The best road trip stops on the Houston to Lubbock TX drive are College Station TX, Temple TX and Abilene TX. The distance from Houston to Lubbock TX by car is 521 miles, with an 8h6m driving time.
Planning a Houston to Lubbock road trip itinerary
The Houston to Lubbock drive connects two of the biggest cities in Texas.
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.
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.
Lubbock is home to the Texas Tech University, which plays host to the National Ranching Heritage Center. This explains the history and culture of ranching across Texas and further afield.
There’s also the Museum of Texas Tech University, which has dinosaurs and a planetarium. Perhaps the most interesting attraction, though, is the Buddy Holly Center, which celebrates the local boy music star who died tragically early.
For something a little cuter, you can visit the prairie dogs at Prairie Dog Town Park.
Houston to Lubbock TX distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Houston to Lubbock TX is 521 miles. That makes for a driving time of around eight hours and six minutes. The best stops to add to a Houston to Lubbock road trip itinerary are College Station TX, Temple TX and Abilene TX.
Best stops between Houston to Lubbock TX: College Station
College Station is home to Texas A&M University, which has two supersized sporting stadiums in Kyle Field and the Reed Arena. The main reason to visit, however, is the George HW Bush Presidential Library and Museum. The 41st president is buried here, and his grave can be visited.
However, the highlight for most is the replica Oval Office. Visitors can sit behind the president’s desk and pose for photos.
Houston to Lubbock TX road trip attractions: Temple TX
Temple TX has a strong Czech heritage. You can find out more about the impact Czech immigrants have had on the city at the Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center.
Otherwise, try the Bell County Museum for local history, Lake Belton for boating and fishing or the Miller Springs Nature Area for wildflowers and walking trails.
Houston to Lubbock TX drive: 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.
More Texas road trips
- Best stops on the Austin to Galveston drive and the Dallas to Galveston drive.
- Getting to Houston: The best stops on the Arlington to Houston drive, Dallas to Houston drive and Waco to Houston drive.
- Best stops on the Dallas to Amarillo drive and the Fort Worth to Amarillo drive.
- Texas road trips from Houston: The best stops on the Houston to Fort Worth drive.
- Interstate road trips from Houston: Where to stop on the Houston to Hot Springs AR drive, Houston to Oklahoma City drive and Houston to Wichita drive.
