Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Grand Prairie, TX to Pleasanton, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 23, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 33m
Distance
323 mi
520 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$48
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 20m
★
6 AM
5h 33m
8 AM
6h 0m
10 AM
5h 42m
12 PM
5h 40m
3 PM
5h 44m
5 PM
5h 58m
8 PM
5h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grand Prairie, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Pleasanton, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Grand Prairie, TX to Pleasanton, TX is 323 miles and takes about 5h 33m via TX 130 Toll and South R L Thornton Freeway, with a fuel budget near $46 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Texas, moving from the Great Plains region to another part of the Great Plains. It's a straightforward, mostly highway drive that should be manageable for a single day. You'll be covering a good chunk of distance, so prepare for a solid few hours on the road.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
161.5 miles from Grand Prairie, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 52m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| TX 130 Toll | 86.1 mi | 1h 19m |
| South R L Thornton Freeway | 80.5 mi | 1h 22m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 37.9 mi | 39m |
| I 10 | 32.5 mi | 33m |
| I 35 | 26.5 mi | 26m |
| I 37 | 23.3 mi | 23m |
| Lyndon B Johnson Freeway | 9.3 mi | 9m |
| Connally Loop | 8.1 mi | 8m |
Longest stretch:
TX 130 Toll
— 86.1 mi, about 1h 19m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,975 veh/hr typical · worst 3,836
Quietest
2 AM
~487 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grand Prairie, TX and Pleasanton, TX.
1
Start on this road
219 ft
·
21 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Northeast 5th Street
189 ft
·
14 sec
·
Northeast 5th Street
3
Turn left onto TX 180
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
East Main Street
4
Turn right onto FM 1382
5.4 mi
·
9 min
·
South Belt Line Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 20 East
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 20
9.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 467B
Toward I 35E South: Waco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 35E
81 mi
·
1 hr 22 min
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 35
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
26 mi
·
26 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 265
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on TX 130 Toll
86 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
·
TX 130 Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 West: San Antonio
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 10; TX 130
11 mi
·
11 min
·
I 10; TX 130
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 10; US 90; TX 130
9.4 mi
·
9 min
·
I 10; US 90; TX 130
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130
12 mi
·
12 min
·
I 10; US 90; TX 130
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 410
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Connally Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto I 410; TX 130
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Connally Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 41
Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 37 South: Corpus Christi
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
22
Merge onto I 37
23 mi
·
23 min
·
I 37
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 109
Toward TX 97: Pleasanton, Floresville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Turn straight onto I-37 Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
I-37 Frontage Road
25
Turn right onto TX 97
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
East State Highway 97
26
Turn left onto US 281; TX 97
357 ft
·
13 sec
·
2nd Street
27
Turn sharp left onto TX 97
123 ft
·
4 sec
·
TX 97
28
Arrive at destination
TX 97
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 33m estimated drive time, leaving Grand Prairie in the morning should get you to Pleasanton with plenty of daylight to spare. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $46, this trip is flexible. You could leave early to maximize your time at your destination or depart a bit later if needed. Be mindful of the 86.1-mile stretch on TX 130 Toll; ensure you have enough fuel before embarking on that segment, as service areas can be spaced out on toll roads.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 161.5 miles from Grand Prairie, TX, or about 2h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 71 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 161.5 miles or 2h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pleasanton, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Grand Prairie, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Grand Prairie, TX
This is one driving day of about 323 miles and 5h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 71 miles from Grand Prairie, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on TX 130 Toll for about 86.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
162 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 71 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 161.5 miles from Grand Prairie, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before TX 130 Toll if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 86.1 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Pilot Travel Center
0 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Hill County Northbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Picnic Area
0.1 mi from route
Picnic Area
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Circle K
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.1 mi from route
Ascent Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Jud's Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.3 mi from route
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
0.4 mi from route
Ripley's Believe It or Not!
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Grand Prairie, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+19722632391
Visit websiteLouis Tussaud's Palace of Wax
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Grand Prairie, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+19722632391
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 215 decision points cluster between mile 15.3 and 319.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
15.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 35E South: Waco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 467B
Toward I 35E South: Waco
7
167.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 57m 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
254 mi into trip
|
~4h 18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 West: San Antonio
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 10 West: San Antonio
8
295.2 mi into trip
|
~5h 1m in
Take the exit toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi
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 41
Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus...
8
319.2 mi into trip
|
~5h 26m in
Take the exit toward TX 97: Pleasanton, Floresville
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 109
Toward TX 97: Pleasanton, Floresville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.49 one way
$96.98 round trip
$3.81/gal
25.4 MPG avg
113 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $53.65 | $107.30 |
| premium | $4.57 | $58.05 | $116.10 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $79.81 | $159.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 113 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 96.9 | 1 | $33.92 | $15.50 |
| Efficient EV | 80.8 | 0 | $28.26 | $12.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 129.2 | 1 | $45.22 | $20.67 |
Gas CO2
113 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (66% 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.
Origin
Grand Prairie, TX
Night in Grand Prairie on Thursday
Local time
11:11 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Clear
0 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Pleasanton, TX
Night in Pleasanton on Thursday
Local time
11:11 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Mostly Cloudy
0 mph
6% chance
Live forecast
57°F
Troy, TX
162 mi in
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.
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
8 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
5h 33m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 300.7
View on nps.gov
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...
6 mi from route
~14 min detour
Free
near mile 100.2
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 83% of your time on highways, totaling around 268 miles of freeway driving. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 86.1 miles on TX 130 Toll. After that, you'll transition to surface roads for the remainder of your trip. This route features a significant amount of highway cruising, so look out for the dense exit patterns as you approach and leave major urban areas.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 86.1 mi on TX 130 Toll.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on TX 130 Toll and South R L Thornton Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.3 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 21 significant decision points across 323 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 15.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 167.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 254 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
906 ft
361 ft
Total Climb
801 ft
Total Descent
959 ft
Highest Point
906 ft
~161.5 mi in
Elevation Range
545 ft
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 Grand Prairie, TX to Pleasanton, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Corpus Christi along the way.
Corpus Christi
295.2 mi in
|
~5h 1m
About the Cities
Starting in Grand Prairie, TX
Full guide →Founded 1863
Grand Prairie is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 33m. Total distance: 323 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 86.1 miles on TX 130 Toll. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 39 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Pleasanton, 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 1 meaningful breaks. There are 39 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 15.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 167.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 254 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.6 hours each way, a round trip means 11.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Pleasanton, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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