I live in Oklahoma and hear my wife's friends talk about going on girls' weekends to Waco and how much there is to do. I also travel nationally and hear Waco come up in random conversations with clients. At my one visit to Magnolia Table, we sat at the community table by people from Cali and Chicago and both sets came directly to Waco. It wasn't a stopover to somewhere else but a destination.
When I was in school ('88-'92), downtown Waco was boarded up and Valley Mills was the hotspot. The FBI did it's thing on Koresh a year after I graduated. We've always loved Waco because of Baylor and the hidden restaurants and things to do. But, no one else thought that way.
Now Waco has become a hot freaking tourist destination. Tripadvisor shows multiple companies doing $40-50 per head tours. There is a Rivercruise and helicopter tours. Hotel and VRBO occupancy rates are high. We bring kids from my daughter's high school down on Baylor tours and the trip ends up with more moms than kids.
My wife and I frequently look at each other and marvel at how rapidly the change in Waco has happened! I feel pretty darn lucky to have Waco as a second hometown.
When I was in school ('88-'92), downtown Waco was boarded up and Valley Mills was the hotspot. The FBI did it's thing on Koresh a year after I graduated. We've always loved Waco because of Baylor and the hidden restaurants and things to do. But, no one else thought that way.
Now Waco has become a hot freaking tourist destination. Tripadvisor shows multiple companies doing $40-50 per head tours. There is a Rivercruise and helicopter tours. Hotel and VRBO occupancy rates are high. We bring kids from my daughter's high school down on Baylor tours and the trip ends up with more moms than kids.
My wife and I frequently look at each other and marvel at how rapidly the change in Waco has happened! I feel pretty darn lucky to have Waco as a second hometown.