Dallas to Phoenix road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Dallas to Phoenix drive are Odessa, El Paso and Tucson. The distance from Dallas to Phoenix by car is 1,064 miles, with a 15h33m driving time.
Planning a Dallas to Phoenix road trip itinerary
The Dallas to Phoenix drive takes you from north Texas to the capital of Arizona.
Dallas has plenty of high quality cultural attractions. These include the Nasher Scupture Center, Pioneer Square and the Perot Museum of Science and Nature.
But for many visitors, the main reason to visit Dallas is the JFK assassination. Yes, you can go up to the Book Depository where Lee Harvey Oswald supposedly took his shot from.
Top Dallas experiences include a JFK Assassination and Museum tour, the GeO-Deck at Reunion Tower and a self-guided scavenger hunt.
Good places to stay in Dallas with a pool include the sassy Kimpton Pittman downtown and the historic Warwick Melrose near Turtle Creek.
How to do the JFK sites in Dallas
The best way to combine the JFK sites in Dallas is a special themed tour. This takes in the JFK Memorial, Dealey Plaza and the Grassy Knoll before heading to Lee Harvey Oswald’s rooming house. It finishes in the Sixth Floor Museum of the Texas Book Depository. On the way, expert guides take you through the assassination facts and theories. Find out more here.
A stay in Phoenix is at its best when you explore the surrounding Sonoran Desert. That might be in a hot air balloon flight, on an ATV tour or on a guided sunset hiking adventure. You can also do day tours along the Apache Trail.
For other Phoenix experiences, try a downtown food tour, a street art tour or a spooky nighttime ghost walk.
Attractions that you might wish to buy advance include cell phone-friendly tickets for include Phoenix Zoo, the Sea Life aquarium or a drunk Shakespeare performance.
For Phoenix accommodation options with a bit of character, try the art-splashed Foundre or the resort-like Raintree at Phoenix South Mountain Preserve.
Dallas to Phoenix distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Dallas to Phoenix is 1,064 miles. That makes for a driving time of around 15 hours and 33 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-20 and I-10.
The best stops to add to a Dallas to Phoenix road trip itinerary are Odessa, El Paso and Tucson.
For more suggestions, read the guides to the individual legs of the journey:
Dallas to Phoenix road trip attractions: Odessa, Texas
Odessa TX plays host to an ancient meteor crater, which has shifted in shape and size over the centuries. It’s currently about 15ft deep and 550ft wide, with a museum about the history of the crater next to it.
Otherwise, the top attraction is on the University of Texas of the Permian Basin campus, where there is a replica of Stonehenge.
Most Odessa hotels are unexciting, but good value. Find the best deals here.
Best stops between Dallas and Phoenix: El Paso, Texas
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.
Dallas to Phoenix drive: Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is often used as a base for exploring the Sonoran Desert. But it’s a proper city with an arty streak, a Spanish-tinged history and excellent Mexican food.
Top Tucson experiences include exploring the city’s many murals, taking a self-guided audio tour through Saguaro National Park and canyoneering at Mt Lemmon.
There are also several good bike tours you can do in and around Tucson. Choose from a history-focused ride through the city, e-biking in Saguaro National Park and taco-tasting on two wheels.
For resort-style accommodation in Tucson, take a look at the impressive Casino Del Sol Resort. To stay downtown, within walking distance of several restaurants, try the Leo Kent Hotel.
More Dallas road trips
Abilene TX to Dallas | Dallas to Albuquerque | Dallas to Amarillo | Dallas to Aspen | Dallas to Austin | Dallas to Atlanta | Dallas to Baltimore | Dallas to Baton Rouge | Dallas to Beaumont TX | Dallas to Buffalo | Cincinnati to Dallas | Dallas to Cleveland | Dallas to Colorado Springs | Dallas to Columbus | Conroe TX to Dallas | Dallas to Denver | Dallas to Detroit | Dallas to El Paso | Dallas to Fort Lauderdale | Dallas to Fredericksburg | Dallas to Galveston | Dallas to Hot Springs | Dallas to Houston | Huntsville TX to Dallas | Dallas to Jackson MS | Katy TX to Dallas | Dallas to Knoxville.
Dallas to Lafayette LA | Dallas to Lake Charles | Little Rock to Dallas | Louisville to Dallas | Dallas to Lubbock TX | Dallas to Memphis | Midland to Dallas | Minneapolis to Dallas | Dallas to Nashville | Dallas to New Braunfels | Dallas to New Orleans | Dallas to New York City | Odessa TX to Dallas | Oklahoma City to Dallas | Dallas to Omaha.
Dallas to Philadelphia | Dallas to Pittsburgh | Dallas to Salt Lake City | San Angelo to Dallas | Dallas to San Antonio | Dallas to San Marcos | Dallas to Santa Fe | Shreveport to Dallas | Dallas to St Louis | Dallas to Tampa | Texarkana to Dallas | Dallas to Tucson | Dallas to Washington DC | Weatherford TX to Dallas | Wichita to Dallas.
More Phoenix road trips
Albuquerque to Phoenix | Phoenix to Colorado Springs | Denver to Phoenix | El Paso to Phoenix | Phoenix to Flagstaff | Phoenix to Grand Canyon (South Rim) | Houston to Phoenix | Phoenix to Kingman | Las Cruces to Phoenix | Phoenix to Prescott | Omaha to Phoenix | Phoenix to San Antonio | Phoenix to Santa Fe | Phoenix to Sedona | Phoenix to Tombstone | Phoenix to Tucson | Phoenix to Williams AZ | Winslow to Phoenix | Phoenix to Yuma.