Magnolia Market at the Silos, commonly known as Magnolia Market, is much more than just a shopping complex in Waco, Texas. With a bakery, coffee shop, group of food trucks lined up outside, a garden store, a stage for concerts, a historic church, and a large lawn and Wiffle ball field where families can play games, it’s a whole destination in itself!
If you’ve heard of the home renovation TV show Fixer Upper, then you’ve heard all about the power couple Chip and Joanna Gaines, who have successfully built their Magnolia EMPIRE!
A hit TV series on HGTV, Magnolia Market at the Silos, furniture collection, home decor line sold at Target, a bed & breakfast, bakery, magazine, real estate firm, NY times best-selling books, restaurant, and now they have added Magnolia Network to their empire, their TV network in partnership with Discovery!
I mean, common…THEY ARE KILLING IT!
So many people travel from all over the world to Waco, TX, to see part of their Magnolia empire.
Here’s how to see the best of Magnolia Market at the Silos in a day!
Tips for Visiting
- Admission to the grounds is free, but your visit will most likely cost you something because you’ll want to buy everything!
- This place is always busy, so if you can, visit on a weekday instead of the weekend.
- The line to enter the Silos Baking Co. gets very long, very fast! I’ve seen the lines wrap around the building. Try to arrive as early as possible to have a pleasant visit and avoid having to be in line for hours.
- If the Silos Baking Co. line is too long, head to the Silos Baking Co. airstream trailer lined up with the food trucks.
- There isn’t an official parking area, which is surprising considering how popular this place is! There are free parking spots around the Silos, but they’re limited, and I’m never there early enough to find any. I usually park in the church parking lot nearby for $10 cash.
- The atmosphere is very relaxed, and the staff is super friendly! Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations while you’re there.
- There are plenty of restrooms, and they are nice too.
How To Get There
The closest major airports are in Austin and Dallas.
Waco is only a 1.5 hour drive from Austin or Dallas, making it a great day trip from either city.
The property sits on two city blocks in downtown Waco and has two large old Silos that tower over the property, which have become the symbol of the Magnolia brand.
They will be hard to miss!
The address to Magnolia Market at the Silos is: 601 Webster Ave. Waco, Texas
When to Visit
I’ve been in the Summer, Fall, and Winter, and no two visits have ever been the same.
Each season has its own perks when visiting Magnolia Market at the Silos. There are always fun seasonal events at The Silos throughout the year, so check out their events calendar before visiting.
The stores always load their shelves with new seasonal products and their visual displays are reflective of each season. The shops always smell fantastic and always feel so cozy.
My favorite part of visiting during different times of the year, is that the bakery and restaurant add their seasonal items to their menus!
Spring – The weather is nice (low 60s-mid 70s), and the displays and grounds are gorgeous this time of year. The garden is particularly beautiful with all the blooming flowers. Maybe avoid visiting during spring break if you want to avoid crazy crowds. The Lemon Lavender Donut Holes from the Spring Menu at Magnolia Table are to die for!
Summer – It gets really hot in the summer. The Texas heat and humidity are no joke! If you do visit in the summer, be sure to grab some delicious sweet tea to help you cool off.
Fall – Probably my favorite time to visit because the weather is very nice and the bakery and restaurant bring out their fall menu. The Pumpkin Pie Donut Holes and fall drinks are my weakness!
Winter – Yes, it will be cold, but December is a lovely time to visit to see the festive holiday decorations throughout the Silos. The displays are beautiful and the twinkling lights feel like a winter wonderland. Just bring warm layers!
Have Breakfast at Magnolia Table
Located just 2 ½ miles from Magnolia Market, the Magnolia Table is the perfect place to fuel up before you start your day.
It’s a really cute restaurant with fresh and tasty food!
My #1 tip is to start early, early, early! Even on weekdays, the wait times can be long.
Address: 2132 S Valley Mills Dr, Waco, TX 76706
What to order: Lemon Lavender Donut Holes or Pumpkin Pie Donut Holes, depending on the season. The tater tots, chicken salad sandwich, and the biscuits with strawberry butter are also delicious!
Grab a Cup of Coffee at Magnolia Press
If you skipped Magnolia Table for breakfast (hopefully, you have time to visit at some point during your visit to Waco), grab a cup of coffee and maybe a pastry at Magnolia Press before you do some shopping.
Address: 418 S 8th St, Waco, TX 76706
What to order: My Favorite fall drinks are the Brown Sugar and Maple Lattes.
Stroll through the Shops
If you started at Magnolia Press for coffee and pastry, you may have seen an entrance leading to Magnolia Home from the inside.
You can walk right into the Magnolia Home showcases as you sip your coffee. Inside Magnolia Home are beautiful fully-designed room displays to help you find inspiration for your home. They include all the details so you can visualize everything put together; furniture, accent pieces, art, rugs, decor, and pillows.
Afterward, walk over to the six boutique stores called the Shops at the Silos. The white cottage boutique shops are so cute, and you’ll find anything from women’s clothing to handbags, jewelry, stationary, bath and body items, and even the cutest plant shop!
Here are some of the things you can find in each shop:
- No. 16 -men’s apparel, camping, baseball items
- Chapter One – stationary store, journals, cards
- Vie Bien Aimee– bath and body store
- Tried & True – handbags and jewelry
- Reverie – woman’s clothing store
- Ferny’s Retro Plant Shop – plants, plant accessories, and decor
Sit in the Old Church
One of the newest additions at the Silos grounds is a charming historic church built in 1894, one of the oldest in Waco. It had been abandoned for over 30 years until Chip and Joanna purchased it.
Despite the church being in disrepair, Chip and Joanna wanted to move it to the Silos grounds in order to add a piece of Waco’s history to the property.
However, just like it often occurred in their episodes of Fixer Upper, after they purchased the building, they found that the building was not in good enough condition to be moved. So they had to build a brand new frame and foundation at the Silos, but they kept whatever original elements could be preserved. And in true Gainses fashion, they restored everything beautifully!
I recommend going inside to admire the craftsmanship and to just sit, relax, meditate and reflect.
Grab Lunch or Snack from any of the Local Food Trucks
There are food trucks lined up outside with many different food options. There are Magnolia food and drink options; the Silos Baking Co airstream that offers a limited menu from the bakery. And at the ballpark concession, you will find some selections from their Magnolia Table restaurant. Sad to report, however, that no donut holes were found here. :(
Check out their website for the complete list of local food trucks lined up outside.
My favorite is the Sweet Alabama Tea truck. Be sure to check them out to purchase some great tea in the cutest glass mason jars!
Play in the Community Spaces
Enjoy some lawn games on the huge lawn or play on the Wiffle Ball field at Katy Ballpark.
The lawn is a good place to let the kids play around and burn off energy while the adults shop! There are lawn games like cornhole and many bean bag chairs to relax in.
There is also a new addition of a Wiffle ball field that the family will love. The baseball field is where Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth played in 1929!
Spending a day at Magnolia Market at the Silos is a great way to enjoy time with friends and family!
Relax by the Seed + Supply Garden
If you like gardening, check out the Seed + Supply store. It’s a very small garden store, but you can find gardening tools, seed packets, pottery, and some botanical-themed kitchen towels.
Even if you aren’t shopping for garden supplies, it’s a cute section to explore. There’s a small garden, greenhouse, and seating area where you can relax, since it is quieter in this section than in all the other busier stores.
Grab a treat at Silos Baking Co.
There are pastries, cookies, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, and many other treats. For me, the stars of the show at Silos Baking Co. are the cupcakes.
They are DELICIOUS!
The line can get pretty long, but it does tend to move fast. But trust me, it’s worth it!
Don’t want to wait in a long line? Then head to the Silos Baking Co. airstream, located by the other food trucks. Their menu is limited (you’ve been warned), but at least you’ll skip the long line.
What to order: Be sure to try the Lemon Lavender and the Strawberries N’ Cream cupcakes!
Shop at the Market before you leave!
The Magnolia Market is the main store that existed before the other six boutique shops were added to the grounds. It sells mostly home decor and kitchen cookware. Each season comes with a new collection of products, and you’ll want to take everything home with you!
So I left this last on the list because it’s located at the main entrance. That way, if you come out with tons of items or some heavier pieces, you can go straight to the car before heading home.
Have you visited Magnolia Market at the Silos? What did you like best?
Let me know in the comments below!
Make sure to check out these posts on the nearby cities; Austin and Dallas.
The Ultimate 3-Day Austin Itinerary
Top Things to See & Do in Austin, TX
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