Origin
Laredo, TX
Late night in Laredo on Friday
Local time
5:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Laredo, TX to Port Aransas, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 23m
Distance
174.7 mi
281 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$25
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 11m
★
6 AM
3h 23m
8 AM
3h 48m
10 AM
3h 32m
12 PM
3h 29m
3 PM
3h 33m
5 PM
3h 46m
8 PM
3h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Laredo, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Port Aransas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Laredo, TX to Port Aransas, TX covers 174.7 miles and takes about 3h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Lloyd Bentsen Highway, TX 44, State Highway 361 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 64.6 miles on Lloyd Bentsen Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $25.35 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
87.4 miles from Laredo, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 39m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lloyd Bentsen Highway | 64.6 mi | 1h 9m |
| TX 44 | 54.4 mi | 1h 2m |
| State Highway 361 | 17.5 mi | 23m |
| North Padre Island Drive | 14.9 mi | 15m |
| East State Highway 44 | 11.3 mi | 12m |
| John F Kennedy Memorial Causeway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Clark Boulevard | 3 mi | 5m |
| South Padre Island Drive | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Lloyd Bentsen Highway
— 64.6 mi, about 1h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Laredo, TX and Port Aransas, TX.
1
Start on Matamoros Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Matamoros Street
2
Turn left onto San Dario Avenue
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
San Dario Avenue
3
Continue on San Dario Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
San Dario Avenue
4
Turn right onto Park Street
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Park Street
5
Continue on Clark Boulevard
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Clark Boulevard
6
Turn left onto Bob Bullock Loop
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Bob Bullock Loop
7
Take the ramp
231 ft
·
6 sec
8
Merge onto US 59
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
East Saunders Street
9
Continue on US 59
65 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
·
Lloyd Bentsen Highway
10
Continue on TX 44
53 mi
·
1 hr
·
TX 44
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit onto TX 44
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
·
TX 44
12
Take the exit onto TX 44
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
TX 44
13
Turn left onto TX 44
11 mi
·
12 min
·
East State Highway 44
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward TX 358 East
15
Merge onto TX 358
15 mi
·
15 min
·
North Padre Island Drive
16
Continue on PR 22
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
John F Kennedy Memorial Causeway
17
Continue on PR 22
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Padre Island Drive
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn left onto TX 361
18 mi
·
23 min
·
State Highway 361
Use the left lane.
19
Continue on South Alister Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Alister Street
Use the straight lane.
20
Turn right onto Beach Street
283 ft
·
13 sec
·
Beach Street
21
Turn left onto Church Street
62 ft
·
8 sec
·
Church Street
22
Turn left
28 ft
·
2 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
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 87.4 miles from Laredo, TX, or about 1h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.6 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 38 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 87.4 miles or 1h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Port Aransas, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Laredo, 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 Laredo, TX
This is one driving day of about 174.7 miles and 3h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Laredo, 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 Lloyd Bentsen Highway for about 64.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
87 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 87.4 miles from Laredo, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Lloyd Bentsen Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 174.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
San Dario Avenue
Turn left onto San Dario Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
136.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 35m in
Keep slight right at fork toward TX 358 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward TX 358 East
6
156.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 58m in
|
TX 361 / State Highway 361
Turn left onto TX 361 / State Highway 361
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
174.7 mi into trip
|
~3h 23m in
|
Church Street
Turn left onto Church Street
Navigation decision point
5
174.7 mi into trip
|
~3h 23m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.35 one way
$50.69 round trip
$3.69/gal
25.4 MPG avg
61 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.08 | $28.08 | $56.17 |
| premium | $4.43 | $30.48 | $60.97 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $38.51 | $77.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 61.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 52.4 | 0 | $18.34 | $8.39 |
| Efficient EV | 43.7 | 0 | $15.29 | $6.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 69.9 | 0 | $24.46 | $11.18 |
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
20 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.
Destination
Port Aransas, TX
Late night in Port Aransas on Friday
Local time
5:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
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
3h 23m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
174.7 mi in 3h 23m — 48% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Lloyd Bentsen Highway.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.6 mi on Lloyd Bentsen Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near San Dario Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 174.7 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (San Dario Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 136.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 156.6 miles (TX 361 / State Highway 361): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
578 ft
5 ft
Total Climb
231 ft
Total Descent
639 ft
Highest Point
578 ft
~25 mi in
Elevation Range
573 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Laredo, TX
Full guide →“The Gateway City” · Founded 1755
Laredo is a city with 262,000 (2019) inhabitants on the South Texas Plains. Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, is just across the Rio Grande.
Top landmarks
- • Cathedral of San Agustin — historic place in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
- • Fort McIntosh — historic district in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
- • San Agustin de Laredo Historic District — historic district in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
Arriving in Port Aransas, TX
Full guide →Port Aransas is a town in Texas on the northern tip of Mustang Island on the Gulf of Mexico about 30 minutes drive north from Corpus Christi.
Top landmarks
- • Tarpon Inn — building in Port Aransas, Nueces 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 23m. Total distance: 174.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 64.6 miles on Lloyd Bentsen Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 0.3 miles (San Dario Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 136.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 156.6 miles (TX 361 / State Highway 361): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Port Aransas, 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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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