San Antonio to El Paso drive: Best stops, distance & time
The distance from San Antonio to El Paso by car is 551 miles, with an 8h driving time. The best road trip stops on the San Antonio to El Paso drive are Kerrville TX, the Caverns of Sonora and Balmorhea State Park.
Planning a San Antonio to El Paso road trip itinerary
The San Antonio to El Paso drive connects two of the biggest cities in Texas.
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.
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.
San Antonio to El Paso distance and driving time
By car, the distance from San Antonio to El Paso is 551 miles. That makes for a driving time of around eight hours. The quickest route is along the I-10.
The best stops to add to a San Antonio to El Paso road trip itinerary are Kerrville TX, the Caverns of Sonora and Balmorhea State Park.
Best stops between San Antonio and El Paso: Kerrville TX
The Hill Country Arts Foundation in Kerrville TX has a replica model of Stonehenge, but this Hill Country town is mainly about the riverside parks. Guadalupe Park and Flat Rock Park are both winners. To explore the Guadalupe River more thoroughly, you can head out on a small group pedal boat cruise. The boats fit a maximum of 12 people, and combine sightseeing with gentle exercise.
San Antonio to El Paso 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.
San Antonio to El Paso 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.
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