Moving to a new city and university can be overwhelming. But we want you to know that Waco is as much a part of Baylor as Baylor is a part of Waco. We love, honor, and value our rich history while we also celebrate the flourishing present. Founded in 1849 by the Huaco Indians, Waco offers major attractions, historic homes, recreational venues, museums, and arts organizations.
And of course, Waco is home to Magnolia Market at the Silos. But there is so much more to living and thriving in Waco! We hope this guide is helpful to you as you settle in and make Waco your home.
Find Your Way Around Town
There are a number of suitable grocery stores in the Waco area. Of course, H‑E‑B remains the powerhouse of Central and South Texas when it comes to grocery chains (it really is the BEST). But budget brands like ALDI and Walmart help are also popular for groceries.
🍓 @HEB
🫐 @ALDIusa
🍏 @NaturalGrocers
🥬 @Brookshires
🥑 @Walmart
🎯 @Target
🥩 @WacoCustomMarketplace
Finding a home in a new place can be difficult. However, there are several options around Waco and the surrounding suburbs (yes, there are suburbs of Waco). If you are interested in buying or renting in Waco, there are plenty of realtors to choose from that can best meet your needs. Here are some resources for your housing search process.
🌀 @Zillow
🧩 @ApartmentsCom
🏠 @GreaterWacoRealty
🏘 @KellyRealtors
🏠 @Remax
🏡 @MagnoliaRealty
🪴 @KellerWilliamsRealty
Waco gains more restaurants each month. Nearly anything you can think of, Waco has it: cafes, gastro pubs, fast food, fast casual, steakhouses, international cuisine, burger joints, pizza…whew, too many to even think about. Luckily, you can find these places pretty easily using services like Yelp and Google. Be sure to check out our Waco + Coffee guide!
With Waco Perks Card and your Baylor ID, you can find discounts all over town, like a few of these graduate student favorites:
🍔 @GeorgesOnSpeight
🍕 @SlowRiseSliceHouse
🌯 @AlphaOmegaWaco
🥘 @ClayPotWaco
🍝 @BarisWaco
🍽 @UnionHallWaco
🌮 @NinfasOriginal
🍖 @ViteksBBQ
🧇 @MiloWaco
🥗 @RevivalEastsideEatery
🥐 @OliveBranchWaco
🥪 @SchmaltzsSandwichShop
🍪 @MilkBottleCookies
…and so many more.
For so many people, college is the time of life when they first fall in love with coffee. Early morning classes, various student activities, dozens of new friends, and test after project after test… Now, imagine working at a university. Coffee is now an absolute necessity. Lucky for us, the Waco coffee scene is exploding—this list has doubled since our last update two years ago!
🥤 Varsity Coffee and Soda
☕️ @commongroundswaco
🍺 @pinewoodroasters
🍸 @dichotomy_cs
🍷 @lighthousewaco
☕️ @bekindcoffeecrew
🫖 @cha_community
📖 @fabledbookshop
☕️ @bruwaco
🌍 @wccfairtrade
🧺 @heritagecoffeeofficial
☕️ @thrstcoffeeshop
🥐 @magnoliapress
☕️ @bittyandbeauscoffee
🥯 @forkeeps_coffee
🔔 @glorybellcoffee
🐾 @streetdogcafe
☕️ @baylorstarbucks
There are more than 200 churches in Waco, representing nearly 30 denominations. Churches in Waco often offer missions programs, youth and student groups, adult education, children's ministries, and nursery programs. @BUSpiritualLife even has a webpage with a church listing to make your search for spiritual community a little easier.
Baptist, Anglican, Catholic, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Non‑Denominational—there is a church for everyone in Waco. Visit multiple churches around town to find the right ministry for you!
Waco boasts one of the largest and best municipal park systems in Texas—Cameron Park. The 416‑acre park is located in the heart of Waco, next to downtown, situated on the Brazos and Bosque Rivers. It hosts numerous races, triathlons, boat races and more. But Waco’s parks are just the beginning. There are so many ways to enjoy the outdoors in Waco!
🚲 Biking Trails
🏞 River Tours
🥏 Disc Golf
🐕 Dog Parks
🥾 Hiking
🐻 The Bear Trail
🎣 Fishing
🛶 Kayaking & Canoeing
🛹 Skating
⛵️ Sailgating at a Baylor Football Game
🚤 Lake Waco
🏃♀️ The Bearathon & Magnolia Marathon
Waco has a growing arts scene. With annual festivals and events around town, the arts are creating a new vibe in Waco—and we love it! Make time to see a show, attend a concert or two, and visit our local galleries.
🎶 @BaylorMusic
🎻 @BaylorSymphony
🎤 @BaylorOpera
🎭 @BUTBackstage
🎸 @CommonGroundsWaco
🔊 @BackyardWaco
🎫 @BrazosNights (Free Summer Concert Series)
👩🎨 @CulturalArtsWaco
🎥 @WacoHippodrome
🎺 @WacoSymphony
🎩 @WCivicTheatre
🖼 @ArtCenterWaco
Maybe you are arriving in Waco with more than just yourself—you have a spouse or a family and need help finding places in Waco for fun weekends or days away from work. Waco has great options for kids, families, and couples. Waco also has several school districts, private schools, and daycares to serve families.
🏫 @WacoISD
Ⓜ️ @MidwayISD
📚 @ValorPrep
🌳 @LOCSWaco
📓 @vanguard_college_prep_school
🧑🍼 @BUPiperCenter
👶 @PrimroseSchools
🦁 @CPZoo
🖼 @MaybornMuseum
🐻 @BaylorBearHabitat
🌺 @CarleenBrightArboretum
🥤 @DrPepperMuseum
🛝 @HFallsWaco Waterpark
🌉 @CityOfWaco Suspension Bridge
Making a new city “home” means planting roots and plugging in. There are many service opportunities all around Waco. As staff, we can serve the community we call home to improve the city of Waco and the world. Check out these local non‑profits and their work in Waco.
🏠 @casamclennan
🚙 @mealsonwheelswaco
🌎 @mission_waco
🍲 @caritaswaco
🛡️ @salarmywaco
🥫 @shepherdsheartfoodpantry
🐶 @animalbirthcontrol
🧑🤝🧑 @bbbsamerica
🛠️ @wacohabitat
🐕 @humanesocietycentraltexas
🏘️ @good_neighbor_waco
🥦 @world_hunger_relief
♻️ @keepwacobeautiful
Waco is steeped in history. Settled long before 1849 by the Huaco Indian tribe, Waco is full of historic homes, bridges, parks, and memorial markers. You can visit several museums to learn more about Waco’s history and culture, or even take a tour of historic Waco!
📚 @Browning.Library
🦣 @WacoMammoth
📜 @HistoricWaco
🚍 @Historical_Tours_of_Waco
🏛 @MaybornMuseum
👮♀️ @TXRangerMuseum
📝 @WacoHistoricalSociety
Waco has lots of fun to offer. From Baylor sports to shopping in the Silo District, paddle boarding in the marina to catching the latest film. There is something for everyone to do in Waco. Never fear an empty weekend!
🏈 @BaylorAthletics (+🏀⚽️⚾️🥎🎾🏐🏌️♂️🏊♀️🏇🤸🏻🏃♂️)
🚣♂️ @BaylorCampusRec Marina
🧁 @Magnolia Market & Silos
🛍 @SpiceVillage
🥬 @WacoFarmersMkt in Washington Square
👕 @CentralTexasMarketplace
⛳️ @TopGolf
🪓 @WacoAxeCompany
🎳 @maineventwaco
🍿 @Cinemark
🗝 @WacoEscapeRooms
📸 @WacoTours
Health and wellness are incredibly important aspects of the student experience at Baylor. And it should be for staff, too! Make sure to make time for yourself and your health—be it mental, emotional, physical, or nutritional. Baylor has wonderful health resources you can learn more about on the Health Services webpage. Here are some helpful tools to get you started.
🧗♀️ @CampusRec in the Student Life Center
💳 @UMR
🏥 @BSWHealth
🏥 @ascensionprovidence
🚑 @Premier.Care
🩺 @BU_HealthServices
As you settle into Waco, you might need to find a mechanic for your automobile needs. Waco has several of shops that will treat you fairly and get you on the road in no time. Remember, always keep up with car maintenance to save money long‑term! Here are a few Waco businesses to consider.
🚗 @FirestoneAuto
🛞 @Discount Tire
🚙 @TrinityAutoWaco
🚘 @ChristianBrothersAutomotive
💥 @CaliberCollision
🔧 @TheNAPANetwork
⛽️ @OReillyAutoParts
Although we hope Student Life can provide the answers you need during your time at Baylor, there are a lot of other Baylor related social media accounts you should follow to keep up with events and life on campus.
🏫 @BaylorUniversity
🐻 @BaylorBearHabitat
🎓 @BaylorGraduate
🧑🎓 @GSABaylor
🗞 @BaylorLariat
📚 @BaylorLibraries
🏓 @BaylorStuAct
🍽 @BaylorDining
🏉 @BaylorChamber
🪅 @BaylorMA1845
🚓 @BaylorUDPS
and of course, @TomAtBaylor
Waco is a great place to live—if you haven’t learned that already! There are many resources available to you around town. These other accounts might help you navigate some of the best of what Waco has to offer.
🚛 @CityOfWaco
🏢 @WacoDowntown
📇 @Wacoan
📰 @WacoTrib
❓ @WhatToDoInWacoTX
💡 @WacoHappenings
🗓 @FirstFridayWaco
🤰🏻 @WacoMoms
🎨 @CreativeWaco
🗂 @WacoChamber
📚 @WacoLibrary
✅ @LocalsLoveUsWaco