Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Houston, TX to Malakoff, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 44m
Distance
208.1 mi
335 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$31
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 32m
★
6 AM
3h 44m
8 AM
4h 10m
10 AM
3h 53m
12 PM
3h 51m
3 PM
3h 54m
5 PM
4h 8m
8 PM
3h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Malakoff, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Houston, TX to Malakoff, TX is 208.1 miles and takes about 3h 44m via North Freeway, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive across Texas. Given its relatively short duration and manageable fuel cost, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion. You'll spend most of your time on highways, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
104 miles from Houston, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 51m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Freeway | 177.3 mi | 3h 6m |
| Northeast 2nd Street | 9.9 mi | 11m |
| East State Highway 31 | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| Corsicana Bypass | 6.1 mi | 7m |
| West Royall Boulevard | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| South Interstate 45 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Travis Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Franklin Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Freeway
— 177.3 mi, about 3h 6m
Traffic on I-45
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,183 veh/hr typical · worst 3,862
Quietest
2 AM
~397 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 100 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 Houston, TX and Malakoff, TX.
1
Start on Louisiana Street
474 ft
·
19 sec
·
Louisiana Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
2
Turn right onto Franklin Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Franklin Street
3
Turn left onto Travis Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Travis Street
4
Take the ramp
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 45 North Express Lane
5
Merge onto I 45
177 mi
·
3 hr 6 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 227
Toward TX 31: Athens, Waco
7
Turn left onto South Interstate 45
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
South Interstate 45
8
Take the ramp
170 ft
·
5 sec
9
Merge onto TX 31
6.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Corsicana Bypass
10
Turn right onto TX 31
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
East State Highway 31
11
Continue on TX 31
9.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Northeast 2nd Street
12
Continue on TX 31
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
West Royall Boulevard
13
Turn right onto FM 3441
430 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Terry Street
14
Arrive at destination
FM 3441
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 3-hour, 44-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from Houston to avoid potential traffic. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost estimated at $33, you have flexibility in pacing. The longest stretch of highway is over 177 miles, so plan your restroom and snack breaks accordingly before you get too far into that segment. Since this is a comfortable one-day trip, you can afford to be flexible with your timing and enjoy the relatively quick transit.
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 104 miles from Houston, TX, or about 1h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 177.3 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 46 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 104 miles or 1h 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Malakoff, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Houston, 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 Houston, TX
This is one driving day of about 208.1 miles and 3h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Houston, 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 North Freeway for about 177.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
104 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 46 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 104 miles from Houston, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before North Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 177.3 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.
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
TA Express
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Navarro County Northbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
TA Express
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
Walker County Southbound Rest Area
0.3 mi from route
Walker County Northbound Rest Area
0.3 mi from route
Navarro County Southbound Rest Area
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Rest Area
0.8 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.3 mi from route
QuikTrip
2.3 mi from route
Downtown Aquarium
4.1
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the start, right off the route
0.2 mi from route
~1 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: 10 am–8:30 pm
+17132233474
Visit websiteUnion Station
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, right off the route
0.6 mi from route
~1 min detour
Houston, Texas
+17132598070
Visit websiteCidercade Houston
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: 10 am–12 pm
+13462417524
Visit websiteThe Woodlands Waterway
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
First break
1.3 mi from route
~3 min detour
The Woodlands, Texas
Visit websiteBarbara Fish Daniel Nature Play Area and Picnic Pavilion
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, right off the route
0.8 mi from route
~2 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: 7 am–8 pm
+17137520314
Visit websiteMidtown Park
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.5 mi from route
~4 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: 8 am–10 pm
+17135267577
Visit websiteWaugh Drive Bat Colony
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
2.1 mi from route
~5 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: Open 24 hours
+17137520314
Visit websiteChildren's Museum Houston
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
3.1 mi from route
~8 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: 9 am–8 pm
+17135221138
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 178.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Franklin Street
Turn right onto Franklin Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Travis Street
Turn left onto Travis Street
Navigation decision point
3
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 45 North Express Lane
Navigation decision point
Toward I 45 North Express Lane
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 45 / North Freeway
Merge onto I 45 / North Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
178.8 mi into trip
|
~3h 10m in
Take the exit toward TX 31: Athens, Waco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 227
Toward TX 31: Athens, Waco
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.24 one way
$62.48 round trip
$3.81/gal
25.4 MPG avg
73 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $34.57 | $69.13 |
| premium | $4.57 | $37.40 | $74.80 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $51.42 | $102.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 72.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 62.4 | 0 | $21.85 | $9.99 |
| Efficient EV | 52 | 0 | $18.21 | $8.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 83.2 | 1 | $29.13 | $13.32 |
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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
Houston, TX
Morning in Houston on Sunday
Local time
7:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Sunny
NE 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Malakoff, TX
Morning in Malakoff on Sunday
Local time
7:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Sunny
0 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
56°F
Buffalo, TX
104 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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 44m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll be on the highway for about 90% of this 208.1-mile trip. The longest continuous stretch on North Freeway covers 177.3 miles, meaning you can settle in for a good portion of the drive. Surface roads, like Northeast 2nd Street and East State Highway 31, come into play for the remaining miles, likely around the start and end points. Expect a good amount of rural cruising with some urban merging as you navigate out of Houston.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 177.3 mi on North Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North Freeway and Northeast 2nd Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Franklin Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 44m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Franklin Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Travis Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
484 ft
35 ft
Total Climb
657 ft
Total Descent
312 ft
Highest Point
484 ft
~148.6 mi in
Elevation Range
449 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 Houston, TX to Malakoff, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Waco along the way.
Waco
178.8 mi in
|
~3h 10m
About the Cities
Starting in Houston, TX
Full guide →“Space City” · Founded 1836
Houston is a sprawling port city in Southeastern Texas. An oil boom and continuing international immigration has brought explosive growth to the city, and it is now the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the most diverse large city since 2021. While at first glance, the city appears to be a 9-5 central business district surrounded by a sea of suburbs and strip malls, there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
Top landmarks
- • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — art museum in Houston, Texas
- • Astrodome — historic place in Houston, Harris County, Texas
- • Rothko Chapel — building in Houston, Harris County, 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 3h 44m. Total distance: 208.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 177.3 miles on North Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 19 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Franklin Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Travis Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Malakoff, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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