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Trip from McKinney, TX to Port Isabel, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

10h 29m

Distance

573.4 mi

923 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$83

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min
4 AM
10h 20m ★
6 AM
10h 29m
8 AM
10h 48m
10 AM
10h 36m
12 PM
10h 34m
3 PM
10h 37m
5 PM
10h 47m
8 PM
10h 23m

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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city in Collin County, Texas, United States

McKinney, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Port Isabel, TX, TX

Port Isabel, TX

Griffin Wooldridge

Trip Overview

The drive from McKinney, TX to Port Isabel, TX covers 573.4 miles and takes about 10h 29m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on U.S. Highway 77, South R L Thornton Freeway, TX 130 Toll for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-haul drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 105 miles on U.S. Highway 77. At current regular gas prices, budget about $83.19 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

286.7 miles from McKinney, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 5m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
U.S. Highway 77 105 mi 1h 56m
South R L Thornton Freeway 89.9 mi 1h 32m
TX 130 Toll 58.5 mi 54m
TX 80 51.2 mi 56m
South US Highway 181 40.2 mi 45m
Purple Heart Trail 37.9 mi 39m
I 69E 31.3 mi 33m
Central Expressway 29.2 mi 31m
Longest stretch: U.S. Highway 77 — 105 mi, about 1h 56m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~3,895 veh/hr typical · worst 4,744

Quietest

2 AM

~570 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.8×

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 McKinney, TX and Port Isabel, TX.

1

Start on North Tennessee Street

119 ft · 12 sec · North Tennessee Street
2

Turn left onto East Virginia Street

1.4 mi · 3 min · East Virginia Street
3

Turn left onto South Central Expressway

0.6 mi · 52 sec · South Central Expressway
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward US 75 South, TX 121 South Use the left lane.
5

Merge onto US 75; TX 121

29 mi · 31 min · Central Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

501 ft · 12 sec
Exit 284C Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway Use the slight left lane.
7

Continue on North Central Expressway

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Central Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
8

Turn right onto Elm Street

304 ft · 10 sec · Elm Street
9

Turn left onto North Pearl Expressway

0.2 mi · 28 sec · North Pearl Expressway
Use the straight lane.
10

Turn right onto Young Street

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Young Street
11

Turn left onto South Harwood Street

315 ft · 8 sec · South Harwood Street
Use the left lane.
12

Turn right onto Canton Street

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Canton Street
13

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward I 30 West
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Waco, Denton
15

Keep slight left at fork

221 ft · 5 sec
Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 30 sec
Toward I 35E South: Waco Use the left / right lanes.
17

Continue on I 35E

0.5 mi · 44 sec · South R L Thornton Freeway
18

Continue on I 35E

89 mi · 1 hr 31 min · South R L Thornton Freeway
Exit 426 Toward Dallas Zoo Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Continue on I 35; US 77

6.6 mi · 7 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Continue on I 35

38 mi · 39 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

26 mi · 26 min · I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 55 sec
Exit 265 Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio Use the slight right lane.
23

Continue on TX 130 Toll

59 mi · 54 min · TX 130 Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Exit 470 Toward US 183 South: Lockhart Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25

Continue on US 183

0.5 mi · 35 sec · United States Highway 183
26

Continue on US 183

4.9 mi · 8 min · North Colorado Street
27

Continue on US 183

10 mi · 11 min · US 183
28

Continue on US 183

4.2 mi · 6 min · North Magnolia Avenue
29

Continue on TX 80

51 mi · 56 min · TX 80
30

Turn slight left onto FM 792

8.4 mi · 10 min · Farm-to-Market Road 792
31

Continue on TX 72; TX 239

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Main Street
32

Turn left onto US 181

1.2 mi · 1 min · South Sunset Strip Drive
33

Continue on US 181

40 mi · 45 min · South US Highway 181
34

Continue on US 181

0.8 mi · 55 sec · North 8th Street
35

Continue on US 181

16 mi · 18 min · US Highway 181 South
36

Take the exit onto US 181

0.3 mi · 45 sec · US 181
37

Keep slight right at fork onto US 181

213 ft · 5 sec · US Route 181
38

Turn straight onto US 181

0.7 mi · 1 min · US Highway 181
39

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 46 sec
40

Merge onto US 77

12 mi · 13 min · US 77
41

Take the exit onto US 77

0.1 mi · 13 sec · US 77
Toward I 37, US 77, I 69E
42

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 47 sec
43

Merge onto I 37; US 77; I 69E

2.5 mi · 2 min · I 37; US 77; I 69E
Use the straight lane.
44

Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77

31 mi · 33 min · I 69E; US 77
Toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
45

Keep slight left at fork onto US 77

61 mi · 1 hr 9 min · U.S. Highway 77
46

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69E; US 77

44 mi · 46 min · U.S. Highway 77
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
47

Continue on I 69E; US 77; US 83

2.1 mi · 2 min · North Expressway
48

Keep slight right at fork onto I 169; TX 550 Toll

3.7 mi · 3 min · Interstate 169
Exit 10B Toward TX 550 Toll: Port of Brownsville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
49

Continue on I 169; TX 550 Toll

0.8 mi · 51 sec · I-169, TX 550 Toll
50

Continue on FM 511

2.0 mi · 2 min · FM 511
51

Continue on TX 550 Toll

3.7 mi · 4 min · State Highway 550
52

Turn left

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Use the left lane.
53

Merge onto TX 48

14 mi · 15 min · Brownsville-Port Isabel Highway
54

Turn right onto TX 100

1.0 mi · 2 min · State Highway 100
55

Turn slight right onto TX 100

0.1 mi · 24 sec · West Queen Isabella Boulevard
56

Turn right onto South Musina Street

0.2 mi · 24 sec · South Musina Street
57

Arrive at destination

South Musina Street

Trip Plan

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 286.7 miles from McKinney, TX, or about 5h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 105 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 126 miles or 2h 16m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 286.7 miles or 5h 5m 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 286.7 miles or 5h 5m

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 9h 22m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Port Isabel, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving McKinney, 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 McKinney, TX

Aim for roughly 287 miles and 5.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Port Isabel, TX

Aim for roughly 287 miles and 5.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 126 miles from McKinney, 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 U.S. Highway 77 for about 105 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in and county seat of Ellis County, Texas, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Waxahachie, TX

189 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.

Downtown San Antonio, TX, TX

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

San Antonio, TX

378 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, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

San Antonio, TX

287 mi · about 5.2h in

A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 287 miles or 5.2 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Waxahachie, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 126 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Antonio, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 286.7 miles from McKinney, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before U.S. Highway 77 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 105 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 287 miles or 5.2 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.

Pirate's Landing Fishing Pier

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Port Isabel, Texas

Hours: Open 24 hours

+19569437437

Visit website

Port Isabel Historical Museum

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Port Isabel, Texas

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+19569437602

Visit website

Treasures of the Gulf Museum

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Port Isabel, Texas

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+19569437602

Visit website

The Original Dolphin Watch

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour

South Padre Island, Texas

Hours: 10 am–8 pm

+19567614243

Visit website

Isla Tours

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour

South Padre Island, Texas

Hours: 7 am–6 pm

+19567614752

Visit website

Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour

McKinney, Texas

Hours: 9 am–4 pm

+19725625566

Visit website

SPI Excursions

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 3 mi from route ~7 min detour

South Padre Island, Texas

Hours: 8 am–6:30 pm

+18887098283

Visit website

South Padre Island Visitors Center

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour

South Padre Island, Texas

Hours: 8:30 am–5 pm

+19567616433

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 34

5 decision points cluster between mile 31.5 and 547.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
31.5 mi into trip | ~36m in

Take the exit toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway

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

Use the slight left lane. Exit 284C Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway
9
33.6 mi into trip | ~40m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco
7
33.7 mi into trip | ~40m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E South: Waco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes. Toward I 35E South: Waco
7
194.9 mi into trip | ~3h 27m 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
8
547.5 mi into trip | ~9h 58m in | I 169; TX 550 Toll / Interstate 169

Keep slight right at fork onto I 169; TX 550 Toll / Interstate 169 toward TX 550 Toll: Port of Brownsville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 10B Toward TX 550 Toll: Port of Brownsville

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$83.19 one way

$166.38 round trip

$3.69/gal 25.4 MPG avg 201 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.08 $92.17 $184.35
premium $4.43 $100.05 $200.10
diesel $5.60 $126.40 $252.79

Estimated Tolls: $2.44

Central Expressway (30.5 mi) $2.44

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

$83

Tolls

$2

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$216–$326

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 200.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $60 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 172 2 $60.21 $27.52
Efficient EV 143.4 1 $50.17 $22.94
EV Truck/SUV 229.4 2 $80.28 $36.70

Gas CO2

201 kg

EV CO2

67 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 Sep 3, 2026

Origin

McKinney, TX

Late night in McKinney on Friday

Local time

3:19 AM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Port Isabel, TX

Late night in Port Isabel on Friday

Local time

3:19 AM

CDT

Current temp

89°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.

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

12 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

10h 29m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

573.4 mi / 10h 29m — a long-haul route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. Biggest road: U.S. Highway 77.

86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
57 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 105 mi on U.S. Highway 77.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on U.S. Highway 77 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 31.5 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 34 significant decision points across 573.4 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 31.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

778 ft 8 ft

Total Climb

418 ft

Total Descent

1,038 ft

Highest Point

778 ft

~204.8 mi in

Elevation Range

770 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between McKinney, TX and Port Isabel, TX, road signs point toward Downtown, Denton, Waco, Dallas Zoo and Brownsville.

Downtown

31.5 mi in | ~36m

Denton

33.5 mi in | ~40m

Waco

33.6 mi in | ~40m

Dallas Zoo

34.6 mi in | ~41m | via I 35E

Brownsville

409.1 mi in | ~7h 26m | via I 69E; US 77

About the Cities

Starting in McKinney, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1848

McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas.

Arriving in Port Isabel, TX

Full guide →

The City of Port Isabel, population 6,300 in 2019, is the southernmost city and port on the Texas coast. It is a tourism, retirement, sports fishing and commercial fishing destination and the gateway to South Padre Island.

Top landmarks

  • • Point Isabel Lighthouse — structure in Port Isabel, Cameron County, Texas

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 105 miles on U.S. Highway 77. 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 287 miles on day one.

Expect about $2.44 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.

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.

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 Port Isabel, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 31.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Not recommended in a single day. At 10.5 hours each way, a round trip means 21.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Port Isabel, 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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Port Isabel, TX to McKinney, TX

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