Waco day trip from Dallas: Magnolia Market & Fixer Upper sites

A full day built around Magnolia Market, with a personal guide and a driver who knows the route.

This eight-hour day trip from Dallas takes you to Waco with a personal driver and guide, including a 45-minute inside tour of Magnolia Market at the Silos led by Magnolia staff. You'll have a reserved table at Magnolia Table for brunch (meal on your own), explore the Dr. Pepper Museum's exhibits and vintage soda fountain, shop the Silos lawn and Magnolia Press, photograph Cottonland Castle and Hotel 1928, walk the Waco Suspension Bridge and Brazos Riverwalk, and visit the Doris Miller Memorial. The tour includes round-trip transportation from Dallas, a tour booklet with the history of each stop in multiple languages, bottled water and snacks, and time to shop and take photos. You can book a private tour for your group or join a public departure.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Dr Pepper Museum45m
2. Cottonland Castle10m
3. Waco Suspension Bridge15m

Waco day trip from Dallas

• Meet at DART Market Center Station
• Drive 1.5 hours to Waco
• Brunch at Magnolia Table (meal not included)
• Explore Dr Pepper Museum exhibits
• Visit Magnolia Market at the Silos
• Stop at Hotel 1928
• See Cottonland Castle
• View iconic Fixer Upper property
• Visit Waco Suspension Bridge and Brazos Riverwalk
• See Doris Miller Memorial
• Shop for souvenirs and local gifts
• Shop at Spice Village boutiques
• Stop at Buc-ee’s for snacks and shopping
• Drive 1.5 hours back to Dallas

The experience

You meet at 7:15am at DART Market Center Station Park N Ride and depart at 7:30am for a 90-minute drive to Waco. The day centers on Magnolia Market at the Silos: a 45-minute guided tour led by Magnolia staff walks you through the market, then you have time to browse the shops, grab coffee at Magnolia Press, play lawn games on the Silos grounds, and pick up cupcakes from Silos Baking Co. A reserved table waits for you at Magnolia Table, Chip and Joanna Gaines' restored historic café known for scratch-made breakfast and fresh biscuits. You order and pay for your meal there.

The rest of the day moves through Waco's landmarks. At the Dr. Pepper Museum, your admission ticket ($12, paid at the museum) covers self-guided access to all exhibits and a complimentary drink at the vintage soda fountain. You'll see Hotel 1928, the couple's recently renovated Moorish Revival boutique hotel, and photograph Cottonland Castle, a 1913 mansion they restored during the Fixer Upper: The Castle series. The Waco Suspension Bridge and Brazos Riverwalk are stops for walking and photos, and the Doris Miller Memorial honors the Waco native who became the first African American awarded the Navy Cross after Pearl Harbor. Before heading back to Dallas, you stop at Spice Village, a downtown warehouse holding over 60 boutiques, and at Buc-ee's, the famous Texas travel stop known for its size, cleanliness and Beaver Nuggets.

Your guide travels with you the whole day and provides a tour booklet with the history and background of each stop, available in multiple languages. The return drive to Dallas takes three hours. Breakfast reservations at Magnolia Table are included, but the meal itself is not. You order and pay separately. Choose between a private tour for your group or a public departure with other travelers.

What’s included

• Personal driver and guide for the full day.
• round-trip transportation from Dallas (three hours each way).
• 45-minute guided tour inside Magnolia Market at the Silos led by Magnolia staff.
• reserved seating at Magnolia Table (meal on your own).
• tour booklet with the history of each stop in multiple languages.
• bottled water and snacks.
• five hours of exploration and sightseeing at Waco landmarks including Cottonland Castle, Hotel 1928, the Waco Suspension Bridge, Brazos Riverwalk, Doris Miller Memorial, Dr. Pepper Museum, Spice Village and Buc-ee's.

Options for this experience

2 options

Waco AdvenTOUR: PublicGuide in English · 07:30Other passengers may join this tour.

Waco AdvenTOUR: PrivateGuide in English · 07:30Only you and your group are on this tour. It includes the Inside Magnolia Tour and pickup from hotels and from your location within 15 miles of downtown Dallas.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SaturdayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to1d before

GroupUp to 13

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Spencer Adventours LLC

Is this one for you?Choose the private tour if your group wants to set its own pace and skip the shared vehicle. Choose the public departure if you prefer a set schedule and lower per-person cost. Either way, the eight-hour structure (with the 90-minute drive, the guided Magnolia tour, and stops at five major Waco sites) fits a full day from Dallas without an overnight stay.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

Can I book just the Magnolia Market part, or is the whole Waco tour required?

The tour is a full-day package from Dallas. Magnolia Market at the Silos is the centerpiece, but the day includes the Dr. Pepper Museum, Cottonland Castle, the Suspension Bridge, and other Waco stops, plus the 90-minute drive each way.

What is Magnolia Market at the Silos actually like when I get there?

Magnolia Market at the Silos is a shopping destination built around the iconic white grain silos. You get a 45-minute guided tour inside the market led by Magnolia staff, then free time to shop, visit Magnolia Press for coffee, play lawn games on the grounds, and buy cupcakes from Silos Baking Co. It's a working market and gathering space, not a museum.

Is the Dr. Pepper Museum admission included in the tour price?

No. The museum admission is $12, paid at the entrance on the day of the tour. Your ticket includes self-guided access to all exhibits and a complimentary drink at the vintage soda fountain, but not any guided experiences inside.

Do I need to pay for breakfast at Magnolia Table separately?

Yes. Your tour includes a reserved table at Magnolia Table, but you order and pay for your meal there. It's a popular spot for scratch-made Texas breakfast and fresh biscuits.

What's the difference between the private and public tour options?

The private tour is for your group only with your own driver and guide. The public tour departs on a set schedule and shares the vehicle and guide with other travelers. Both include the same stops, inclusions and eight-hour duration.

How much time do I actually have to shop and take photos?

The tour includes five hours of exploration and sightseeing across all the Waco stops. After the 45-minute guided tour inside Magnolia Market, you have free time to shop, photograph the Silos, visit other sites like Cottonland Castle and the Suspension Bridge, and browse Spice Village before the return drive to Dallas.