Waco is a Growing Destination for Exotic Car Enthusiasts

By: James Wilder

Houston Lamborghini Club drive to Waco. Photo by James Wilder.

Waco is a growing destination for exotic car enthusiasts. Here are a few reasons why.

Guardian Collective

Guardian Collective, a new business in Waco, is a major player in accelerating Waco as a car culture destination. Their goal is to provide valuable services such as secure car storage, office space, and retail space. In addition they plan to have a coffee shop for locals and tourists.

Guardian Collective kicked things off in May 2024 with their first meetup and open house. Even with the threat of rain the event was a success. It was staged inside the Guardian Collective building where there was plenty of space for about 50 vehicles.

Renovations are currently in the design stage. Opening is estimated to be late 2024 or spring 2025. The Guardian Collective building originally served as an automobile dealership in the early 1900s.

Car meet and open house at Guardian Collective, Waco Texas. Interior renovations are in the planning stage. Photo by James Wilder.

A Driving Destination for Car Clubs

Lamborghini Club of Houston visit to Waco in 2020. Photo by James Wilder.

Waco is a great destination for a day-trip or weekend stay for anyone. But I want to focus on Waco as a great destination for car clubs.

A few years ago the Lamborghini club of Houston organized a drive event and stopped at Waco. It was an instant exotic car show with a parking lot filled with Lamborghinis. According to the Lamborghini club the event was such a success they made it an annual event for their members. Those lucky enough to be around when they show up are treated with an awesome show of exotic cars. It's a rare treat to see so many exotics in Waco.

Recently the Hill Country Porsche Region teamed up with the Maverick Region (DFW) and organized a day trip to Waco to dine at the Brasserie restaurant inside Hotel 1928. Hotel 1928 is Chip and Jo's new hotel on Washington Avenue.

And speaking of food, Waco has a more choices than ever.

Let's Eat

Most road trips set a destination for food and Waco has many restaurants that make a great start to a day or weekend of exploration.

To name just a few, there is The Brasserie restaurant inside Hotel 1928, Crickets Bar and Grill, Ninfas Mexican, Terry Black's BBQ, and more. These restaurants are located in downtown Waco and have a decent amount of parking available. See links below.

The Brasserie at Hotel 1928
701 Washington Avenue
www.hotel1928.com/

Terry Black's BBQ
228 S 8th St, Waco
terryblacksbbq.com/

Ninfa's
220 S 3rd St, Waco, TX 76701
ninfaswaco.com/

Cricket's Grill
211 Mary Ave, Waco, TX 76701
www.cricketsgrill.com/

See my Waco Restaurants list for more.

More Automotive Lifestyle Businesses

Now let's shift gears and look at what's happening near Waco.

Just southwest of Waco near Gatesville is a relatively new business called Dove Nest Estate. It's an event center for weddings and corporate events. But more interesting is that Dove Nest also has a motorsports component called Dove Nest Motorsports Club (DOMO). DOMO recently hosted a major Cybertruck event which made good use of their off-road tracks. And even more interesting is a motorsports track that is currently in the planning stage. This business will be generating much more activity and interest in exotic motorsports in the area. Keep your eyes on DOMO.

And finally, Michael Satterfield, founder of The Gentleman Racer is headquartered in Groesbeck just a few miles east of Waco. The focus of The Gentleman Racer is "The world of luxury living for the modern man." Why Groesbeck? According to Michael it's a perfect staging position to reach DFW, Houston, and Austin. They have been working hard to build world class automotive events, so watch for more from The Gentleman Racer.

Finally

There's a lot going on in the Waco area and the momentum is growing. Waco is a great destination for day-trips for car clubs or weekend getaways for couples.

Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, bring your exotics to Waco and be a part of a growing car culture destination - Great restaurants, shopping, and more! The main thing you will discover is that you will want to plan another trip to see more!

If you are looking to plan a trip to Waco, feel free to shoot me an email with any questions. Also, check out my Waco Attractions for Auto Enthusiasts article. It's a great introduction that you won't find on the other sites.

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