4 Things You Must Do While in Waco, Texas

Waco in Texas has become a hot spot, thanks to the HGTV show "Fixer Upper". I was born and raised in Waco, and when I saw the first episode of "Fixer Upper", I never imagined my hometown would become so popular.

Thanks to the show's success, Chip and Joanna Gaines created Magnolia Market, a shop for those who want a little taste of "Fixer Upper" located downtown and within walking distance of Indian Springs Park and the Suspension Bridge. It is now considered THE spot for visitors of Waco.

But don't let that fool you - Waco has some other great places to visit and check out!

Waco boasts its own Cameron Park Zoo, right in the heart of Cameron Park. Animals include White-Handed Gibbons, cougars, giraffes, meerkats, and even a Komodo Dragon! I've been several times, but my favorite animal exhibit will always be the orangutans! They just look so cuddly!

I don't know how many of you are history buffs, but I totally am! The Waco Mammoth National Monument is kind of a cool look into the paleolithic era with the nation’s only recorded discovery of a nursery herd of Columbian mammoths. You can actually view the fossils, just as they were found! For $5 for adults with kids ages 3 or under getting in for free, not a bad way to spend a few hours!

Who wants candy? OK, this one might be a little biased, but I have yet to come across a small-ish city that has an actual candy shot filled to the gills with every sweet you can think of, including candy that our parents grew up with. Hey Sugar Candy Shop even has ice cream and floats! It's one of my favorite hang out spots.

No trip to Waco would be complete without visiting the Dr Pepper Museum. You can find an extensive collection of memorabilia and history in Dr Pepper's first bottling plant. The most popular exhibit is a continuous loop of old Dr Pepper commercials. You can end your visit with a Dr Pepper from an old soda fountain.

There's also the Texas Rangers Museum, Mayborn Museum (which kids will LOVE), and the ever-impressive Baylor University campus, but take it from a Wacoan - the hidden gems are so worth it!