What You Need to Know Before You Visit the Silos

I just got back from the most amazing, magical trip to Waco! My best friend came with me, and 10 other Instagram friends, and we stayed at Magnolia’s Hillcrest Estate (more on that in a future post!)! Hours and hours of research was done before we came so that we could make the best use of our time there. There was so much more that we could have seen and done, but I tried to get to the most important things! I have consolidated everything that took me months to research into this detailed guide of what you need to know before you visit the Silos!

If you are flying:

American Airlines flies directly into Waco from some cities, but it can be pricey.  Most people fly into Dallas, and rent a car or take a shuttle into Waco.  **Please note that Dallas has two airports-Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) and Dallas Love Field (Love).  It can be very tricky, so please be sure you know which airport you are flying in and out of!

There are rental car facilities in both airports.  If you aren’t renting a car, getting from Dallas to Waco can be pricey. It’s about 100 miles. There is a private shuttle that is between $25-$110 each way, depending on how many people in your group. Text Gerald at 903-388-5922. Tell him Danielle at Faith and Farmhouse referred you! Waco Streak is another option.

Where to Stay:

There are plenty of hotels in Waco, but why not take advantage of so many fabulous Air BNB’s!!! There are several that are withing walking distance of the Silos, and many of the homes on Fixer Upper are now rental properties. I highly recommend staying in a Magnolia owned property! Your stay includes a cupcake from the Silos Bakery for each person in your party, a beautiful souvenir water bottle, chocolates, a reservation to Magnolia Table, and 25% off of most shops in the Silos for your ENTIRE STAY!!! The 25% off saved us SO much money while shopping!!!

Everything You Need to Know About Shopping the Silos:

Since we were speaking of shopping, isn’t shopping the real reason to come to the Silos!!! Most of our group brought an empty carry on suitcase or duffle bag to fill up with all the goodies! Magnolia Market is exactly like you see in pictures, only better!!!

The quality of the items is just so good! Their customer service is amazing, and they will ship-shipping is free with a $100 purchase! The stems and greenery were the most realistic that I have ever seen. Everything that was in the store is native to the area, and you can see it in the grounds, and the yards, and the fields as you are driving around!

I saved up my birthday and Mother’s Day gift cards to shop the Silos. The shops at the Silos take Visa gift cards, but you need to tell them exactly how much is on it. One time through Magnolia Market is not enough! I think I went through three different times, and I still missed things that others had bought. There’s just so much to look at, and such beautiful styling inspo! They also ship for free with a $100 purchase!

We were so excited that the cottage shops are now open! Since you’re there, you must see every one!!! I made the mistake of skipping the paper shop because that’s not my thing, but missed out on some beautiful prints painted by Joanna Gaines!

I wasn’t planning on buying clothes while I was there, but ended up buying two things in Reverie, a shop of the cutest clothes curated by Joanna herself! Several of the girls bought beautiful leather handbags in the Tried & True shop.

Even if you’re not a gardener, don’t skip Magnolia Seed & Supply!!! I almost passed on it because I don’t garden, but I went in just to see it, and ended up buying a macrame plant holder with a beautiful pot! There were so many other beautiful things that I wanted!

Also, be sure to go inside Magnolia Home, even if you’re not in the market for furniture! It’s a gorgeous place to get inspiration, see her rugs and pillows, and of course furniture in person, and they have smaller decor as well! The market was out of some candle holders that I had wanted, but Magnolia Home was full of them! The bathrooms between Magnolia Home and Magnolia Press are even beautiful, and very nicely air conditioned!

Since you are already here, you must walk down the sidewalk from Magnolia Press to the Findery! They have two locations-a smaller shop closest to the Silos, and one just across the street from it that is HUGE! 501 S. Eighth St. They ship for FREE with a $75 purchase, and they ship fast!!! They also just opened the Boiler Room, a loungey bar that is the perfect place to relax and cool off!

Photo Opps:

There are SO many photo opps ALL OVER the Silos! I wish we would’ve taken more advantage of them, but we were too busy shopping and eating! There is also a photo booth just outside Magnolia Market facing the courtyard.

The church is a must as well! Every detail has been impeccably restored, you can see how they disassembled it and moved it to the Silos on Discovery Plus, Fixer Upper Welcome Home, Breaking New Ground. They also show the story of the cottage shops, and the Wiffleball Field.

Where to Eat:

Probably the most popular spot to eat is Magnolia Table. It is located off site from the Silos, 1 1/2 miles away. It is only open for breakfast and lunch. Reservations are highly suggested, but hard to come by! Make your reservations exactly 30 days before the day you’ll be there, or be prepared to wait! The wait time while we were there was 2 1/2 hours. You can make reservations and see the live wait time on their website. They also deliver, but you’ll probably want the experience of being there!

There are also yummy food trucks at the Silos. They vary from time to time, but you can check here for a current list. We ate a refreshing watermelon salad at Cheddar Box, a sandwich and salad at Magnolia Table food truck, and ice tea from Alabama Sweet Tea. They have unsweet too! Their tea comes in these great jar mugs, they are $9, but then refills are only $2! We brought them with us every time we went back! They make a great souvenir too!

You absolutely cannot miss Magnolia Press! If nothing else, it’s a cool place to rest with lots of seating! I don’t drink coffee, besides in the morning, so I ordered an iced Earl Gray tea and it was delish! It also has the nicest bathrooms, although they are all nice!

There are plenty of restaurants around the Silos, too! We went to Hecho en Waco one night for dinner, and it was so good! It’s within walking distance of the Silos. This is a great list of restaurants in the area!

When to Go:

Be sure you check the website for their current hours. It is the least crowded in the afternoons, and earlier in the week. By Thursday, it was getting pretty crowded.

Parking:

There is free parking in the lot on 6th Street and Jackson Ave. Handicap accessible parking is available along 6th Street in front of Magnolia Market. There are free lots around downtown where you can ride the trolley.

Personally, I did not see any free lots, but occasionally there were open parallel parking spaces. You have to be really careful to not park in a No Parking zone, as they do issue tickets. We parked in the church lot for $10 each time.

Be sure to follow @visitmagnolia on Instagram, and watch their stories-especially starting the week before you go! They will post special sales, important info, maybe a drink that’s not on the Magnolia Press menu. You’ll get all the insider information!

Now you what you need to know before you visit the Silos! Have you been before? Are you planning on going? Tell me below in the comments!

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