Traveling from Wallis to San Antonio covers 160 miles of Texas terrain, typically taking about 2 hours and 30 minutes behind the wheel. Because this distance is manageable, it works perfectly as a straightforward day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay unless you prefer a slower pace. Budgeting approximately $24 for fuel will cover your transit across these Great Plains landscapes. Since you are staying within the same region, the transition between these two points is consistent and familiar. It is a practical, no-nonsense route that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
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
78.9 miles from Wallis, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 22m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 10
137.7 mi
2h 18m
Commerce Street
9.8 mi
10m
East Commerce Street
4.3 mi
7m
Jose Lopez Freeway
1.6 mi
1m
TX 36
1.2 mi
2m
90th Infantry Division Highway
0.8 mi
<1m
TX 60
0.4 mi
<1m
Interstate 10 East
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 137.7 mi, about 2h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wallis, TX and San Antonio, TX.
1
Start on TX 60
0.4 mi·37 sec·TX 60
2
Turn sharp right onto Legion Street
0.3 mi·49 sec·Legion Street
3
Turn left onto TX 36; FM 1093
9.8 mi·10 min·Commerce Street
4
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 36
1.2 mi·2 min·TX 36
5
Turn left
0.3 mi·49 sec
6
Continue on I-10 Frontage Road
0.3 mi·45 sec·I-10 Frontage Road
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
8
Merge onto I 10
126 mi·2 hr 5 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130
12 mi·12 min·I 10; US 90; TX 130
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130
0.8 mi·51 sec·90th Infantry Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 10; US 90
1.6 mi·1 min·Jose Lopez Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi·19 sec
Exit 579Toward Commerce Street, Houston StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto Interstate 10 East
0.3 mi·38 sec·Interstate 10 East
14
Turn right onto East Houston Street
0.2 mi·20 sec·East Houston Street
15
Turn slight left onto East Commerce Street
4.3 mi·7 min·East Commerce Street
16
Turn left onto Military Plaza
392 ft·15 sec·Military Plaza
17
Turn left onto Dolorosa Street
327 ft·8 sec·Dolorosa Street
18
Arrive at destination
Dolorosa Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a 2.5-hour journey, you have the flexibility to leave whenever suits your schedule without needing to stress over a rigid itinerary. Keep in mind that there are no planned stops on this route, so ensure your tank is ready for the $24 fuel cost before you depart. Being a turn-heavy drive, it is wise to check your tire pressure and vehicle fluids before leaving to ensure a smooth transition through local turns. If you find yourself needing a break, look for opportunities to pull over safely well in advance, as the lack of scheduled stops means you are responsible for your own pacing. Taking this route during daylight hours is highly recommended to better navigate the local road turns safely.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 78.9 miles from Wallis, TX, or about 1h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 137.7 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 35 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 78.9 miles or 1h 22m 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 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Antonio, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wallis, 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 Wallis, TX
This is one driving day of about 157.8 miles and 2h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Wallis, 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 10 for about 137.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 152.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|Legion Street
Turn sharp right onto Legion Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
12.6 mi into trip|~16m in|I 10
Merge onto I 10
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
138.3 mi into trip|~2h 22m in|I 10; US 90; TX 130
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
150.3 mi into trip|~2h 34m in|I 10; US 90; TX 130 / 90th Infantry Division Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130 / 90th Infantry Division Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
152.7 mi into trip|~2h 37m in
Take the exit toward Commerce Street, Houston 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 579
Toward Commerce Street, Houston Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.84 one way
$47.69 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg55 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$26.10
$52.20
premium
$4.54
$28.17
$56.35
diesel
$5.61
$34.84
$69.68
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 55.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
47.3
0
$16.57
$7.57
Efficient EV
39.5
0
$13.81
$6.31
EV Truck/SUV
63.1
0
$22.09
$10.10
Gas CO2
55 kg
EV CO2
18 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Wallis, TX
Afternoon
in Wallis on Sunday
Local time
3:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
San Antonio, TX
Afternoon
in San Antonio on Sunday
Local time
3:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
63°F
Luling, TX
79 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
7 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 46m 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.
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...
8 mi from route
~21 min detour
Free
near mile 152.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this 160-mile trek. With a highway share of 0%, you should prepare for a more engaging experience that requires your full attention on local roads. The path lacks long, uninterrupted highway stretches, meaning you will navigate a series of turns that keep the journey dynamic. Because the route is entirely local, your pace will be dictated by the nuances of the roads between Wallis and San Antonio. It is a drive that rewards drivers who prefer staying off the major interstates.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 137.7 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and Commerce Street. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Legion Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 157.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.4 miles (Legion Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 12.6 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 138.3 miles (I 10; US 90; TX 130): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
San Antonio is the second largest city in the state of Texas and the 7th largest in the United States. It's the 24th largest metropolitan area in the country. Visited by more than 31 million annual visitors, San Antonio is a beautiful city at the axis of three different geological terrains: Hill Country, South Texas Plains and Prairie and Lakes. There's a lot to do in this city: fine art museums, historical missions and plenty of amusement parks in addition to great dining and lots of drinking. The culture and people are vibrant and interesting. San Antonio's downtown is one of the most lively in the nation.
Top landmarks
•Alamo Mission in San Antonio — historic place in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
•San Antonio Missions National Historical Park — historic district in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
•Fort Sam Houston — military base in San Antonio, Texas
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 46m. Total distance: 157.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 137.7 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 San Antonio, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Legion Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 12.6 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 138.3 miles (I 10; US 90; TX 130): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Antonio, TX before heading back.
