College Visit Guides

Fly-in guide · 1 day, 1 campus

Baylor in 1 Day: A Visit to Baylor University in Waco

A parent-first plan for visiting Baylor University in Waco: how to book Baylor's customized campus visit, where the Hurd Welcome Center is, the free visitor parking permit you register for online, four hotels from budget to upscale (two of them Baylor partners), drive times from Waco, Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin airports, Baylor's own picks for Waco food and family stops, and Waco weather by season, every fact sourced and checked Oct 29, 2026.

A wide brick-paved mall lined with trees leading to Pat Neff Hall, a red-brick building with white columns and a tall domed cupola, under a blue summer sky
Founders Mall and Pat Neff Hall, Baylor University (June 2016). Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

School
Baylor University (Waco, TX)
Days
1 on campus, plus travel. Arrive the day before a morning visit.
Fly into
Waco Regional Airport (ACT) is about 15 minutes from campus; Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Austin (AUS) are each about 2 hours by car with no traffic.
Best base
La Quinta Inn & Suites Waco Downtown - Baylor, about 4 minutes by car or a 19-minute walk from the Welcome Center.
Car or no car
Bring or rent a car. Visitor parking is free, but you register your plate online for a free visitor permit first.
Registration
Book a campus visit on Baylor's visit portal at least a week ahead (two weeks for Music).

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents bringing a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, to see Baylor University in Waco, home of the Bears.

Visits start at the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center at 901 S. University Parks Dr. The photo in this guide shows Pat Neff Hall at the end of Founders Mall.

Why this order

  • Arrive the day before: Waco Regional Airport is about 15 minutes from downtown hotels, and DFW or Austin is about a 2-hour drive.
  • Visit day: Baylor builds each visit around your student, with a student-led tour of campus and housing, presentations on admissions, financial aid and housing, and optional academic appointments.
  • Afterward, Baylor's own Weekend in Waco pages point families to the Mayborn Museum on campus, Cameron Park Zoo and the Magnolia Silos.
Pick the right visit
  • Campus visit: a customized visit with a student-led group tour of campus and housing, plus presentations on Admissions, Financial Aid and Housing. You can add academic appointments.
  • Starting in September, Baylor adds lunch with a current student to the visit.
  • Book at least one week ahead, or two weeks for Music appointments.
  • Baylor also offers group visits, virtual visits for parents and an online virtual tour if you can't make the trip.
  • Need to change your date? Email Visit@baylor.edu or call (254) 710-TOUR (8687).
Tour availability varies by season.
  • Waco summers are hot: July averages about 97°F highs and 74°F lows.
  • Fall is milder but is the wettest season: October averages about 81°F highs with about 4.4 inches of rain.
  • Baylor's visitor permit rules are enforced during special events too; check the Baylor athletics calendar for home games on your dates.

2. The suggested 1-day plan

  • Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, and walking times use OpenStreetMap foot routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Times to campus are to the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center.

Arrival day: fly in and check in downtown

  1. Waco Regional Airport (ACT) → La Quinta Inn & Suites Waco Downtown - Baylor

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~16 min, 9.4 mi
    Driving and walking
    Rental car, rideshare or taxi

  2. Waco Regional Airport (ACT) → Holiday Inn Express & Suites Waco Downtown

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~15 min, 8.7 mi
    Driving and walking
    Rental car, rideshare or taxi

  3. Waco Regional Airport (ACT) → Hotel 1928

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~15 min, 8.3 mi
    Driving and walking
    Rental car, rideshare or taxi

  4. Waco Regional Airport (ACT) → AC Hotel by Marriott Waco Downtown

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~15 min, 8.4 mi
    Driving and walking
    Rental car, rideshare or taxi

  5. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) → La Quinta Waco Downtown - Baylor

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~2 hr 4 min, 111 mi
    Driving and walking
    Rental car

  6. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) → La Quinta Waco Downtown - Baylor

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~2 hr 1 min, 112 mi
    Driving and walking
    Rental car
  • Before you drive onto campus, register your car's license plate for Baylor's free visitor parking permit (see Parking below).

Visit day: Baylor campus visit, then the Mayborn or the Silos

  1. La Quinta Inn & Suites Waco Downtown - Baylor → Hurd Welcome Center

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~4 min, 1.5 mi
    Driving and walking
    ~19 min walk, 0.9 mi

  2. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Waco Downtown → Hurd Welcome Center

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~3 min, 1.2 mi
    Driving and walking
    ~18 min walk, 0.8 mi

  3. Hotel 1928 → Hurd Welcome Center

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~4 min, 1.5 mi
    Driving and walking
    ~26 min walk, 1.2 mi

  4. AC Hotel by Marriott Waco Downtown → Hurd Welcome Center

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~3 min, 1.1 mi
    Driving and walking
    ~19 min walk, 0.9 mi

  5. Dutton Garage (Lot 45) → Hurd Welcome Center

    Driving (no traffic)
    —
    Driving and walking
    ~7 min walk, 0.3 mi

  6. Hurd Welcome Center → Mayborn Museum Complex

    Driving (no traffic)
    —
    Driving and walking
    ~8 min walk, 0.4 mi
  • Driving? Baylor's Getting Here page lists five visitor garages, including the Dutton Garage (Lot 45, 1111 S. University Parks Dr.), about a 7-minute walk from the Welcome Center.
  • Heading home: the Welcome Center is about 15 minutes from Waco Regional Airport and about 2 hours from DFW or Austin with no traffic.

3. Campus by campus

A wide brick-paved mall lined with trees leading to Pat Neff Hall, a red-brick building with white columns and a tall domed cupola, under a blue summer sky
Founders Mall and Pat Neff Hall, Baylor University (June 2016). Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Baylor University (Waco, TX)

Where visits start
  • Check in at the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center, 901 S. University Parks Dr., Waco, TX 76706.
  • Your visit is customized: a student-led tour of campus and housing, admissions, financial aid and housing presentations, and any academic appointments you request.
  • Pick a date on Baylor's visit portal at least a week ahead (two weeks for Music).
Visitor parking
  • Visitor parking is free, but you need a free visitor permit, registered online once a year, Monday–Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Permits are virtual and tied to your license plate, so register the car you'll actually drive; a rental or family car can be added temporarily. A wrong plate can mean a ticket or a tow.
  • Register at baylor.edu/parkingaccount (Visitor Login, then Register, then Order Permit); a confirmation email follows.
  • Visitor garages include the Dutton Garage (Lot 45), 8th Street Garage (Lot 1), East Campus Garage (Lot 40), Bookstore Garage (Lot 21) and Speight Plaza Garage (Lot 37). Use marked visitor areas, and avoid reserved spaces.
Getting there
  • Campus is about 15 minutes from Waco Regional Airport by car; Baylor's Getting Here page links the airport.
  • From downtown hotels, campus is about 3–4 minutes by car or an 18–26-minute walk.
What to know
  • The Mayborn Museum Complex, about an 8-minute walk from the Welcome Center, has walk-in dioramas and hands-on exhibits; Baylor calls it a perfect stop with younger family members.
  • The Martin Museum of Art at 60 Baylor Ave. is part of Baylor's Department of Art & Art History.
Contact
Campus visits: Visit@baylor.edu, (254) 710-TOUR (8687). Admissions: Admissions@Baylor.edu, (254) 710-3435, Monday–Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central.

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Baylor University: Ways to Connect (visit options) · Baylor University: Getting Here · Baylor University: Visitor Parking Permit · Baylor University: Virtual Tour · Baylor University: Campus Map

4. Where to stay: downtown Waco, near the Silos

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Waco Downtown - Baylor

911 S. 10th St., Waco, TX 76706

Why here

  • It's the closest pick to the Welcome Center on foot or by car: about 4 minutes driving or a 19-minute walk.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists free self-parking, free breakfast, an outdoor pool and a minimum check-in age of 18. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Waco Downtown by IHG

101 Taylor St., Waco, TX 76704

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 3 minutes by car or an 18-minute walk to the Welcome Center.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists free self-parking, breakfast and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

Hotel 1928

701 Washington Ave., Waco, TX 76701

Why here

  • Baylor lists Hotel 1928 as a university partner with a Baylor Friends & Family rate. It's a 33-room hotel restored by Chip and Joanna Gaines.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists valet parking for a nightly fee and breakfast for a fee. The Café behind the lobby serves coffee and light bites. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

AC Hotel by Marriott Waco Downtown

600 Mary Ave., Waco, TX 76701

Why here

  • Baylor lists the AC Hotel as a university partner with a Baylor Friends & Family rate, Bear Den suites and an outdoor pool near the Silos.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists paid self-parking, an outdoor pool and a minimum check-in age of 21. It's about 3 minutes by car from the Welcome Center. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Downtown Waco puts you 3–4 minutes from campus by car. Hotel 1928 and the AC Hotel are Baylor partners, so ask about the Baylor Friends & Family rate.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

Lunch on the visit

Starting in September, Baylor's campus visit includes lunch with a current student.

Near campus

Baylor's own Waco food picks near campus include Cajun Craft (601 S. 11th St.) for po'boys and beignets, Schmaltz's (105 S. 5th St.) for toasted sandwiches after a campus visit, and Terry Black's Barbecue (228 S. 8th St.).

Classic Waco

Baylor also points to Health Camp (2601 Circle Rd.), a burger joint with the same menu since 1948, and Vitek's BBQ, home of the Gut Pak.

Magnolia

Magnolia Table serves breakfast and lunch about eight minutes from the Silos, and Magnolia Press is the coffee stop by the Silos.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

Mayborn Museum Complex

On Baylor's campus, Waco, TX

A natural science and cultural history museum with walk-in dioramas and hands-on activities, about an 8-minute walk from the Welcome Center; Baylor recommends it for younger family members.

Official page →

With siblings

Cameron Park Zoo

Cameron Park, Waco, TX

A 52-acre natural-habitat zoo inside 416-acre Cameron Park, about 6 minutes by car from the Welcome Center.

Official page →

With siblings

Pullin Family Marina

1512 S. University Parks Dr., Waco, TX 76706

Kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and small sailboats on Baylor's campus. Baylor lists $5 admission, a waiver for every guest, and hours until sundown.

Official page →

With siblings

Dr Pepper Museum

Downtown Waco, TX

Three floors of soft-drink exhibits, plus reservable experiences such as Make-A-Soda.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Getting to campus

  • Register your plate for the free visitor parking permit before you arrive; it's required Monday–Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • The Dutton Garage (Lot 45) is about a 7-minute walk from the Hurd Welcome Center.

Flying in and out

  • Waco Regional Airport (ACT) is about 15 minutes from campus. Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Austin-Bergstrom (AUS) are each about 2 hours by car with no traffic.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Waco Regional AP station)

  • Spring: April averages about 78°F highs and 55°F lows, with about 3.3 inches of rain.
  • Summer: July averages about 97°F/74°F, with about 1.8 inches of rain.
  • Fall: October averages about 81°F/56°F, with about 4.4 inches of rain.
  • Winter: January averages about 59°F/36°F, with about 2.6 inches of rain.

Parent checklist

  • Book a campus visit on Baylor's visit portal at least a week ahead.
  • Register your car's plate for Baylor's free visitor parking permit.
  • Book flights into Waco, Dallas-Fort Worth or Austin, and plan a rental car.
  • Book a downtown Waco hotel, and ask the Baylor partner hotels about the Friends & Family rate.
  • Pack for heat from late spring through early fall, and an umbrella in fall.
  • After the visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

1 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (Baylor University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: Baylor University
  5. Baylor University Athletics (official site)
  6. Baylor University Athletics: Staff Directory
  7. Baylor University Athletics: schedule of events

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Sources

All checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. Baylor University Admissions: Ways to Connect (campus visits)
  2. Baylor University Admissions: Campus Visit Experience (official sign-up)
  3. Baylor University Admissions: Getting Here
  4. Baylor University Department of Public Safety: Visitors
  5. Baylor University Department of Public Safety: Visitor Parking Permit
  6. Baylor University Admissions: Weekend in Waco, Stay
  7. Expedia listing: La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Waco Downtown - Baylor (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Waco-Hotels-La-Quinta-Inn-Suites-By-Wyndham-Waco-Downtown-Baylor.h28066218.Hotel-Information)
  8. Expedia listing: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Waco Downtown by IHG (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Waco-Hotels-Holiday-Inn-Express-And-Suites-Waco-Downtown-By-Ihg.h112515176.Hotel-Information)
  9. Expedia listing: Hotel 1928 (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Waco-Hotels-Hotel-1928.h112057759.Hotel-Information)
  10. Expedia listing: AC Hotel by Marriott Waco Downtown (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Waco-Hotels-Ac-Hotel-By-Marriott-Waco-Downtown.h100028700.Hotel-Information)
  11. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  12. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  13. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  14. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Waco Regional AP, TX (USW00013959)
  15. Baylor University Admissions: Weekend in Waco, Eats
  16. Baylor University Admissions: Weekend in Waco, Adventure
  17. Baylor University Admissions: Weekend in Waco, Culture
  18. Baylor University Admissions: Weekend in Waco, Magnolia
  19. Baylor Bears Athletics: Calendar