Thankful in Waco
Grandpa and I spent our Thanksgiving weekend visiting and exploring Waco, Texas. Waco is my favorite getaway from Houston, an easy 2.5 hour road trip Northwest from our home.
We left Houston Wednesday afternoon pulling our RV trailer and Sabrina onboard in the truck. We parked the trailer at Camp Caravan Waco RV park in Lorena, TX, outside of Waco near
Woodway and Lake Waco. The RV Park doesn’t offer cable but the free wi-fi is suitable for streaming on the TV. Our site was located near the dog park which Sabrina appreciated and enjoyed.
After setting up the trailer, we ate dinner at Di Campli’s Italian Ristorante off Woodway Drive. The food was good. We thought it pricey but the portions were plenty. We split dinner and still had some leftovers.
Wednesday night
Friday
Cottonland Castle
The next morning, Friday, we set out to explore Waco which I love to do. We went to see the Cottonland Castle at 3300 Austin Ave.
The Cottonland Castle is a recent project of Chip and Joanna Gaines. I had watched Fixer Upper: The Castle, a six-episode series about restoring a 1900s Castle in the Heart of Waco.
It was neat to see the historic landmark in person even though it was only from the outside. The castle was briefly opened for tours after the Gaines’ renovation was completed, however it no longer is.
Afterward, we hopped over to Magnolia Market at the Silos. We normally enjoy the gourmet food trucks, shopping, and watching families play wiffle ball out on the Silos grounds. The weather was very cold and damp so unfortunately we didn’t stay long this trip.
These videos are at the Silos. The market is usually packed but not that day with the bad weather.
Here’s an article of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig statues. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig
We were looking for something inside, so we decided to visit the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. My daughter’s family had toured the museum this past summer and highly recommended it for anyone who enjoys sports at any level.
However it was closed for the Thanksgiving weekend. We needed to eat so we found Cajun food at Buzzard Billy’s located on the Brazos Riverfront across from the McLane Stadium, home of the Baylor Bears.
The football team was on the road, in Austin, playing the Texas Longhorns. We enjoyed watching the game among local fans while simultaneously watching the World Cup match up of USA vs England.
Due to the dreary weather, we returned to our trailer to let Sabrina out, take a nap and get ready for our night tour. Waco Tours, one of my favorite touring companies, has a new seasonal offer this year called Christmas Experience. They take guests through the Lights of West holiday attraction and provide top-notch accommodations. Included in our tour package, was the price of admission + first in line, hot cocoa, kettle corn, and a picture with Santa Claus. We enjoyed this Christmas lights attraction and indulged in making s’mores at the end of the one-mile drive thru.
Saturday
Saturday, we went to the 35th Homestead Fair held annually each Thanksgiving weekend. “The fair is a time for people to come and learn different skills, but also for the Homestead Heritage community to showcase their talents from food to music, to crafts, to farming.” This was our first time visiting the fair and we liked it. There was so much to see and do, but the weather again was dismal. We attended a woodwork demonstration and one seminar, “What Do I Do? – A Conversation with Two Homesteaders.” Both were interesting to learn how they live a simple life. There was plenty of food to eat, shopping, crafts, Make-Your-Own crafts, and music. The music was held under a huge tent, and they sang gospel and bluegrass. I loved it. It felt like a church music revival.
Saturday Evening
Like any good Catholic, after the revival, we headed over to a local family-owned beer brewery Waco Ale Co.
On the way home to the trailer, we drove by the Silos and the clouds had finally cleared. It was sunny at the Silos so I grabbed my camera.
Sunday morning, we woke to a beautiful sunny day. But it was time to pack up and head home. Although the weather was terrible, we still enjoyed our visit to Waco.
When we travel, I always look for local tour companies who offer visits to attractions but also give insight to places that peak your interest and may not have heard of. Then you can visit on your own. In Waco, I recommend both the Classic and River Cruise tours offered by Waco Tours. They’re very good. However if you prefer a self-guided tour, check out this article Magnolia Trail Self-Guided Tour.