The Ultimate Waco TX Girls’ Trip Guide!

By Kelsey Kennedy | December 17, 2024

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Woohoo!! You’re planning a girls’ trip to Waco! It’s a really fun Texas city for a weekend trip because it has shopping, cute restaurants and bars, adorable VRBO rental, and it’s small enough that you can check off pretty much all of the best things to do in Waco in one weekend.

Plus, it’s centrally located so friends can join from all over Texas and just meet in the middle! It’s fairly equidistant from both Dallas and Austin or San Antonio.

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!

Waco Girls Trip Checklist

There are three main things you need to plan for your girls trip:

Dates + book your VRBO. Make this happen first! Get the official weekend on the calendar and get your airbnb booked ASAP.

1 main activity per day. That means a Friday night activity, a Saturday activity, and a Sunday morning activity.

Meals! Find your restaurant and make reservations for the group.

And then you’re ready for the ULTIMATE Waco girls trip!

Where To Stay In Waco For Your Girls Trip

Plan to stay as close to downtown Waco/Magnolia Market as possible. This is the cutest and most walkable area of Waco, and you’ll probably end up walking to coffee shops, restaurants, shopping boutiques, and more.

However, Waco is very small so if you find a vacation rental a bit further out, no biggie. It will probably be no more than a 5-10 minute drive to get downtown, and Waco has lots of free street parking.

Vacation rentals are so specific to you and your group, and only you know exactly how many people you’ll have and your budget! So I’ll just include a map below of all the VRBOs in Waco. Btw, in case you didn’t know, Airbnb is best when you’re booking smaller apartments or individual rooms, and VRBO has a better selection of big group houses!

Things To Do In Waco During Your Girls Trip

A trip with your besties is all about connecting with each other and enjoying time together! I’ve found that the perfect weekend includes a combination of fun and interactive activities paired with lots of downtime to chill, talk, eat, and drink together. I love wine bars, coffee shops, and just chilling at home at the vacation rental for this!

Here are my best recommendation of some fun activities to plan during your girls weekend:

Friday night might be when you’re checking into the VRBO and everyone is arriving at different times, so keeping things chill with a casual restaurant reservation + a wine bar or brewery is a great way to kick off the weekend.

Go to Terry Black’s BBQ in downtown Waco for dinner. It’s a big restaurant that’s great for groups, and it’s open until 9:30 pm. It’s one of the best BBQ spots in Waco. Terry Black’s is actually a barbecue joint that originated in Austin, TX and now has a few locations around Texas. It was started by twin brothers from the Black’s BBQ fame (the oldest BBQ family in Texas) and this spin-off has become super popular. Probably because the brisket is INSANE and the sides are also incredible. It’s a great place to kick off a fun weekend!

Afterward, walk to Segovia Wine Bar (a 4 minute walk) to enjoy a glass of wine with all your girlfriends. Or, if the weather is nice and you want a rooftop vibe, head to Lucky Buck’s rooftop bar (a 7 minute walk) for a fun, casual environment on a hotel rooftop bar overlooking the Magnolia Silos. You’ll love either option!

Saturday morning and it’s 100% time for a coffee shop. The very best coffee shop in Waco is Pinewood and so I always recommend that one first. It’s just the highest quality coffee roaster, they have great baristas, and the midcentury space is super cool. But if you’re in downtown Waco and you want something local, head to Magnolia Press or Lighthouse Coffee.

RELATED: BEST COFFEE SHOPS IN WACO

For your Saturday morning activity, head to the Waco downtown farmers market! It’s a cute place to stroll around with your girlfriends, shop for some local artisan items, and maybe grab a few yummy snacks to keep on hand in your vacation rental.

On Saturday afternoon, go shopping at Magnolia Market. After all, that’s why most people choose Waco as a girls trip destination! You can spend hours browsing the little shops, buying bigger furniture pieces at Magnolia Home, and getting some treats at Silo Baking Co or Magnolia Press coffee shop. There are food trucks, photo opps, and they often have live music on the weekends!

If you want to know a little bit more about this popular destination from Chip and Joanna Gains, here’s a complete guide to Magnolia Market at the Silos.

You’ll most likely want some downtime at home after all of that shopping, so buffer a little bit of rest time on Saturday in the late afternoon to rest, recharge, and freshen up for dinner.

Book a fun dinner spot for Saturday night! I recommend Red Herring, my very favorite fine dining restaurant in downtown Waco. It’s a Mediterranean -inspired menu in the cutest art deco designed hotel. I LOVE this spot!

And for a Saturday evening activity, get tickets to a show at the Hippodrome! It’s the oldest theatre in Waco and features live music, comedy, plays, movies, and more. Check to see what’s playing during your weekend in Waco!

If nothing is showing at the Hippodrome and you’re looking for another fun Saturday evening activity, I also recommend heading to Waco’s Topgolf location (always fun!), or just go to Sloane’s and get some cocktails! It’s this cute retro cocktail spot and it’s perfect for a girls trip to Waco.

Sunday morning means brunch, so this is the best time to head to Magnolia Table and get some food! If you are able to snag a late checkout from your VRBO (some places offer it - just ask!), you could also squeeze in a short hike at Cameron Park, which is the crown jewel park of Waco. I adore Jacob’s Ladder when I want a short and sweet cardio burst, but there are also DOZENS OF MILES of hiking trails in this beautiful park!

That gives you a lot of ideas of ways to fill your weekend with activities! Now let’s move on to food. That’s my true love language! I absolutely love checking out all the best restaurants in Waco, so here’s where I highly recommend you eat during your girls trip to Waco.

Where To Eat During Your Girls Trip To Waco

Friday Night

Terry Black's BBQ // You’ll want something kind of casual for the first night, and since this is Texas, you 100% need to get BBQ! This is one of the best BBQ spots in Waco, and it’s centrally located and open late. (Most BBQ spots close after lunch, FYI.)

Segovia Wine Bar // A cute Spanish wine bar/tapas place. You could absolutely get dinner here, too!

One Day Bar // A bar opened by a guy who always said, “one day I’ll open a bar…” And he did! It’s a great spot for cocktails, dinner at food trucks, and a fun outdoor patio.

Saturday Morning

Harvest on 25th // BEST breakfast spot in Waco! The food is super fresh and they have the perfect combo of healthier items (cauliflower rice bowls with lots of veggies and fried eggs) or more indulgent items (the best migas! And the best pancakes!). It’s a counter service spot, so everyone can just order their food individually, which makes it an easy choice for group dining so you don’t have to worry about splitting the bill.

Magnolia Table // A lot of people want to visit this VERY popular restaurant from Chip and Joanna Gains for brunch, but keep in mind that it’s closed on Sundays! So if you want a brunch meal here, plan on visiting on Saturday morning instead.

Pinewood Coffee Bar // I’ve tried every single coffee shop in Waco, and this is by far the best in terms of quality of coffee, skill of baristas, and overall ambiance and design. I love this place!

Common Grounds Coffee // This was the best coffee shop in Waco from about 2010-2015. It’s on the Baylor University campus, so it caters to students and has lots of sugary, ultra-caffeinated drinks available. If that’s your thing, you’ll love it! It’s still one of the most popular coffee shops in Waco, and if you’re planning to walk around campus, it’s a good place to stop for a bev.

Saturday Lunch

Food Trucks at the Silos // There are lots of great food trucks located at Magnolia Market at the Silos. If you’re with a group, it’s a fun and easy place for lunch because everyone can just pick what they want!

Union Hall // This food hall in downtown Waco is AMAZING! There are so many great eateries there, and it’s in a very convenient, walkable area. Check out The Blasian Asian or Domo Ramen (my two favorite spots!), or visit Whizzbang, a burger joint that started in Waco in 1977. Or try any of the other dozen food booths at Union Hall.

Saturday Dinner

Red Herring // This fine dining restaurant is located at the adorable Herringbone Hotel in downtown Waco. It’s a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant with a gorgeous cocktail bar, a raw bar, a chef’s counter where you can watch them prepare your food, a real grand piano in the dining room where you can hear live music, and excellent food and service all around. 10/10 recommend for a girls trip dinner!

Lucky Buck’s // This is the rooftop bar at the Herringbone Hotel, so if you’re dining at Red Herring for dinner and want a spot to get a drink afterward and hang out for a bit, just walk up the stairs and order a drink.

OneThirtyFive Prime // For a classic steakhouse restaurant, you can’t beat OneThirtyFive Prime! It’s a white tablecloth spot in Waco with incredible steak and seafood, classic steakhouse side dishes, and an upscale feel. It’s so nice to splurge a bit during your weekend away, so it’s a very fun spot for a nice dinner out on Saturday.

Sloane’s // Seriously the cutest cocktail bar. Keep in mind that it’s pretty tiny, but it’s a fun spot for a girls trip for sure!

Sunday Brunch

Barnett’s Whiskey House // I know, it doesn't really sound like a brunch spot…but this is the best Sunday brunch in Waco! Yes, you can get a ridiculously good bloody Mary and a bacon flight (yup!), but you can also get simpler brunch fare like avocado toast, shrimp and grits, or burled sourdough custard French toast.

Milo All Day // This adorable southern restaurant in downtown Waco is the perfect place for a delicious brunch during your girls trip. They have a bright interior and a pretty outdoor patio, delicious cocktails, and really yummy southern inspired-American cuisine.

Ok, that’s your quick and easy planning guide for your ultimate girls weekend in Waco! I’ve created a handy little 3-day Waco itinerary below for you to pin and save. Feel free to share it with the other girls on your trip so everyone can be on the same page!