Trip from Sundown, TX to Corpus Christi, 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

9h 48m

Distance

553.7 mi

891 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$76

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min

4 AM

9h 40m ★

6 AM

9h 49m

8 AM

10h 6m

10 AM

9h 55m

12 PM

9h 53m

3 PM

9h 56m

5 PM

10h 5m

8 PM

9h 43m

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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Sundown, TX

Al d'Vilas

city and county seat of Nueces County, Texas, United States

Corpus Christi, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Sundown, TX to Corpus Christi, TX is 553.7 miles and takes about 9h 48m via Lucian Adams Freeway and US 87, with a fuel budget near $80 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a long-haul drive that primarily stays within Texas, transitioning from the Great Plains region. Given the nearly 10-hour duration, planning for an overnight stop is highly recommended to avoid fatigue. The route is mostly highway driving, making it efficient but requiring attention. Consider this trip if you need to cover significant ground within Texas and prefer a straightforward, albeit lengthy, drive.

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

276.9 miles from Sundown, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 3m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Lucian Adams Freeway	140.3 mi	2h 23m
US 87	72.2 mi	1h 17m
I 10	71.7 mi	1h 14m
William B Crooker Memorial Highway	52.1 mi	52m
US 83	40 mi	38m
Ellis Street	29.4 mi	31m
South Main Street	21.5 mi	23m
North US Highway 87	18.1 mi	18m

Longest stretch: Lucian Adams Freeway — 140.3 mi, about 2h 23m

Traffic on I-37

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 22 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~2,281 veh/hr typical · worst 2,827

Quietest

2 AM

~200 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

11.4×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 52 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 Sundown, TX and Corpus Christi, TX.

Start on FM 301

0.5 mi · 52 sec · East Richardson Street

Continue on FM 301

6.0 mi · 10 min · FM 301

Turn right onto US 385

17 mi · 17 min · South US Highway 385

Turn right onto TX 137

2.3 mi · 2 min · State Highway 137

Continue on TX 137

2.0 mi · 3 min · North 14th Street

Turn sharp left onto US 62; US 385; TX 137

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Seagraves Road

Turn right onto TX 137

0.9 mi · 1 min · Lamesa Highway

Continue on TX 137

1.0 mi · 1 min · State Highway 137

Continue on TX 137

15 mi · 14 min · Lamesa Highway

Continue on TX 137

2.4 mi · 2 min · Brownfield Highway

Continue on TX 137

15 mi · 22 min · North State Highway 137

Continue on TX 137

1.2 mi · 1 min · North Bryan Avenue

Turn left onto US 180

0.7 mi · 55 sec · North 4th Street

Turn right onto US 87; US 180

1.2 mi · 1 min · North Lynn Avenue

Continue on US 87; US 180

1.3 mi · 1 min · South Dallas Avenue

Continue on US 87; US 180

18 mi · 18 min · South US Highway 87

Continue on US 87

1.4 mi · 1 min · William Crooker Highway

Continue on US 87

18 mi · 18 min · North US Highway 87

Continue on US 87

52 mi · 52 min · William B Crooker Memorial Highway

Continue on US 87; TX 158; TX 163

1.2 mi · 2 min · 4th Street

Continue on US 87

15 mi · 14 min · US Highway 87 South

Continue on US 87

72 mi · 1 hr 17 min · US 87

Turn right onto US 83

21 mi · 23 min · South Main Street

Continue on US 83

29 mi · 31 min · Ellis Street

Take the exit onto US 83

40 mi · 38 min · US 83

Toward I 10 East: San Antonio Use the left lane.

Continue on I 10

54 mi · 54 min · I 10

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

17 mi · 19 min · I 10; US 87

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

1.7 mi · 2 min · McDermott Freeway

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min

Exit 569C Toward Santa Rosa Street, Downtown Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto North Pecos-La Trinidad

0.2 mi · 16 sec · North Pecos-La Trinidad

Keep slight right at fork onto North Pecos-La Trinidad

0.6 mi · 1 min · North Pecos-La Trinidad

Use the straight lane.

Turn left onto Dolorosa Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Dolorosa Street

Use the straight / left lanes.

Continue on West Market Street

0.4 mi · 42 sec · West Market Street

Continue on East Market Street

0.4 mi · 40 sec · East Market Street

Turn right onto Tower of the Americas Way

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Tower of the Americas Way

Use the right lane.

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec

Toward I 37 South, US 281 South

Merge onto I 37; US 281

1.4 mi · 1 min · William J Bordelon Freeway

Continue on I 37; US 281

140 mi · 2 hr 23 min · Lucian Adams Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on Interstate Highway 37

387 ft · 10 sec · Interstate Highway 37

Continue on Interstate Highway 37

444 ft · 15 sec · Interstate Highway 37

Continue on I 37

483 ft · 9 sec · I 37

Arrive at destination

I 37

Trip Plan

With a total duration of nearly 10 hours, this route is best tackled over two days. Aim to depart early in the morning to maximize daylight driving. Break up the drive with at least two planned stops, ensuring you have time to refuel and rest. Given the 553.7 miles, consider an overnight stay around the halfway point to make the drive more manageable. Pay attention to fuel levels, especially when leaving more populated areas, as services can be spaced out on US 87.

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 276.9 miles from Sundown, TX, or about 5h 3m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 140.3 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 122 miles or 2h 18m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 276.9 miles or 5h 3m 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 276.9 miles or 5h 3m

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 8h 46m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Sundown, 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 Sundown, TX

Aim for roughly 277 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Corpus Christi, TX

Aim for roughly 277 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 122 miles from Sundown, 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 Lucian Adams Freeway for about 140.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Live Oak, TX

183 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.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Fair Oaks Ranch, TX

365 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 Fair Oaks Ranch, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Junction, TX

277 mi · about 4.9h in

A practical overnight split lands near Junction, TX after about 277 miles or 4.9 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Big Spring, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 122 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Junction, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 276.9 miles from Sundown, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Lucian Adams Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 140.3 miles.

Overnight split

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour

Corpus Christi, Texas

Hours: 6 am–10 pm

+13618267529

Visit website

Harbor Playhouse

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour

Corpus Christi, Texas

+13618825500

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

Corpus Christi, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+13618811200

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 295.5 and 410 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

295.5 mi into trip | ~5h 22m in | US 83

Take the exit onto US 83 toward I 10 East: San Antonio

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

Use the left lane. Toward I 10 East: San Antonio

389.7 mi into trip | ~6h 55m in | I 10; US 87

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

408.8 mi into trip | ~7h 17m in

Take the exit toward Santa Rosa Street, Downtown

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 569C Toward Santa Rosa Street, Downtown

409.5 mi into trip | ~7h 18m in | North Pecos-La Trinidad

Keep slight right at fork onto North Pecos-La Trinidad

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

410 mi into trip | ~7h 19m in | Dolorosa Street

Turn left onto Dolorosa Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$75.84 one way

$151.68 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 194 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$84.71	$169.42
premium	$4.23	$92.10	$184.20
diesel	$4.80	$104.55	$209.10

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$76

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$206–$316

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 193.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $58 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	166.1	2	$58.14	$26.58
Efficient EV	138.4	1	$48.45	$22.15
EV Truck/SUV	221.5	2	$77.52	$35.44

Gas CO2

194 kg

EV CO2

65 kg (66% 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 Jul 16, 2026

Origin

Sundown, TX

Late night in Sundown on Sunday

Local time

1:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

84°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SE 10 mph 18% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:21PM CDT until July 16 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:19PM CDT until July 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Destination

Corpus Christi, TX

Late night in Corpus Christi on Sunday

Local time

1:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

88°F

Mostly Sunny

SE 18 mph 7% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:21PM CDT until July 16 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:19PM CDT until July 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio 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.

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

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

9h 48m 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...

1 mi from route ~3 min detour Free near mile 420.1

View on nps.gov

Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of our 36th president beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire "circle of life" gives...

26 mi from route ~64 min detour Free near mile 362.8

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

You'll be on highways for about 76% of this 553.7-mile trip. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 140.3 miles on Lucian Adams Freeway, so be prepared for extended periods of consistent speed. Beyond the main highways, expect some time on surface roads, especially as you approach your destination. The drive involves significant rural cruising, typical for long distances across Texas.

76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 140.3 mi on Lucian Adams Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Lucian Adams Freeway and US 87. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 295.5 miles in near US 83.

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 16 significant decision points across 553.7 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 295.5 miles (US 83): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 389.7 miles (I 10; US 87): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 408.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes

3,538 ft 7 ft

Total Climb

305 ft

Total Descent

3,837 ft

Highest Point

3,538 ft

Elevation Range

3,532 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

On the drive from Sundown, TX to Corpus Christi, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.

Downtown

408.8 mi in | ~7h 17m

About the Cities

Starting in Sundown, TX

Full guide →

Arriving in Corpus Christi, TX

Full guide →

Corpus Christi (called Corpus by the locals) is Texas's largest coastal city and the gateway to Padre Island. While Corpus Christi isn't on the way to much of anything except itself (and the islands off its coast), it offers enough to fill a visit in its own right, or a multi-day trip from San Antonio, Austin, or Houston. The name is Latin for "Body of Christ".

Top landmarks

• USS Lexington — 1942 Essex-class aircraft carrier
• Corpus Christi Cathedral — historic place in Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas
• Sherman Building — listed on the NRHP in Nuences County, Texas

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 140.3 miles on Lucian Adams Freeway. 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 277 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 41 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 Corpus Christi, 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. There are 41 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 9.8 hours each way, a round trip means 19.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Corpus Christi, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Sundown, TX or browse trips ending in Corpus Christi, TX.

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