heart of texas:Waco is sometimes called the “Heart of Texas” for its central location in the Lone Star State. This day trip continues North Day Trips 01 and 02, continuing north on I-35 through several small communities before reaching Waco, a city that has a large number of visitor attractions.
Located 80 miles north of Austin on I-35 at exit 322 (see North Day Trips 01 and 02 for attractions along this drive), the community of Lorena (254-857-4641; ci.lorena.tx.us/index.aspx) was formerly a railroad town. Named for the daughter of a local businessman, Lorena was a thriving town before the Depression. From the 1920s until the late 1960s, Lorena was especially quiet. In 1968 renovation began on several historic structures, and the town returned to life. Today the old part of the city (known as “Olde Town”) is home to several antiques and specialty shops.
where to go
Library and Museum of the Lorena Women’s Club. 101 Walter St. Since 2000 this small museum has celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the Lorena Women’s Club. The museum contains household and agricultural items from Lorena’s heyday. A collection of interest to historians and former residents, the museum is home to 6,000 donated books and local artifacts. Open the first and last Wed of each month. Free admission.
where to shop
Center Street Antique Mall. 109 E. Center St.; (254) 857-9656; centerstreetantiquemall.net. This large antiques mall offers wares from a multitude of vendors that sell furniture, clocks, toys, jewelry, pottery, lamps, quilts, glassware, and many other collectibles. Open daily.
The Village Lamp Lighter. 103 E. Center St.; (254) 857-4435; villagelamplighter.com. This shop, in business for over four decades, showcases lamps and lighting of all types. Open Mon through Sat.
where to eat
Raymond’s Southern Kitchen. 417 S. Frontage Rd., at I-35 exit 322; (254) 655-4196; raymonds southernkitchen.com. This unassuming roadhouse serves up Texas favorites like chicken-fried steak, burgers, pork chops, and fried chicken. Lunch specials are featured daily. Open daily. $–$$.
Texas Cheese House. 102 E. Center St.; (254) 655-4217; texascheesehouse.com. Owner chef Scott Simon is on a mission to prove that excellent cheese can be produced in Texas. His shop in downtown Lorena carries artisan cheese from several Texas cheese producers as well as goat and cow cheeses made in his own shop. The shop also serves appetizers, sandwiches on homemade bread, and soups all featuring—you guessed it—cheese. Open daily. $.
Continue north on I-35 to Waco, a city of more than 234,000 and named for the Hueco American Indians who resided here before the days of recorded history. The Huecos were attracted to this rich, fertile land at the confluence of the Brazos and Bosque Rivers.
Although Spanish explorers named this site “Waco Village” in 1542, over 300 years elapsed before permanent settlement began. At that time, Waco was part of the Wild West, with cattle drives, cowboys, and so many gunslingers that stagecoach drivers called the town “Six-Shooter Junction.” (Drivers routinely asked passengers to strap on their guns before the stagecoach reached the rowdy community!)
In the 1870s Waco became a center of trade with the completion of a 470-foot suspension bridge across the Brazos, the longest inland river in Texas. The bridge, which still stands, was designed by the same engineers who constructed New York City’s Brooklyn Bridge years later.
Today Waco’s Wild West heritage is tempered by a strong religious influence. The city is home to Baylor University, a Baptist liberal arts college of 16,000 students. The university has several excellent museums open to the public.
Some of the most scenic areas in Waco fall along the Brazos River. This waterway slices the city in half and provides miles of shoreline parks, shady walks, and a winding river walk, which begins at Fort Fisher Park and extends to Cameron Park.
where to go
City of Waco Tourist Information Center. Fort Fisher at exit 335B off I-35; (800) WACO-FUN; wacoheartoftexas.com. The visitor center provides helpful maps and brochures, and staff members give advice on Waco attractions, accommodations, and restaurants. Open daily. Free admission.
The Art Center Waco. 1300 College Dr. on McClellan Community College campus; (254) 752-4371; artcenterwaco.org. This exhibit hall and teaching center is located in the Mediterranean-style home of the late lumber magnate William Waldo Cameron. Exhibits focus on Texas artists in all media. Closed Mon. Free admission.
Baylor University. I-35, exit 335B; (800) BAYLOR-U; baylor.edu. Chartered by the fledgling Republic of Texas in 1845, this Baptist-affiliated university is the oldest continually operating university in the state. Now a nationally ranked liberal arts institution, the Baylor campus fills nearly 1,000 acres in downtown Waco. The university curriculum offers degrees in 141 undergraduate areas, 75 master’s programs, and 37 doctoral programs. Major components of the university include the College of Arts & Sciences, the Hankamer School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Engineering & Computer Science, Graduate School, Honors College, Law School, School of Music, the Louise Herrington School of Nursing, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, and the School of Social Work.
Armstrong Browning Library. 710 Speight Ave., Baylor University campus; (254) 710-3566; browninglibrary.org. The works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and husband Robert Browning fill this two-story library. The building also boasts the world’s largest collection of secular stained-glass windows, which illustrate the works of both writers (including Robert Browning’s The Pied Piper of Hamlin). Take a guided tour to see the upstairs rooms furnished with the couple’s belongings. Closed Sun. Free admission.
Mayborn Museum Complex. 1300 S. University Parks Dr.; (254) 710-1110; baylor.edu/mayborn. This expansive museum complex includes exhibits on the region’s natural and social history. Learn more about Waco with a visit to the Waco at the Crossroads of Texas natural history exhibits, which includes walk-in dioramas of a limestone cave, Texas forest, and Waco mammoth experience. Popular with children are the Discovery Rooms, where 16 themed rooms offer hands-on learning in areas that range from vertebrates to TV weather to Native Americans. Beyond the museum walls the learning continues in 9 wood-frame buildings found on the 13-acre Governor Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village, a re-creation of a 19th-century cotton town. It includes a schoolhouse, a mercantile store, and, of course, a Wild West saloon. The buildings, once the property of the governor, were moved to this site from a plantation community in Liberty County and restored by Baylor University. Open daily. Free admission.
Cameron Park. Brazos River at Herring Avenue; (254) 750-8080; waco-texas.com/cms-parksandrecreation. This 416-acre municipal park is one of the largest in the state and holds Miss Nellie’s Pretty Place, a beautiful wildflower garden filled with Texas bluebonnets. Free admission.
Cameron Park Zoo. 1701 N. Fourth St. in Cameron Park; (254) 750-8400; cameronparkzoo.com. This zoo features natural habitats and displays including the African Savanna, Gibbon Island, Treetop Village, Asian Forest, and Lemur Island. The newest exhibit area at the zoo is called “Brazos River Country,” and explores the Gulf to the Caprock regions through plant and animal life. Open daily. Fee.
Dr Pepper Museum. 300 S. Fifth St.; (254) 757-1025; drpeppermuseum.com. The famous Dr Pepper soft drink was invented by pharmacist Dr. Charles Alderton at the Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, which once stood at Fourth Street and Austin Avenue. Today the drugstore is gone, but the original bottling plant remains open as a museum. Interesting exhibits and films offer a look at some early promotional materials, as well as the manufacturing process of the unusual soft drink. (Also of note: the popular advertising slogan promoting Dr Pepper as an energy booster to be consumed at “10-2-and-4.”) After a look through the museum, visit the re-creation of the Old Corner Drug Store fountain for an ice-cream soda or (what else?) a Dr Pepper. Open daily. Fee.
Fort Fisher Park. I-35, exit 335B; (254) 750-8696. This park was once the site of Fort Fisher, an outpost of the Texas Rangers built in 1837. The lawmen established a post here to protect the Brazos River crossing. Today the park contains the City of Waco Tourist Information Center and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum. Open daily. Free admission.
Historic Home Visits. Historic Waco Foundation, 810 S. Fourth St.; (254) 753-5166; historicwaco.org. Although a devastating tornado in 1953 destroyed many of Waco’s historic structures, some still remain. The public can visit any of four historic homes, all in the downtown area. One of the most interesting stops is East Terrace House, an Italian villa on the east bank of the Brazos. Here guests once slept in unheated dormitories to discourage them from overstaying their welcome! Tours are held Tues through Sat. Fee.
Homestead Heritage. Elm Mott; (254) 754-9600; homesteadheritage.com. From I-35 take exit 343, then turn west on FM 308 and continue 3 miles to FM 933. Turn north on FM 933 and continue 1.5 miles to Halbert Lane. Turn left (west) onto Halbert Lane and continue for 0.5 mile. This 510-acre Christian homesteading community is the site of a 200-year-old Dutch-style barn that showcases the crafts of the village’s woodworkers as well as unique quilts, wrought iron, oil lamps, and more. You can take a walking tour of the village to see the potter’s house, herb gardens, blacksmith’s shop, and the restored 1760 gristmill. A deli serves all-natural sandwiches and ice cream. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon through Sat. Free admission.
Lake Waco. FM 1637, 2 miles northwest of the city at 3801 Zoo Park Dr.; (254) 756-5359; swf-wc.usace.army.mil/waco/index.asp. This lake, part of the Bosque River, is a favorite with anglers and boaters. Several marinas and boat ramps offer access. Open daily. Fee.
Suspension Bridge and River Walk. University Parks Drive between Franklin and Washington Streets; (254) 750-8080. Spanning the 800-mile-long Brazos River, this restored suspension bridge was once the longest in the world at 470 feet. Built in 1870, it eliminated the time-consuming process of having to cart cattle across the water by ferry. Today the structure is used as a pedestrian bridge bearing the motto “First Across–Still Across,” linking Indian Spring Park on the west bank and Martin Luther King Jr. Park on the east. On the west side, you’ll find a walkway to Fort Fisher Park in one direction and Herring Avenue Bridge in the other, 1.5 miles away. Open daily. Free admission.
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum. Fort Fisher, 100 Texas Ranger Trail (at exit 335B off I-35); (254) 750-8631; texasranger.org. If you’re interested in the taming of Texas, budget a couple of hours for this large museum. Visitors here can see guns of every description used by the Rangers, who had the reputation of lone lawmen who always got their man. Dioramas in the Hall of Fame recount the early days of the Rangers, including their founding by Stephen F. Austin. A 55-minute film shows several times daily. Open daily. Fee.
Texas Sports Hall of Fame. 1108 S. University Parks Dr. (at exit 335B off I-35); (254) 756-1633; tshof.org. This popular attraction is a tribute to the athletes of the Lone Star State. Sports memorabilia highlight more than 350 sports heroes, including an autographed baseball by former Texas Ranger Nolan Ryan, Earl Campbell’s letter jacket, and one of Martina Navratilova’s Wimbledon rackets, as well as displays featuring prominent Texas high school athletes. Open Mon through Sat. Fee.
Waco Mammoth Site. 6220 Steinbeck Bend Rd. (exit 335C off I-35); (254) 750-7946; waco-texas.com/cms-waco-mammoth. Located northwest of Waco, this attraction features prehistoric Columbian Mammoth bones that were discovered in 1978 and excavated by Baylor University archeologists. Now a public park, the 100-acre site includes a dig shelter reached via a suspended walkway for an overhead view and a scenic trailway with benches and rest areas. The park Welcome Center includes a gift shop and a ticket counter. Open Tues through Sat. Fee.
where to shop
Along with stand-alone shops, several major attractions in Waco also have notable gift shops, including the Art Center Waco, Cameron Park Zoo, Dr Pepper Museum, Homestead Heritage, Texas Sports Hall of Fame, and Texas Ranger Museum.
The Craft Gallery. 7524 Bosque Blvd. in Bosque Square; (254) 751-0693; craftgallerygiftstore.com. A host of different vendors present their wares in this collection of shops. In addition to crafted items, you’ll find women’s and children’s apparel, souvenirs, accessories, home decor items, and preowned furniture. Open Mon through Sat.
Downtown Farmers Market. 400 S. University Parks Dr.; wacodowntownfarmersmarket.com. This large farmers’ market is held Saturday year-round and features fresh, locally produced fruits and vegetables, jams and jellies, cheeses, and honey as well as arts and crafts. On some Saturdays, live music entertains shoppers, too. Free admission.
Honey’s Home+Style. 1700 Austin Ave.; (254) 754-3311; honeys-home-style.com. This downtown shop is just across the street from the Waco McLennan County Library and specializes in unique home furnishings, antiques, and artworks. Open Tues through Sat.
Spice Village. S. Second Street and Franklin Avenue; (254) 757-0921; spicewaco.com. This shopping emporium with over 80 different shops offering clothing and accessories, antiques, home decor, and souvenirs is housed in the historic Waco Hardware Building near downtown. Open daily.
where to eat
Elite Circle Grille. 2132 S. Valley Mills Dr.; (254) 754-4941; elitecafe.com. Longtime Texans know the Elite from its highway signs declaring it as the place where “the elite meet to eat.” Dating to 1914, the Elite held the title as Waco’s first restaurant with refrigeration and, later, the city’s first eatery with air-conditioning. In 2003 the restaurant received a facelift that returned it to its early days. Menu items range from chicken-fried steak to King Ranch casserole to Gulf shrimp, dishes special enough to make you feel, well, pretty darn elite. Open for lunch and dinner daily (and breakfast is served all day). $–$$.
Health Camp. 2601 Circle Rd.; (254) 752-2186; health-camp-waco.com. In spite of the name, don’t look for açaí or quinoa on the menu at this classic burger joint. Perched right on the Waco traffic circle, this casual restaurant has been selling burgers, fries, malts, and shakes since 1949. A stop here is like a step back in time, so forget your diet for one meal and enjoy a famous “Health Burger.” Open daily for lunch and dinner. $.
Sergio’s Restaurant. 608 Austin Ave.; (254) 714-1297; sergioswaco.com. The fare at this low-key restaurant is classic Veracruz-style seafood served in a large dining room decorated with photos of former US president George W. Bush and former Mexican president Vicente Fox. The restaurant was a favorite with the Washington, DC, press corps during the Bush presidency. Large menu, but BYOB. Open Mon through Sat. $$–$$$.
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the western white house |
| The tiny community of Crawford, with a population of under 700 residents, drew international attention with the 1999 arrival of two new residents: George W. and Laura Bush. The then-governor purchased the 1,600-acre ranch, located 8 miles northeast of town on Prairie Chapel Road, and constructed a home that soon became host to world leaders. | |
| Today Crawford remains a quiet town except when the former president is at the Prairie Chapel Ranch, which visitors can drive by. You’ll know you’re getting close when you see signs warning “no stopping, no standing, no parking.” The ranch is located on the right side of the road heading north. To reach Crawford from Waco, take US 84 west, then turn right onto TX 317. |
where to stay
The Cotton Palace. 1910 Austin Ave.; (877) 632-2312 or (254) 753-7294; thecottonpalace.com. This Arts and Crafts–style 1910 home offers 6 guest rooms, each with a private bath, and an additional Carriage House suite. Rates include a full breakfast with specialties such as lemon soufflé, pancakes with blueberries, or Cotton Palace cream-cheese bread. $$$.
1700 South 2nd. 1700 S. Second St.; (512) 699-8033 or (254) 304-8838; 1700south2nd.com. Named for its location right across the street from the Baylor campus, this all-suite property has a minimalist vibe with its Japanese-inspired decor. All suites include full kitchens, 2 bedrooms, and 2 baths. $$$.