From the Alamo to the Space Center in Houston, Big Bend National Park to the Cadillac Ranch, Texas has some amazing places to visit. Texas is the second largest state, both in population and area.
This means there’s both a lot to see and a ton of variation in the potential cost of your Lone Star vacation.
We’ve gone over all the numbers to help you figure out where in Texas you might want to go and what your trip might cost you. Let’s dive in!
Average Trip to Texas Cost in 2024
How much you’ll spend on a trip to Texas will depend a lot on where you go and what you decide to do. We’ve worked out a few different scenarios to help you figure out where to go and what to see, all depending on your budget.
A week in Texas costs around $3,750 for two people:
- Average Accommodation Cost: $150 a night
- Average Flight Cost: $500 per person
- Food, Drink & Activities: $100 per person, per day
- Transportation: $300 per week
- Total Cost: $3,750
Of course, no two trips are different. This is why we’ve broken down all the factors, so you can figure out for yourself what a trip might cost.
Texas Trip Cost: Average by Item
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Your trip budget will look a lot different from another traveler’s, all depending on what kinds of accommodations you like and what sorts of things you like to do during your vacation.
We’ve selected a bunch of options at different price points throughout the state of Texas to help you figure out what you might spend when you go.
Accommodation Costs
This is one of those areas where you have a lot of wiggle room. In Austin on a tight budget? Options like the Budget Inn Motel, La Unica, HomeTowne Studios and the Austin Motor Inn all come in around $50 to $60 a night.
Be sure to read reviews before picking a room; a few of the cheaper hotels are in neighborhoods that previous visitors describe as rough. Do you have a bit more to spend, but still want to stay on a budget?
Some of the top-reviewed hotels in the area are between $100 and $150 a night. There are also some luxury splurge options available.
The Heywood Hotel describes itself as eco-friendly and offers amenities that include complimentary bikes, locally roasted coffee and minibars in every room. Rooms start at a little under $400 a night.
Dallas offers a number of well-reviewed options for $100 to $150 a night. Hampton Inn has a location right in downtown. These properties tend to have predictable quality, plus the perk of free breakfast.
Rooms go for a little under $150 a night. Join the Honors app for discounts. If you are looking for more luxurious digs, the Highland Dallas has rooms starting at about $275 a night.
Their location is about a five-minute walk from Mockingbird Station. Rooms are spacious, with options like whirlpool tuns and separate living rooms in the suites. Texas isn’t the first place most people think of when they think of beachside getaways.
However, Galveston has over 30 miles of gulfside beaches. You can get a room along the beach for under $100 a night. Gaido’s Seaside Inn, for instance, advertises rooms at $80 a night, as does the local Comfort Inn & Suites.
Flight Cost
Flight costs vary greatly depending on where you are landing in the state. A flight from New York’s JFK to Dallas/Fort Worth International will run anywhere from $250 to $700.
Watch out for long layovers; the lowest cost flight takes over 10 hours and involves switching planes. New York to Houston offers rates between $200 and $500.
The quickest trip there is also the cheapest, owing to Houston’s role as an international hub. Austin is a popular destination for its booming food and music scenes.
However, being a smaller city means that you’ll pay a bit more to go there than to Houston or Dallas. Flights typically range from $500 to $600, with fewer options for cheap airfare.
Food, Drink & Activity Costs
DALLAS – CIRCA JUNE 2014: People visit food trucks in downtown Dallas, Texas./
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Houston is a renowned food destination, with great options at every level from cheap street food to fine dining at $100 a plate. Sugar’s Restaurant & Bar offers creole and Cajun dishes at reasonable prices.
The Mardi Gras Pasta with shrimp, sausage and crawfish costs $27. You can get a serving of chicken and waffles for $25. A trip to Texas is not complete without local barbecue.
A meal at the well-reviewed Pit Room in Houston comes in at $20 to $25 per person. The three-meat dinner allows a choice of smoked meats and comes with two sides for $25.
One of the best ways to get to know an area is to shop at the grocery store locals like. Texans are rightly proud of H-E-B, which has its headquarters in San Antonio. Steaks from the meat department can be found for under $10 a pound.
You can pick up a tub of the supermarket’s brisket queso dip for around $15. If you are taking in Austin nightlife, be prepared to pay a premium for cocktails at most local spots.
Ah Sign Den has drinks that range in price from $15 to $30, with the average price being $18. Other local joints are about the same, with an old fashioned going for $15 at a place like Perry’s Domain.
Many locations have beer specials, such as $3 Lone Stars. You can also find cheaper drinks by checking out local dive bars like Hole in the Wall or Mister Tramps.
One of Houston’s best-known attractions include its Museum District. You’ll find about 20 museums in close proximity to each other, with entry fees that generally range from $10 to $25. Be on the lookout for special deals.
Regular entry to the Houston Museum of Natural Science costs $25 for general admission. However, entry to the museum is free on Thursdays from 5 to 8 pm.
The Space Center Houston is a Smithsonian Affiliate museum dedicated to the history of the country’s space program. Admission is about $35 per person.
However, if you buy the Houston CityPASS, you can get admission to the Space Center, as well as your choice of other local attractions including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Houston Zoo and the Downtown Aquarium.
CityPASS tickets are around $70 per person. There are also many free activities available throughout the state. Admission to the Alamo is free. Admissions are limited, though, so you will need to make a reservation if you want to visit.
While you are that part of the state, the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park is also worth a visit. Admission is free. Many cities have River Walk districts, and San Antonio is no exception.
The area often features free performances by local artists. One of the things many Texans recommend is just getting out of the cities and exploring the open road. Large portions of what remains of Route 66 runs through Texas, and there are a number of attractions along the way.
The Cadillac Ranch, a sculptural installation alongside Route 66, can be explored at no charge. Palo Duro Canyon State Park in the panhandle is the second-largest canyon in the US.
Admission is $8. The Devils Rope Museum in McLean has what is considered the world’s largest collection of published materials relating to barbed wire.
The museum explains the significance of barbed wire and fencing tools in the area’s ranching heritage and has a number of interactive exhibits. Admission is free.
Transportation Costs
Texan redditors tell potential visitors they’ll want to rent a car to get around. This is down to the state’s its large size and lack of public transit options. You can rent one in Houston for $250 to $350 a week.
Coming into Dallas and renting there could possibly drop prices to around $200 for the week. Public transit is sparse throughout the state. If you want to have someone else do the driving, you will have to use either ride-sharing apps or local taxis.
In Dallas, taxi rides cost $1.80 per mile after a $2.25 base fee. In Houston, you’ll pay a little under $5 for the first mile and $2.20 for each mile after.
Houston has undergone significant redesigns to make it a very bike-friendly city. You can rent bicycles for around $10 an hour. Add another $4 an hour to upgrade to an e-bike.
Things to Consider
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A few things to consider when planning a trip to Texas:
- Check the map before making plans in multiple cities. Texas is a big state. It takes three and a half hours to drive from Houston to San Antonio. Dallas and Austin are about 200 miles away from one another.
- Traffic can make it hard to get around cities like Houston. Consider planning a day’s worth of activities in a single area like the Museum District.
- Be aware of local weather. Summers in Texas can be punishingly hot. Wear sunscreen, carry water, and avoid being out on foot during the hottest parts of the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It’s natural to have questions when you are trying to plan the ideal vacation. Here are a few of the most common ones that come up.
How much would a trip to Texas cost?
There’s no single answer to that question. How much a trip to Texas will cost you depends on where in the state you go, what time of year, and what you do during your Texas vacation.
How to budget for a trip to Texas?
When you are planning your trip, start by listing out the big ticket must have experiences. These are the things you consider essential and the things that will eat the biggest part of your budget. Then, start playing around with the factors that are more flexible. Can you save money by going at a specific time of year? What sorts of hotels and restaurants are in your budget?
What time of year is cheapest to go to Texas?
Tourist season starts to cool down between September and November. This means getting better deals on hotels, flights and rental cars. There is still plenty to do this time of year. Plus, you are less likely to be fighting the crowds when you go.
What is a good month to visit Texas?
A better question is what months to avoid. High summer brings with it excessive heat and humidity. That same humidity can make winter months extremely cold. The best times are typically late October and November, along with March and April, and late May through early June.
Is Texas cheap or expensive?
In general, Texas is cheaper than a lot of similar vacation destinations. Look out for deals to get the most out of your Lonestar State trip.
Over to You — Book Your Trip to Texas Today!
| 🛎️ Average Accommodation Cost | $150 per night |
| ✈️ Average Flight Cost | $500 per person |
| 🍽️ Food, Drink & Activities | $100 per person, per day |
| 🚕 Transportation | $300 per week |
| 💲 Total Cost | $3,750 |
On average, look at spending $3,500 to $4,000 for a week for two in Texas.
This price assumes many meals eaten out and a bit spent each day immersing yourself in local activities. Your trip to Texas, of course, is your trip.
Pick the activities that mean the most to you and save your money to focus on those. By figuring out your essentials in a Texas vacation, you can ensure that you are creating big memories in the mainland US’s biggest state. Happy travels!