5. Dr Pepper Museum

While in Waco, take a tour of the Dr Pepper Museum, a place that serves up history, nostalgia, and Waco's favorite authentic soda fountain drinks. Most people agree: there's nothing like a cold Dr Pepper float on a hot summer day, especially when enjoyed in the ambiance of a restored turn-of-the-century soda fountain. Besides an operational fountain, the Dr Pepper Museum also recreates the soda fountain where Dr. Charles Alderton first mixed the flavors that make up Dr Pepper (none of which is prune juice—a popular, albeit false, rumor about this classic drink.) In this exhibit, an animatronic, life-size Dr. Alderton tells the story of his invention. The next exhibit showcases the original Dr Pepper bottling company, including the well from which they drew their artesian spring water, as well as a multitude of historic soft drink bottles and manufacturing equipment, and an interactive study of the pressure in a soft drink bottle. The second floor of the Dr Pepper Museum shows the evolution of soft drink advertising over the years. The third floor houses the Soft Drink Hall of Fame and Free Enterprise Institute, a division of the museum committed to educating children about free enterprise, product development, and successful marketing. And finally, don't forget to make a stop by the museum gift store, which carries mementos for all Dr Pepper lovers. From a classic "I'm a Pepper!" shirt to a 6-pack of glass-bottled sodas, everyone is sure to find the perfect souvenir to remember their visit of the Dr Pepper Museum.