Trip from Port Lavaca, TX to McKinney, TX

Drive Time

6h 6m

Distance

357.1 mi

575 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$55

one way

Downtown McKinney, TX, TX

Photo: Jeff Stapleton

Trip Overview

The drive from Port Lavaca, TX to McKinney, TX covers 357.1 miles and takes about 6h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North Navarro Street, Fairwinds Street, West 4th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $54.55 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

178.6 miles from Port Lavaca, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 3m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 6h 6m drive with frequent turns across 357.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 40 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Navarro Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 6m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Port Lavaca, TX to McKinney, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Navarro Street Unavailable Refreshing
Fairwinds Street Unavailable Refreshing
West 4th Street Unavailable Refreshing
North Texana Street Unavailable Refreshing
Highway 77 Unavailable Refreshing
US 77 Unavailable Refreshing
South Jefferson Street Unavailable Refreshing
South Main Street Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: North Navarro Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Port Lavaca, TX and McKinney, TX.

1

Start on East Main Street

6.1 mi · 7 min · East Main Street
2

Turn straight

21 mi · 24 min
3

Turn right onto North Navarro Street

6.5 mi · 10 min · North Navarro Street
4

Continue straight

38 mi · 43 min
5

At the end of the road, turn right onto Fairwinds Street

0.4 mi · 26 sec · Fairwinds Street
6

Continue on West 4th Street

0.3 mi · 25 sec · West 4th Street
7

Turn left onto North Texana Street

1.4 mi · 1 min · North Texana Street
8

Continue on United States Highway 77

0.2 mi · 15 sec · United States Highway 77
9

Continue on US 77

6.8 mi · 7 min · US 77
10

Continue on United States Highway 77

25 mi · 28 min · United States Highway 77
11

Continue on South Jefferson Street

2.7 mi · 3 min · South Jefferson Street
12

Continue on North US Highway 77

17 mi · 19 min · North US Highway 77
13

Continue on South Main Street

48 mi · 57 min · South Main Street
14

At the end of the road, turn left

3.6 mi · 4 min
15

Turn right onto North Travis Avenue

49 mi · 55 min · North Travis Avenue
16

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward The Circle

213 ft · 11 sec · The Circle
17

Exit the rotary onto Circle Road

0.4 mi · 54 sec · Circle Road
18

Turn straight onto South Jack Kultgen Expressway

0.5 mi · 59 sec · South Jack Kultgen Expressway
19

Take the ramp straight toward I 35 North, US 77 North

443 ft · 11 sec · I 35 North, US 77 North
20

Continue straight

0.3 mi · 35 sec
21

Merge slight left onto South Jack Kultgen Expressway

3.3 mi · 3 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway
22

Continue on Purple Heart Trail

33 mi · 33 min · Purple Heart Trail
23

Keep slight right to continue on I 35E: Dallas

56 mi · 58 min · I 35E: Dallas
24

Take the exit slight right toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street

0.4 mi · 42 sec · I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street
25

Keep slight left to continue on I 35E North, I 30 West: Denton, Fort Worth, Texarkana

423 ft · 6 sec · I 35E North, I 30 West: Denton, Fort Worth, Texarkana
26

Keep slight right to continue on I 30 East: Texarkana, Convention Center

0.4 mi · 33 sec · I 30 East: Texarkana, Convention Center
27

Keep slight left to continue on I 30 East: Texarkana

384 ft · 6 sec · I 30 East: Texarkana
28

Continue on East R L Thornton Freeway

0.8 mi · 1 min · East R L Thornton Freeway
29

Take the exit slight right toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney

0.5 mi · 46 sec · I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney
30

Keep slight left to continue on US 75 North: McKinney

0.5 mi · 1 min · US 75 North: McKinney
31

Keep slight right to continue on US 75 North: McKinney, Bryan Street East

0.3 mi · 27 sec · US 75 North: McKinney, Bryan Street East
32

Merge slight left onto Julius Schepps Freeway

0.7 mi · 49 sec · Julius Schepps Freeway
33

Continue on North Central Expressway

27 mi · 28 min · North Central Expressway
34

Take the exit slight right toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway

0.3 mi · 22 sec · SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
35

Keep slight right

0.7 mi · 1 min
36

Merge slight left

0.9 mi · 1 min
37

Continue on South McDonald Street

1.0 mi · 1 min · South McDonald Street
38

Turn slight left

282 ft · 10 sec
39

Continue on South Tennessee Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · South Tennessee Street
40

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 178.6 miles from Port Lavaca, TX, or about 3h 3m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 22m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 178.6 miles or 3h 3m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 5m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near McKinney, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Port Lavaca, TX so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Port Lavaca, TX

This is one driving day of about 357.1 miles and 6h 6m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Port Lavaca, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 178.6 mi from Port Lavaca, TX · 3h 3m into the drive

Downtown Killeen, TX, TX

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Killeen, TX

179 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Austin, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Killeen, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 178.6 miles from Port Lavaca, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in McKinney, TX

The final approach into McKinney, TX usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around McKinney, TX.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$54.55 one way

$109.10 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 125 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $59.78 $119.56
premium $4.59 $64.55 $129.09
diesel $5.64 $79.34 $158.67

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$55

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$80–$105

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 124.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $38 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 107.1 1 $37.50 $17.14
Efficient EV 89.3 1 $31.25 $14.28
EV Truck/SUV 142.8 1 $49.99 $22.85

Gas CO2

125 kg

EV CO2

42 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Port Lavaca, TX

Afternoon in Port Lavaca on Sunday

Local time

1:14 PM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

McKinney, TX

Afternoon in McKinney on Sunday

Local time

1:14 PM

CDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

20 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

6h 6m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Port Lavaca, TX to McKinney, TX covers 357.1 miles and takes about 6h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Navarro Street, Fairwinds Street, West 4th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 178.6 miles from Port Lavaca, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $54.55 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 6m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Port Lavaca, TX to McKinney, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Port Lavaca, TX to McKinney, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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