Trip from Houston, TX to Palmhurst, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

6h 47m

Distance

350.6 mi

564 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$53

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min

4 AM

6h 35m ★

6 AM

6h 47m

8 AM

7h 11m

10 AM

6h 55m

12 PM

6h 53m

3 PM

6h 57m

5 PM

7h 9m

8 PM

6h 40m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time

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Houston, TX

Trace Hudson

Palmhurst, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Trip Overview

Houston, TX to Palmhurst, TX is 350.6 miles and takes about 6h 47m via US Highway 59, with a fuel budget near $52 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Texas, crossing the Great Plains region for its entirety. Most of the route is on highways, making for a straightforward trip. With a single recommended day and a relatively short duration, this is a manageable drive for most people looking to head south.

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

175.3 miles from Houston, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 24m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US Highway 59	74.7 mi	1h 22m
Falfurrias Expressway	55.8 mi	58m
Alamo Street	37.1 mi	43m
US Highway 77 South	33.2 mi	37m
Southwest Freeway	32.8 mi	37m
I 69E	28.6 mi	31m
I 69C	16.7 mi	18m
East King Avenue	16.2 mi	20m

Longest stretch: US Highway 59 — 74.7 mi, about 1h 22m

Traffic on I-69

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~698 veh/hr typical · worst 1,031

Quietest

2 AM

~112 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.2×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 102 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 Palmhurst, TX.

Start on Louisiana Street

148 ft · 11 sec · Louisiana Street

Turn left onto Congress Street

298 ft · 14 sec · Congress Street

Use the left / straight lanes.

Turn left onto Smith Street

2.7 mi · 5 min · Smith Street

Use the left lane.

Merge onto I 69; US 59

33 mi · 37 min · Southwest Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 94 Toward Spur 10: Cottonwood, Church Road, Hartledge Road

Turn straight onto Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

Continue on Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

Continue on US 59 Southbound Frontage Road

0.9 mi · 2 min · US 59 Southbound Frontage Road

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 25 sec

Merge onto US 59

9.2 mi · 10 min · US 59

Keep slight left at fork onto US 59

6.6 mi · 7 min · US 59

Take the exit

1.5 mi · 2 min

Continue on US 59

75 mi · 1 hr 22 min · US Highway 59

Keep slight left at fork onto Spur 91

1.0 mi · 1 min · Spur 91

Merge onto US 77

33 mi · 37 min · US Highway 77 South

Turn straight onto US 77

37 mi · 43 min · Alamo Street

Take the exit onto US 77

0.1 mi · 13 sec · US 77

Toward I 37, US 77, I 69E

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 47 sec

Merge onto I 37; US 77; I 69E

2.5 mi · 2 min · I 37; US 77; I 69E

Use the straight lane.

Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77

29 mi · 31 min · I 69E; US 77

Toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec

Toward TX 141

Turn straight onto South US Highway 77 Bypass

0.1 mi · 25 sec · South US Highway 77 Bypass

Turn right onto TX 141

16 mi · 20 min · East King Avenue

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 49 sec

Merge onto US 281

11 mi · 12 min · US 281

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

9.5 mi · 10 min · I 69C; US 281

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

56 mi · 58 min · Falfurrias Expressway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

7.2 mi · 7 min · I 69C; US 281

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 23 sec

Exit 10 Toward US 281 Business South: Edinburg Use the slight right lane.

Continue on North Expressway 281

0.4 mi · 38 sec · North Expressway 281

Continue on US 281 Business

3.0 mi · 4 min · US 281 Business

Turn right onto US 281 Business; TX 107

377 ft · 13 sec · West McIntyre Street

Turn left onto US 281 Business; TX 107

360 ft · 10 sec · North 10th Avenue

Use the left / right lanes.

Turn right onto TX 107

9.1 mi · 13 min · West University Drive

Turn left onto TX 107

4.0 mi · 6 min · Conway Street

Turn left onto FM 1924

77 ft · 7 sec · 3 Mile Line

Turn left onto TX 107

193 ft · 5 sec · North Conway Avenue

Turn right

223 ft · 16 sec

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Given the 6h 47m estimated drive time, leaving Houston in the morning will allow you to reach Palmhurst comfortably within daylight hours. Plan for one stop along the way to break up the 350.6 miles. The longest stretch without a major intersection is 74.7 miles on US Highway 59, so ensure you have sufficient fuel before entering that segment. With a fuel cost estimated at $52, it's a budget-friendly trip for a single day.

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.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 175.3 miles from Houston, TX, or about 3h 24m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 74.7 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 77 miles or 1h 34m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 175.3 miles or 3h 24m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 35m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Palmhurst, 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 350.6 miles and 6h 47m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 77 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 US Highway 59 for about 74.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Aransas Pass, TX

175 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

Bay City, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 77 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Aransas Pass, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 175.3 miles from Houston, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

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 website

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

Early stretch 1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour

El Campo, Texas

Hours: 8 am–10 pm

Zlotnik Park at Legacy Fields

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

Early stretch 1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour

El Campo, Texas

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 27

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 337.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Congress Street

Turn left onto Congress Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.

35.6 mi into trip | ~44m in

Take the exit toward Spur 10: Cottonwood, Church Road, Hartledge Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 94 Toward Spur 10: Cottonwood, Church Road, Hartle...

204.5 mi into trip | ~3h 58m in | I 69E; US 77

Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77 toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville

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. Toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville

333.5 mi into trip | ~6h 21m in

Take the exit toward US 281 Business South: Edinburg

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 10 Toward US 281 Business South: Edinburg

337.3 mi into trip | ~6h 27m in | US 281 Business; TX 107 / North 10th Avenue

Turn left onto US 281 Business; TX 107 / North 10th Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$52.63 one way

$105.26 round trip

$3.81/gal 25.4 MPG avg 123 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.22	$58.24	$116.47
premium	$4.57	$63.01	$126.02
diesel	$6.28	$86.63	$173.26

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$53

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$78–$103

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 122.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $37 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	105.2	1	$36.81	$16.83
Efficient EV	87.7	1	$30.68	$14.02
EV Truck/SUV	140.2	1	$49.08	$22.44

Gas CO2

123 kg

EV CO2

41 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.

Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026

Origin

Houston, TX

Morning in Houston on Thursday

Local time

11:44 AM

CDT

Current temp

61°F

Partly Cloudy

NE 0 to 5 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Destination

Palmhurst, TX

Morning in Palmhurst on Thursday

Local time

11:44 AM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Partly Cloudy

N 3 mph 1% 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.

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

4 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

6h 47m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is mostly highway, with 79% of the drive on major roads like US Highway 59 and Falfurrias Expressway. You'll experience a longest stretch of 74.7 miles on US Highway 59 before transitioning to surface streets like Alamo Street as you approach your destination. Expect a good amount of rural cruising with fewer exits on the highway portions.

79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

39 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 74.7 mi on US Highway 59.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 59 and Falfurrias Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Congress Street.

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 27 significant decision points across 350.6 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: near the start (Congress Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 204.5 miles (I 69E; US 77): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

163 ft 34 ft

Total Climb

296 ft

Total Descent

171 ft

Highest Point

163 ft

~250.4 mi in

Elevation Range

129 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Houston, TX and Palmhurst, TX, road signs point toward Spur 10: Cottonwood and Brownsville.

Spur 10: Cottonwood

35.6 mi in | ~44m

Brownsville

204.5 mi in | ~3h 58m | via I 69E; US 77

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

Arriving in Palmhurst, TX

Full guide →

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 6h 47m. Total distance: 350.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

6h 47m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 74.7 miles on US Highway 59. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 17 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 Palmhurst, 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 17 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Not recommended in a single day. At 6.8 hours each way, a round trip means 13.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Palmhurst, 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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Trip from Houston, TX to Palmhurst, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-69

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Victoria County Southbound Rest Area

Brooks County Rest Area

Service Plaza

TA

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

TA

Victoria County Northbound Rest Area

Buc-ee's

Pilot Travel Center

Pilot Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Service Plaza

Flying J Travel Center

San Patricio County Northbound Rest Area

Downtown Aquarium

Union Station

Cidercade Houston

Brazos River Park

Barbara Fish Daniel Nature Play Area and Picnic Pavilion

Midtown Park

Legacy Park

Zlotnik Park at Legacy Fields

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Houston, TX

Palmhurst, TX

Same local time

4 degrees warmer at arrival

6h 47m on the road

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Houston, TX

Arriving in Palmhurst, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

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