El Paso to Galveston road trip: Drive time, distance & best stops

The distance from El Paso to Galveston by car is 800 miles, with an 11h22m driving time. The best road trip stops on the El Paso to Galveston drive are Balmorhea State Park, the Caverns of Sonora and San Antonio.

Planning an El Paso to Galveston road trip itinerary

The El Paso to Galveston drive is an epic journey from the far west of Texas to the Gulf of Mexico.

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.

Galveston TX has a dual personality. It is a serious port city, in particular serving the oil industry. On the other hand, it is a beach city, crammed with holiday-friendly attractions such as the Moody Gardens amusement park.

On the museum front, there’s the Wild West history-focused Bryan Museum, the pirate-centric Legends of the Gulf Coast Museum and the Moody Mansion.

Top things to do in Galveston include ghostly history tours, dolphin-watching cruises and e-bike adventure tours. There are also haunted pub crawls, thrill rides on a jet boat and Segway tours.

Great Galveston accommodation options include the gorgeously cool Tremont House and the beachside Best Western Plus Galveston Suites.

El Paso to Galveston distance and driving time

By car, the distance from El Paso to Galveston is 800 miles. That makes for a driving time of around 11 hours and 22 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-10 and I-45.

The best stops to add to an El Paso to Galveston road trip itinerary are Balmorhea State Park, the Caverns of Sonora and San Antonio.

El Paso to Galveston 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.

El Paso to Galveston 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.

Best stops between El Paso and Galveston: San Antonio

San Antonio’s most famous site is the Alamo, a fortified Spanish mission that played host to a critical battle in the Texas Revolution. It’s far from the only historic building in the city, though – the San Fernando Cathedral and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park are both visually impressive. It’s worth taking a guided tour of the missions for better understanding.

Further attractions include San Antonio Zoo, the Sea Life aquarium, the magic show at the Magicians Agency Theater and the Hopscotch Immersive Art Experience.

Other San Antonio experiences worth considering are the haunted ghost bus tour, downtown food tours, hop-on hop-off buses and Segway tours.

Book ahead for San Antonio accommodation deals. But try the Hotel Emma for five star opulence and the Canopy by Hilton for youthful energy on the Riverwalk.