Odessa TX to Dallas TX road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops

Finding the best things to do between Odessa and Dallas

The Odessa TX to Dallas TX drive connects one of the main hubs of southwest Texas to the biggest city in north 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.

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.

Top Dallas accommodation choices include the plush Hyatt Regency downtown and the charismatically luxurious Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek.

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.

Odessa TX to Dallas TX distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Odessa TX to Dallas TX is 352 miles. That makes for a driving time of around five hours and 12 minutes. The quickest route is largely along the I-30 and I-20.

The best stops to add to an Odessa to Dallas road trip itinerary are Lake Colorado City, Abilene TX and Fort Worth.

Odessa TX to Dallas TX drive: Lake Colorado City State Park

Lake Colorado City offers a welcome respite from the dry heat of west Texas. It’s a popular fishing spot, with good stocks of sunfish and largemouth bass. You can also go camping or kayaking, while more than 300 bird species have been spotted within the park. The casual passing visitor, however, may be more interested in just going for a swim.

Best stops between Odessa TX and Dallas TX: Abilene TX

The first port of call for many visitors in Abilene TX is Frontier Texas, a museum about life in the Old West. Unlike many dreary local history museums, Frontier Texas uses state of the art technology to be as interactive as possible, and the scope is much grander than the immediate local region.

The other really interesting attraction in Abilene TX is the National Center For Children’s Illustrated Literature, which collects the original artwork from beloved children’s books.

Odessa TX to Dallas TX road trip attractions: Fort Worth

Fort Worth fully embraces its status as a cow town, with the Stockyards district full of cowboy heritage. And cowgirl heritage, as the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame shows off.

It’s also a place that knows how to have a shamelessly good time, with Billy Bob’s Texas Honky Tonk famously big on the yee-has and line dancing.

Other good Fort Worth experiences include a Stockyards food tour, electric bike BBQ tours, historic pub crawls and ghost tours.

The Cattle Drive sculptures in Pioneer Park, Dallas.
The Cattle Drive sculptures in Pioneer Park, Dallas. Photo by David Whitley/ Best3Stops.

More Odessa TX road trips

Abilene TX to Odessa TX | Austin to Odessa TX.

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