Waco

Waco is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of north central Texas. Waco is best known in Texas for being the home of Baylor University, the largest Baptist university in the world, chartered during the Republic of Texas.

Understand
Waco is now a city of 139,000 people (2020), with 280,000 people in the metropolitan region. Waco has a number of worthwhile attractions.

History
Founded in 1849 near the site of an abandoned agricultural village of Waco Indians, Waco rose to prominence in the 1870s as a major junction for the transport of cattle; by 1871 between 600,000 and 700,000 head of cattle had passed through the city. As time progressed, Waco's location at the crossroads of major railroads and its location on the Brazos River helped the city grow and thrive. The Dr Pepper soft drink was invented in Waco in 1885.

Waco came to the world's attention, and is still remembered by many people, for the February 28, 1993 stand-off between federal agents (FBI, ATF) and the Branch Davidians, a Seventh Day Adventist offshoot religious group, led by David Koresh, the sect's leader. It resulted in the deaths of 86 people. The incident took place 15 miles outside of Waco, though - not in the city. When asked about the incident, most residents will answer; just realize that generally Wacoans are tired of the subject and would rather talk about something else.

In 2014, due to the immense popularity of HGTV's hit show, Fixer Upper, the Magnolia Silos became a place of pilgrimage for HGTV viewers from all over the world.

By plane


Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Dallas Love Field, and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are each about a 1-hour 40-minute drive from Waco.

By car
Waco is along I-35, thus allowing easy access by car from Dallas and Austin. On I-35, it is a 90-minute drive south of Dallas, and a 90-minute drive north of Austin. State Highway 6 is the preferred route to reach Waco from Houston, a three-hour drive.

By bus
Waco has a in the center of downtown, on S 8th St, between Mary Ave and Jackson Ave.

By train
While Amtrak does not service Waco directly, there is a nearby station on the Texas Eagle route between Los Angeles, San Antonio and Chicago in McGregor, a small community 15 miles west of Waco on highway 84. is at 1 Amtrak Blvd. Trains run once daily, with the northbound train arriving in late morning, and the southbound train arriving in late afternoon. There is no scheduled public transport from McGregor, meaning that a taxi or private transport is required in order to reach Waco.

By boat
The Brazos River flows through downtown Waco and empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Reaching Waco by boat will be a challenge due to the shallowness of this river, along with frequent dams and falls.

A more practical (and entertaining) way of reaching Waco by boat would be to launch a kayak or canoe at the Lake Whitney dam, (approximately 40 miles upstream) and float downstream to Waco.

Get around
The easiest way to travel around Waco is by car. The city of Waco does run a Waco Transit public transportation system; however, it has few stops and only runs during the daytime.

Theatre
Although Waco is a relatively small city, it does have a moderately rich theatrical life. There are several companies that produce performances throughout the year, including the Waco Hippodrome, Baylor University Theatre, McLennan Theatre, and Waco Civic Theatre. The Waco Children's Theatre offers a theatrical outlet to local children during the summer.



Drink
Since Dr. Pepper originated in Waco, it is the "primary" drink to try. "Dublin Dr. Pepper" is made using the original sweetener—pure cane sugar—which makes it different from other soft drinks that now use the less expensive high fructose corn syrup.



Sleep




Stay safe
Waco has a reputation for a higher-than-normal crime rate for a small to medium size city. Visitors should exercise normal caution. That said, most violent crime occurs in residential areas, away from most areas visitors may visit. If you do find yourself in such an area (usually for dining), use normal caution. Drive with the doors locked, do not draw attention to yourself, and do not make prolonged eye contact (i.e. stare at other drivers).

It is strongly advised not to be at Cameron Park at night unless you are with a large group.

Waco, and Texas in general, is not frequented by pedestrians as much as a lot of other places. If you decide to walk, be careful, as the drivers are not used to pedestrians and may not see you, and be aware that many sidewalks are in poor condition, if they exist at all.

Tornadoes are not a frequent occurrence in Waco, but when they do hit, they tend to be very strong. Do not panic if a tornado warning is issued. If such a warning is issued, turn on the local news and keep updated. The weatherperson will explain what cautions need to be taken, and who should take them. If the weatherperson, any hotel staff, or public officials give you directions, follow them. It should go without saying that you should not go outside during a tornado. See the tornado safety article for more information.

If on the Baylor campus, while you can call 911, a faster emergency response can be obtained by calling the emergency number for the Baylor Police,.

Go next

 * Clifton - 20 minutes west on Route 6 is this small town which is very proud of its Norwegian heritage.
 * West - 10 minutes north on Interstate 35 is a small, confusingly named community of Czech expats, known for its numerous kolache shops.