Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Grand Prairie, TX to Weslaco, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 19m
Distance
534.1 mi
860 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$80
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 11m
★
6 AM
9h 19m
8 AM
9h 36m
10 AM
9h 25m
12 PM
9h 23m
3 PM
9h 26m
5 PM
9h 35m
8 PM
9h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grand Prairie, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Weslaco, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Grand Prairie, TX to Weslaco, TX is 534.1 miles and takes about 9h 19m via TX 130 Toll and South R L Thornton Freeway, with a fuel budget near $77 and likely an overnight stop. This long-haul drive traverses the vast Great Plains region of Texas, offering a straightforward path south. Given the duration, it's best split over two days, making it a comfortable trip for those who prefer not to rush. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained highways, so pack some good audiobooks or podcasts for the stretches ahead.
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
267.1 miles from Grand Prairie, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 31m 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 |
| South Nueces Street | 66.2 mi | 1h 10m |
| I 37 | 60.5 mi | 1h 1m |
| Falfurrias Expressway | 55.8 mi | 58m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 37.9 mi | 39m |
| I 10 | 32.5 mi | 33m |
| I 69C | 27.9 mi | 30m |
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 Weslaco, 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
60 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
·
I 37
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit onto US 281 South
15 mi
·
19 min
·
US 281 South
Toward US 281 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Keep slight left at fork onto US 281
66 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
South Nueces Street
25
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281
9.5 mi
·
10 min
·
I 69C; US 281
26
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281
56 mi
·
58 min
·
Falfurrias Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
27
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281
18 mi
·
20 min
·
I 69C; US 281
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Merge onto I 2 East; US 83 East
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 2 East; US 83 East
29
Continue on I 2; US 83
10 mi
·
11 min
·
I 2; US 83
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 158
Toward FM 88: Texas Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
31
Turn straight onto Frontage Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Frontage Road
32
Turn right onto FM 88
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Texas Boulevard
33
Turn right onto US 83 Bus
60 ft
·
1 sec
·
US 83 Bus
34
Arrive at destination
US 83 Bus
Trip Plan
For this 9-hour drive, splitting it into two days is highly recommended. Aim to leave Grand Prairie early on your first day to cover a good portion, perhaps around 300 miles, and find lodging. Plan for about two stops along the way for fuel and a break. The longest continuous driving segment is 86.1 miles on TX 130 Toll, so be mindful of your fuel levels before entering that stretch. Given the $77 estimated fuel cost, budgeting for this is straightforward, but always check prices as you go.
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 267.1 miles from Grand Prairie, TX, or about 4h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.1 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 118 miles or 2h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 267.1 miles or 4h 31m 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 267.1 miles or 4h 31m
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 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Weslaco, 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.
+
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 Grand Prairie, TX
Aim for roughly 267 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Weslaco, TX
Aim for roughly 267 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 118 miles from Grand Prairie, 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 TX 130 Toll for about 86.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
176 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
353 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 San Antonio, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
267 mi · about 4.7h in
A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 267 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 118 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 267.1 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.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 267 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.
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.
Brooks County Rest Area
0 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
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
Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Live Oak County Southbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Live Oak County Northbound Rest Area
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
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
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
Service Plaza
0.5 mi from route
Gibson Park
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
0.5 mi from route
~1 min detour
Weslaco, Texas
Hours: 7 am–9 pm
+19564473407
Visit websiteRipley'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 websiteEstero Llano Grande State Park
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Weslaco, Texas
Hours: 8 am–10 pm
+19565653919
Visit websiteVillage of Salado Visitors Center
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Early in the drive, short detour
Early stretch
3.3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Salado, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+12549478634
Visit websiteLa Sal Del Rey
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~11 min detour
Home stretch
4.3 mi from route
~11 min detour
Edinburg, Texas
Hours: 7 am–8 pm
+19567847500
Visit websitePioneer Farms
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour
Early stretch
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 10 am–2 pm
+15128371215
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 265 decision points cluster between mile 15.3 and 295.4 — 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...
7
295.4 mi into trip
|
~5h 1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 37 South: Corpus Christi
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 37 South: Corpus Christi
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$80.18 one way
$160.36 round trip
$3.81/gal
25.4 MPG avg
187 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $88.72 | $177.43 |
| premium | $4.57 | $95.99 | $191.98 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $131.97 | $263.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$80
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$210–$320
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 186.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $56 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 160.2 | 1 | $56.08 | $25.64 |
| Efficient EV | 133.5 | 1 | $46.73 | $21.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 213.6 | 2 | $74.77 | $34.18 |
Gas CO2
187 kg
EV CO2
62 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.
Origin
Grand Prairie, TX
Evening in Grand Prairie on Thursday
Local time
5:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Cloudy
0 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Weslaco, TX
Evening in Weslaco on Thursday
Local time
5:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNW 6 mph
2% chance
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
13 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 19m 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.
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...
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
Free
near mile 294.7
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...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
Free
near mile 92.1
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route involves a significant amount of highway driving, with 77% of the trip on major roads like TX 130 Toll and South R L Thornton Freeway. You'll experience a long stretch of 86.1 miles on TX 130 Toll before transitioning to surface streets such as South Nueces Street. Expect a mix of cruising on open highways and navigating more developed areas with frequent exits as you approach your destination.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
34 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 26 significant decision points across 534.1 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
734 ft
78 ft
Total Climb
381 ft
Total Descent
822 ft
Highest Point
734 ft
~152.6 mi in
Elevation Range
656 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 Weslaco, 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.
Arriving in Weslaco, TX
Full guide →Founded 1919
Weslaco is a town in the Rio Grande Valley along the border between Texas and Tamaulipas, Mexico. It is a popular area for birdwatching.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
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 — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 267 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 51 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 Weslaco, 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. There are 51 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 9.3 hours each way, a round trip means 18.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Weslaco, 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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