2 city advice for Texas

I've lived in San Antonio 6 years now. If you hit it about 9-10 am you have missed the biggest part of the morning rush. The bypass (1604) would add a lot of extra miles but not gain you a lot of time.

My experience with this has simply been "how much construction is going on?"
I was really surprised one year (motorhoming it to AZ) how much was happening in San Antonio. Slow down and follow the signs. The next time....clear sailing. Same thing in Houston.

Actually, it's all what you're used to. Hearing how terrible Houston was, for instance, I found it no worse than I-95 thru Philadelphia anytime.

Straight through works for me at those times also. Just don't make any stops in between to eat up a 1/2 hour or more, you could be in trouble in Houston. We plan to hit Houston between 9:30am and 1:00pm on our trips to and from The Rio Grande Valley each year. BUT then again I have the option to nap through the worse of the traffic. Scottiemom has driven the Phaeton all but about 600 miles of the last 55,000, since a couple of late 2009 "heart events" of mine. We split the driving when in the B+ or our other vehicles though.

At those times I would stay on I10 the whole way.

Loop 1604 around the N. side of SA is OK. I think it's all 4 lane now, but not ramped/overpasses at every intersection. Might be the last 6mi. between I35 and I10 has stop lights too.
I always drive straight thru Houston on I10. It's generally best before 3PM, but the I10/Loop 610 crossings always cause some slowdowns. Going thru downtown at the I45 interchange use to make me nervous...stay in the centermost lanes and that ends pretty fast. Look for the Beaumont directions and they've even painted big I10 shields on the pavement.
If you're not too far East, look into Hwy290...Segovia-Austin, then Hwy 71, Austin back to I10, West side of Houston and skip SA. You'll go thru less than a dozen stop lights mostly around Austin till you get back on I10! 290 starts out 2 lane for about 30mi., but 4 lane from Fredricksburg all the way to I10. I doubt you'll pass a car before Fredricksburg. Austin was a PITA, but it's mostly freeway across the South side of town now and not much traffic 10am-3pm. East of I35, you'll be on Hwy 71 and join I10 West of Houston.

Goldencrazy wrote:
I-10 East bound. Should I bypass San Antonio and/or Houston. San Antonio around 9 Am and Houston 1-2 PM. I generally go straight through cities at this time. Advice welcome.

My advise is go straight through on I-10. People drive like animals on the loops. By that I mean they go like crazy until there's a wreck. I hate being in that mad rush when there's a wreck. 70 mph and Up in 60 mph zones. Bad enough driving through the belly of those beasts, SanAntonio and Houston.

Don't live there but travel to both frequently. IMO SA isn't a really big deal. There is a loop bypass to the North, but it's a 2 Lane road and probably not any faster. Houston on the other hand.... Dunno how to get around the city but IMO it's worth finding out which is the best loop yields less pain.