Thinking of traveling to Magnolia Market? Here’s what you need to know!

We kicked off our summer break today with a trip to Magnolia Market in Waco, TX! Our family enjoys watching the show Fixer Upper, and we have been wanting to visit Waco for awhile now. It was SO worth the drive (an hour and 40 minutes for us) and we had a blast. We are by no means experts, but I thought I would share our experience plus some tips we have collected from others for making the most of your visit to Magnolia Market, especially if you have kids. And if you live too far to travel here, you can go vicariously through our photos – ha!

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

  • Go on a weekday. We chose NOT to go on a Saturday! Our visit was on a Monday, and it was quite crowded. No line to get into the store, but I would not have wanted it to be any more crowded at all! A friend who lives in Waco told me that the middle of the week is best.
  • Don’t be afraid to go on a cloudy or rainy day. I wouldn’t let a little rain stop me! The kids might not be able to do as much playing on the lawn, but there are plenty of covered areas to hang out. And maybe the weather will hold down the crowds! Plus, cloudy weather is better for pictures – no harsh shadows on faces or squinting into the sun.
  • You might have to park and walk. When we pulled in sight of the silos, my first thought was, “Oh! Parking!” I hadn’t looked into that at all! There is not a large parking lot dedicated to Magnolia Market (unless I missed it!). Lots of people park along the street, and then there are a couple of churches who offer paid parking in their lots during certain hours. We ended up parking along the street three blocks away and walking.
  • There are bathrooms, but the line for the women’s bathroom was long! If your kids have tiny bladders, I would stop somewhere and go to the bathroom first.

When we arrived, we were able to go right in – no lines!

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

I didn’t get many photos inside the store – it was too crazy busy, and I was juggling five kids including one busy toddler who doesn’t like to ride in her stroller. She prefers to push it HERSELF with no one helping! Or even touching it! The store was filled with friendly employees who are ready to serve. I picked out a wall sign, and instantly there was someone there offering to carry it to the registers for me. Sweet, friendly Texans.

  • The prices are high, but not outrageous. I would say that the prices are in line with Pottery Barn. Before going, I had read articles that explained how everything in the store is mass produced in China and for sale at crazy high prices. Yes, the prices are not bargains. You can definitely find similar items for less at Michael’s or Hobby Lobby. I was not disappointed by the store selection or quality, however. As a business owner myself, I know that it’s unrealistic to think the store could be full of one-of-a-kind or handmade items all at low prices, especially when this is not the Gaines’ only business venture. I saw the store as representing Joanna’s style of design, and I wasn’t bothered that not every item was handmade. Personally, I thought it was fun to splurge on one item that I really wanted for our home (a wall sign for $125), and I will enjoy knowing that we bought it on our trip to Magnolia! So that’s my take on it. It’s probably unrealistic to head there to really get a lot of shopping done, but it’s a fun experience, a fun way to get new ideas, and fun for buying something you wouldn’t normally buy.

I bought the “As for me and my house” sign, and I love it! It’s going to go in our game room after we get our new carpet installed and replace the world’s ugliest couch.

  • The shop has a decidedly Christian theme running under the surface. Although they don’t talk much about their faith on the show, there were hymn cards in the shop and signs with scripture on them. Christian music was playing while we were in the store. It’s a very pleasant and positive environment!

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

Aidan wanted a #demoday shirt, and we also bought Jordan a coffee mug. Next time, the boys will save their money ahead of time because they found some neat little tools (little pocket multi-tool things that had a tiny hammer – $10) and none of them had any money.

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

  • The grounds are really cool, and it’s a great way for the kids to have fun after all that boring shopping! In front of the silos, there is a large covered porch with picnic tables. You can see this in the photo above. Then there is the astro turf lawn with balls to kick, hoola hoops to try, and corn hole games to play! My kids enjoyed the big swings the most.

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

I love this photo.

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

And this one too.

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

A barn provides some nice shade, which was great on a hot day like today!

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

There is a garden area that I believe is a fairly recent addition. The Seed + Supply shop has seed packets and gardening supplies as well as more decorating items.

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

The boys really wanted to go to the Gaines’ farm, which I explained was not something that people just do! But much to the little kids’ delight, there were two goats and some chickens right there at the garden!

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

  • There are food trucks right there on the grounds, but there are also affordable places to eat nearby. The food trucks smelled delicious (especially the pizza one!) but I didn’t even check the prices. For seven of us, I figured it would be much cheaper to eat at In ‘n Out Burger a block away. There are several restaurants nearby, so if the food trucks don’t work for you there are plenty of options!
  • Definitely stop by Harp Design Co. Clint Harp’s handmade tables are amazing. One day, I might order a farmhouse coffee table! We didn’t buy anything here, but it was so fun to stop by. Also, you can see the house next door that they fixed up in season 1 of Fixer Upper. According to an article I read, they no longer live there (I can’t image why with half of America stopping by!), but the house is home to their business offices.

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

More fun things to do while you’re in Waco:

After all that shopping (and being told not to touch), Jonathan announced that he wanted to find something “kid-ly” to do! Ha! I had thrown the swimsuits in the van before we left, just in case we found a splash pad/spray park. Well, I googled it and couldn’t find one in Waco. After leaving Harp Design Co, we decided to drive along the river, and we happened upon Cameron Park! It has a nice playground and a splash pad, and a walking trail that goes along the Brazos River. It was the perfect end to our trip!

Visiting Magnolia Market with Kids

Other places to visit:

  • The Cameron Park Zoo is right next to Cameron Park. We didn’t have time to check it out this trip!
  • Fossil loving kids might enjoy Mammoth National Monument – another spot on our list for next time!
  • A friend also recommended shopping at The Findery for similar home decor items at lower prices. It’s right near Magnolia Market in downtown Waco.

Do you have a tip to add? Leave a comment!

3 Comments

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  1. Lisa @ferncreekcottage Jun 8, 2016

    Thank you so much for this post! I am planning to visit the silos this summer and my boys are not excited about it! But now I can tell them about all the other fun things we can do in the Waco area!

    Reply
  2. Sharon Jun 19, 2016

    Great post, thanks for the tips. I'd like to visit sometime, but no longer have family nearby were I can leave my boys for an afternoon!

    Reply
  3. Nancy and Lee Malick Dec 4, 2017

    My husband and I just want to sit down with Jo and Chip Gaines and have a glass of iced tea and chat!!! We love them to death and are going to miss them like crazy!!!!

    Reply

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