Austin to El Paso road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
The distance from Austin to El Paso by car is 577 miles, with an 8h45m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Austin to El Paso drive are Fredericksburg TX, the Caverns of Sonora and Balmorhea State Park.
Planning an Austin to El Paso road trip itinerary
The Austin to El Paso drive connects the capital of Texas to the far west of the state.
Austin is renowned for its live music scene, although it has plenty of more conventional attractions too. These include Austin Zoo, the Museum of Ice Cream and the Bullock Texas State History Museum.
Top Austin experiences include ebike tours taking in the city highlights, haunted pub crawl walks and segway tours.
You can also try highly-rated downtown food tours, half day wine shuttles in the Hill Country, brewery-hopping beer tours and sightseeing on a boat cruise.
For Austin hotel recommendations, try band crashpad chic meets rainbow bathrobes at the Hotel San Jose and the unashamed rock star swagger of the W.
El Paso has plenty of stories behind it, some of which are covered on the Ghosts, Haunted Cowboys and Outlaws tour. You can also explore the surrounding landscape on a UTV adventure tour, or going biking, hiking and rock-climbing in Franklin Mountains State Park.
As for other El Paso attractions, the National Border Patrol Museum looks at the work of those who monitor the US’ borders, with a little bit too much emphasis on weaponry. The El Paso Museum of Archaeology, meanwhile, looks at the prehistory of the South West.
To track down the best El Paso hotel deals, head here.
Austin to El Paso distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Austin to El Paso is 577 miles. That means a driving time of around eight hours and 45 minutes. The quickest route is along the US-290 and I-10.
The best stops to add to an Austin to El Paso road trip itinerary are Fredericksburg TX, the Caverns of Sonora and Balmorhea State Park.
Best stops between Austin and El Paso: Fredericksburg TX
Fredericksburg is at the heart of the central Texas wine industry, and is known for its strong German feel. The Markplatz town square hosts the Vereins Kirche, a German-style octagonal church.
The major attraction here is the National Museum of the Pacific War, but realistically, it’s all about the wineries.
The wine trolley is a popular way to get around them, but you can also plump for a boutique wine tour including lunch. Other Fredericksburg experiences include a narrated trolley tour of the historic district.
Personality-packed Fredericksburg accommodation options include the Hotel Giles and the Winchester Lodge.
Austin to El Paso road trip attractions: Caverns of Sonora
Sonora TX is where the Texas Hill Country rubs up against the Chihuahuan Desert. The unusual geography here throws up a few oddities, with the Caverns of Sonora being a case in point.
The Caverns of Sonora is essentially a corridor of crystal, 155ft below the earth’s surface. The guided tours last one hour and 45 minutes, showing off the extensive cave decorations. Expect to navigate 360 stairs on the way.
Austin to El Paso drive: Balmorhea State Park
Balmorhea State Park in Toyahvale TX is home to the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool. More than 15 million gallons of water flow through this 1.3 million acre pool on a daily basis, fed by the San Solomon Springs. It’s naturally heated, too, with the water temperature at a steady 72 to 76 degrees all year. It’s also possible to go Scuba diving here.
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