While in Waco we went on many tours.
Two that I already blogged about are Share Our World: Magnolia Tour and Art Talk: Armstrong Browning Library and Museum
I am a big fan of tours. If you are too... then let's go on a van tour of Waco!
ALICO Building
Easily the most talked about and easily recognizable building in Waco is the ALICO building.
That might be because it is the tallest building in Waco with 22 stories
Or it might be because it with stood the 1953 tornado that destroyed much of Waco.
Or maybe because it is 113 years old. It was built in 1910.
Or maybe because it is the 2nd oldest skyscraper in Texas, and Texas is BIG.
Or maybe because it is a historical landmark.
Whatever the reason we heard about it on both the Waco tour and the Magnolia tour.
Dr. Pepper Museum
If you are a fan of this fizzy drink then you might have liked to join a couple of the gals on the trip as they went to the Dr. Pepper Museum. They said it was very cool and one came back with a lot of Dr. Pepper paraphernalia.
Restorations of Chip and Joanna
The old church on the Magnolia property and one of the shotgun houses that was featured on Fixer Upper.
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Church Under the Bridge
Out of all the things we saw on this tour, the Church Under the bridge is the most inspirational.
This picture you see here of the underside of a bridge for cars is the location of a church that has been going for 30 years.
Jimmy Dorrell and his wife Janet invited some of the homeless people under the bridge to eat with them and after while the group so big they started Mission Waco's Friday Morning breakfasts.
Some of the people under the bridge asked Jimmy to come do bible study with them. He said yes and the Church under the bridge was started.
They were closed during COVID and are up and running again. If you would like to read more this is a really interesting Q&A with Jimmy Dorrell, pastor of Church Under the Bridge
Heritage Creamery
A very cool thing about the tour is that they took us to an ice cream shop and treated us all to a scoop of ice cream.
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Common Grounds
Next door to the Ice cream shop is a cute Coffee shop. They are both very close to Baylor University and the tour guide told us that this coffee shop was started by a Baylor student. In addition to a cool place to hang out, study and get coffee it is also a concert venue.
East Waco Public Library and Doris Miller
Like the church under the bridge I would not have given more than a passing nod to this colorful mural. It is the side of the East Waco Public Library and on the second panel to the right is Doris Miller. Who is Dorris Miller you ask? I did too. He is was a courageous young man that was born in Waco, Texas in 1919 and died during World War II defending his country and friends. He was a cook who was serving on a battleship during the attack on Pearl Harbor and he shot down 4-6 Japanese planes using a machine gun that he was not trained on because his fellow sailors were wounded. He was the first black American to be awarded the Navy Cross, for valor. The Nueclar powered aircraft scheduled to launch in 2029 will be named after Miller. What did I tell you, tours are the Best!
Cameron Park
If I had more time in Waco I would have loved to explore Cameron Park, especially the great animal statues as you drive to the zoo. They were awesome. The van took us to this overlook.
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More Chip and Joanna stops
What would a tour of Waco be like if we didn't get to see more things related to Magnolia/ Chip and Joanna/ Fixer upper.
Clint Harp was the wood worker on Fixer Upper and has a store that we got to visit. I bought the best wooden spatula, I have been looking one for so long and I love it!
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| One of the houses that was on Fixer Upper |  |
We also got to see The Castle which is Chip and Joanna's latest renovation season. I came home and immediately started watching it. It was so fun and gorgeous after a year of their renovations.
It was so fun to drive around together, get fun treats, and learn some of Waco great history.
Sources:
ALICO building
Q&A with Jimmy Dorrell, pastor of Church Under the Bridge
Dorris Miller
Share Our World Series
2021 posts are here 4 Year Hive Birthday (2021)
All the 2020 posts are here 3 year anniversary on HIVE
All the 2019 posts are here My 2019 Steem Journey
All the 2018 posts are here My Year Journey on Steem
What!! The birthday girl!!! Happy belated birthday Sara and I hope you got a double scoop of ice cream!!!
Yes, it was such a great time. If was my first time doing a destination birthday party.
You are living the life i want to live :P I love traveling but sadly i Can't adopt it as my hobby as i need to support my family by staying at home, I have travelled time to time, but it's very rare. waco-tours looks like one of the best tour you can do with your friends and family.
Thanks so much. I feel so blessed to be able to travel as much as I do. It is a joy to explore new places.
It's amazing to see you visit this much places, have you ever traveled to India or Pakistan ?
No I haven't been to either. I have an affinity for India and it's culture. When I was advising in DC I participated in Holi and Diwali. I also watched a lot of Bollywood movies. So fun.
Ahaan, Have you WAtched Shahrukh Khan new movie Pathan ?
I haven't seen Pathan, I do really like Shahrukh Khan, my first Bollywood movie was Swades, and it was new. :)
He is my favorite actor, and yes Swades was a good movie,
Belated Happy Birthday, Sara! :)
I feel so ashamed that I have never been on a van tour so far because I always prefered setting up the routes by myself, but everything looks soooo fun!!!
Thank you so much Gabriel. I understand, I like doing routes myself too. I also really love hearing from the locals about the city that I am visiting. I learn so much!
There are probably many reasons why it is so much discussed, the main reasons being the many floors and the fact that it is so old. Great post, with so many beautiful pictures to go with it :)
Greetings!
Thanks so much Katrin!
great pictures. i love art
Thanks so much. I love art too and made an Art Talk community here on Hive.
art is a part of our life, it is in our hands to make our life beautiful
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I am also very fond of going out, when one goes out with friends, the fun is different. This building looks very cute on the outside and lots of floor's of it must have been very cute on the inside too. When a person likes both things so much, ice cream and coffee and its shops also come together, what can be better than that. Here now a new one has opened in Multan where many animals have been brought and children are very happy when they visit. i really enjoy this trip. Thanks for sharing.