Things To Do In The Winter In Waco, TX

By Kelsey Kennedy | December 28, 2024

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It gets surprisingly chilly in Waco during the winter months! January and February can have some absolutely FRIGID days when a cold front blows through. Sure, it’s rare, but if you’re stuck indoors and looking for some fun things to do in Waco in the winter, here are a bunch of local ideas.

About me: I’m Kelsey, a bestselling travel book author and the creator of 3 Texas travel websites. As a native Texan, I spend my own time and money exploring this state to help millions of readers find the best food, things to do, places to stay in Austin and beyond. Check out my other sites: TheSanAntonioThings.com and TheAustinThings.com!

Things To Do In Waco When It’s Cold Outside

Take a Beer Bath at Pivovar Brewery

Arguably the best and coziest idea for ANY cold day in Waco, a beer bath at local craft brewery Pivovar involves an hour-long soak in an authentic European copper tub full of hot water and brewers yeast. The brewery boasts all sorts of potential benefits that come from the brewers yeast, but the real benefit is an hour of relaxation in a hot tub on a cold, wintry day. Bonus: your soak includes a free beer of your choice from the brewery. {Image: Pivovar}

WEBSITE | 320 S 8th St, Waco, TX 76701, United States

Distillery Tour at Balcones

You know what’s surprisingly warm and toasty inside, year-round? A whisky distillery. Touring Balcones Distillery isn’t just one of the best things to do in Waco…it’s also one of the best cold-day activities to keep in mind.

Tours happen almost every day, and they should be reserved in advance. If the tour is sold out on your desired day, you can still stop by the tasting room without a reservation. That whisky tasting flight will warm you right up.

WEBSITE | 225 S 11th St, Waco, TX 76701, United States

Brewery Hop in Waco

There are a handful of really great craft breweries in Waco, and they tend to have some cozy, winter-themed beers on tap during the colder months. Here’s a map of every single craft brewery in Waco. So if it’s a blustery day in Texas and you want some indoor activities in Waco, stop by a few of these breweries and warm up with a coffee stout or a vanilla porter.

Get Cozy at Fabled Bookshop

There’s a darling local bookshop in downtown Waco that is seriously the sweetest space! It’s cozy year-round, but I especially like visiting during the winter months when I need an indoor activity to escape the cold.

They have beautifully curated book displays, cozy reading nooks, and a café where you can get a latte and a scone to accompany your new book.

WEBSITE | 215 S 4th St, Waco, TX 76701, United States

See Some Christmas Lights

This is definitely just a December activity, but if you’re in Waco on a cold day in December, make some hot cocoa, pile up in the car, crank the Christmas tunes, and head about 15 miles north to the city of West, Texas. They have an annual drive-thru light display called Lights of West, and it’s pretty epic.

WEBSITE | 2818 Wiggins Rd, West, TX 76691, United States

Tour The Dr Pepper Museum

Did you know that Dr Pepper was created right here in Waco? You can tour the actual building that used to be the soda fountain where DP was invented back in the late 1800s. Here's a review of my visit to the DP Museum!

A self-guided visit to the Dr Pepper Museum takes about 2-3 hours, so it’s a fun way to spend a cold afternoon if you need an indoor activity.

WEBSITE | 300 S 5th St, Waco, TX 76701, United States

Visit the Waco Mammoth National Monument (it’s mostly indoors!)

The Waco Mammoth National Monument might not be on your radar if it’s a chilly day, but keep in mind that the majority of this tour is actually indoors! They had to build a giant structure over the fossils to keep them protected from the outdoor elements, so it’s consistently the exact same temperature, year-round.

If you want a more detailed guide about the Waco mammoths, you can read that here.

WEBSITE | 6220 Steinbeck Bend Dr, Waco, TX 76708, United States

Shop at Magnolia Market

I’m going to argue that Chip and Jo’s iconic market in Waco is MOST fun to visit when it’s cold outside! Christmas at the Silos is their annual December event, and the Silos never look prettier than when they’re decked out in Christmas lights. I mean, just look at them!

Of course, if you want to visit in January or February when it’s chilly outside, it’s still a magical time to stop by, even without the Christmas lights. Joanna Gaines’s farmhouse chic style, scented candles, and delicious baked goods make for an excellent winter day activity.

WEBSITE | 601 Webster Ave, Waco, TX 76706, United States

Spice Village Shopping Center

There’s a HUGE shopping destination in downtown Waco, and it’s not Magnolia Market… Spice Village is an indoor space that’s kind of set up like a farmers market, except every booth features a little boutique with clothes, jewelry, gifts, kitchen items, or other one-of-a-kind items.

Spice Village has plenty of bedazzled items - just look! - but they also have some more subdued gifts to buy if you’re not into the Texas rhinestone look quite as much.

WEBSITE | 213 Mary Ave entrance located at 2nd &, Franklin Ave, Waco, TX 76701, United States

Pinewood Coffee Bar

There are plenty of local coffee shops in Waco, but Pinewood Coffee Bar has my highest stamp of approval. Every single cold winter day in Texas, I think about going to this adorable coffee bar, ordering a latte, and finding a spot to hunker down and dive into a new book.

If it’s evening hours, be sure to go to the adjacent public house which shares a courtyard with the coffee bar. They have beer on tap, wine and cider, and trivia Tuesdays!

WEBSITE | 2223 Austin Ave B, Waco, TX 76701, United States

Get Tickets To A Baylor Basketball Game

Football season will long be over by the time the coldest days arrive in February, but you can still enjoy Baylor’s sporting events by heading to the gorgeous new Foster Pavillion, which opened in 2024.

The basketball arena at Baylor University holds over 10,000 people and features state-of-the-art facilities. It’s all indoors, so it’s an excellent place to enjoy a winter evening activity on a cold night in Waco. Check out their men's and women's basketball game schedules here. {Image: Baylor University}

WEBSITE | 650 S University Parks Dr, Waco, TX 76701, United States

Sam’s Bar

If you haven’t ever checked out Union Hall food hall in Waco, you might have missed this cool cocktail bar. Sam’s Bar is a great spot for watching sports or just stopping by with friends and enjoying a few excellent cocktails.

I love Sam’s Bar or the Balcones Distillery tasting room (mentioned earlier in this guide!) for cozy winter days, but I’ve also shared lots of the best cocktail bars in Waco, which you can see right here.