The best road trip stops on the Dallas to Houston drive are Corsicana TX, Fort Boggy State Park and Huntsville TX. The distance from Dallas to Houston is 239 miles, with a 3h36m driving time.
Planning a Dallas to Houston road trip itinerary
The Dallas to Houston drive connects the two biggest cities in Texas.
5 great Dallas experiences worth booking
- 🤠 Combine the JFK sites and Southfork Ranch on a half day tour.
- 🏛️ Take comprehensive JFK assassination tour – including the Sixth Floor Museum and Lee Harvey Oswald Rooming House.
- 🚴 Cover Downtown Dallas’ attractions and history on an e-bike tour.
- 🌆 See Dallas from above at the Reunion Tower GeO Deck.
- 🌮 Take a food tour with five tastings in the Deep Ellum area.
Dallas has plenty of high quality cultural attractions. These include the Nasher Scupture Center, George W Bush Presidential Museum and 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. It’s now the Sixth Floor Museum.
Top Dallas experiences include a JFK Assassination and Museum tour, the GeO-Deck at Reunion Tower and a self-guided scavenger hunt.
The top Houston attraction is unquestionably the Space Center Houston, 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, Downtown Aquarium, Museum of Fine Arts Houston and 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.
Five great things to do in Houston
- 🚀 Reserve your tickets – for Houston’s number one attraction, Space Center Houston.
- 🎵 Discover Houston’s hip-hop culture – on a motorised party bike.
- 🚇 Explore the largest downtown tunnel system in the US – on the Astroville Tunnel Tour.
- 🎨 On a downtown mural tour – learn about Houston’s street art scene.
- 🖼️ Immerse yourself in a spectacular interactive art installation – at Meow Wolf’s Radio Tave.
Dallas to Houston distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Dallas to Houston is 239 miles. You can expect a driving time of around three hours and 36 minutes. The quickest route is almost entirely down the I-45.
The best stops to add to a Dallas to Houston road trip itinerary are Corsicana TX, Fort Boggy State Park and Huntsville TX.
Dallas to Houston road trip attractions: Corsicana TX
The derrick in Petroleum Park, Corsicana, marks the birthplace of the oil industry in Texas. That’s largely just a photo stop, but visitors to Corsicana can also admire the heritage buildings at Pioneer Village or taste wines at the Angelita Vineyard.
Other options while in town include learning about the Civil War in the Pearce Museum and swimming in Lake Halbert.
Dallas to Houston drive: Fort Boggy State Park
Roughly halfway between Dallas and Houston, Fort Boggy State Park is a good spot for stretching the legs. It is based around Sullivan Lake, which is a popular spot for catching rainbow trout, sunfish and largemouth bass.
Kayak rentals are also available by the lake, while swimming is permitted.
For walkers, the 1.5 mile Lake Trail and two mile woodland Nature Trail bring wildflowers and birds.
Best stops between Dallas and Houston: Huntsville TX
On the edge of both the Sam Houston National Forest and Huntsville State Park, Huntsville also has a couple of cultural attractions worth considering.
This is where Sam Houston, first president of the Republic of Texas, died. The Sam Houston Memorial Museum on the family homestead tells his story and, with it, that of Texas.
The other key attraction in Huntsville is the Texas Prison Museum, which looks at prison life and the criminal justice system.
More Dallas road trips
- Highlights along the Marshall TX to Dallas drive.
- Highlights along the Texarkana to Dallas drive.
- Where to stop on the Oklahoma City to Dallas drive.
- Where to stop on the Little Rock to Dallas drive.
- Where to stop on the Wichita to Dallas drive.
