Houston to San Antonio Drive With Kids
Plan a state park break on the way, and leave time for the children's museum on a hot or rainy afternoon.
The drive
- Distance
- 197 miles
- Typical drive time
- About 3 hours
Measured from Houston, as stated by the official source listed at the bottom of this page. Traffic, weather and stops with kids add time, so plan for a longer day than the map shows.
Kid-friendly stops on the way
Each stop was checked on its own official site. Open it before you go for current hours, prices and any closures.
Stephen F. Austin State Park
San Felipe, TX
A Texas state park about 50 minutes west of the outskirts of Houston, with 5 miles of trails through bottomland forest.
Official siteSan Antonio Missions National Historical Park
San Antonio, TX
A National Park Service site of historic missions and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas.
Official siteThe DoSeum
San Antonio, TX
San Antonio's children's museum.
Official site
Need more ideas before you leave? Browse things to do with kids in Houston or plan a different route.
Free road-trip stop checklist
Stop before everyone runs out of patience: how to plan a real break to burn energy, pick an indoor backup in case it rains, and add up the family total before you pay. One page, emailed now. Then The Weekend Scout once a week: one family outing idea for the weekend. Free. Unsubscribe from any email.
Three things to plan before you leave
- Texas heat is serious, so carry water and plan shaded or indoor breaks in summer.
- Leave Houston outside rush hour if you can.
- Use the state park as the movement break, then keep the rest of the drive simple.
Checked against: TxDOT: Texas mileage grid, Visit San Antonio: drive times (checked )
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Plan the Houston to San Antonio family drive with a state park break, the San Antonio Missions and a children's museum.
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