Ardmore, Okla., to Port Aransas, Texas

[sigbowman]

We plan a drive from Oklahoma to Port Aransas, avoiding I-35 in Texas to stay away from traffic in Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio. Any suggestions for the best alternate route would be greatly appreciated. Our RV is a 30' Class A with tow car.

[ddschuman]

Unfortunately, I must have missed that part :(. Regardless, I agree...very bad option and very rough road. We are headed home now and taking our normal route, US 183 to 130 Toll...we like this route the best.

[fanrgs]

As I said on April 23, DO NOT take Texas 123!

[ddschuman]

Well, we came to Port A this weekend and drove a different route than normal. Ran into road construction, rough highway and traffic the whole way. I strongly suggest avoiding 123. We only changed our route because we thought we would be arriving at a bad time on Friday afternoon to avoid long ferry wait. I think I would have rather waited in line for the ferry because not only did we run into traffic/construction on 123 but also on the causeway crossing over to North Padre. We sat in line before the causeway for 30 minutes and then on the bridge for another 30. They had traffic down to one Lane going our direction on the bridge then traffic was also backed up at the light at 361...made for a mess.

[Dadio24]

LarryJM wrote:

sigbowman wrote:
We plan a drive from Oklahoma to Port Aransas, avoiding I-35 in Texas to stay away from traffic in Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio. Any suggestions for the best alternate route would be greatly appreciated. Our RV is a 30' Class A with tow car.

Is this a trick question:h I-35 doesn't go anywhere near San Antonio and goes a good 10 to 15 miles west of the beltway around Dallas and there is a beltway by-pass around Fort Worth. I don't understand why you would want to try and avoid I-35 anyway.:S

Larry

Larry, Are you kidding me!!! I-35 goes right thru the middle of Dallas (I-35E), Ft Worth (I-35W) and San Antonio. Traffic is bad in all the towns on I-35. Use all the bypasses.

[fanrgs]

We towed our trailer to Port Aransas and Rockport last year. We too avoided San Antonio like the plague. We did go through Corpus Christi to Padre Island, camped there, then headed north to Port Aransas. We used the ferry on a weekday with no wait at all. When we left the wonderful Goose Island State Park campground near Rockport, we went to Victoria and took US 77 on the way north. Other than a lot of hills, it is a great road, but we were not in a hurry and had no schedule. If you get hungry, there are lots of places selling German deli sandwiches, Czech kolaches, smoked turkey and sausage, and BBQ to stop at along that highway.

If you want a more scenic route than US 77 or US 183 and have a lot of time, go west from I-35 at Gainesville, as others have suggested, through Bowie to US 281 and go south through the Texas Hill Country. Before you get to San Antonio, turn east on Texas 46 and go through New Braunfels (another town with great German-Czech food and BBQ) to Seguin. Texas state highways are generally as good as US highways in most other states. At Seguin, you can take I-10 east to either US 183 or US 77 and head south again.

DO NOT take Texas 123 south from Seguin or try to use US 181. From Karnes City to Beeville and west to Uvalde and Carrizo Springs, the roads are incredibly congested (traffic jams in the middle of nowhere) due to all the drilling, hydrofracturing, pipeline construction, and road rebuilding going on in the Eagle Ford Shale. There are NO places to even stop and eat lunch because every parking lot big enough for an RV is filled to overflowing with brand-new white Ford F-250 4x4's driven by hungry drilling and construction crews. If you think Dallas-Fort Worth traffic is bad, try Three Rivers at lunch time (ask me how I know!).

[ddschuman]

I just read where someone else mentioned taking 77 in Waco to LaGrange. We have been that way and it is a decent drive but it takes an hour longer (from our house) to get to Port A. If you are just trying to avoid traffic and have extra time, that may be the way to go. Our trips to Port A are normally just weekend trips and we prefer the 5 hr drive vs the 6 hr drive to get there. Also, we have traveled 77 before and got stuck behind a wide load going 45 mph. Being just a 2 lane hwy, made it impossible to pass and made for a very long trip. I think we followed them for at least 40-50 miles.

[ddschuman]

This may be too late as I am not sure when the trip is planned. We live in Central TX and avoid I35 at all cost when able. It is the most heavily traveled interstate in TX and is constantly under construction. From OK to Port A though I would take it all the way to Georgetown as there is really no decent way around it heading in the direction you are going but in Georgetown, we always take 130 tollway. Once you get past the DFW area, it's not that bad again until you get closer to Austin. We go to Port A 2-3 times a year. Yes, the tollway is expensive because you are charged based on # of axels but it is so worth it to avoid Austin traffic which in my opinion is the worst area of I-35 to travel (especially towing). Way too congested for me. I think it usually cost us about $20-25 round trip. We take the tollway to Lockhart and the go to Luling, Gonzales, Goliad, Refugio, Aransas Pass (on 183), go across the ferry to Port A. The only time this route turns bad is if the wait to get on the ferry is long. Otherwise, it is a piece of cake. Unfortunately there is not really a good place to turn truck and trailer around if the wait is long so you are stuck. My advice, try to hit that point as early as possible in the day. Weekdays are not too bad midday but Fridays going in and Sundays coming out usually have longer wait times. The other option is to continue from Aransas Pass to Portland and then into Corpus to North Padre to Port A but that is quite a bit further and dealing with more traffic in Corpus. When we aren't towing and just going to visit our son in Corpus, we take the 130 tollway to I-10 in Sequin over to 410 loop around San Antonio to I-37 to Corpus. The tollway, in my opinion, is the only way to travel that part of Texas. I-35 gives me heartburn and white knuckles, 281 and 183 thru Austin or San Antonio have way too many red lights. 130 tollway is smooth sailing and lightly traveled. You may see a handful of cars going your direction at any given point. Good luck and have fun! We love Port A.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

LarryJM wrote:
goes a good 10 to 15 miles west of the beltway around Dallas and there is a beltway by-pass around Fort Worth.

In the DFW area there are two I-35s. They split into I-35W and I-35E at Denton and rejoin south of the area at Hillsboro.

Using them and the loops is about like using the 495 Beltway to get around DC.

The I-35E/I-30 interchange near downtown Dallas is tricky and to be avoided with multiple lane changes must be accomplished in heavy traffic 24/7 within two miles.

The I-35W interchange has been rebuilt in Fort Worth in recent years and is a straight thru drive.

However at I-35W and Loop 820 on the north side of Fort Worth there is major construction. Also major construction as you get to the south end of the loop to rejoin I-35W.

On I-35E where Loop 12 splits - also major construction.

Then when all that is done and you get back to regular I-35 at Hillsboro - you have 30+ miles of construction all the way to Waco. While the construction activity doesn't hinder traffic much - any slowdown becomes gridlock quickly.

More construction north of Austin. I-35 is simply not built in Austin to handle the traffic loads.

There is a very expensive tollway that eliminates Austin, but dumps you out on I-30 near Seguin.

That tollway is the only way to avoid San Antonio. If you take Hwy 123 down to US 181 to the Port Aransas area.

For the OP - the absolute easiest drive down the length of Texas is US-281. Either catch it at Wichita Falls or go east on US 380 from Denton to TX 51 in Decatur to I-20 Weatherford (good overnight stop at Oak Creek or Coffee Creek near the US 281 junction - both EXCELLENT parks)

Taking US 281 through San Antonio is pretty easy in early morning.

I drove US 281 - I-37 to Corpus last Oct - nice drive. However my friends who live in the Austin/ San Antonio always exit I-37 just south of SA and use US 181 to head to Port Aransas.

Re: the ferry from Aransas Pass to Port Aransas.

I was wary of taking the ferry, but when I got down there I saw plenty of rigs, TT/5er/Class C/Class A, use the ferry.

The other option is taking the freeway through Corpus to Padre Island and TX 361 up Mustang Island to Port Aransas.

[John_Joey]

No good way around Dallas/Ft Worth. Take I35w threw Ft. Worth during non rush hour. Stay in the middle lane and you'll be fine. Stay at WinStar Casino RV park on the boarder prior an leave from there to time Ft. Worth.

When you hit Waco, take 77 all the way down. From Waco to La Grange it is two lane with wide shoulders. Very steep hill in La Grange so don't be surprised. South of La Grange it turns into 4 lanes, very pleasant drive.

[LarryJM]

Javi1 wrote:

LarryJM wrote:

sigbowman wrote:
We plan a drive from Oklahoma to Port Aransas, avoiding I-35 in Texas to stay away from traffic in Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio. Any suggestions for the best alternate route would be greatly appreciated. Our RV is a 30' Class A with tow car.

Is this a trick question:h I-35 doesn't go anywhere near San Antonio and goes a good 10 to 15 miles west of the beltway around Dallas and there is a beltway by-pass around Fort Worth. I don't understand why you would want to try and avoid I-35 anyway.:S

Larry

Yesterday I-35 went straight through San Antonio... Dallas and Ft Worth... Traffic is horrible, construction everywhere pretty much the entire length of I-35 from the Red to the Rio Grande.

Unless you want to ride the ferry between the mainland and Port A you will go to Corpus Christi and come down the beach road.. Ferry ain't bad unless you catch a lot of traffic and sit for an hour or more.

OPs your are right and when I did the route in Google Maps the route suggested has I-35 in the top and goes well to the east of San Antonio, but on closer look you split off of I-35 north of Austin and pick up state 130 and US183 into Aransas, Tx. I assumed the route suggested was all I-35 ... my mistake and didn't zoom in to see the split from I-35. In any event taking I-35 thru San Antonio looks out of the way anyway and the suggested route still bypasses Austin somwhat and there is an alternative using US77 from around Waco.

Larry

[BB_TX]

LarryJM wrote:

sigbowman wrote:
We plan a drive from Oklahoma to Port Aransas, avoiding I-35 in Texas to stay away from traffic in Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio. Any suggestions for the best alternate route would be greatly appreciated. Our RV is a 30' Class A with tow car.

Is this a trick question:h I-35 doesn't go anywhere near San Antonio and goes a good 10 to 15 miles west of the beltway around Dallas and there is a beltway by-pass around Fort Worth. I don't understand why you would want to try and avoid I-35 anyway.:S

Larry

Obviously you are not familiar with Texas and I-35.
I-35 splits just north of Dallas/Ft Worth into I-35W and I-35E.
I-35W goes thru downtown Ft Worth.
I-35E goes thru downtown Dallas.
The two rejoin south of Dallas/FtWorth into I-35 again.
Then it proceeds within a few blocks of downtown Waco, downtown Austin, and downtown San Antonio on the way south.

[square_dancers]

Sigbowman,

If you have lots of time, don't mind the extra mileage, the fuel costs and availability then you might try the following route directions. You will not average good time but you will miss Dallas/Fort Worth and San Antonio.
Ardmore I35 to Gainesville, west on Hwy 82 though Bowie to Jacksboro. At Jacksboro take Hwy 281 south thru Mineral Wells to Stephensville on to Hico. At Hico take Hwy 6 thru Clifton to Waco. Stay on Hwy 6 under I35 to the Round About and merge right onto Hwy 77 at Robinson and continue on to Cameron, stay on Hwy 77 on down to Rockdale to Giddings and on to La Grange. Pass under I10 at Schulenburg on to Halletville to Victoria, go around Victoria using Hwy 77 down to Refugio on to Sinson. At Sinson merge onto Hwy 181 to Gregory. Take Hwy 361 there down to Ingleside over to Aransas Pass to Redfish Bay where you will turn right at the light and continue on Hwy 361 to the Ferry Crossing out to Port Aransas.
BUT; I would suggest you brave I35 into Dallas and take I635 East thru Mesquite to I20 and back over to I35 and south to Waco where you would use the Hwy 77 directions from above. Once you get to Hwy 6 and over to Hwy 77 the roads are shouldered and very good, better than I35. Hwys 82 and 281 are pretty good roads. I have not used Hwy 59 but I have used all the other roads I suggested more than once. I would go ahead and bite the bullet though and go to Dallas and use I635. Be sure to watch your fuel pretty close till you get to Waco.
Good Luck and safe travels no matter what route you use.

[Javi1]

LarryJM wrote:

sigbowman wrote:
We plan a drive from Oklahoma to Port Aransas, avoiding I-35 in Texas to stay away from traffic in Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio. Any suggestions for the best alternate route would be greatly appreciated. Our RV is a 30' Class A with tow car.

Is this a trick question:h I-35 doesn't go anywhere near San Antonio and goes a good 10 to 15 miles west of the beltway around Dallas and there is a beltway by-pass around Fort Worth. I don't understand why you would want to try and avoid I-35 anyway.:S

Larry

Yesterday I-35 went straight through San Antonio... Dallas and Ft Worth... Traffic is horrible, construction everywhere pretty much the entire length of I-35 from the Red to the Rio Grande.

Unless you want to ride the ferry between the mainland and Port A you will go to Corpus Christi and come down the beach road.. Ferry ain't bad unless you catch a lot of traffic and sit for an hour or more.

[LarryJM]

sigbowman wrote:
We plan a drive from Oklahoma to Port Aransas, avoiding I-35 in Texas to stay away from traffic in Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio. Any suggestions for the best alternate route would be greatly appreciated. Our RV is a 30' Class A with tow car.

Is this a trick question:h I-35 doesn't go anywhere near San Antonio and goes a good 10 to 15 miles west of the beltway around Dallas and there is a beltway by-pass around Fort Worth. I don't understand why you would want to try and avoid I-35 anyway.:S

Larry