Activities

Waco

Waco double earns its Heart of Texas nickname for being centrally located in North Central Texas and for the warmth and friendliness of its people. Situated in the corridor between Dallas and Austin, Waco's the place for sport, shopping and restaurants galore.

Hike in Cameron Park, shop downtown at Magnolia Market and stroll through the cultural and historic district that extends from Austin Avenue through Elm Avenue. Walk across the Brazos River on the historic Suspension Bridge, built in 1870, where the clopping hooves of cattle followed the Chisholm and Shawnee Trails up north. Kids can cool off at the Waco Water Park. And there are many cultural attractions like galleries, museums and theaters to check out during your time off the bike.

Downtown Waco serves up all the excitement during race week, with restaurants, bars, breweries, stores, and all the GFNY activities from the Waco Convention Center, like the pre-race expo, pre-race group rides, the race start and finish. You're in for some great cycling and a fun stay in the heartland of Texas!

Downtown Waco

Waco’s vibrant Downtown Cultural District offers unique locally owned shops, restaurants, and more. The area contains museums, art galleries, public art, performance venues, and restaurants and bars serving locally produced food, wine, beer—even award-winning whisky. There are numerous stores selling locally designed and manufactured art, crafts, home furnishings, clothing, and jewelry.

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Magnolia Market at the Silos

Magnolia Silos became an instant attraction as soon as their doors opened in October 2015. Thousands of visitors make the trek to the Silos each week to check out the stores, grab a bite to eat in the food truck park, have a tasty cupcake at Silos Baking Co, or play games on the lawn or take a stroll through the garden.

More information about the Magnolia Market

Magnolia Market Oficial Wbesite

Museums

Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. The Dr Pepper Museum houses the original bottling plant and a glimpse into history and how the company started and its progress through the decades. The Mayborn Museum Complex is located across from Baylor University and offers a chance to walk through the natural history of central Texas. 16 discovery rooms provide hands-on learning with themes from transportation to pioneers. The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame contains memorabilia from the long history of the Texas Rangers.

Restaurants

Waco has over 200 food options, including bakeries, coffee shops, casual restaurants, local restaurants, national chains, steak houses, fine dining, pizzerias (by the slice and wood oven), breweries, pubs, food trucks and variety of cuisines like American, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, and more.

Check out Waco’s website for a complete list of Waco eateries here

Kids

Waco Mammoth National Monument, Cameron Park Zoo, Waco Water Park offer big fun for kids joining the family for the race-vacation in Waco.

Magnolia Trail

Magnolia Trail is a self-guided tour for fans of Chip & Joanna Gaines, and their home improvement show, HGTV's Fixer Upper. Each of these locations has been mentioned on Chip & Joanna's TV show or on their social media, blog, or website.

Check out more information about the Magnolia Trail here