Waco Food/Drink Staples: All Casual and shouldn’t need a reservation unless noted.

1. Georges (Speight Location, been there since 1930): American/Southern cooking food, but you can find everything on the menu. My favorites & popular items:

- Apps: Baylor Beggars (just yummy rolls served with side of ranch), Bear Bites (get side of ranch and cilantro to dip)

- Meals: Chicken Fried Chicken, Chicken Tenders, Stuffed Potatoes, Pork Chop

- Drinks: Big “O” of beer or margarita

2. Shortys (12th Street Location - started in 2011 by BU grad “Shorty”): Great prices on NY style pizza, Pizza Pillows (Calzones), pitcher of beer and great ranch for dipping. You can get the pizza by a slice or whole pizzas.

3. Health Camp (been around since 1948): Classic old-fashioned burger joint, great shakes too!

4. Schmaltzs (a few locations around town, opened in 1975): Sandwich shop known for their amazing in-house made fresh everyday bread!

5. Viteks (started in the 50s): Great BBQ, famous for their “Gut Pak” combination of Frito’s corn chips, hand-chopped brisket, sausage, bean, pickles, onions, and jalapenos piled high. Gut Pak won national notoriety as it’s been ranked a few times as “best college eats”

6. The Mix: Little café that serves fresh soups, salads, sandwiches. -- Fun Fact: The bar across the street (The Buckle) is where Derek was working the night we met!

7. Café Homestead: Fresh, natural food in a traditional farming community.

8. Red Herring: You can order a few things and just share everything. The Sourdough Focaccia is a must and then there is a rooftop bar upstairs called Lucky Buck’s with a lovely view of the city!

9. Common Grounds (8th street location): Was started as a BU student’s class project in the 90s but then became a standalone coffee shop right on the outskirts of campus! Can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, great spot to hang out/read etc.

10. Pop’s Lemonade: Newer to Waco, but it’s a little drink spot. Fresh Lemonade, teas, and treats! Blackberry Mojito Lemonade is our fav!

Things to do:

1. Baylor Tour: Below are some of my fav spots on campus!

- Visit the live bears on campus. (Indy & Belle) -- In the summer, earlier mornings and as the sun is setting is the best chance to see them out and about. TIP: Follow their Instagram: @baylorbearhabitat because they often update their bio or stories if they are going to be off campus and when they will return.

- Founders Mall: Long green space at the heart of campus, where the Judge Baylor statue sits! Be sure you take a photo with him!

- Stop in the Armstrong Browning Library on campus, it’s beautiful and houses rare 19th century books, manuscripts, and art.

2. Mammoth National Monument: Waco used to have a large mammoth population, and the fossils weren’t discovered until 1978!

3. Dr Pepper Museum: Built in 1906, but it’s the first building dedicated to manufacturing Dr Pepper. It’s a very interesting tour and with the price of the tour, you get 1 Dr Pepper in the Soda Fountain at the end! (Range of tours offered)

4. Cameron Park Zoo: a smaller zoo so it doesn’t take a full day, but a great time filler.

5. Mayborn Museum: Quick easy museum with some interactive rooms

6. Walk around or have a picnic lunch in Cameron Park. Hike up Jacob’s Ladder

Shopping:

- Spice Village: Lots of little boutique stores in 1 building! Clothing/gifts/home décor etc.

- Barefoot Campus Outfitters: mostly Baylor items, but not everything is BU.

- Baylor Bookstore: The OG is at the bottom of the parking garage near bear habitat, but there now a smaller one in the Hurd Welcome Center too!