{"id":359562,"date":"2026-07-03T04:42:47","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T04:42:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/359562\/"},"modified":"2026-07-03T04:42:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T04:42:47","slug":"20-best-road-trips-from-austin-texas-updated-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/359562\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Best Road Trips From Austin, Texas (Updated 2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\t\tSharing is caring!\t<\/p>\n

\"Best
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\n\"Best
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\n\"Brennan's<\/p>\n

Updated for 2026
\"Best<\/p>\n

Austin sits right in the heart of Central Texas, which makes it one of the best home bases for a road trip in the state. Whether you\u2019ve got a few hours for a day trip or a whole weekend to get away, I\u2019ve rounded up my favorite road trips from Austin \u2014 sorted by direction so you can find one no matter which way you\u2019re headed.<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO: 54 Best Things To Do In Austin, Texas (Updated 2026)<\/a><\/p>\n

Here are the best day trips and overnight getaways from Austin, sorted by west, south, north, and east.<\/p>\n

Road trips west of Austin
\n\"Fredericksburg\"Fredericksburg
\nFredericksburg<\/p>\n

Fredericksburg is the quintessential Hill Country getaway \u2014 a German-influenced town beloved for its scenic vineyard views. Did you know the Texas Hill Country is home to over 100 wineries and vineyards? Peach season runs mid-May through mid-August, and grape stomping happens in August, so late summer is an especially fun time to visit.<\/p>\n

Where to stay: Sunday Haus<\/a> in Fredericksburg.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 80 miles west (1 hour 30 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

RELATED: 21 Top Things To Do in Fredericksburg, TX<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"Goats\"Goats
\nDripping Springs<\/p>\n

Just a 30-minute drive from downtown, Dripping Springs is one of my favorite weekend getaways \u2014 Camp Lucy is a go-to for dinner. It\u2019s packed with outdoor activities that are both dog- and family-friendly, so whether you want to hike, explore the parks, or just relax and take in the scenery, there\u2019s something for everyone.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 25 miles west (30 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO: 16 Things To Do In Dripping Springs<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"Sweet\"Sweet
\nMarble Falls<\/p>\n

This laid-back lake town is known for boating, fishing, golfing, camping, swimming, and bird-watching.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 48 miles northwest<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Sweet Berry Farm \u2013 we shot the photo above during their wildflower festival in fall
\nBlue Bonnet Cafe
\nGranite Mountain
\nDead Man\u2019s Hole
\nLake Marble Falls
\nBalcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
\nSave The World Brewing Co
\nJohnson Park
\nGalleries at Pecan Creek<\/p>\n

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\"Krause\"Krause
\nSpicewood<\/p>\n

I go swimming at Krause Springs at least once every summer. It\u2019s a little Hill Country town that punches above its weight on wineries and distilleries.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 36 miles northwest<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Krause Springs \u2013 115-acre property with 32 springs (see also: 11 Best Swimming Holes in Austin<\/a>)
\nPace Bend Park
\nSpicewood Vineyards
\nStone House Vineyard
\nMuleshoe Bend Recreation Area
\nIron Wolf Ranch and Distillery
\nCrystal Creek Distillery
\nSilvers Trails<\/p>\n

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\"Prada\"Prada
\nMarfa<\/p>\n

I finally made the trip out to West Texas to see Marfa and Terlingua, and honestly, the 7-hour drive wasn\u2019t as bad as I expected. Check out my guide to things to do in Marfa<\/a> if you\u2019re planning a trip.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 429 miles west<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Prada Marfa
\nMarfa Lights Viewing Area
\nMarfa Mystery Lights
\nStargazing the Milky Way<\/p>\n

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\"Abandoned\"Abandoned
\nTerlingua<\/p>\n

We hit Terlingua on the same West Texas road trip. Here\u2019s my guide to things to do in Terlingua<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 485 miles west<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Big Bend National Park
\nRio Grande<\/p>\n

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\"Red\"Red
\nNew Mexico<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re already out in Terlingua, you might as well make the 8-hour drive up to New Mexico! Here are my guides to New Mexico<\/a>, Albuquerque<\/a>, Santa Fe<\/a>, and Taos.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 638 miles west (10 hours)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Los Poblanos in Albuquerque
\nCanyon Road in Santa Fe
\nWhite Sands National Park
\nMeow Wolf
\nOjo Caliente
\nTen Thousand Waves
\nEarthship Visitor Center in Taos
\nRio Grande Gorge Bridge<\/p>\n

Road trips south of Austin
\nSan Marcos<\/p>\n

Just a short drive south, San Marcos is the spot if you\u2019re looking to do some outlet shopping or float the river.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 31 miles south (40 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

San Marcos River
\nSan Marcos Premium Outlets
\nTanger Outlets<\/p>\n

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Gruene<\/p>\n

Just south of San Marcos is Gruene, a charming little town home to Gruene Hall \u2014 the oldest dance hall in Texas, where legends like George Strait and Willie Nelson have played. Live music every day, year round.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 50 miles south (50 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Stay at Gruene River Inn
\nGruene Hall
\nGruene Market Days \u2013 100 vendors with handmade crafts and Texas foods
\nGristmill River Restaurant<\/p>\n

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\"Blue\"BluePhoto by Ready Set Jet Set
\nWimberley<\/p>\n

Another favorite weekend getaway is the small, quaint town of Wimberley. You can easily walk the town square and pop into the local shops and boutiques. Don\u2019t miss Jacob\u2019s Well and Blue Hole while you\u2019re there.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 40 miles south (45 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Bella Vista Ranch
\nJacob\u2019s Well
\nBlue Hole Regional Park<\/p>\n

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\"The\"The
\nSan Antonio<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t get to San Antonio often, but I really should! I went for a quick day trip recently and was impressed by how much The Pearl area has developed. We spent the day lounging on the grass at The Pearl and eating Mexican food from the food hall.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 80 miles south (1 hour 15 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

The Alamo
\nRiver Walk (take a boat tour!)
\nThe Pearl
\nSan Antonio Botanical Gardens
\nSan Antonio Missions
\nNatural Bridge Caverns<\/p>\n

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New Braunfels<\/p>\n

Founded in the 1840s by German settlers, New Braunfels is known for its historic district and small-town charm \u2014 plus some of the best river floating in Texas.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 48 miles south<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Float the Guadalupe and Comal rivers
\nNew Braunfels Farmers Market
\nKrause\u2019s Biergarten & Cafe
\nPhoenix Saloon \u2013 the first bar in Texas to serve women
\nComal Inn<\/p>\n

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Lockhart<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re heading south, make sure to stop in Lockhart \u2014 the Barbecue Capital of Texas \u2014 for some of the best smoked meat in the state.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 30 miles south<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Black\u2019s Barbecue
\nKreuz Market
\nChisholm Trail Bar-B-Q
\nSmitty\u2019s Market<\/p>\n

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\"Beach\"Beach
\nPort Aransas<\/p>\n

I\u2019m from South Texas, and a beach getaway down on the Gulf coast is always worth the drive. I did a mini vacay to Corpus Christi to stay at Lively Beach<\/a> and loved it.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 252 miles south (3 hours 45 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Port Aransas Beach
\nThe Port Aransas Ferry System
\nMustang Island State Park
\nSan Jose Island
\nSouth Padre Island<\/p>\n

Road trips north of Austin
\n\"Historic\"Historic
\nSalado<\/p>\n

Salado is a small, historic town just north of Austin that I\u2019d recommend for a cooler-weather weekend getaway. I stayed at the Stagecoach Inn and wished it had been chillier so I could walk around the town square longer. Fun fact: Salado was first incorporated in 1867 for the sole purpose of building a bridge across Salado Creek.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 51 miles north (50 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Stay at the historic Stagecoach Inn<\/a>
\nSalado Glassworks
\nMud Pies Gallery
\nBarrow Brewing Company
\nSalado Museum & College Park
\nMagnolias of Salado (13 specialty shops under one roof)
\nThe Shoppes on Main
\nSalado Winery Co.
\nMill Creek Country Club<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO: 11 Best Things to Do in Salado TX<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"Things\"Things
\nWaco<\/p>\n

This little town north of Austin was put on the map by Fixer Upper stars Joanna and Chip Gaines.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 102 miles north (1 hour 35 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Magnolia Market at the Silos
\nWaco Mammoth National Monument
\nDr Pepper Museum<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO: 37 Top Things To Do In Waco, Texas<\/a><\/p>\n

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Dallas<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been to the Dallas and Plano area a few times and always need to make a trip back. Here\u2019s my guide to 18 Best Restaurants In Plano Texas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 195 miles north (2 hours 50 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden
\nDallas Museum of Art
\nKlyde Warren Park
\nEat & explore Lower Greenville<\/p>\n

Road trips east of Austin
\n\"Rancho\"Rancho
\nRound Top<\/p>\n

I love heading out to Round Top for a weekend (or even a whole week!). I\u2019ve been 3-4 times now, so I put together a guide to Round Top<\/a> with everything you need to know on where to stay, eat, and shop.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 80 miles east (1 hour 20 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Junk Gypsy
\nRound Top Antiques Show
\nRound Top Vintage Market
\nRoyers Pie Haven<\/p>\n

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Houston<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be honest \u2014 I don\u2019t know Houston as well as I\u2019d like beyond Chinatown and its incredible art and museum scene, so consider this a starting point.<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 165 miles east (2 hours 30 minutes)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

The Houston Museum of Natural Science
\nChinatown
\nMinute Maid Park
\nMuseum of Fine Arts, Houston
\nHouston Zoo
\nThe Galleria
\nCockrell Butterfly Center
\nHouston Livestock Show and Rodeo<\/p>\n

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\"Brennan's\"Brennan's
\nNew Orleans<\/p>\n

I love NOLA, especially in early February or in the fall when the weather is cooler. Stroll the French Quarter, visit St. Louis Cathedral, grab a beignet, and soak up the city\u2019s one-of-a-kind culture. Here are my New Orleans guides:<\/p>\n

Driving distance from Austin: 511 miles east (8 hours)<\/p>\n

Points of interest:<\/p>\n

Explore the French Quarter
\nWhitney Plantation Tour
\nBike the Garden District
\nJackson Square
\nCafe du Monde
\nDistrict Donuts
\nSt. Louis Cemetery No. 1
\nDrink a Hurricane cocktail<\/p>\n

RELATED: 7 Top Things To Do In Hot Springs Arkansas<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sharing is caring! Updated for 2026 Austin sits right in the heart of Central Texas, which makes it…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":359563,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[132,134,133],"class_list":["post-359562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-austin","tag-austin","tag-austin-headlines","tag-austin-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=359562"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359562\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/359563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=359562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=359562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=359562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}