Origin
Arlington, TX
Morning in Arlington on Tuesday
Local time
6:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington, TX to Santa Rosa, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 14m
Distance
499.3 mi
804 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$75
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 6m
★
6 AM
9h 15m
8 AM
9h 31m
10 AM
9h 20m
12 PM
9h 19m
3 PM
9h 21m
5 PM
9h 30m
8 PM
9h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Rosa, TX
Mark Direen
Trip Overview
Arlington, TX to Santa Rosa, TX is 499.3 miles and takes about 9h 14m via U.S. Highway 77 and TX 130 Toll, with a fuel budget near $75 and likely an overnight stay. This drive stays within the Great Plains region, offering a consistent landscape as you travel across Texas. With a recommended two days for this trip, you'll have ample time to enjoy the drive without feeling rushed. It's a straightforward route primarily on major highways, making it a practical choice for covering significant distance.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
249.6 miles from Arlington, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 26m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Highway 77 | 79.2 mi | 1h 28m |
| South Freeway | 78 mi | 1h 20m |
| TX 130 Toll | 58.5 mi | 54m |
| TX 80 | 51.2 mi | 56m |
| South US Highway 181 | 40.2 mi | 45m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 37.9 mi | 39m |
| I 69E | 31.3 mi | 33m |
| I 35 | 26.5 mi | 26m |
Longest stretch:
U.S. Highway 77
— 79.2 mi, about 1h 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, TX and Santa Rosa, TX.
1
Start on West Abram Street
93 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Abram Street
2
Continue on West Abram Street
417 ft
·
21 sec
·
West Abram Street
3
Turn right onto South Center Street
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
South Center Street
Use the right lane.
4
Turn right onto Spur 303
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
West Pioneer Parkway
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto FM 157
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South Cooper Street
Use the left lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto FM 157
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Cooper Street
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth
8
Merge onto I 20
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 437
Toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35W South: Waco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 35W
78 mi
·
1 hr 20 min
·
South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 35
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
26 mi
·
26 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 265
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
Use the slight right lane.
16
Continue on TX 130 Toll
59 mi
·
54 min
·
TX 130 Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 470
Toward US 183 South: Lockhart
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on US 183
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
United States Highway 183
19
Continue on US 183
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
North Colorado Street
20
Continue on US 183
10 mi
·
11 min
·
US 183
21
Continue on US 183
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
North Magnolia Avenue
22
Continue on TX 80
51 mi
·
56 min
·
TX 80
23
Turn slight left onto FM 792
8.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Farm-to-Market Road 792
24
Continue on TX 72; TX 239
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
25
Turn left onto US 181
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
South Sunset Strip Drive
26
Continue on US 181
40 mi
·
45 min
·
South US Highway 181
27
Continue on US 181
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
North 8th Street
28
Continue on US 181
16 mi
·
18 min
·
US Highway 181 South
29
Take the exit onto US 181
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
US 181
30
Keep slight right at fork onto US 181
213 ft
·
5 sec
·
US Route 181
31
Turn straight onto US 181
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US Highway 181
32
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
33
Merge onto US 77
12 mi
·
13 min
·
US 77
34
Take the exit onto US 77
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
US 77
Toward I 37, US 77, I 69E
35
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
36
Merge onto I 37; US 77; I 69E
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
I 37; US 77; I 69E
Use the straight lane.
37
Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77
31 mi
·
33 min
·
I 69E; US 77
Toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
38
Keep slight left at fork onto US 77
61 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
·
U.S. Highway 77
39
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69E; US 77
18 mi
·
18 min
·
U.S. Highway 77
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
40
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 38
Toward Spur 413 West, FM 2629 East
Use the slight right lane.
41
Turn straight onto Interstate 69E Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Interstate 69E Frontage Road
42
Turn right onto Spur 413; FM 2629
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
East Main Street
43
Continue on FM 506; FM 2629
6.4 mi
·
11 min
·
FM 506; FM 2629
44
Arrive at destination
FM 506
Trip Plan
Given the 9h 14m estimated driving time, splitting this trip over two days is recommended. Plan to depart in the morning to maximize daylight hours for your first leg. Your second day will be shorter, allowing for a more relaxed pace. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 79.2-mile segment on U.S. Highway 77, as services might be more spread out. Aim to stop for the night around the halfway point to break up the drive comfortably.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 249.6 miles from Arlington, TX, or about 4h 26m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 79.2 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 110 miles or 2h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 249.6 miles or 4h 26m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 249.6 miles or 4h 26m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Santa Rosa, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Arlington, TX so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Arlington, TX
Aim for roughly 250 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Santa Rosa, TX
Aim for roughly 250 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 110 miles from Arlington, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on U.S. Highway 77 for about 79.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
250 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in New Braunfels, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
250 mi · about 4.6h in
A practical overnight split lands near New Braunfels, TX after about 250 miles or 4.6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 110 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 249.6 miles from Arlington, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before U.S. Highway 77 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 79.2 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 250 miles or 4.6 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 265 decision points cluster between mile 15.9 and 490.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
15.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 437
Toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton
7
16.1 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35W South: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35W South: Waco
7
166 mi into trip
|
~2h 58m in
Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 265
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
7
225.2 mi into trip
|
~3h 54m in
Take the exit toward US 183 South: Lockhart
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 470
Toward US 183 South: Lockhart
8
490.7 mi into trip
|
~8h 59m in
Take the exit toward Spur 413 West, FM 2629 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 38
Toward Spur 413 West, FM 2629 East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$75.45 one way
$150.89 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
175 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $82.58 | $165.16 |
| premium | $4.54 | $89.15 | $178.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $110.24 | $220.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$75
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$205–$315
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 174.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 149.8 | 1 | $52.43 | $23.97 |
| Efficient EV | 124.8 | 1 | $43.69 | $19.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 199.7 | 2 | $69.90 | $31.96 |
Gas CO2
175 kg
EV CO2
58 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Santa Rosa, TX
Morning in Santa Rosa on Tuesday
Local time
6:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
32 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
9h 14m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Waco Mammoth National Monument
National Monument
Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...
9 mi from route
~21 min detour
Free
near mile 86.1
View on nps.gov
Padre Island National Seashore
National Seashore
Protecting sixty-six miles of wild coastline along the Gulf of America, the narrow barrier island is home to one of the last intact coastal prairie habitats in the United States. Along the hypersaline...
27 mi from route
~69 min detour
$25
near mile 447.6
View on nps.gov
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
National Historical Park
On May 8, 1846, U.S. and Mexican troops clashed on the prairie of Palo Alto. The battle was the first in a two-year long war that changed the map of North America. Although the two countries have deve...
28 mi from route
~69 min detour
Free
near mile 499.3
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect to spend about 84% of your time on highways, with the longest continuous stretch measuring 79.2 miles on U.S. Highway 77. The transition from highway to surface roads will be gradual, so be prepared for a mix of high-speed cruising and more local traffic. You'll notice a pattern of frequent exits and entrances as you navigate through various populated areas.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
44 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 79.2 mi on U.S. Highway 77.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on U.S. Highway 77 and South Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 26 significant decision points across 499.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 166 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Arlington, TX to Santa Rosa, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Brownsville along the way.
Brownsville
380.2 mi in
|
~6h 57m
|
via I 69E; US 77
About the Cities
Starting in Arlington, TX
Full guide →Founded 1876
Arlington is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex metropolitan area, in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of almost 400,000 (2019), it is Texas' seventh largest, and the third largest in the Metroplex. Arlington is south of the sprawling DFW International Airport.
Top landmarks
- • Six Flags Over Texas — amusement park
- • Mini Mine Train — Steel roller coaster
- • Arlington Museum of Art — art museum in Texas, United States
Arriving in Santa Rosa, TX
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 79.2 miles on U.S. Highway 77. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 250 miles on day one.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Santa Rosa, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 166 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument, Padre Island National Seashore and Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.2 hours each way, a round trip means 18.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Santa Rosa, TX before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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