Memphis to San Antonio road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Memphis to San Antonio drive are Hot Springs AR, Dallas and Austin. The distance from Memphis to San Antonio by car is 726 miles, with an 11h34m driving time.
Planning a Memphis to San Antonio road trip itinerary
The Memphis to San Antonio drive takes you from the home of Elvis in Tennessee to the most historic city in Texas.
Memphis, Tennessee, is a pilgrimage site for Elvis fans. The King’s Graceland mansion is one of the top tourist sites in the US. But the cultural heritage extends beyond music, as you’ll discover on an African-American history tour.
Try the Rock and Soul Museum, plus the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and the 19th century Woodruff-Fontaine House.
Ways of seeing the city include ghost walks, Downtown food tours and musical bus tours. There are also guided walks down music central, Beale Street, and city tours that take you inside the legendary Sun Studios.
Top Memphis accommodation options include the Peabody, famous for its marching ducks, and the Guesthouse at Graceland.
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.
Memphis to San Antonio distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Memphis to San Antonio is 726 miles. That makes for a driving time of around 11 hours and 34 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-40, I-30 and I-35.
The best stops to add to a Memphis to San Antonio road trip itinerary are Hot Springs AR, Dallas and Austin.
Best stops between Memphis and San Antonio: Hot Springs AR
Hot Springs in the Ouachita Mountains has loads to do. The natural highlight is Hot Springs National Park, which strings thermal springs together on a series of hiking trails. The historic bathhouses are also part of the national park.
There are also several amusement parks, of which Magic Springs is arguably the best as it has a water park.
Other Hot Springs experiences include zip line adventures and the Star Wars and superhero-obsessed Galaxy Connection.
For well-rated Hot Springs accommodation with charm, go for the Hilltop Manor B&B or the Gables Inn.
- For more suggestions, read the guide to the Memphis to Hot Springs drive.
Things to do on the Memphis to San Antonio drive: Dallas, Texas
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.
Memphis to San Antonio road trip attractions: Austin, Texas
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.
- For more ideas, check out the guides to the Dallas to Austin drive and Austin to San Antonio drive.
More Memphis road trips
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Memphis to Jackson MS | Jackson TN to Memphis | Kansas City to Memphis | Memphis to Knoxville | Little Rock to Memphis | Louisville to Memphis | Memphis to Miami | Memphis to Mobile AL | Memphis to Montgomery AL | Nashville to Memphis | Memphis to New Orleans | New York City to Memphis | Memphis to Oklahoma City | Memphis to Orange Beach | Memphis to Orlando | Memphis to Pensacola | Memphis to Pigeon Forge | Memphis to Tampa | Memphis to Tulsa.
More San Antonio road trips
Abilene to San Antonio | Albuquerque to San Antonio | Amarillo to San Antonio | Arlington to San Antonio | Austin to San Antonio | San Antonio to Baton Rouge | Chicago to San Antonio | Colorado Springs to San Antonio | Dallas to San Antonio | Denver to San Antonio | San Antonio to El Paso | Fort Worth to San Antonio | San Antonio to Galveston | Houston to San Antonio | Katy TX to San Antonio | Las Cruces to San Antonio | Nashville to San Antonio | New Orleans to San Antonio | Oklahoma City to San Antonio | Phoenix to San Antonio | San Antonio to Salt Lake City | Tulsa to San Antonio.