The distance from Fort Worth to Austin is 191 miles, with a 2h55m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Fort Worth to Austin drive are the Waco Mammoth National Monument, the Brazos River and the Kissing Tree Vineyards.
Planning a Fort Worth to Austin road trip itinerary
The Fort Worth to Austin drive connects the cowboy capital of Texas to its coolest city.
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.
5 great Fort Worth experiences to book
- 🎸 Visit the legendary Billy Bob’s Honky Tonk – with a dinner and photo package.
- 🏛️ Take a small group historical tour of Fort Worth – including the Livestock Exchange Building.
- 🍖 Taste the best of the Fort Worth Stockyards – on a foodie tour.
- 🍷 On a wine tour, explore the best wineries of North Texas.
- 👻 Discover the spectres of the stockyards – on a Fort Worth ghost tour.
Austin is known for its barbecues, bars and tech scene. It’s also a fabulous place to take in live music
Great Austin experiences include ebike tours taking in the city highlights, haunted pub crawl walks and segway tours.
Forth Worth to Austin distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Fort Worth to Austin is 191 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 55 minutes. The quickest route is down the I-35.
The best stops to add to a Fort Worth to Austin road trip itinerary are the Waco Mammoth National Monument, the Brazos River and the Kissing Tree Vineyards.
Fort Worth to Austin drive: Waco Mammoth National Monument
To the west of the I-35, the Waco Mammoth National Monument is home to the biggest ice age Columbian mammoth fossil find anywhere in the world. The skeletons of 16 mammoths – a nursery herd – were found her in an archaeological dig that started in 1978.
Guided tours of the site take place every 30 minutes – just rock up and join the next departure.
Fort Worth to Austin road trip stops: Brazos River in Waco
The Brazos River runs through Waco, and the best way to see the city is on a morning or sunset boat tour. The cruises depart from next to McLane Stadium, and take in several city attractions, including Baylor University, the enormous Waco Suspension Bridge and Cameron Park. The latter is the best place in Waco for spotting the local wildlife.
Book your Waco boat tour, or search for other Waco experiences.
Best stops on a Fort Worth to Austin drive: Kissing Tree Vineyards
A short detour off the I-35 between Waco and Temple, Kissing Tree Vineyards in Eddy is a boutique winery with an emphasis on hand-crafting its wines. The tasting room is open every day except Sundays.
More Texas travel
Other Texas travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- What to know before visiting the Kimbell Art Museum and Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth.
- Practical guide to visiting Fort Worth Botanical Garden.
- How to make the most of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.
- Plan your visit to the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.
- What to know before visiting the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin.
