YELP 100 CHALLENGE 2018 - PART 2: 51/100…read more Big bro was initially assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division before he was reassigned to the 4th Infantry Division (now relocated to Colorado Springs, CO.) (NOTE: He has since retired.) Whenever he has out-of-towners coming through, he always takes them to Fort Hood and never fails to make a stop at this museum. As many times as I've visited, I seem to get more and more educated about this Division. Displayed outside are different types of military transportation - land and air, both foreign and domestic. If you have some time to look around, I suggest reading up on the relics. The museum structure/building doesn't look like anything bangin' from the outside, but it's quite surprising how much articles and artifacts there are inside. Walking through and doing a bit of reading will inform you on the various steps its taken to transition from how it began to where they currently are. I still find it interesting. Admission is free, but you have the option of making a donation, if you so choose. A must-visit if you ever find yourself inside the base.

An excellent collection of vehicles and aircrafts from various wars in history. They have done an…read moreextremely good job on this collection. Outstanding for families just looking for something to do. An educational visit that took us down the memory lane. It was a very good walk. We had a superb afternoon. The museum is free.

We have been here twice and have loved it both times! There is SO much to do. So many floors and…read morethemed rooms of fun for all ages (bubble room, craft room, trains, grocery store, sound and light, tea room, etc). This is also a great value! Admission was affordable and was part of our "GetOut" austin passes. The only tricky thing may be parking. There are a lot of spaces, but each time we've gone it's been a full lot. Would definitely recommend this place for kiddos!

We were thoroughly surprised by the Mayborn Museum. It looks small but it offers so much for kids…read more The first floor is the museum and the second floor is interactive and mainly for kids. We spent the whole day here except going out for lunch as they offer re-entry. Check out the Design Lab and Lights and Sounds areas. We had the most fun there. Also, there are scavenger hunts all over the museum so keep your eyes open for those.

Fort Hood is one of those bases you either love or you hate, and honestly, it just depends on what…read morechapter of life you were in when you came through here. I've been here plenty of times throughout my military career and every time I roll back in, it looks the same and somehow even smells the same. That weird hit of nostalgia only a soldier would understand. Nothing flashy, nothing new, just Fort Hood being Fort Hood. The memories tie you to it more than the place itself. Some good, some rough, but all of them part of the journey. Coming back through almost feels like stepping into an old photo you forgot you took. In all, it's one of those places that stays with you, whether you asked it to or not.

Fort Hood, now renamed Fort Cavazos is my second home. This military base will always be near and…read moredear to my heart. It is one of the largest military bases in the world ranking the largest by physical size against the others. Unique to this base, it is the only place where the U.S. can train two full armored divisions. Fort Cavazos (still trying to get accustomed to the renaming) has everything you need located inside the gates that you would typically find outside the gates in the neighboring "civilian" city. "The Great Place" is definitely loved by many and hated by some for various reasons; however, every place becomes what you make of it. The history captured in the many museums is worth exploring if you've never visited and interested in military history. Personally, nearly 10 years of my life was spent here and reflecting on the great memories and my patriotism keeps me returning. The continued progression and improvement is evident. #BeAllYouCanBe!

Having watched the CW's "Walker" featuring Jared Padalecki, I've been itching to check out the…read moreTexas Ranger Museum! If you're thinking it's a museum for the baseball team like Tracy P. thought, uhm, it's not. Haha. Texas Rangers have an illustrious history. Surprisingly, not all TR's were good, but for the most part they were lawmen. Do watch the 45-minute film before touring the museum which helped me appreciate the exhibits as it ties the TRs with almost every aspect of Texas history. There are interactive exhibits so you can pick up and feel the weight of a TR gun. And there are somber reminders of the most famous Waco incident. Expect to spend a decent couple of hours here and stop by the gift shop for a memorabilia. Only $10.50 per adult admission. Enjoyed it! Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and NY.

This was the 2nd Musuem on my list, since this opened an hour earlier, I came here first and was…read moresurprised I stayed here longer than I thought as this has a wealth of information on Indians and Texas rangers from the past to present with their memorabilia like clothes, badges, saddles, guns and etc.. There's a video to watch to help Familiar yourself with Texas rangers which I think I saw before in school. It's an old video probably from a VHS tv series. There's a room of someone's personal collection donation of Texas memorabilia. Also in back before the video room, there is a Room of Lone Ranger which is a Texas Ranger when you think about it. That room was very fun for me. Hi Ho Silver!! Fun photo op to dress up like cowboy. lol There's a gift shop inside too. It's a very well put together Musuem. It took me half day here. It was an enjoyable experience.

This was a neat experience. It was highly recommended and I had no idea about the history of Dr…read more Pepper. Overall, it was really cool to learn more not only about the soda, but the city of Waco, and the overall history of soda too! I like how the areas of the museum were split up and there was a lot to see and learn. I thought it was going to be a little less historical, more fun, with all kinds of products to try. At the end of the tour you can get a hand crafted soda from one of the soda jerks and I don't know if it was the Texas heat, the fact that it was so freshly made, or that I just hadn't had a full sugar soda in a while but oh my goodness!!!!! I still think about how sweet and refreshing the root beer and Dr Pepper we had were. When in Waco, get a Dr Pepper.

This was such a fun experience. We took a speed tour as we got there 40 minutes before closing and…read morewere truly there for the gift shop and drink at the end. This is your usual gimmicky side of the road stop that feels very old yet interesting to experience. Bonus Points for the "Lil Sweet" Funko Pop i got to purchase Also shout out to the employees all of them were wonderful, informative and kind. I'll be suggesting this to anyone I know who comes through town.

Really impressive to step into an archaeological dig site. Nicely air conditioned, short outdoor…read morewalk to the dig site. Nice gift shop. Didn't realize there was a national park service thing in Waco!

As a National Park enthusiast, I was really excited to learn this site wasn't too far from my…read morefriend's house and so I was ecstatic to visit Waco Mammoth National Monument while in Texas. I'm also glad I happened to bring my National Park passport (you just never know!) Anyway, Waco Mammoth is definitely one of the more unusual units of the National Park System I've visited but also worth the visit!!! The history behind the site is fascinating. After two men discovered bones in 1978, researchers from Baylor University and other institutions began excavating the area and quickly realized they had uncovered something incredible! More and more fossils were found and in 2015 my guy President Obama established the site as an official unit of the National Park System. Though, one thing visitors should know ahead of time is that even though this is a National Park Service site, our America the Beautiful passes do NOT work here. General entry to the park grounds is free, but there is a separate fee to enter the dig shelter because it is operated in partnership with the City of Waco to help support preservation efforts. The actual dig shelter is absolutely the highlight of the experience, though you'll need to join a guided tour led by a docent. Hopefully you end up with one who is especially knowledgeable and enthusiastic because that really makes the experience come alive. I loved seeing the nation's first and only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of Colombian Mammoths from the Ice Age! So neat. At least 19 mammoths were discovered and the jury (err, scientists) are still out on how exactly these mammoths came to be trapped at this site/the reasoning for their passing. Anyway, this is a fascinating stop and absolutely worth visiting if you're in the Waco area, especially if you enjoy history, science, paleontology, or just visiting National Park units. It's not a full-day destination by any means, but it's definitely educational, memorable, and offers something very different from the typical national park experience!

This was a fantastic stop, unplanned, but thanks to Yelp for the recommendation…read more First of all, admission is free. How, I don't know. It would be worth admission. It took about a solid hour to tour the exhibits. Parking in the area was free. There was a Bob Hope traveling exhibit that was wonderful. There's no coffee shop inside, but plenty in the area. There's employees were so friendly!

Check out this cool museum located downtown…read more It takes an hour or so to tour, if you read the placards. Much less if you breeze through. The history of the area is portrayed. I would definitely return here, the price is right!

Right away I will say we enjoyed it here more than in The thinkery! I am referring to a toddler…read more I think the set up and various stations are just perfect for safe and fun play time. For 1,5 hours we were able to go through entire place without any rush and issues. The fun part that register has scanning light and makes beeping noise. And they use reusable bags for shopping. Musical instruments are also available and they even have x-ray machine in doctors cabinet. 3 clean bathrooms on site and diaper changing room are available. My little one cried, she did not want to leave. I let her explore outside in outdoor kitchen. Toys are in a good condition and all is well organized and in order. Ticket cost is only $6 per person, makes it affordable to come as often as possible. Staff was very nice and helpful. I will definitely go back. For someone who gave only 1 star just for parking, I was able to park easily right in front of entrance on Wednesday afternoon. No problem. Even though plenty parking around the area. For someone who mentioned that staff was reminding to keep toys organized and in order, I was told only once when purchasing tickets and no reminders. Maybe because I was constantly behind kids and helping them to put everything back. Perfect time to teach them to clean up after themselves. If anything the mother who's kid was quite loud did not take any actions.

We came here for a birthday party and had a lot of fun! I was surprised how much they had for a…read moresmaller town! Lots of different sections to pretend play (grocery, doctor, vet, camping, etc). My girls really enjoyed it.