Things To Do In and Near Downtown Waxahachie Texas: A First Timer’s Guide

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission from the discount codes used or when a link/ad is clicked. All purchases made will come at no extra cost to you, and I only include products and services that I have personally used and would recommend. Also, Two Worlds Treasures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Often noted as the most photographed courthouses in the State of Texas, a visit to magnificent Ellis County Courthouse is one of the things to do in and near downtown Waxahachie Texas. A free walking tour around downtown will present you with beautiful unique buildings from the late 1800s to early 1900s, and eating and shopping experiences await you there, too. But that’s not all.

Following is a guide to things to do in Waxahachie Texas for a day visit, based on my three times visiting the area, including information on annual festivals in town. 

Before I take you to the fun things you can do around downtown Waxahachie, let’s take a look on where the city is located and when did it start.

Where Is Waxahachie?

Just 26 miles south of Dallas and 42 miles east of Ft. Worth, so it makes a perfect day trip from the Metroplex. It is settled between I-35E and I-45 on the north part of Texas.

A bit history of Waxahachie

It all started on the banks of the Waxahachie Creek, from which the city derived its name in the year of 1850. The famed Shawnee Trail, a cattle drive from South Texas to Kansas City up north, ran through what is now the center of town.  

The earliest inhabitants of the area were Tonkawa, Kickapoo, Bidai, Anadarko, and Waco Indians. Emory W. Rogers was the first white settler to this area in 1846.

The Waxahachie name is derived from the Indian word meaning “Buffalo Creek”.

In the late 1880s, Waxahachie was one of the prosperous cotton producer. As a result, beautiful Queen Anne and Victorian homes with their ornate “gingerbread” trim are lining the arteries leading into the downtown square. Not just 4 or 5 houses, so the city has earned the name “The Gingerbread City”. You will be able see some of them on your way to the downtown area. You can see plaque of historic preservation mounted by the door of the houses, or on the ground stating the year the houses built.

Gingerbread refers to the architectural form born from the development of Gothic stonework into “Carpenter Gothic” using intricate, detailed wood ornamentation. At its best, extravagant wooden lace work, spindles and trims appear on the true Gingerbread era homes. Others show restraint in trim, associated Styles or contemporary looks. (an excerpt from the History of Waxahachie information).

Every year in the first weekend of June, the city conducts a Gingerbread Trail Home Tour. Don’t miss the opportunity and find out more about the Gingerbread Trail, such as ticket prices, hours, how many houses in the tour, and what other buildings included in the tour by clicking the highlighted link above.

How to pronounce Waxahachie

Before I take you to downtown Waxahachie, let me teach you how to pronounce the city’s name. (credit to Yes To Texas).

• Walks-uh-hatch-ee
• Wox-uh-hat-chee
• Wocks-uh-hatch-ee
• Waxahachie

Things To Do In and Near Downtown Waxahachie Texas

Ok. Here are the things to do in Waxahachie Texas that you will do when you make a day trip from Fort Worth or Dallas area.

#1. Hiking, Walking, Running, or Biking at Getzendaner Memorial Park – 400 South Grand Avenue

Start your day in Waxahachie at Getzendaner Park, arrive around 8 a.m.. This 33- acre parks provide areas for playing, picnicking, and exercising. What’s even better is this park also serves as a starting point for hiking and biking trail, connecting Getzendaner to Lions Park (351 Lions Park Road).

This hiking/walking trail is paved and mostly covered by big trees. The distance is about 3 ¾ miles to the end and there are trail marks every ¼ mile. You can walk the whole trail or part of it, it’s up to you. There are 10 surprising things to see along Getzendaner trail, like bamboo forest, old cemetery, and crossing a historic Rogers Street Bridge.

I’m not a biker, but I think the bike trail is awesome! I saw a group of mountain bikers while I was there and they moved fast. So, don’t take a chance to hike on the bike trail when in use.

Other things to see at this park:

– Matthews Street Bridge that for many years served as the only access for people who lived outside the county to bring and sell their cotton and other crops to nearby gins and First Monday Trade Days in the county.

– Historic Chautauqua Auditorium, one of the few octagonal auditoriums in the country. It is only open during special events and Gingerbread Trail though.

– Squirrel carving on a big tree by the playground. Don’t miss it!

– Two Hachie Heart (I will tell you more about it below).

When you’re done, it’s time to move to downtown Waxahachie. It’s not far, just around 10 minutes driving. On the way, you will see the historic houses of Waxahachie (a.k.a. the gingerbread.) You can also stop at White Rhino Coffee for a cup of latte or tea before you start your exploring downtown. I haven’t visited this coffee place yet, but a couple of local ladies whose husbands were mountain biking at the park told me about the place and they even invited me to join them. Too bad I had to pick up my husband from the university at the time. But I will make a stop there soon.

#2. Stop at the Visitor Center/Ellis County Museum – 201 S. College St.

Here’s the second things to do in and near downtown Waxahachie Texas on your list. A first place to stop in downtown Waxahachie. A place for you to grab the brochures of Historic Waxahachie Inc.’s Downtown Walking and Driving Tour, Ellis County Courthouse information, and learn about the history of the city. Yes, this Visitor Center is also home of the Ellis County Museum. Open on Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 5pm.

If you arrive around 10, there’s a chance for you to find a parking space around the Courthouse, which is located across the building. If you arrive after 11, there’s a free city parking garage a block away to the east on S Jackson and E Jefferson, if all the parking spots around the square are taken.

When you’re done with the museum, go outside and you will see a City of Waxahachie mural on the building across the street. You won’t miss this giant mural, but don’t go cross the street yet. Turn left from the museum and walk a few yards. You will see a selfie station on the floor with hashtag hachie heart. Stand there with the mural as the background, then take a picture with your smart phone. Share it in your social media with hashtag #hachieheart.

#3. Lunch time

Chances are it will be closer to noon by the time you leave the Visitor Center area. What’s better than eating lunch before you do the Walking Tour?

Waxahachie has several good eating places around downtown, serving Southern-comfort food to BBQ, Mexican to Cajun-style seafood, and burger to sandwiches. We’ve been to 3 places and we liked them all.

Here are our recommendation:

Pop’s Burger Stand – the best burger and fries in town, recommended by my IG friend. Try their El Camino, the 6.5 oz. premium Angus beef with crispy bacon, pico de gallo, pepper jack cheese and cilantro Mayo. It’s so good! My niece likes their Low & Slow Burger, the 6.5 oz premium Angus beef with crispy bacon, grilled onion, and cheddar cheese topped with Pop’s low & slow BBQ sauce. The milkshake looks good, but we didn’t try any. Prices are below $10. Address: 107 S Monroe St., 3 blocks to the west from Visitor Center. Just walk there.

Farm Luck Soda Fountain & Dry Goods – a place for light lunch, serving all kind of sandwiches and milkshakes. I like their Aunt’s Sandy Chicken Salad served on a toasted croissant. Save a room for their World’s Smallest Sundae. Beautiful place, and everything is under $10. Address: 109 W Franklin St., just a block away to the west of Visitor Center. (The same block with the mural).

Straight From Philly – we ate here because we parked near the restaurant and we weren’t disappointed. Their Philly cheese steak was really good as well as the fries. There’s a nook for live band in the restaurant, and that Saturday a local boy was performing Michael Jackson and he really knew all the movements for every songs. Prices are $15 and below. Address: 110 E Main St., one block to the north from the Visitor Center.

#4. Ellis County Courthouse Tour – 109 S Jackson St.

Now that you’re full, it’s time to visit Ellis County Courthouse. Located right in the middle of downtown, you won’t miss this nine stories courthouse, towering over downtown Waxahachie. Like I mentioned above, it’s one, or probably #1 things to do in and near downtown Waxahachie Texas.

The courthouse was designed in Richardsonian Romanesque architecture style by James Riely Gordon, and was built in 1895. With its turrets and spires, this courthouse looks like a fairy tale palace. Not to mentioned the pink granite and red limestone used to build the courthouse.

You must walk around the building and step back, look up, and inspect closely the exterior of the building. The most striking features you will find are the carved faces at the four entrances of the buildings. Each entrance has different carved faces, depict a man, a woman, a lion heads, a child, or a youth, including a “Green Man”, an ancient figure prevalent in European architecture.

When you look up to the roof, you will see the genuine four-faced clock tower, as well as the bronze eagles perched on the roof. You can see the tower from Getzendaner Trail when you hit the historic Rogers Street Bridge.   

One other thing about the Ellis County Courthouse, it has long been designated as “number 8” on the list of outstanding architectural achievements in Texas. You will take lots of pictures here.

#5 Waxahachie Downtown Walking Tour & Shopping Time

I hope you still have the walking tour brochure with you. With the brochure in hand, walk 2 blocks north from the courthouse to start the tour. You will see buildings built from the late 1800s to the early 1900s on this tour, where today some of them houses stores, restaurants, and the Visitor Center.

Just follow the arrows and the numbers in the brochure. Stop, look up and below, step back, and inspect closely the buildings you will see in the tour. Some of them are really in good condition, while a few of them need work and better maintenance.  

If you want to check out the stores around downtown Waxahachie, I suggest you to do it while doing this walking tour, rather than mark the stores and back again after the tour. Save time and energy. If you come with your family, hubby and kids can take a rest while you do shopping break.

Antique/vintage stores, gift shops, boutique, quilting store, and herb shop are dotting the downtown area. Here are some of them that you need to check: Old Town Vintage Antiques, The Doves Nest, Multitudes, Junk For Joy, Wild Thyme Herb Shop, Common threads Quilting, and Bon Ton Vintage. If you get to intersection of N. Rogers St. and Madison St., turn west for a block, then you will see Red Barn Flea Market across the street. It’s big and has lots of stuff. You can always drive here when you leave downtown, but parking is limited.

Some of my favorite found on this walking tour are Old Ellis County Jail, Rogers Street Iron Bridge, the Victorian Buildings on N. College St., Rogers Hotel, and of course the Courthouse.

   

Remember the Hachie Heart I mentioned earlier?

Oversized heart sculptures have popped up across Waxahachie as part of the city marketing campaign “Waxahachie: A place in your heart, Texas”. There are at least 20 hearts (and counting) set out at various locations throughout the downtown area and at Getzendaner Park.

Local businesses support this campaign by adopting the hearts and contacted local artists to paint it. Each heart reflect the business or an aspect of Waxahachie, so none of them look-alike. So far I’ve seen 9, including 3 at the Getzendaner Park.

So, use this walking tour as a Hachie Heart hunting activity, too.

The other thing you will find during the walking tour is the Love Lock fence. It is on the corner of Franklin and College Street. You can buy the red heart-shaped locks at the Ellis County Museum for $10 and put your heart there.

#6 Historic Waxahachie Driving Tour

At the end of your walking tour, you have 2 options: straight to driving tour or stop for a coffee, ice cream, soda pops, or milkshake break, or whatever you call it, at one of the restaurants around the square. This is also the end of your day ticking off things to do in and near downtown Waxahachie Texas.

The driving tour has two directions: East Driving Tour and West Driving Tour. Both begin at the courthouse square. When you see the brochure, you’ll find that you already covered most of the places around downtown. Since Waxahachie is not very big, you can do both directions easily. Just be careful when you drive around.

Before you leave home, there’s one place that you need to check. Head to Munster Mansion. Remember “The Munsters” 60’s sitcom show? Yep, you can find the replica of the house in Waxahachie. The McKees, the mansion owner, designed and built the house based on the footage of the shows.

This is a living “mansion”, so respect the owner’s privacy. You might just click a picture from outside the fence, or if you’re visiting Waxahachie during their annual open house, then you can get in. They also host events from time to time, and you can find all the information and the address of the mansion by clicking this Munster Mansion.

Some of the Annual Event in Waxahachie

SCARBOROUGH RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL 8 weekends in April and May through Memorial Day Monday.

CROSSROADS OF TEXAS FILM & MUSIC FESTIVAL A celebration of the best in Texas film and music. Last weekend in April, starting on Thursday.

CINCO DE MAYO FESTIVAL

GINGERBREAD TRAIL HISTORIC HOME TOUR First Saturday and Sunday in June.

COW CREEK COUNTRY CLASSIC BIKE RIDE Third Saturday in June.

CRAPE MYRTLE FESTIVAL Waxahachie was designated as the “Crape Myrtle Capital of Texas” and each year they have concert and fireworks show on July 3rd and a parade on July 4th.    

ANNUAL CHAUTAUQUA ASSEMBLY Every September, features cultural and educational events, speakers, programs, and demonstrations.

SCREAMS Walk the world’s largest Halloween theme park in the month of October, every Friday & Saturday prior to Halloween.

TEXAS COUNTRY REPORTER FESTIVAL One day arts & music festival hosts by Kelli & Bob Phillips from the Texas Country Reporter weekly TV show. Last Saturday in October.

VETERANS DAY WEEKEND On Friday and Saturday of the weekend, an area of downtown Waxahachie turns to WWII battle scene.

CANDLELIGHT HOME TOUR Some of the historic houses open their door for visitors to enjoy the decorated homes. Second Saturday & Sunday in December.

BETHLEHEM REVISITED A recreation of Old World Bethlehem at the time of Christ’s birth. The first 2 weekends in December.  

Now it’s your turn to visit Waxahachie, Texas. If you’ve been here before, let me know what you think about this Gingerbread City. If I miss something that you must do while visiting for a day, leave a comment below so I can put it in the article.

In the meantime, I’ll be very happy if you share this article about things to do in and near downtown Waxahachie Texas with your friends and families, and pin it for later. Enjoy Waxahachie and have a good time exploring the city!