Waco... it's where Pat Green drinks his beer, and where Billy Joe Shaver shot a man in the face. But wait, there's more, and you really don't want to miss this:
Commute
Waco... it's where Pat Green drinks his beer, and where Billy Joe Shaver shot a man in the face. But wait, there's more, and you really don't want to miss this:
Commute. No matter who you are, you've got to have a car to get around these parts. Buses and taxis are mostly used after a night on the town, or for travelling between cities. Driving is a breeze here, though. There's never traffic, except for the occasional accident on I-35, and you can get anywhere in town within 10-20 minutes.
Pets. Waco, like most Texas cities, is very pet-friendly. There are tons of parks, including the 400 acres of riverside hiking at Cameron Park. All apartments will charge a hefty non-refundable pet fee, typically around $300. Some also charge a $15 pet rent.
Curing Boredom. Many residents fall into the typical shopping and sports bar scene, while forgetting all of the amazingly unique attractions Waco has to offer. First of all, you can't miss Brazos Nights, which features free blues, bluegrass, and country bands right on the river. Then, there is the Heart O' Texas Fair and Rodeo. There are plenty of swanky wine bars, low-key coffeehouse concerts, disc golf courses, art shows, and dance clubs. In addition, there is kayaking and hiking along the Brazos and Bosque Rivers. Wakeboarders can get their fix on Lake Waco. And, there are numerous spray parks, as well as the Waco Water Park.
Waco has a very wacky neighborhood breakdown. It has three main areas: the Northside, which is roughly the northwestern section of the city, the Southside, which is everything in the southeast of the city, and then there is the East Side, which is north and east of the Brazos River. The unincorporated communities of China Grove and Speegleville sit inside the city limits west of Lake Waco. On this side of the lake, you can catch some great down home music at the Hog Creek Icehouse, or spend a day on the lake at Speegleville Park.
It is still the place to be for live music, art shows, and country nights at the rodeo. The most popular neighborhoods include:
Brooks-Oaks. For the river views and the Cameron Park Zoo.
Cedar Ridge. For its coffeehouse concerts and river concerts... plus the ability to go fishing.
Heart O' Texas. For its rodeo.
North Lake Waco. For its beatnik coffeehouse with live music and its location right on the lake.
North Waco. For Cameron Park, which is a beautiful day spot for a trip to the river.
Richland Hills. For its shopping, art, pool hall, and nice townhomes.
Popular neighborhoods include:
Alta Vista. For the Dr. Pepper wings, the hamburgers, and occasional live music on the circle.
Baylor. For the Dancing Bear Pub, and live music at the coffeehouse.
Brazos. For the hookah bar, the sports bars, the barbecue, the fine wine, the art shows, the shopping, and the great blues, bluegrass, and country bands rocking out on the Brazos River from April through July.
Kendrick. For the country club and the mall-dwelling apartments.
University. For the cold beer and Big O's at George's Bar.
There are three neighborhoods on the East Side, which include Carver, East Riverside, and Timbercrest.
So, that is Waco for you. There are good times to be had. Happy hunting.
-By Katy Comal
