private lessons), a water park with a lazy river, and a cable park with wakeboarding opportunities. Another warm-weather option, Hawaiian Falls spans 10 acres with multiple thrilling water slides, Central Texas’s first wave pool, and a lazy river for soaking up some sun without elevating your heart rate.
• Test your crew’s skills on the mini-green with an outing to Putters, Waco’s first miniature golf and arcade venue in the heart of downtown. Or go retro (but not Ice Age retro) with a session at Skate World Waco, a roller rink with a video game arcade and laser tag, skating lessons, and the option to rent out the whole space for your group.
• If you want to reward the kids for good behavior, take them to Hey Sugar Candy Store. Here, they can load up on sugary treats aplenty, including nearly any confection and soda imaginable, along with a fully stocked ice cream counter. Sure, filling kids with sugar may cancel out the sleepy time goals, but they’ll love the experience. Plus, it can be an entrepreneurial learning opportunity when they find out the concept started with 10-year-old Clayton Brittan and has grown to a chain of seven stores across Texas and Oklahoma.