In Waco for Spring Break? 10 Activities Your Family and Friends Will Love!
By Rebecca Edwards
Contributor
Waco is full of great activities for kids this Spring Break! Here are our top ten ways to enjoy quality time with your family and friends for Spring Break 2017!
If you’re a Waco native or visitor, the outdoor space at the Silos is a must-visit. From the ever-green turf with yard games and swings to the ever-changing garden and topiary tee-pee, just the grounds themselves are worth a visit. Not to mention the food trucks, with local favorites like Common Grounds and Luna Juice Bar, it’s a perfect spot for an afternoon snack.
One of my favorite things to do as a child was roller skate. Our local rinks are great places to escape back to childhood with our children. Skate World is having daily specials, including free or reduced admission and concession discounts. If you haven’t been, this week is great opportunity.
On two afternoons during Spring Break, our wonderful library is hosting a downtown photo walk. Meet at the Waco Hippodrome at 2:00 on Monday for a downtown tour. Then, on Wednesday, the walk meets at the “Branding the Brazos” longhorn sculptures by the Suspension Bridge. Bring your camera, and wear your walking shoes! A great way to see our lovely city up close.
Spring Break is a popular time to be at the zoo, and the City of Waco is ready with a transit bus schedule to additional parking areas. There will also be special food vendors on site to help fill hungry bellies. Families can purchase tickets in advance and skip the line at the entrance. A membership to the zoo is also a great value. Be sure to try to see Baby orangutan Razak, born January 12th. The primate team is keeping an extra close eye on him, but he is out from time to time for the public to see.
Did you know Waco has over twenty murals all over town? Use the list from Waco Fork and see if you can find them all. Don’t forget to find out the story behind each one.
With its ample river front trails and abundant play-scapes, Cameron Park is the ultimate [FREE] leisure destination in Waco. The iconic Lover’s Leap provides a panoramic view of the Waco area. With plenty of space to spread out, Cameron Park is a lovely patch of beautiful natural scenery right in the middle of the city. Check out the free app which includes detailed trail maps! The City of Waco will host a game of Capture the Flag on Tuesday at 2:00.
Waco’s ‘Grand Dame’, this restored historic theater is always fun to visit. The atmosphere cannot be beat, and we love the food and drinks you can order during a movie is more than convenient. For the week of Spring Break, The Hippodrome is showing The Wizard of Oz on the big screen (see Mayborn Museum’s events below). And once you revisit that classic, be sure to enjoy seeing Ferris Bueller’s Day Off again. Both films have multiple showings during the week.
One of our favorite [FREE] things in Waco is the Waco-McLennan County Library. Not only are there limitless stories in which to get lost, but also dynamic programming that keep my children curious about what will be next. This year, our library is leaving the library! That’s right. Throughout the week of Spring Break, while all the books and resources that we are accustomed to will still be at the library, “Library On The Go” will be held at different locations throughout Waco. Visit The Art Center Waco, Miss Nellie’s Pretty Place, The Waco Police Department, and the East Terrace House while enjoying great stories and themed crafts at each location.
Our family has always had a membership at the Mayborn Museum since our children were little. But even as they get older, the fun continues! The Mayborn is running a membership special during the week of Spring Break: purchase a membership and receive an extra one-day guest pass.
This Spring’s traveling exhibit features fun, educational activities involving the story of The Wizard of Oz. Littles and Bigs alike will love exploring the Gale farm, finding the yellow brick road, pretending to be the Wizard, and scaling the witch’s castle. Also on display are literary works and movie memorabilia related to all things Oz.
And there’s more! Fifty images of Lions and Tigers and Bears (oh, my!) by three of National Geographic’s top photo journalists is an additional bonus exhibit. The rich images of these beautiful creatures might be worth the cost of admission alone!
Finally, beginning March 4th through the end of May, National Geographic’s Extreme Weather, a 40-minute movie will play in the SBC Theater. Admission to Extreme Weather is $3 for children, adults, and groups, $2 for Baylor University students and museum members. Show times are
• Saturdays – 11 am, 1 pm, & 3 pm
• Sundays – 2 pm & 4 pm
• Tuesdays11 am & 1 pm
The NUMBER ONE Edwards Family destination for this year’s Spring Break, of course, is the Art Center of Waco. We love seeing the art of Waco’s own Joel Edwards. (We’re all really proud of him.) His solo show is up until the end of the week, and the Art Center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Tuesday through Saturday.
While you’re there, check out the sculpture garden and the beautiful McLennan Community College campus. (Pokemon trainer alert!)
STILL LOOKING FOR MORE? Don’t forget to check out Waco’s online calendars for more information about what’s on each day and be sure to download the brand new WACO APP!
The app is available in the Play Store for android and the App Store for Apple. Search for “Waco TX,” or “Waco” and look for the heart icon with a W in the middle.
Have a great Spring Break!
Rebecca Edwards is an artist, photographer, educator and lover of life who lives in Waco with her husband, Joel, and their three kids.