Best route from Palo Duro State Park Texas to Galveston

IH-24 to US-87.

US-87 to US-277 at San Angelo, thence south to IH-10.

IH-10 thru San Antonio no big deal. Can use 410-Loop around south side if desired.

IH-10 to Columbus thence south thru El Campo on TX-71 to Bay City.

TX-35 to Lake Jackson it’s a coin flip from there to Galveston (nothing like it was before Hurricane Ike tore it up in 2008).

EAST-WEST across Houston always easy. It’s North-South where it’s a total PITA.

As a lifelong Texan (and truck driver), this is the routing with the least traffic. Steady friction-free miles till the SA to Columbus leg.

95% of Texans live east of IH-35. Avoiding the triangle of Dallas, Houston and San Antonio is how to make time despite a longer route.

OTOH, my preferred “short” route would be US-287 from Amarillo to FTW, then IH-35S to Waco and use Texas-6 the rest of the way to La Marque. (Houston toll roads are easy if you want the expense to avoid backups elsewhere).

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THANK YOU, Eileen and Don

I did get your PM and I will answer soon. We are on the road, headed for THE VALLEY (Rio Grande) so I do not have ideal connections but I promise to do my best. We are in Waco tonight.

I have to explain some of the ways we Texans may need to be more specific when referring to our regions--especially in regard to East Texas. We usually mean Northeast Texas (Texarkana down to Nacogdoches/Lufkin) or Deep East Texas from Lufkin down to, let's say Huntsville or Jasper. Below that would be Beaumont, Houston--the Gulf Coast.

Not every Texan would agree with my definitions but when I say East Texas I'm thinking of the "Piney Woods" around Tyler, Palestine, Nacogdoches, on up to Texarkana.

I will do some more checking on the routes around Houston, coming in from the Northwest. We are much more familiar with coming in from the North on I-45 or US 59, so I will do a bit of checking before I respond on PM.

padredw, thank you again! I just sent you a PM to ask about the toll situation.
We've had the great fortune of traveling quite a bit around the country and have been through east Texas. The year we were headed to Big Bend after a month in Port Aransas, we had a $15,000 breakdown in our motorhome and so have never made it back to Big Bend. We've also not visited Austin, so there are lots more places to venture to. This trip is a large circuitous route around the country, so we'll have to focus more on Texas again at a later date.
Eileen (and Don)

Sure. On this route you will be coming into Houston on US 290.

You could turn onto the Sam Houston Parkway which is a toll road. Check it out because you may have to purchase the toll beforehand--on some of these toll roads you can't enter unless you already have a pre-pass. Just go online and look up the Sam Houston Tollway.

If you take that route it will go all the way around to I-45 S which will go right into Galveston.

The alternative is to stay on US 290 to the ramp to I-610 S. to the next ramp to I-10 E. to the ramp to I-45 right downtown.

If you take this alternate the day and time of day can make a lot of difference. I have towed right through downtown Houston without difficulty, but one wreck can cause long delay, but that could happen which ever route you take.

I have found traffic to flow pretty well through Houston except for the rush hours. It helps to have a GPS which can notify of route and lane changes.

Good luck and enjoy Texas--although you will miss the best part, the piney woods of East Texas. :)

EDIT to say: I will reply to private messages if I can help further.

Thank you, padredw, so much. That's a huge help.
I forgot to ask about Houston. Want to comment? :-)
Ken56, thank you, also. We'll do an overnight along the way. Recommendations? Thank you for the restaurant recommendation, too.

Do you need to do this in one day or have time to take secondary roads? If you are expecting to do it in one day it's going to be a very LONG day. Texas is BIG. Texas secondary roads are great and you get to see the 'real' Texas. Fire up Google maps and RVParky and take a couple days to get to Galveston. If you want a really nice dinner in Galveston go to Gaido's restaurant right on Seawall Blvd. Pricey but well worth treating yourselves to a very nice dinner.

I would go with any recommendation padredw says.

Take I-27 S. to Lubbock
US 84 E. to join I 20 E.
Take TX 36
@ Temple Loop around Temple to US 190/TX 36
@ Brenham loop to join US 290 (Get some BlueBell Ice Cream)
to Houston

I won't go into the possible routes through Houston

Houston to Galveston I 45