Houston to Fredericksburg TX drive: Best stops, distance & time

The distance from Houston to Fredericksburg TX by car is 236 miles, with a 4h8m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Houston to Fredericksburg drive are the Stephen F Austin State Park, Palmetto State Park and San Marcos.

Planning a Houston to Fredericksburg TX road trip itinerary

The Houston to Fredericksburg drive takes you from the biggest city in Texas to wine country.

The top Houston attraction is unquestionably the NASA Space Center, which takes you behind the scenes of the Johnson Space Center. This includes the Mission Briefing Center, and a vast array of high tech exhibitions.

Other attractions include the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Children’s Museum,

For more Houston experiences, try hip hop party bike tours, foodie walks in the Montrose neighbourhood and quirky tours of Houston’s tunnel system.

Top Houston accommodation options include the superb value Club Quarters Houston Downtown and the upscale but boutique Magnolia.

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.

Houston to Fredericksburg distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Houston to Fredericksburg is 236 miles. That makes for a driving time of around four hours and eight minutes.

The best stops to add to a Houston to Fredericksburg road trip itinerary are the Stephen F Austin State Park, Palmetto State Park and San Marcos.

Houston to Fredericksburg drive: Stephen F Austin State Park

The Stephen F Austin State Park on the Brazos River is a popular hangout for campers, but it can also be enjoyed by travelers just passing through. There are five miles of hiking trails that veer from hardwood trees to swampland. The Nature Trail is the best bet if picking just one walk,

Nearby, you can visit the San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site, which tells the tale of early settlers in Texas.

Houston to Fredericksburg road trip attractions: Palmetto State Park

The dwarf palmettos and other tropical plants of Palmetto State Park make you feel further south than you really are. The Palmetto Trail is the best bet for hiking, but the highlight here is the San Marcos River. Swimming, fishing, tubing and canoeing are all permitted, while kayaks and paddleboards are available for hire.

Best stops between Houston and Fredericksburg: San Marcos TX

The San Marcos River is the unquestioned star of San Marcos TX. Ways to experience it include guided paddleboarding tours and kayaking at night with clear kayaks and glow lights.

The other major highlight of San Marcos is the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. Based around a huge artesian spring, there’s a wetlands boardwalk here, but most come for diving, kayaking and the much-loved glass-bottom boat tours.

Good value San Marcos accommodation choices include the Hilton Garden Inn and Residence Inn by Marriott.