- March 29th, 2017, 10:33 am
#528773
Having spent the past couple of days on business in Waco I thought it might be a good idea to give you folks considering a trip to Texas for the season opener an idea what could be in store for you. All of the pics weren't snapped on my phone while bouncing around town.
The Campus
Even though it is stuck in the middle of nowhere in Central Texas, Baylor has one of the more beautiful campuses you will see. Everything is done in red brick incluing all of the athletic facilities. If you have ever wondered what the Vines Center would look like with the brick painted red like they did the dorms on the hill, you can see it at BU.
The majority of the campus is build on the south side of the Brazos River. But over the past couple of decades the school has invested a ton in developing the riverfront on both sides of the river. This pedestrian bridge spans the river in the athletic complex and leads to our next stop ...
The Stadium
McLane Stadium opened in 2014 just after Uncle Drayton had sold the Astros and was flush with cash. He invested heavily in his alma mater's efforts and has the stadium named after him as a result. And it is a beauty.
I have yet to see a game there. But all of my sportscaster buddies in the state describe it as one of the coolest stadiums in Texas. And for the uninformed, that's a big deal. It follows the Ian McCaw philosophy over not overbuilding with just 45k in seating. I suspect we will follow a similar path at LU. A smaller stadium creates a more intimate environment and creates a real value for tickets.
McLane Stadium was built in the midst of the hype around the program while RGIII was winnign the Heisman. His run that seson helped Ian McCaw raise a ton of funds for the stadium. As a result, some refer to the stadium as "The House that RGIII Built". He is honored outside the stadium near the bridge over the Brazos.
The Town
Waco is larger than Lynchburg with around 130k in population. It has long been considered a forgettable city in the midst of the Texas Triangle (DFW to Austin/San Antonio to Houston). It sits halfway between the Metroplex and Austin. The city has undergone a bit of revitalization in recent years thanks in large part to the growth of Baylor that was spawned under former president Robert Sloan. You will recognize most of these images if you have ever watched an episode of Fixer Upper.
This old suspension bridge sits near "downtown" Waco over the Brazos River. There are parks on both sides of the river and now serves as a pedestrian pathway between the parks. Just upstream is the Waco Mammoth National Monument where some baylor archaelogy students discovered a herd of Wooly Mammoth babies that died in situ along the shores of the river. I haven't been to this site yet but it gets a lot of buzz from locals.
There is not a ton else to see in town. But there is a place that SJ would love if he made the trip.
Waco is the birthplace of Dr. Pepper and there is a museum there that honors all things DP. It is not huge and charges 10 bucks a pop but is certainly a cool attraction. Along with the Texas Ranger Museum and Texas Sports Hall of Fame that both sit on BU's campus, this museum was the star attraction in town until the following place rose to prminence the past couple of years ...
The Reason Your Wife Will Agree to Trip
Magnolia Market at the Silos is probably one of the biggest draws in the state right now. Chip & Joanna have masterfully marketed their Fixer Upper exposure into a huge tourist mecca. I snapped this pic as I was rolling out of town long after the 6pm closing time. But when I drove by around lunch time, the line was literally down the block for the bakery on the corner on the right and there was a sea of cars of people coming and going around the market. You can just imagine what the crowds would be like on a September Saturday. But I am here to help you sell this trip to the ladies in your life.
Accommodations
Being a college town along one of the primary NAFTA corridors on I-35, the city has tons of the usual chain hotels. Most are either downtown within a mile or so of the campus/stadium. Some are down on the southside. But finding rooms shouldn't be a huge issue if you make reservations early. If you wait until later, there will still be rooms within a half hour or so down in Temple.
On the dining side, you have some nice restaurants but all of the popular Texas chains like Torchy's Tacos, Chuy's, Rudy's BBQ and Freeb!rds. You are about an hour north of BBQ mecca in Austin which is absolutely worth the drive. In addition to Whataburger, the other burger chain that gets most East Coasters jazzed when they visit is this place ...
This location is right by the Baylor campus and about a mile from McLane Stadium. I'm a huge #1 guy with a Neopolitan shake. My son is all about Monster-style. One way or the other, it is a must for LU fans who make the trip.
How to Get There
First off, there is an airport in Waco itself. It is served very sparingly by American Eagle through DFW. But it is usually ridiculously expensive much like the other nearby airport in Killeen (Fort Hood) which has service from United Express and American Eagle. They don't wind up saving you much time over driving from one of the Dallas or Austin airports that are all just over an hour and a half away. Love Field in Dallas is about 15 minutes or so closer to Waco than DFW. But even with traffic, it shouldn't more than an hour and 45 minutes from either airport. It is nearly an identical run from Austin Bergstrom (AUS) to the south.
It is a long drive from Virginia to Texas. I speak from experience just last week. Give yourself either a day and a half or two days to keep it from being ridiculous. Although when I was in my twenties I used to drive it straight through in a day, I wouldn't recommend it. IF you do decide to take the roadie, let SumItUp and I know and we can give suggestions to you.
The Campus
Even though it is stuck in the middle of nowhere in Central Texas, Baylor has one of the more beautiful campuses you will see. Everything is done in red brick incluing all of the athletic facilities. If you have ever wondered what the Vines Center would look like with the brick painted red like they did the dorms on the hill, you can see it at BU.
The majority of the campus is build on the south side of the Brazos River. But over the past couple of decades the school has invested a ton in developing the riverfront on both sides of the river. This pedestrian bridge spans the river in the athletic complex and leads to our next stop ...
The Stadium
McLane Stadium opened in 2014 just after Uncle Drayton had sold the Astros and was flush with cash. He invested heavily in his alma mater's efforts and has the stadium named after him as a result. And it is a beauty.
I have yet to see a game there. But all of my sportscaster buddies in the state describe it as one of the coolest stadiums in Texas. And for the uninformed, that's a big deal. It follows the Ian McCaw philosophy over not overbuilding with just 45k in seating. I suspect we will follow a similar path at LU. A smaller stadium creates a more intimate environment and creates a real value for tickets.
McLane Stadium was built in the midst of the hype around the program while RGIII was winnign the Heisman. His run that seson helped Ian McCaw raise a ton of funds for the stadium. As a result, some refer to the stadium as "The House that RGIII Built". He is honored outside the stadium near the bridge over the Brazos.
The Town
Waco is larger than Lynchburg with around 130k in population. It has long been considered a forgettable city in the midst of the Texas Triangle (DFW to Austin/San Antonio to Houston). It sits halfway between the Metroplex and Austin. The city has undergone a bit of revitalization in recent years thanks in large part to the growth of Baylor that was spawned under former president Robert Sloan. You will recognize most of these images if you have ever watched an episode of Fixer Upper.
This old suspension bridge sits near "downtown" Waco over the Brazos River. There are parks on both sides of the river and now serves as a pedestrian pathway between the parks. Just upstream is the Waco Mammoth National Monument where some baylor archaelogy students discovered a herd of Wooly Mammoth babies that died in situ along the shores of the river. I haven't been to this site yet but it gets a lot of buzz from locals.
There is not a ton else to see in town. But there is a place that SJ would love if he made the trip.
Waco is the birthplace of Dr. Pepper and there is a museum there that honors all things DP. It is not huge and charges 10 bucks a pop but is certainly a cool attraction. Along with the Texas Ranger Museum and Texas Sports Hall of Fame that both sit on BU's campus, this museum was the star attraction in town until the following place rose to prminence the past couple of years ...
The Reason Your Wife Will Agree to Trip
Magnolia Market at the Silos is probably one of the biggest draws in the state right now. Chip & Joanna have masterfully marketed their Fixer Upper exposure into a huge tourist mecca. I snapped this pic as I was rolling out of town long after the 6pm closing time. But when I drove by around lunch time, the line was literally down the block for the bakery on the corner on the right and there was a sea of cars of people coming and going around the market. You can just imagine what the crowds would be like on a September Saturday. But I am here to help you sell this trip to the ladies in your life.
Accommodations
Being a college town along one of the primary NAFTA corridors on I-35, the city has tons of the usual chain hotels. Most are either downtown within a mile or so of the campus/stadium. Some are down on the southside. But finding rooms shouldn't be a huge issue if you make reservations early. If you wait until later, there will still be rooms within a half hour or so down in Temple.
On the dining side, you have some nice restaurants but all of the popular Texas chains like Torchy's Tacos, Chuy's, Rudy's BBQ and Freeb!rds. You are about an hour north of BBQ mecca in Austin which is absolutely worth the drive. In addition to Whataburger, the other burger chain that gets most East Coasters jazzed when they visit is this place ...
This location is right by the Baylor campus and about a mile from McLane Stadium. I'm a huge #1 guy with a Neopolitan shake. My son is all about Monster-style. One way or the other, it is a must for LU fans who make the trip.
How to Get There
First off, there is an airport in Waco itself. It is served very sparingly by American Eagle through DFW. But it is usually ridiculously expensive much like the other nearby airport in Killeen (Fort Hood) which has service from United Express and American Eagle. They don't wind up saving you much time over driving from one of the Dallas or Austin airports that are all just over an hour and a half away. Love Field in Dallas is about 15 minutes or so closer to Waco than DFW. But even with traffic, it shouldn't more than an hour and 45 minutes from either airport. It is nearly an identical run from Austin Bergstrom (AUS) to the south.
It is a long drive from Virginia to Texas. I speak from experience just last week. Give yourself either a day and a half or two days to keep it from being ridiculous. Although when I was in my twenties I used to drive it straight through in a day, I wouldn't recommend it. IF you do decide to take the roadie, let SumItUp and I know and we can give suggestions to you.