Planning a road trip from Texas to California? It can be a daunting task! A road trip like this covers 4 states, 3 time zones, and anywhere from 1,600-2,100 miles depending on the route you take. And along the way, there are tons of amazing places you could stop…plus what feels like a million spectacular sights to see!
I recently found myself road tripping from Texas to California and was in the exact same boat you are right now: trying to decide what stops would be worth it. After planning and experiencing this road trip for myself, I’ve come up with two different routes for a fun Texas to California road trip (one route along 1-40 and another along 1-10). So today I’m going to share my favorite stops I found along the way…so that you, too, can plan an epic road trip and make memories that will last a lifetime!
Texas to California Road Trip: Route Option #1
There are two main routes you can take to get from Texas to California—a high route (I-40) and a low route (I-10). This road trip route, which I’m calling option 1, takes you along the lower part of New Mexico and Arizona on your way to San Diego, California. After reading about the stops in route 1 and route 2, you can decide which one sounds most exciting to you! Or, of course, if you’re planning a round-trip road trip then you can do one each way.
1. Visit the Johnson Space Center in Texas
If you’re starting from Houston, Texas on your road trip, then that might mean that you are from Texas already so you won’t want to see many sights from where you already live. But if you aren’t from Texas (or you haven’t explored there much), then you may want to see some cool spots like the Johnson Space Center before you continue on your trip.
The Johnson Space Center is a fun and interactive place to visit, with lots of exhibits and galleries where you can get up close with exciting artifacts from across the years of human space exploration. If you are at all interested in space, science, or technology then this is a must-visit road trip stop! You can learn more about visiting the Space Center here.
2. Explore Newman’s Castle in Texas
For your next road trip stop in Texas, there’s a beautiful castle with an intriguing origin story just a short ways from Houston. It’s called Newman’s Castle and is located in the small town of Bellville. If you’re curious about why there’s a castle in Texas or what it might be like, you will definitely want to stop here!
This castle was built by and belongs to Mike Newman who runs a local bakery shop. After he built the castle, he found a lot of people were interested in his new home so he decided to open it up for visitors! It’s a really cool structure to see and wander around during a tour, so if you want to visit you can learn more about the castle and how to visit in this guide.
3. Fill Up at Buc-ee’s Gas Station in Texas
If you’re from Texas, you’ve likely already been to a Buc-ee’s Gas Station…but if you haven’t been, then this is a place you must stop! Not only can you fill up your tank with gas at one of the largest gas stations in the world, but you can also go into one of the largest convenience stores in the world to stock up on road trip treats.
It’s a really impressive place to visit and you may find yourself wandering around for longer than you expect! Some of the things they’re known for include super clean and huge restrooms (great for road trippers!), a huge beef jerky counter (like a meat counter in a grocery store!), their iconic “Beaver Nuggets,” and their super cheap and super huge sodas (think 40+ oz for 79 cents!)
The best Buc-ee’s to stop at for this road trip is the New Braunfels location, and it’s a pretty cool one to stop at anyway because it’s the largest convenience store in the world and it features amenities like 120 gas pumps, 83 toilets, and 80 soda fountain dispensers.
4. Visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is the next essential stop on this Texas to California road trip. I’ve been here many times, and every time it is a fascinating place to explore!
The main attraction here is Carlsbad Cavern itself, which is a huge cave that you can hike into using the natural cave entrance. There is also an elevator you can take directly into the cave if needed, but if you are physically able to hike the natural entrance I think that is the best way to start your experience of the cave. Once inside, you can walk and explore all the chambers (including the stunning Big Room) and see various astounding cave formations throughout the rooms.
Another feature that draws visitors here is that bats live in Carlsbad Cavern, and while you can’t directly visit their area of the cave you can still see them at night when they leave the cavern. If you want to, you can go to a ranger talk in the evening to watch the bats all fly out of the cave at once. It’s an unforgettable experience!
5. Eat at Mad Jack’s Mountaintop Barbecue in New Mexico
While road tripping New Mexico, I stumbled across this place called Mad Jack’s Mountaintop Barbecue in Cloudcroft. And let me tell you—it is excellent! I would happily drive all the way back to New Mexico just to eat here.
If you do want to stop here to eat, just know that they close when they run out of food…whatever time that happens to be. So if you want to get their best items (or any food at all) then you need to get here early! They write the names of their sold-out items up on a chalk board, so if you get here in the afternoon you’ll find a huge line of customers anxiously watching and hoping Mad Jack’s won’t sell out of their favorite items before it’s their turn in line! But if you’re here in time, make sure you order the sliced brisket and the sour cream-based potato salad, which are some of the best items on the menu.
6. Stop at White Sands National Monument in New Mexico
White Sands National Monument in New Mexico should definitely be on your road trip list. This gorgeous area is filled with sand that is far whiter and more blinding than you’d expect…even though “white sand” is literally in the name so you would think that you’d know what you’re getting into.
There are some fun hiking trails here, some off-trail hiking options, and you can even try sledding down the dunes if you want. It’s a great place to get out and stretch your legs and see some of the natural beauty of the earth while you’re at it! Be sure to check out more about the best things to do at White Sands so you can plan what you want to do ahead of time.
7. See Saguaro National Park in Arizona
Saguaro National Park is another beautiful park to visit on your road trip. One of the biggest attractions is the majestic and huge Saguaro cacti that can be found throughout this slice of the Sonoran Desert!
While you’re here, you’ll want to take a few hikes (be careful if it’s hot outside, though, as you don’t want to get heat stroke!). You’ll also want to try to find the biggest Saguaro possible and marvel at it’s awe-inspiring size! It’s hard to really understand just how big these giants are until you are standing right next to them. Overall, there are lots of fun things to do here in Saguaro, so this is another great place to stretch your legs during your drive!
8. Explore San Diego
San Diego is the final stop on this road trip guide, although of course you could easily work your way up the coast to plenty of other amazing California cities like San Luis Obispo or San Francisco.
But within San Diego, there are lots of fun things to do and you may even want to consider spending several days here (especially if it is your final destination on your road trip!) There are beautiful beaches to visit and tide pools to see, spectacular hikes, city sights, great sunset-watching spots, and more. There’s a huge number of bucket list worthy sights just waiting for you to explore!
So whether you have just one day in San Diego, a weekend, or even more time to spend in this city, it will be the perfect end to your Texas-California road trip!
Map for Texas to California Road Trip – Route Option #1
Drive time: Approximately 26 hours
Distance: Approximately 1,700 miles
Texas to California Road Trip: Route Option 2
If you’d rather take the high route (I-40) from Texas to California, then this is the road trip route for you. This route will take you toward the top of New Mexico and Arizona rather than toward the bottom like the route above. If you’re going to California and then later back to Texas, then take both routs and you’ll see a whole new set of sights on the way!
1. Eat Delicious New Mexican Food in Santa Fe
On my most recent road trip from Texas to California, I ended up with an unfortunate flat tire in Santa Fe. But fortunately there’s lots of delicious New Mexican food in Santa Fe, so with all my extra time I had the chance to try some really tasty food!
Even if you don’t have much time to spend in Santa Fe, I recommend driving through and making a stop at a restaurant like La Choza or The Pantry (those were two of my favorites). Both have excellent chile options to try and good sopapilla. You will certainly be left wanting more because it is just so good!
2. Visit Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico
From the moment I saw a picture of Kasha-Katuwe, I knew I needed to visit! The tent-shaped rocks are such a unique and fascinating phenomenon, and they’re even cooler to see in person.
While there are some places you can drive to within Tent Rocks Monument, the main attraction is a hike that takes you through a slot canyon and up past a plethora of tent rocks. I highly recommend taking the time to do this, but try to go early in the day as it gets so hot (and I mean SO HOT) here in the middle of the day…especially in summer.
You’ll also want to make sure that there’s no rain about to fall, as the slot canyon turns the rain into a powerful river. It is actually dangerous to hike here during a storm, so don’t risk it if you see dark clouds! But if the conditions are right during your trip, this will be an unforgettable road trip stop.
3. Explore Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico
Bandelier National Monument is in the same region as Santa Fe and the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks, so while you’re in this area you will definitely want to visit. Bandelier consists of some gorgeous scenery, as well as fascinating archaeological sites. The park preserves and protects the homes of the Ancestral Puebloans, so on a visit you can climb up into some of the pueblo structures and experience them first-hand.
There is also an extra trail that leads to the Alcove House, where you can climb up a cliff using a set of ladders to reach a little cave/house area at the top. It is a fun and unique experience, but does require you to be fine with heights and steady on your feet!
4. See the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona
The Petrified Forest/Painted Desert park is one of my favorite stops on the route between Texas and California, so I highly recommend stopping here. There are so many beautiful things to see, from the surprisingly bright reds in the petrified wood to the hills in the badlands that really do look straight out of a painting.
Besides beautiful overlooks and common trails, this park also offers some off-the-beaten-path guides to unmarked trails you can take. This was definitely one of the highlights of my entire road trip so I really can’t recommend it enough!
5. Marvel at the Grand Canyon in Arizona
What road trip through Arizona would be complete without a stop at the Grand Canyon? This is an iconic National Park and deserves a place on your road trip itinerary.
If you have limited time, you can simply explore the southern rim by car, bus, or on foot. It’s awe-inspiring how huge the the canyon is! But if you have longer, you may want to try a hike (perhaps even doing part of the iconic Bright Angel Trail).
6. Eat at Westside Lilo’s Cafe in Seligman, Arizona
Like Mad Jack’s Mountaintop Barbecue on the 1-10 route, Westside Lilo’s was an unexpected gem of a find and a place I would happily eat again and again.
This restaurant sits along the old Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona…and while the area is a little kitschy (as is expected of Route 66) the food here is excellent. To be honest, my favorite item on the menu was their Texas Toothpicks appetizer, and they also make their own ranch dressing which is good enough to drink straight from the container! Their chicken fried steak, schnitzel, and carrot cake are also very good…and they make huge cinnamon rolls (think birthday-cake sized…but be aware they do have raisins in them, which is not for everyone).
Overall, if you’re looking for a delicious place to eat on this leg of the trip, you should definitely check out Westside Lilo’s!
7. Stop by the London Bridge in Arizona
The London Bridge in Lake Havasu, Arizona is an interesting place to stop as it is actually the real old bridge from London. Yes, London as in London, England!
When the city of London was planning to build a new bridge over the Thames, they wanted to sell off the old one to make some money…so Lake Havasu bought it, moved it across the pond, and rebuilt it brick by brick.
Because they have the original London Bridge here, they’ve tried to go with the theme and make this part of the city into a mini London town with some of the iconic features you’d expect to see if you were in the real London. It’s cute to see and doesn’t take long to stop at on your way to California, so you might as well pause here for a bit! Here’s everything you need to know before you visit.
8. Discover San Diego
Once again, our route takes us to San Diego, California for our final stop unless you want to continue on to other California cities. While you’re here, you should definitely soak up the famous California sun, enjoy a beach day, and maybe even go whale or dolphin watching for the fun of it! You can check out this post to learn about more spectacular things to do while you’re in San Diego in case you need some more inspiration!
Map for Texas to California Road Trip – Route Option #2
Drive time: Approximately 32 hours
Distance: Approximately 2,100 miles
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