- The "Daytripper" is made possible by Rudy's, real Texas barbecue.

Shipping nationwide at rudys.com.

Karbach Brewing Company from Houston, Texas, makers of Karbach Lager, a beer that is proudly partnered with Don't Mess with Texas, please dispose responsibly.

Visit Georgetown, where big ideas meet small town charm.

Georgetown, the most beautiful town square in Texas.

Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, protection and peace of mind for Texans since 1952.

Don Hewlett Chevrolet Buick in Georgetown.

Making Texas road trips possible for over 50 years.

Don Hewlett Chevrolet Buick, Texas True.

Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Texas' local bottler providing the Lone Star state with a variety of Coca-Cola products.

- There are over 1200 towns in Texas.

Some you've probably visited, some you've probably never heard of, and I know what you're thinking.

Surely they don't all have things worth tripping.

Well, to that, I say you better Mc believe they do.

McGregor time to, maybe you've heard of it, maybe you have it.

But about 20 miles southwest of Waco, you'll find McGregor, Texas barely beyond the shadow of the silos.

Welcome to McGregor Texas.

First known as McGregor Springs because of all the natural springs that fill nearby Harris Creek.

Now this started out as just a small railroad town and is now building the rocket engines that send people to space.

So yeah, some things have changed in McGregor, but lucky for us, many things have remained the same for most of its existence.

McGregor's economy has been fueled by agriculture and the railroad, but today it's running on rocket fuel as the exclusive build site for SpaceX's rocket engines.

And when they're testing the whole town shakes.

Unfortunately, those aren't the kind of places that allow day trippers and cameras.

But hey, it's not rocket science to have a great day trip in McGregor.

You just have to start by fueling up your own belly at the incredible and indelible coffee shop cafe.

When the dining room is packed and the walls are covered in local photos and a hodgepodge of random coffee mugs, you know it's going to be good owners.

Donald and Valerie Ciran have mastered the art of Texas hospitality.

I love coming in here.

It's kinda like stepping into y'all's kitchen.

Hey - Chad, I know you haven't eaten, but you know I've got your favorite right here.

- You know me too well.

You got me all three.

Grab a seat.

Tell me about the - Pie homemade from scratch, including the crust.

My grandmother's recipes she taught me as a kid.

- Oh, that's so good.

The ciran know that the fastest way to a customer's heart is through their stomach and they take great care of their customers, including some very famous regulars when the president of the United States steps in that ain't bad - Name.

Yeah, and gw, you know, he is just another person and he jokes and cuts up and And Elon Musk - And he, - Right.

Elon's my favorite.

Have you heard the rumbling yet?

- We were just walking in and it sounds Boom.

Donald actually sold the business in 98 only to buy it back a few years later.

Yep.

They've found their sweet spot and you can literally taste it.

This has got love.

That's the first thing you taste right here.

- And she prays for all the pies.

- That's good.

The food comes pre blessed, huh?

Exactly.

I want to go take a closer look at that buffet.

You're - Supposed to eat more vegetables when you come here and get 12 different vegetables every meal.

- And they're covered with enough butter and bacon to make 'em taste good.

Yeah, we - Try to make 'em good.

- That's right.

It's homemade cooking.

Add it's finest and the kitchen slings enough of it to keep the buffet line even better stocked than a Baptist potluck.

Okay, what do we have here?

- It's a chopped steak with enchilada sauce, cheese, and jalapeno - On it.

You might as well throw a drumstick on there or a thigh.

That'll work.

General so's chicken.

Chicken spaghetti with cheese.

Yes please.

Thank you.

And now I've run into the problem of problems.

I have no room for sides.

This just calls for plate number two.

Maybe a little fried okra.

Lima beans.

Don't be hating on the butter beans.

Okay.

Black-eyed peas, mashed potatoes.

Guys, back the train up.

I'm almost done.

Green beans.

And I may be stewed okra too.

Just just a little bit.

Greg hit me at the gravy.

The country gravy right there.

Just on the chicken fries right there.

Oh, looks like we're causing a traffic jam.

I'll just have to come back.

There we go.

I think I got enough food for round one.

Here it is.

The only thing I was missing earlier with my pie coffee and two plates full of every country's food.

There's country cooking and then there's every country's cooking.

Yeah.

And this is like a little bit of both.

Tender steak, crispy crust covered in creamy gravy.

That's a moment right there.

This is one of God's gifts to man.

We'll see what this enchilada steak is all about.

Chopped an enchilada sauce, cheese and jalapenos.

Hmm.

That's delicious.

Why is this the first time I'm eating this?

I think this needs a little detour to the gravy over here.

Oh yeah.

Homemade rolls.

How did I miss?

Were these up there?

This is an indecisive person's dream.

You don't have to make decisions as to what you're getting for lunch.

You get everything.

No go.

So you can buy a slice of one of Valerie's amazing pies, but every meal also comes with complimentary dessert.

I love it.

It's like saying dessert here is not optional.

It's mandatory.

I'm so full.

Someone's gonna have to roll me outta here.

Oh, I'll get there.

Oh, thank you Donald.

Wait, dessert.

What about your salad?

I'll get there.

Has anyone ever been to McGregor?

Somewhere in Scotland.

McGregor, Texas.

Pretty cool that they build rocket engines that go to space.

Yeah, they do.

And you can hear 'em.

The whole town shakes.

It's kind of sounds like a Harley in the distance.

Yes.

Whenever it like first starts up, probably cool for the first two times and then if you live in McGregor you're like, oh no, it's the sound of money, I suppose.

And my future plans to day trip space.

Call me Elon.

But there's a place just a couple miles down the road where the sound of technology gently fades away, replaced by the sound of birds and wind.

A place so special.

It was donated to become Texas's very first state park.

I'm talking about Mother ne today the park spans over 250 acres along the Leon River.

This is Park superintendent Melissa Chadwick, to help us climb the park's.

100-year-old rock tower.

We've conquered the summit of Mother Neff State Park.

Yes, we have.

We have feel very accomplished.

I understand this was the first state park.

- Yes.

This came to be with a lot of work and a lot of love.

And it started with a mother's love for her son.

Mother Neff was very tied into the community, opened up a little six acre area along the river, invited the community out to have gatherings.

- Just on her private - Land.

On her private land.

Okay.

So that just kind of grew when she had a son named Pat Neff, who actually served as a governor.

Heard of him.

- Yeah.

- And in 1916 she wanted to make sure that the six acres of her land was gonna be left to the citizens of Texas and the community.

- What a gift to the state set.

Any an example for conservation, recreation.

Exactly.

And so with her passing in 1921, the N family land became our family land.

Brought my whole crew here during the pandemic, just as a place to stretch our legs and my kids loved it.

Good.

We, I think we ran every trail in here.

- Yes, it's easy to do in a few hours and you can just sit back and enjoy nature and - Slow down.

Breathe in the Texas air.

Right.

- Reconnect.

- There are about three and a half miles of trails in total.

So mother ne is small but mighty in purpose and example be very, we very quiet.

We have a bird blind set up.

There's some feeders and most importantly there's some water.

So maybe there's some birds.

- You gotta settle in.

- You gotta be ready for the experience.

- You keep your eye out.

I'm just gonna take a nap.

Let me know if something else comes that was not on this schedule.

Says watch.

Wait, what?

- I was napping.

Dang - It.

- Oh, here we go.

Look, look, look.

Alright, we got some, we got some cardinals.

Melissa told us this brown bird flying around is like a dli.

Wasa.

What?

There's a hundred percent chance I'm saying that wrong.

Here's a, a chickie.

No.

What is that?

A chihuahua.

A chick Chicka Chick-fil-A no, no, no.

This it.

I wasn't wrong.

Carolina Chickadee.

Okay guys, if we were in intense birders, we could be here for hours, but we got other stuff to do.

Do.

Luckily there's another attraction in the park that's way more stationary.

Ah.

So we found it.

This is Tonka with cave.

And when folks started exploring the area, there were actually quite a few signs and artifacts down here.

That means this was inhabited for who knows how long before the settlers arrived in the area.

Pretty cool.

If you're a nomadic Native American and you find a shelter like this in a spot with a river, pecans, plentiful, animals set up shops stay a while.

Now it's just a place to grab some shade on an insanely hot day.

And today it seems we aren't the only ones looking for a place to chill.

Oh, y'all look at this.

So if you think the cave is starting to grow hair, well, you might wanna investigate a little closer.

So this is a giant clump of harvestmen, also known as Daddy Long legs.

This is gross.

Oh.

Oh, Daniel, do it.

I dare you.

Double dog.

Dare you.

Oh my gosh.

Oh my gosh.

It's like hair.

This is a way that they make themselves look bigger and avoid predators.

Also, they emit sort of an odor.

And the more of 'em there are together, the stronger the odor.

I thought that was just you.

Predators.

It doesn't matter how big or small, how close or remote, if nature is nearby, it's worth exploring now.

McGregor is so close to Waco, it often gets lumped in with the shiplap city.

In fact, chip and Joe even renovated this house for their magnolia bed and breakfast.

And when it comes to finding the perfect old thing to hang on the wall of your own fixer upper, well this town has one of the best stops in Texas.

The Cedar chest Antique mall.

Alright, so if you love antiques, small towns like McGregor, prime spots for picking and oh my gosh, this place is a little bigger than I remember.

This place goes on forever.

How big is it officially?

Well, - We've grown into 32,000 square feet by now.

- 32,000 - Square feet after 20 years.

- This is owner Shannon torn.

- It's ever been made.

We've had it through this store at one time or another.

- That is crazy to think - People want to come here because it's Joanna's favorite store.

- Old stuff is cool again, right?

Yes.

When I walk into an antique store like this, I'm usually leaving with one of two things.

Either a new cowboy hat or something old and dead to hang on my wall.

I like, I like old taxidermy.

Don't know why.

So every single one of these booths is a different owner.

Bunch of little small businesses all under one roof.

Hey, where do you start?

Do I need kitchen items?

Hey, look at this.

$1,400.

This must be nice.

I'll take it.

I don't even know what's in it.

It's like a storage wars meets antiquing.

Oh my gosh.

I had this book.

I - Had that book.

- Wait, A book that I had as a kid is now in an antique store.

What does that mean about me?

I'm old.

I'm old.

Oh no.

- Could have held onto it.

Made 10 bucks.

- That's true.

Oh yes.

I've been feeling a little scruffy lately.

Greg, go find the the antique gardening shears.

And let's go ahead and do this.

Oh, - Daniel, - Get some bandaids.

- Wait, wait.

If you need a Humpty Dumpty door stop a glowing China set for your upcoming rave slash tea party or an extensive collection of Russian nesting dolls.

This is your stop deer pelts.

How awesome would it be if you wore a deer pelt in life?

Oh my gosh.

Daniel Gas is only 66 cents a gallon.

Are you kidding?

Go get the truck.

Yeah, yeah.

Go get the truck.

Let's go.

We're filling it up.

Let's go.

Daniel.

What does that doll look like?

She's about to murder us.

What?

What doll?

The one right there.

Don't look, look at, oh boy.

Which probably get outta here.

She does not look happy.

- Oh, Mike.

Okay.

Yeah, let's go.

- Let's go, let's go.

What's that - Copy of Aari Tin?

- I wish I was a different PBS show at this moment called Antiques Road Show.

Oh, it's only $1,200.

Well, guess what?

It's worth $12,000.

What does this, what does it do?

What does it do?

What does, Hey, did anybody leave breadcrumbs behind us on how to get out of this place?

Because I'm pretty sure we're lost, - Greg.

I was hungry.

- We'll play a little song on my tiny violin.

This is crazy.

It just keeps going.

There's a whole nother antique store behind the antique store.

This is the sort of place you could spend an entire afternoon or day if you get lost.

I mean, they even have a connected restaurant and ice cream parlor.

It's like year round, round top.

Look at this.

It's an old horse from the 1930s.

Hi ho Timmy.

Yeehaw.

I'll just meet y'all at the next location.

Boys, no hands.

Look at that.

- Oh my gosh, Chad.

It is hot.

Look, it says 106 and we are - Moving.

Yep.

Gotta stay hydrated.

Daniel, drink plenty of water.

- What is that?

- I got?

I got him at the antique store.

- Are you choking?

Look - At him.

The new member of the crew.

It's like a - George Washington ashtray.

Milk.

- That little notch.

Isn't that where you like put the cigarette right?

It - Is.

Should you at least wash it?

- Water tastes a lot different.

Now after this conversation, I'm going to need something to wash this flavor out of my mouth.

And I know just the spot back in downtown McGregor where it happens to be Christmas year round.

And as we all know, Christmas calories don't count, which is very helpful when you're headed to cup cakes.

Susie?

Yes.

Hey, how are you?

I'm great.

Good man.

I love this shop.

- Thanks.

Me too.

- This is owner Susie Hewlett, who with her best friend Branda, started baking custom cakes.

Soon they were swamped with orders and decided to go for it.

Their little hobby got as out of hand as their cupcake selection.

How many flavors are in here?

- I think today there's about 32.

- 32, I think.

Is that normal?

- Pretty much.

Pretty much.

It varies from day to day.

- Maybe you wanna slap your mama, which is like an ice cream sundae or a kiss Me in the dark with devil's food cake and raspberry or heck, I don't know.

There's so many.

Alright, just step around.

Walk me through this.

Got it.

'cause this is a little overwhelming.

All right, Susie, take it away.

- Okay.

Our number one is in the top left.

That's our wedding cake.

It's almond cake with almond buttercream.

Then we have the Happy, happy, joy, joy, coconut with chocolate.

The snowballs.

Coconut.

Coconut, sweet tart lemon strawberry with lemon toppy.

Caramel - Crunch.

Cho caramel orange cream.

Caramel ground with cream.

Tea with cream tea.

Chocolate, yellow with chocolate.

Caramel with chocolate.

Cream tea.

Chocolate cream.

Triple chocolate, red velvet, chocolate with berries, strawberries, vanilla butter cake with caramel banana - Pudding, and some puppy puppies for the dogs.

- I zoned out about five minutes ago in that list.

'cause I'm so hungry.

We - Actually have one in the back that we need you to ice.

- Seriously?

Yep.

Yep.

Okay, let's go.

- I started this with my best friend Brenda.

Okay.

She's not here right now, but we have her here in spirit.

- Brenda, she didn't forget about you.

No.

She's a woman of her word.

There she is.

Yes.

Does she love cupcakes as much as you?

- She does, except she doesn't let me do anything new.

So you're here and she's not Sorry, - Brenda.

- Yeah, sorry Brenda.

- Cover your eyes.

- So do you want me to show you how to do one?

It's called the Big Chet - Getting my own cupcake.

It's no way.

Yes, - For sure.

- That's a first for me.

That is awesome.

Thank you.

- This is a black magic cupcake.

So it's our triple chocolate cupcake.

And then it's gonna have chocolate peanut butter filling, and then peanut butter frosting.

- Oh my gosh.

No, this is my love language right - Here.

Okay.

Twist it.

It comes out.

You can eat that.

There you go.

Nice.

Nice.

Okay.

- This just goes right in the center.

Yep.

- You're doing so good.

All right.

Start at the outside and all you're gonna do is draw a circle three times.

1, 2, 3, and then stop.

Okay.

- So good.

- Three circles.

1, 2, 3.

That is So that did it.

That is so close that I mean, did use the outline of the cake.

Cake.

That's your guide.

- I'm running outta steam.

I got no more squeeze.

- That's so good.

I got no more - Squeeze's.

What?

Air pocket.

That wasn't my fault.

That's pretty.

There was an air pocket - In there.

Better than is.

I thought we were getting better.

It's getting worse.

Look - How fluffy yours are.

All right.

This is my last one.

You can do it going Stay in the zone.

You got it.

Stay in the zone.

Focus.

We're going for four swirls.

Whatever you need.

Five swirls.

Six.

Now that's the best one.

- Cheers.

- A good cupcake.

That's - A really good cupcake.

I've never tasted anything close to this.

- Well, thanks.

Thank - You.

- You're welcome.

Shed approved.

You've already got 32 flavors.

What's a 33rd brand?

Come on.

Texas is depending on you.

- McGregor's been so good to us.

Our customers are so sweet and so nice and they support us and it blesses us as much as we can.

Bless others with the cupcakes.

So thanks.

Hey.

- Yeah.

What's with the Christmas theme though?

I heard Christmas music.

They're Santa Claus out there.

- Yes.

We keep it up year round because Christmas is the best time of the year.

- As if a cupcake shop didn't already have enough joy at Christmas.

Exactly.

Take it to another level all the - Time.

Yeah.

- I don't think anyone could be unhappy in a Christmas cupcake shop.

Now.

I've already had one, but it teases the season - I all, what was that?

I wrote all home.

- All of the indulgence of Christmas sweets.

None of the Christmas stress.

As you can tell, McGregor has a sort of small town community pride.

You don't find many other places.

But for our last stop, we're gonna experience something you don't find any other places.

- Welcome to Blue Hills Ranch.

- Where am I?

Matt?

And what are you wearing?

- This is a little boy baby Kangaroo.

What?

He just came to us about two weeks ago.

- Just checking out the world.

Yep.

Matt Lieberman moved to Texas with the idea of opening a wedding venue.

He added a giraffe named blue and before he knew it well he was a destination not for holy matrimony, but for holy moly, is this camel kissing me?

You just kinda want, - I tried to hit my up.

- Who's this?

This is Juliette.

- They baby camels.

- Yeah.

This is our nursery.

- Oh.

Now that's, that's the cutest thing we've ever filmed.

On the day tripper visitors can experience dozens of exotic animals, spread over hundreds of acres.

We're all accustomed to zoos here where there's pathways.

You stay in, there are walls.

You definitely don't have camels trying to give you - Kisses.

Yeah.

Now where are, we're the opposite of a zoo.

So we want the animals to be walking around as much as possible.

Oh yeah.

And be able to be wild again and do their thing.

- Okay.

That's awesome.

The most common excursion is a guided safari tour.

But I figure we'd do something unlike any Otter.

- You there.

They're your - Fan.

Right here.

There you - Go.

Alright.

Here we're, what's up?

- Yes.

I am swimming with otters and if I liked raw shrimp, I could eat with them too.

- Come on, get in.

- Get in the hot tub with me.

Come on.

There we go.

What in the world?

- So this is Otto and Sweet Pea.

They're Asian small chaw.

They're our biggest eaters out here.

Technically, they'll eat about 50% of their body weight - A day.

This is amazing.

Are these - Guys like mischievous and playful - As their reputation?

They're, they're our most mischievous animals.

They can get into anything.

They can open anything.

So purses, anything you leave out, they'll open it.

They'll get inside of it.

We found our new sound guy.

Yeah.

They don't have personal limits.

They want to get in that bag and they wanna take everything out of that bag.

As fun as it looks, - When snack time is done, the pool turns into a jungle gym like - So.

They're gonna come up to you.

Hi.

Go see.

They'll show you that he found something.

Oh, hey buddy.

Good job.

It's not showing you.

Hey, I found, - Oh, I'm so proud of you everybody and everything is a play escapee.

- I'm gonna talk - My - Brother's - Head.

- This is like playing hotter little dog.

- Well, swim time is over.

Otter o Amigos because for now we must head into the deep Texas Savannah.

We're gonna have dinner with giraffes and evidently he wants an appetizer.

Whoa.

- A mask.

Yeah.

I didn't expect that.

Not a very - Clean eater.

This is Google the giraffe.

My very tall dinner date for the evening.

Thank you.

- You welcome.

Cheers.

- What's up buddy?

How are you man?

He's got a spread right here.

Turns out he's a very picky dinner date.

You ever know what they're gonna go for?

- They're like a 2-year-old.

So you spread a bunch of stuff out there and they kind of bounce around all day long and eat for about 20 hours a day.

- For 20 hours a day.

They just roam - And eat.

They just roam and eat.

- Roaming and eating.

We have a lot in common.

- They like to interact.

They want know what people are.

They wanna know what you're about.

They wanna know what your hat is.

They'll sniff it.

They're just very curious and very smart animals, very majestic.

They don't make any sound, - So they must communicate through their antennas.

- I'm not saying no, but - That's why the neck's so long so that the antenna can be higher in the air.

Giraffes are the strangest animals in the best of ways.

Look at the tongue.

Can you - Get any out of there?

- He's taking his grapes as raisins.

I'm taking mine wine.

We're not so different.

Him - And I, - I think we made a real connection here.

All the things you could do in Texas and owe the adventures that await in McGregor.

Cups of coffee, cups of cake, relics from the past engines to the future.

All with plenty of other worldly creatures along the way.

And whether you're here to fix it up or hike it out, McGregor makes for a great day anyway.

You make trip it.

Ah.

But one final adventure because Matt has built some cabins out here.

You have to see to believe, - Ah yes.

Now this be a worthy vessel for the evening.

- So Matt had professional set designers come in and design all the details in - The cabin and there'd be a crow's nest.

The depth perception's a bit off on a counter the eye.

And so I'll see all a ye out on the high seas via con amigos aria.

There'd be day trips just beyond the horizon.

- The "Daytripper" is made possible by Rudy's, real Texas barbecue.

Shipping nationwide at rudys.com.

Karbach Brewing Company from Houston, Texas, makers of Karbach Lager, a beer that is proudly partnered with Don't Mess with Texas, please dispose responsibly.

Visit Georgetown, where big ideas meet small town charm.

Georgetown, the most beautiful town square in Texas.

Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, protection and peace of mind for Texans since 1952.

Don Hewlett Chevrolet Buick in Georgetown.

Making Texas road trips possible for over 50 years.

Don Hewlett Chevrolet Buick, Texas True.

Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Texas' local bottler providing the Lone Star state with a variety of Coca-Cola products.