Trip from Olivarez, TX to Houston, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

6h 52m

Distance

352.5 mi

567 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$48

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 35 min

4 AM

6h 41m ★

6 AM

6h 53m

8 AM

7h 16m

10 AM

7h 1m

12 PM

6h 59m

3 PM

7h 2m

5 PM

7h 15m

8 PM

6h 46m

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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Olivarez, TX

Fernando Capetillo

Houston, TX

Trace Hudson

Trip Overview

If you are planning a trip from Olivarez to Houston, expect a journey covering 335.3 miles across the Great Plains. You should budget approximately 5 hours and 29 minutes of drive time, making this a manageable endeavor for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of about $50, the route is relatively economical for a solo traveler or a small group. You will navigate primarily via South Broadway Street, Edinburg Avenue, and Richardson Road. Since the entire trip takes place within Texas, you will remain in the Great Plains region throughout the excursion, ensuring a consistent landscape from start to finish.

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

176.3 miles from Olivarez, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 25m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 69C	96.7 mi	1h 44m
US Highway 59 South	88.6 mi	1h 38m
US 77	37.6 mi	44m
United States Highway 77	33 mi	37m
Southwest Freeway	32.6 mi	37m
East Main Street	26.2 mi	30m
Edinburg Avenue	6.1 mi	9m
U.S. Highway 77	4.7 mi	5m

Longest stretch: I 69C — 96.7 mi, about 1h 44m

Traffic on I-69

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 6 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~682 veh/hr typical · worst 936

Quietest

2 AM

~109 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.3×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 51 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 Olivarez, TX and Houston, TX.

Start on FM 88

4.0 mi · 5 min · North Texas Boulevard

Continue on FM 88

0.5 mi · 51 sec · South Broadway Street

Turn left onto TX 107

6.1 mi · 9 min · Edinburg Avenue

Turn right onto FM 2128

0.9 mi · 1 min · Richardson Road

Continue on FM 2128

0.5 mi · 40 sec · East Schunior Street

Continue on FM 2128

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Richardson Street

Continue on FM 2128

1.2 mi · 1 min · East Richardson Road

Turn right onto North Expressway 281

181 ft · 3 sec · North Expressway 281

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec

Toward I 69C North, US 281 North

Merge onto I 69C; US 281

71 mi · 1 hr 15 min · I 69C; US 281

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

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

25 mi · 28 min · I 69C; US 281

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min

Continue on US 281 Business

2.2 mi · 3 min · US 281 Business

Turn right onto FM 1352

0.5 mi · 57 sec · Cecilia Street

Turn left onto FM 665

345 ft · 7 sec · Old Kingsville Road

Turn slight right onto FM 665

1.3 mi · 2 min · South Cameron Street

Turn right onto TX 44; TX 359

452 ft · 5 sec · East Front Street

Continue on TX 44; TX 359

26 mi · 30 min · East Main Street

Use the straight lane.

Take the exit onto TX 44

0.6 mi · 1 min · TX 44

Turn left onto North US Highway 77

1.0 mi · 2 min · North US Highway 77

Use the left lane.

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec

Toward County Road 44

Merge onto I 69E; US 77

4.7 mi · 5 min · U.S. Highway 77

Merge onto I 37; US 77; I 69E

1.4 mi · 1 min · I 37; US 77; I 69E

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 50 sec

Continue on I 37; US 77; I 69E

463 ft · 5 sec · I 37; US 77; I 69E

Take the exit onto US 77

38 mi · 44 min · US 77

Toward Sinton, Victoria

Turn slight right onto US 77

33 mi · 37 min · United States Highway 77

Keep slight left at fork onto Spur 91

1.5 mi · 1 min · Spur 91

Merge onto US 59

89 mi · 1 hr 38 min · US Highway 59 South

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec

Continue on 59 Northbound Frontage Road

1.6 mi · 2 min · 59 Northbound Frontage Road

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 58 sec · this road

Continue on US 59 Northbound Frontage Road

2.0 mi · 4 min · US 59 Northbound Frontage Road

Continue on Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

1.3 mi · 2 min · Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec

Toward I 69 North, US 59 North

Merge onto I 69; US 59

33 mi · 37 min · Southwest Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min

Toward Richmond Avenue, Downtown via Louisiana Street Use the slight left lane.

Take the exit

155 ft · 3 sec

Toward Downtown, Louisiana Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on Louisiana Street

1.9 mi · 4 min · Louisiana Street

Use the straight / left lanes.

Arrive at destination

Louisiana Street

Trip Plan

Since you are looking at a 5-hour and 29-minute commitment, consider departing early in the morning to avoid the stress of navigating local turns during peak hours. You should plan for at least one stop during the trip to break up the drive and refuel. Keeping your $50 fuel budget in mind, it is wise to monitor your mileage closely given the turn-heavy nature of the roads. Flexibility is a major advantage here; because this is a local-road route, you can easily adjust your pace or take a break whenever you feel fatigued. Most importantly, stay alert at every turn since you will be relying on local roads like Edinburg Avenue and Richardson Road for the duration of your journey.

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 176.3 miles from Olivarez, TX, or about 3h 25m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 96.7 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 78 miles or 1h 29m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 176.3 miles or 3h 25m 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 36m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Olivarez, 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 Olivarez, TX

This is one driving day of about 352.5 miles and 6h 52m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 78 miles from Olivarez, 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 I 69C for about 96.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Aransas Pass, TX

176 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.

Popular next leg

Aransas Pass, TX to Houston, TX

200.8 mi · 3h 56m

Pacing Suggestions

San Diego, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 78 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Aransas Pass, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 176.3 miles from Olivarez, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 69C if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 96.7 miles.

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Houston, Texas

Hours: 10 am–8:30 pm

+17132233474

Visit website

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 1.8 mi from route ~4 min detour

El Campo, Texas

Hours: 8 am–10 pm

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 24

5 decision points cluster between mile 14.1 and 350.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

14.1 mi into trip | ~21m in

Take the ramp toward I 69C North, US 281 North

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 69C North, US 281 North

14.3 mi into trip | ~21m in | I 69C; US 281

Merge onto I 69C; US 281

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

142.4 mi into trip | ~2h 44m in | North US Highway 77

Turn left onto North US Highway 77

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

349.7 mi into trip | ~6h 46m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Richmond Avenue, Downtown via Louisiana Street

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

Use the slight left lane. Toward Richmond Avenue, Downtown via Louisiana...

350.6 mi into trip | ~6h 48m in

Take the exit toward Downtown, Louisiana 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. Toward Downtown, Louisiana Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$48.28 one way

$96.56 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 123 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$53.93	$107.86
premium	$4.23	$58.63	$117.27
diesel	$4.80	$66.56	$133.12

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$48

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$73–$98

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 123.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

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

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	105.8	1	$37.01	$16.92
Efficient EV	88.1	1	$30.84	$14.10
EV Truck/SUV	141	1	$49.35	$22.56

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 Jul 17, 2026

Origin

Olivarez, TX

Late night in Olivarez on Sunday

Local time

1:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Partly Cloudy

SE 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 5:03AM CDT until July 17 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 5:02AM CDT until July 17 at 6:45AM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX

Destination

Houston, TX

Late night in Houston on Sunday

Local time

1:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Partly Cloudy

SE 5 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 5:03AM CDT until July 17 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 5:02AM CDT until July 17 at 6:45AM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX

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 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 52m 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?

Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive, as this route contains absolutely no highway travel. Because the highway share is 0%, you will spend your entire time navigating local roads rather than high-speed interstates. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 0 miles on South Broadway Street, which highlights the frequent turns you will encounter along the way. This path demands your full attention, as the lack of highway stretches means you are constantly adjusting to local traffic patterns and intersections. Expect a hands-on driving experience that prioritizes local navigation over long-distance cruising speed.

86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 96.7 mi on I 69C.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 69C and US Highway 59 South. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.1 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 24 significant decision points across 352.5 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 14.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.3 miles (I 69C; US 281): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 142.4 miles (North US Highway 77): Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

166 ft 14 ft

Total Climb

217 ft

Total Descent

249 ft

Highest Point

166 ft

~100.7 mi in

Elevation Range

151 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Olivarez, TX and Houston, TX, road signs point toward County Road 44, Sinton and Victoria.

County Road 44

143.4 mi in | ~2h 47m

Sinton

150.5 mi in | ~2h 55m | via US 77

Victoria

150.5 mi in | ~2h 55m | via US 77

About the Cities

Starting in Olivarez, TX

Full guide →

Arriving 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. === Welcome World Cup fans === Games will be played at NRG Stadium on the south side of Houston The best way to get to the stadium on game day is to use MetroRail trains (red line to NRG Stadium/Astrodome). Fare cards can be purchased at kiosks at train platforms and cost US$1.25 per ride The best hotels for football fans are downtown or near the medical center (both areas have easy access to MetroRail).

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 6h 52m. Total distance: 352.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

6h 52m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 96.7 miles on I 69C. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 16 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 Houston, 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 16 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Not recommended in a single day. At 6.9 hours each way, a round trip means 13.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Houston, 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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Explore more options from Olivarez, TX or browse trips ending in Houston, TX.

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Trip from Olivarez, TX to Houston, 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 Northbound Rest Area

Brooks County Rest Area

TA

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

TA

Victoria County Southbound Rest Area

Buc-ee's

Flying J Travel Center

Pilot Travel Center

Pilot Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

Love's Travel Stop

San Patricio County Northbound Rest Area

Downtown Aquarium

Union Station

Cidercade Houston

Barbara Fish Daniel Nature Play Area and Picnic Pavilion

Brazos River Park

Midtown Park

Waugh Drive Bat Colony

Legacy Park

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Olivarez, TX

Houston, TX

Same local time

1 degrees warmer at arrival

6h 52m 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 Olivarez, TX

Arriving in Houston, 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

Continue From Houston, TX

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