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Waco attractions


Waco attractions

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Armstrong Browning Library, 710 Speight Ave. Phone: (254) 710-3566, . Located on Baylor University's campus, the library contains the world's largest collection of works related to British poets Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The building contains 62 stained glass windows depicting themes from the Brownings' poetry. Cameron Park, . Cameron Park consists of over 400 acres of trees, trails, and nature that sit in the heart of Waco. Upstream from downtown Waco, the park is lined by the Brazos and Bosque rivers and the trails weave deep into the forest which are perfect for running, walking, biking, and horseback riding. Stationed throughout the park are pavilions, water fountains, fire pits, and public restrooms, making the park a haven for Waco families and visitors alike. Activities:
  • Disc Golf: 23-hole course spread throughout the park. There are baskets, concrete tees, and the variety of each hole brings a new challenge.
  • Fishing/Boating: Using the surrounding rivers, fishing and boating have been a popular pastime in Cameron Park. Fishing holes are scattered across the bank of the Brazos River and can be accessed through Cameron Park. Boat ramps are also available.
  • Nature Trails: Over 20 miles of trails are interwoven throughout the forestation of the park. Trails are clearly marked for rigorous biking/hiking as well as leisure walking. Horseback riding is permitted.
  • Spray Park: Located at the city of the park, automatic water fountains and playgrounds are free to the public.
    • Cameron Park Zoo, 1701 N 4th St. Phone:(254) 750-8400, . Waco’s zoo is in one of the country’s largest undeveloped municipal parks. The zoo is next to the Brazos River and has 52 acres of vegetation. The walkways of Cameron Park Zoo meander through lush landscapes and natural habitat displays featuring animals from Africa, Asia, South America, North America, and Madagascar.
  • History: Cameron Park Zoo was built in 1993 and has been expanded several times. An 1880s Texas ranch house serves as an education facility, complete with whitetail deer, turkey, and peccary display. A state of the art Herpetarium opened in 1997. Grammy Nell's Play Area opened in 1998 with a focus on nature-based play and a zero-depth splash fountain. The following year a $600,000 African lion display was built thanks to the family and friends of Sam "Jack" McGlasson. Most recently, Lemur Island opened June 28, 2002. It is home to three species of Lemurs including the Sclater's black lemur, a critically endangered species that is held in only 14 institutions worldwide.
  • Hours: 9-5 Monday through Sat; 11-5 on Sunday/year round
  • Admission: Adults $7, Children $5, Seniors $6, Children under 3 free.
    • Dr Pepper Museum, 300 South 5th Street, Phone: (254) 757-1025, .
  • History: The Dr Pepper soft drink was invented in Waco in 1885 and the museum houses the original bottling plant.
  • Attractions: The first floor of the museum explains the history of Dr Pepper, complete with the original machines, an artesian well, and an animatronic to introduce visitors to the history of Dr Pepper. The second floor displays the commercial history of Dr Pepper and other independent soft drinks, such as 7-Up and RC Cola. The third floor houses a conference center, the "Soft Drink Executive Hall of Fame", and a conference center dedicated to free enterprise as an economic system.The real highlight, though, is the vintage soda fountain on the first floor - no price of admission necessary for purchase of Dr Pepper, mixed and served straight from the tap. It's leagues better than what you can get in a can.
  • Fact: (Note: there is no period after the "r" of Dr Pepper.)
    • Homestead Heritage, Halbert Lane off FM 933 north of Waco, Phone: (254) 754-9600, . Homestead Heritage celebrates life by sweeping you back to what life was like in the 1800's. Activities:
  • Visit the 200-year old restored barn which offers handmade crafts, housewares and furniture.
  • Enjoy a relaxing lunch of homegrown and homemade treats at the Homestead Farms Deli.
  • Take a walking tour of an herb farm, 1750s gristmill, pottery barn and blacksmith shop.
    • Mayborn Museum Complex, 1300 S. University Parks Drive, Phone: (254) 710-1110, . The Mayborn Museum is located across from Baylor University and walking through, you will walk through the natural history of central Texas.
  • Spend hours in 16 discovery rooms for hands-on learning with themes from transportation to TV news and pioneers.
  • Explore the natural history of central Texas through walk-in dioramas of a limestone cave, a Texas forest, and the Waco mammoth dig.
  • On the grounds of the complex is the Governor Bill & Vara Daniel Historic Village-- an 1890's village moved from Liberty, Texas with a livery, church, general store, plantation home, and other authentic historic buildings.
  • Hours: Monday-Wednesday, Friday, Saturday-- 10:00-5:00, Thursday-- 10:00-8:00, Sunday-- 1:00-5:00
  • Admission: Adults: $6.00, Children (18 months to 12 years of age): $4.00, Seniors (65 years and older): $5.00
    • Lake Waco, Office Phone: (254) 756-5359, . Lake Waco was constructed by the Army Corp of Engineers in 1929. In the last 70 years Lake Waco has grown and become the city’s primary source of water.
  • Lake Waco offers fishing, camping, day-use recreation areas, boating, swimming, hike and bike trails, horseback riding trails, and hunting.
  • Parking is available off Airport Road. Parking lot hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • The hiking trail located next to Lake Waco and opens one hour before sunrise and closes one hour before sunset. More information about how to access the trails near the lake, check here . Sometimes the park holds irregular hours due to weather. Check the Army Corp of Engineers web site for updated park closure information.
    • Red Men Museum and Library, 4521 Speight Ave., Phone (254) 756-1221, . The Red Men Museum and Library is a historical reference museum and research library pertaining to the Improved Order of the Red Men, an organization tracing its founding to 1765.
  • The museum exhibits artifacts of historical significance such as a writing desk that belonged to Aaron Burr, a bugle recovered from the battlefield at Gettysburg, and a peace blanket that belonged to the Apache warrior Geronimo.
  • Questions? E-mail The Red Men at [email protected].
    • Suspension Bridge University Parks Dr. between Franklin Ave. and Washington Ave.,
  • The Suspension Bridge in Waco, built in 1870, was the first bridge across the Brazos River and the longest bridge west of the Mississippi River at that time. Now a walking bridge, the architecture is a token of Waco used by walkers, joggers, and is a popular spot for picture taking and having picnics.
  • Tortilla Tossing: Wacoans have created a game consisting of tossing tortillas from the bridge aiming to hit a concrete pillar stationed in the Brazos River. Learning the art of tossing the tortilla is much more difficult than it first appears and keeps players continually coming back to the bridge.
    • Texas Ranger Hall of Fame, 100 Texas Ranger Trail I-35 and University Parks Dr., Phone: 254-750-8631, . The official museum of the Texas Rangers, this Hall of Fame contains a large amount of memorabilia from the long history of the Texas Rangers.
  • The museum is open Monday through Sunday from 9am to 4:30pm.
    • Texas Sports Hall of Fame, 1108 S University Parks Dr., Phone: (254) 756-1633, . The museum features Texas athletes in many sports, including football, tennis, golf, baseball, basketball, horse racing, and others. The museum also houses the Southwest Conference's 75 year collection of memorabilia.
  • The museum is open Monday through Saturday 9-5, Sunday 12-5 and Closed-Easter, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, New Year's Day.
  • Admission prices for Adults are $6, Seniors (60+) $5, Students $3, Active Military and Kids under 6 are free.
    • The Alico Building, 425 Austin Ave., Phone: (254) 297-2777, . When completed in 1911, this beautiful 22 story building was the tallest in the Southwest. It is still used for commercial purposes on the inside but the outside is ready for pictures anytime, day or night.

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    Waco Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.

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