Vegas to Austin Road Trip. Need some help. (El Paso, Allen: hotels, neighborhood)

[centralaustinite]

Do not stay in Van Horne! Hotels are expensive (all the hotels in that area are but Alpine, Ft Stockton, Marathon, Ft Davis hotels will fill up faster) and the locals are very insular. Honestly, the least friendly place in all of Texas.

[cBach]

I-40 is in the mountains and likely to be icy or snowed in.

Best bet is 93 south to I-10. I-10 east to 290 and then 290 into Austin (it will merge into the "Y" at Oak Hill).

I-10 isn't scenic but you can make good progress.

First night Phoenix or Tucson, second night El Paso.

[C24L]

I would take 1-10.I was on 40 earlier this holiday season and we were just lucky it was not a total mess.There's a new Hampton Inn in Ozona and its having to compete with the Holiday Inn Express next door.both are very nice motels.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Independentthinking

Both myself and wife driving our own vehicles. No kids.

Im pretty sure the speed limit is 80 on 10 in texas. El paso is the last decent town before austin that doesnt have weird hotels. My wife is sketched out by el paso, but it has a lower crime rate than austin I think.

We do LA to austin once a year and usually take I10 (take I40 to get there), it is totally flat except el paso. The last two hours from fredricksburg to austin are a pain because the road is a bit smaller and it goes through the hill country. One year there were hundreds of deer just standing on the side of the road. I though for sure I would hit one.

Gas stations start to get sparse after el paso. I fill up at 1/4 tank.

You could do LV to tucson, to elpaso, to fredricksburg then stay the night and spend the next day there. Take a leisurely drive into austin.

[C24L]

Originally Posted by Austin97

Im pretty sure the speed limit is 80 on 10 in texas. El paso is the last decent town before austin that doesnt have weird hotels. My wife is sketched out by el paso, but it has a lower crime rate than austin I think.

We do LA to austin once a year and usually take I10 (take I40 to get there), it is totally flat except el paso. The last two hours from fredricksburg to austin are a pain because the road is a bit smaller and it goes through the hill country. One year there were hundreds of deer just standing on the side of the road. I though for sure I would hit one.

Gas stations start to get sparse after el paso. I fill up at 1/4 tank.

You could do LV to tucson, to elpaso, to fredricksburg then stay the night and spend the next day there. Take a leisurely drive into austin.

Hi Austin97...the speed limit changes some closer to the San Antone area.Watch your foot in Sonora....i hear its a speed trap.I-10 is not totally flat to El Paso.There are hills and mesas and stuff like that.

[luksky]

Nobody has given any suggestions on where to stay once you make it to Austin. Depending on your standard of living, when we first arrived in Austin in December a decade ago, we stayed at the Studio 6 midtown for a month until we found housing. Nothing fancy, but it was affordable, decently clean, and a convenient location.

[Independentthinking]

Hey Everyone,

Thanks so much for all the suggestions.

It looks like due to the safety concerns with potential ice and snow, we will be taking I-10. Admittedly, I was shocked at the lack of decent hotels after you get past the Tucson area. I'm also finding it near impossible not to stay in some of the places commented on here. The most practical route and stopping points seem to be...

Las Vegas to Tucson (410 miles)

Tucson to Van Horne (438 miles)

Van Horne to Austin (456 miles)

centralaustinite warned against staying at Van Horne, but where else do we go that would make the drive practical. We really think that the 400 miles range is a comfortable commute. Tuscon to Fort Stockton is 556 miles (a bit much for us). If we stop in El Paso, the distance from there to Austin is 576 miles (also a bit much). I'm really not sure how to avoid Van Horne. I'm also amazed at the prices for these hole-in the wall hotels once you leave Tuscon (luckily it's only one night).

And luksky, thanks for the suggestion when we get to Austin. That portion won't be very long as we take possession on the 26th for our apartment (we are extending our stay in Vegas and leaving Monday now, so should only need a place in Austin for less than a week.

[austinaggie]

We have traveled to and from the LA area to Austin and or Houston at least half a dozen times and we usually do the trip in two day stopping the night somewhere in New Mexico. However, if you do stop in Van Horn I would recommend the Holiday Inn Express. It looks pretty decent and as you said it is only one night.


https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpres...X-_-US-_-VHNES

[C24L]

Originally Posted by Independentthinking

Hey Everyone,

Thanks so much for all the suggestions.

It looks like due to the safety concerns with potential ice and snow, we will be taking I-10. Admittedly, I was shocked at the lack of decent hotels after you get past the Tucson area. I'm also finding it near impossible not to stay in some of the places commented on here. The most practical route and stopping points seem to be...

Las Vegas to Tucson (410 miles)

Tucson to Van Horne (438 miles)

Van Horne to Austin (456 miles)

centralaustinite warned against staying at Van Horne, but where else do we go that would make the drive practical. We really think that the 400 miles range is a comfortable commute. Tuscon to Fort Stockton is 556 miles (a bit much for us). If we stop in El Paso, the distance from there to Austin is 576 miles (also a bit much). I'm really not sure how to avoid Van Horne. I'm also amazed at the prices for these hole-in the wall hotels once you leave Tuscon (luckily it's only one night).

And luksky, thanks for the suggestion when we get to Austin. That portion won't be very long as we take possession on the 26th for our apartment (we are extending our stay in Vegas and leaving Monday now, so should only need a place in Austin for less than a week.

Netime and best of luck.

[centralaustinite]

Our hotel in Van Horne was okay, think it was the Hampton Inn, but not cheap and you need reservations ahead of time.

But we had the worst time getting served in the restaurants there! Ignored and not seated, finally seated, then long delays before service, mixed up orders. Took over two hours, also had issues at fast food restaurants there! It was unreal. Very unfriendly. (FWIW we had Texas plates on our car, 20 years in the state, and white). I have friends who experienced the same type of unfriendly treatment but we thought it was a fluke. We will never stay there again, which is too back because it is perfectly placed. I will say that the 200 miles from El Paso to VH are a bit challenging, heavy truck traffic, elevation changes, can be iced. I think it is safer to tackle those miles in the morning when you are fresh and not at the end of a long day.

Maybe you will be lucky!