My trip to Magnolia Market…..

and why I probably won’t go back.

{Unless I’m getting a cupcake!} 

At the beginning of June, we took our family on a big road trip to kick off summer. Along the way we made a few stops and one of those was the Magnolia Market in Waco, Tx.

Even a non-DIY person like me knows about Chip and Joanna Gaines and all the goodness at the Magnolia Market so I was curious to check it out first hand.

The best part: you can walk right in and, if you want to just be a spectator, there is no cost involved.

I knew that visiting mid-day in June it was going to be hot so I was prepared for that part. What I was not prepared for was the amount of people who had the same idea as us on a Monday.

In hindsight, I should have realized that it is a major tourist attraction now and no matter what time of year you are going you better to mentally prepare for a lot of people.  Going during the summer like us? Be really prepared for crowds.

I did not even attempt to go into the bakery because the line was really long. They have a good system in place, however, and it was not near as long as it could have been.  They have a shaded tent area that the line wraps around under, and from what I could tell, you select your goodies from a sheet prior to entering the bakery.

Although there were a lot of people trying to get in at the same time it looked as though they have it pretty dialed in to get people in and out quickly. They have shaded areas with tables all over, and, if sweets aren’t your thing, they have food trucks GALORE!!! Every type of food and drink you could want right there on the grounds! It made me sad that we had eaten right before going over there!

Pro Tip: if you are going to visit, GO HUNGRY or like me you will have FOMO.

There are several different shopping areas. One that stood out to me was the garden area. These seasonal gardens were beautiful! You could walk around the garden and read all the names of the plants, and there was a little area where you could get more information or speak with a staff member, it also looked like you could create your own bouquet to take home.  Then there was a small building you could enter to shop; there were succulents, and gardening tools and books to help you. The line moved in a circle around the building which was both a pro and a con. Because it was a tight space and you felt like you needed to keep moving along the same path as everyone else which made it hard to stop and look and really take in what you were looking at. The best part was that this building was air-conditioned so it was a welcomed break from the heat.

We bought a concrete pot and an air succulent that didn’t require any soil (sounded like something that I couldn’t easily kill) that cost approx. $50.00. I got a bit of a sticker shock when they told us the final amount. Again, I am not a gardener by any means so I don’t have much to compare the prices to so I am not sure if this is average or if we paid for the experience.

The biggest shopping area was the home décor area. It is a very large warehouse that is filled with the latest home trends and Magnolia Market souvenirs to commemorate your trip. There are two levels, the first level is air-conditioned. The largest level is down a small flight of stairs (or elevator if you need) and that section is not air-conditioned so I did not spend too much time down there.

Between the people and the heat, it was pretty uncomfortable. I made one short loop around the décor area, but I was not looking to spend much money so I really wasn’t shopping, more just trying to experience everything that was at the market.  

If you do go ready to shop be prepared to dip into those bank accounts and be ready to be in a crowd all trying to look at things at the same time.

I will say this: theyhave an amazing staff because, despite the amount of people, the store was immaculate while I was there.  

The last area that we walked around was a large open lawn, they had lawn games and people were sitting around with the kids having picnics. I imagine it would make for a fun mom meeting spot in the fall (cooler) months!

Images from https://magnolia.com/silos/#silos-shop

All in all, I really enjoyed the trip to Magnolia Market, however, unless there is a guaranteed cupcake involved, I probably won’t go back.

That being said, if you find yourself in the area and you love home decor and or gardening this may very well be your own personal heaven. If you want more tips and tricks for summer trips take a look at my packing guide with free printable list here! 

Tell us: Have you taken a trip to Magnolia Market? Did you love it?