Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Lake Jackson, TX to Plano, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 36m
Distance
309.2 mi
498 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 23m
★
6 AM
5h 36m
8 AM
6h 3m
10 AM
5h 46m
12 PM
5h 43m
3 PM
5h 47m
5 PM
6h 2m
8 PM
5h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Jackson, TX
Thilina Alagiyawanna
Plano, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 309.2-mile drive from Lake Jackson, TX to Plano, TX is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 5 hours and 36 minutes. Primarily utilizing highways like North Freeway and North Central Expressway, you'll spend about 99% of your time on high-speed roads. With an estimated fuel cost of $47, this route offers a straightforward journey through the Great Plains region of Texas. Given the duration and highway focus, it's designed for efficient travel, allowing you to reach your destination with minimal fuss.
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
154.6 miles from Lake Jackson, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 51m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Freeway | 237.4 mi | 4h 9m |
| Nolan Ryan Expressway | 33.8 mi | 40m |
| North Central Expressway | 16.6 mi | 18m |
| Brazoria County Expressway | 16.1 mi | 19m |
| Gulf Freeway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| East 15th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| State Highway 332 East | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Center Way | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
North Freeway
— 237.4 mi, about 4h 9m
Traffic on I-45
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,256 veh/hr typical · worst 3,806
Quietest
2 AM
~407 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 48 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 Lake Jackson, TX and Plano, TX.
1
Start on Magnolia Street
53 ft
·
6 sec
·
Magnolia Street
2
Turn left onto Center Way
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Center Way
3
Turn left onto South Yaupon Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Yaupon Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto State Highway 332 East
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
State Highway 332 East
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on State Highway 228
489 ft
·
7 sec
·
State Highway 228
6
Take the ramp
496 ft
·
12 sec
7
Merge onto TX 288; TX 332
34 mi
·
40 min
·
Nolan Ryan Expressway
8
Continue on TX 288
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
South Freeway
9
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 288 Toll
16 mi
·
19 min
·
Brazoria County Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 45 North: Dallas
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 45
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Gulf Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 45
237 mi
·
4 hr 9 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on US 75
15 mi
·
16 min
·
North Central Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 28A
Toward Plano Parkway, 15th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn straight onto North Central Expressway
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Central Expressway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto East 15th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 15th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Arrive at destination
East 15th Street
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 5-hour and 36-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from Lake Jackson to avoid potential traffic, especially as you approach the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With only one recommended stop and a longest stretch of 237.4 miles, you have flexibility in planning your breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially before the longest segment on North Freeway, as services can be more spread out on highway stretches. The $47 fuel estimate is a good baseline for your budget.
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 154.6 miles from Lake Jackson, TX, or about 2h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 237.4 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 68 miles or 1h 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 154.6 miles or 2h 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 4h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Plano, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lake Jackson, 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 Lake Jackson, TX
This is one driving day of about 309.2 miles and 5h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 miles from Lake Jackson, 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 237.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
155 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 68 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 154.6 miles from Lake Jackson, 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 237.4 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
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
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
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
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
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.3 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.9 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
1.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.4 mi from route
TA
1.6 mi from route
SoPac Trail Rest Area
1.9 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.3 mi from route
Dark Hour Haunted House
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
0.8 mi from route
~2 min detour
Plano, Texas
+14692980556
Visit websiteSea Center Texas
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.3 mi from route
~3 min detour
Lake Jackson, Texas
Hours: 9 am–4 pm
+19792920100
Visit websiteLake Jackson Historical Museum
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Lake Jackson, Texas
Hours: 10 am–4 pm
+19792971570
Visit website11th Hour Escape
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
0.9 mi from route
~2 min detour
Plano, Texas
Hours: 12–5:30 pm
+14692095978
Visit websiteMorrison Park
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.5 mi from route
~4 min detour
Lake Jackson, Texas
+19792974533
Visit websiteLake Jackson Recreation Center
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.4 mi from route
~4 min detour
Lake Jackson, Texas
Hours: 5:45 am–9 pm
+19792974533
Visit websiteA.A. MacLean Park
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.6 mi from route
~4 min detour
Lake Jackson, Texas
Hours: 5 am–12 pm
+19792974533
Visit websiteHeritage Farmstead Museum
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.9 mi from route
~5 min detour
Plano, Texas
Hours: Closed
+19728810140
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 308.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
State Highway 332 East
At end of road, turn right onto State Highway 332 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
35.2 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
51.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 45 North: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 45 North: Dallas
8
306.8 mi into trip
|
~5h 32m in
Take the exit toward Plano Parkway, 15th Street
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 28A
Toward Plano Parkway, 15th Street
6
308.6 mi into trip
|
~5h 35m in
|
East 15th Street
Turn right onto East 15th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.35 one way
$84.70 round trip
$3.48/gal
25.4 MPG avg
108 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $47.31 | $94.61 |
| premium | $4.23 | $51.43 | $102.86 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $58.38 | $116.77 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.32
Central Expressway
(16.6 mi)
$1.32
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 108.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 92.8 | 1 | $32.47 | $14.84 |
| Efficient EV | 77.3 | 0 | $27.06 | $12.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 123.7 | 1 | $43.29 | $19.79 |
Gas CO2
108 kg
EV CO2
36 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
Lake Jackson, TX
Evening in Lake Jackson on Monday
Local time
8:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
90°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 10 mph
15% chance
Live forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 2:10PM CDT until July 17 at 5:15PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 17 at 1:26PM CDT until July 17 at 3:45PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Destination
Plano, TX
Evening in Plano on Monday
Local time
8:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
93°F
Partly Sunny
S 10 mph
18% chance
Live forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 2:10PM CDT until July 17 at 5:15PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 17 at 1:26PM CDT until July 17 at 3:45PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
100°F
Italy, TX
155 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
3 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 36m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for virtually the entire 309.2 miles, with 99% of the route on main roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is a significant 237.4 miles on the North Freeway, meaning you can settle in for extended periods of consistent travel. This profile suggests a drive characterized by consistent speed limits and minimal need for complex navigation, making it a predictable and efficient journey from start to finish.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 237.4 mi on North Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North Freeway and Nolan Ryan Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near State Highway 332 East.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 309.2 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 0.7 miles (State Highway 332 East): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.2 miles (TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
668 ft
10 ft
Total Climb
809 ft
Total Descent
151 ft
Highest Point
668 ft
~309.2 mi in
Elevation Range
658 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Lake Jackson, TX
Full guide →Founded 1944
Arriving in Plano, TX
Full guide →Founded 1873
Plano is a city of 285,000 people (2020) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex region of Texas and is north of Dallas. It is home to the headquarters of several large corporations.
Top landmarks
- • Heritage Farmstead Museum — building in Texas, United States
- • Plano Station, Texas Electric Railway — historic place in Plano, Collin 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 5h 36m. Total distance: 309.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 237.4 miles on North Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.32 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 30 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 Plano, 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 30 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (State Highway 332 East): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.2 miles (TX 288 Toll / Brazoria County Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.6 hours each way, a round trip means 11.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Plano, 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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