The distance from Lubbock to Austin by car is 373 miles, with a 5h59m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Lubbock to Austin drive are the National WASP WWII Museum, Brownwood TX, and the Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden.
Planning a Lubbock to Austin road trip itinerary
The Lubbock to Austin drive connects two of the biggest cities in Texas.
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.
Good Lubbock accommodation options include the good value La Quinta and the personality-packed Cotton Court Hotel.
5 great Austin experiences to book
- 🛶 Join a sunset kayaking tour – and see 1.5 million bats.
- 🍖 Get ready to feast with the country BBQ and wine country shuttle.
- 🌮 Take a best-of-Austin food tour – tasting great BBQ brisket and tacos on the way.
- 🍸 Discover Austin’s secret bars on speakeasies tour.
- 🏙️ Learn Austin’s fascinating history on a downtown walking tour.
Austin is renowned for its live music scene, although it has plenty of more conventional attractions too. These include the LBJ Presidential Library, the Texas Science and Natural History Museum and the Bullock Texas State History Museum.
Top Austin experiences include ebike tours taking in the city highlights and haunted pub crawl walks.
You can also try highly-rated downtown food tours, half day wine shuttles in the Hill Country, brewery-hopping beer tours and sightseeing on a boat cruise.
For Austin hotel recommendations, try band crashpad chic meets rainbow bathrobes at the Hotel San Jose and the unashamed rock star swagger of the W.
Lubbock to Austin distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Lubbock to Austin is 373 miles. You can expect a driving time of around five hours and 59 minutes. The best stops to add to a Lubbock to Austin road trip itinerary are the National WASP WWII Museum, Brownwood TX and the Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden.
Why book the Double Decker Austin Single Loop Sightseeing Tour?
- 📸 Unobstructed Upper-Deck Views: Capture the perfect “postcard” shots of the city from the open-top deck, offering the best vantage points in Austin for photography and sightseeing.
- 🎙️ Live Storytelling (No Recordings): Enjoy a fully narrated experience with professional local guides who share engaging stories, humor, and insider history—completely live with no pre-recorded audio.
- 🏛️ Iconic Downtown Landmarks: See Austin’s most famous sites in a single loop, including the historic Driskill Hotel, 6th Street, the Texas State Capitol, and the Governor’s Mansion.
- ❄️ Climate-Controlled Comfort: Choose your preferred experience with the option to sit in the open-air breeze on top or relax in the air-conditioned lower deck to beat the Texas heat.
- 🎓 Comprehensive City Overview: Perfect for first-time visitors, this 75-90 minute loop provides an excellent introduction to the city’s layout, culture, and rich history without the stress of navigating traffic.
Lubbock to Austin road trip attractions: National WASP WWII Museum
The National WASP WWII Museum in Sweetwater TX takes a look at World War II from an unusual angle. This aviation museum celebrates the efforts and achievements of the Women Airforce Service Pilots. When qualifies pilots were in short supply after Pearl Harbor, these women took on the task of delivering planes to the training bases in the South. They also flight-tested repaired planes before they were returned to active service.
The museum tells their story amid the planes on display.
Best stops between Lubbock and Austin: Brownwood TX
Brownwood TX is primarily known as the home of Howard Payne University, although the Brown County Museum will tell you more about the city’s frontier past.
Lake Brownwood State Park to the north-west is a good spot for fishing, boating and swimming. Kids, meanwhile, tend to enjoy the water slides of the Camp Bowie Aquatic Center.
Lubbock to Austin drive: Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden
The Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden in Lampasas TX started with three artists carving one work each for the new project. It has since expanded massively, and there are now 24 pieces in the collection with more added every year.
The sculptures brighten up what would otherwise be a fairly non-descript park.
More Austin travel
Other Austin travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- What to know before visiting the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin.
- A practical guide to visiting the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin.
- Outdoor Austin: Guides to visiting Mount Bonnell, swimming at Barton Springs Pool and exploring McKinney Falls State Park.
- Getting to Austin: What are the best stops on the Fort Worth to Austin drive or Dallas to Austin drive?
- Road trips from Austin: The best three stops on the Austin to Galveston drive.
