Trip from Rhode Island, TX to La Grulla, TX

Drive Time

9h 27m

Distance

534.7 mi

861 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$82

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min

4 AM

9h 19m ★

6 AM

9h 28m

8 AM

9h 45m

10 AM

9h 34m

12 PM

9h 32m

3 PM

9h 34m

5 PM

9h 44m

8 PM

9h 22m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Rhode Island, TX

Beth Fitzpatrick

Trip Overview

The drive from Rhode Island, TX to La Grulla, TX covers 534.7 miles and takes about 9h 27m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on TX 130 Toll, South Nueces Street, I 37 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 86.1 miles on TX 130 Toll. At current regular gas prices, budget about $81.68 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

267.4 miles from Rhode Island, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 35m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 534.7 miles and 9h 27m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are TX 130 Toll and South Nueces Street.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 45 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

TX 130 Toll is the longest continuous segment at about 86.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on TX 130 Toll and South Nueces Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 22.3 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 32 significant decision points across 534.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 22.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 146.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 233.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 32 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

22.3 mi into trip | ~24m in

Take the exit toward TX 31: Athens, Waco

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 227 Toward TX 31: Athens, Waco

146.3 mi into trip | ~2h 38m in

Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 265 Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio

233.1 mi into trip | ~3h 59m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 West: San Antonio

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 10 West: San Antonio

274.4 mi into trip | ~4h 42m in

Take the exit toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 41 Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus...

274.6 mi into trip | ~4h 42m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 37 South: Corpus Christi

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 37 South: Corpus Christi

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Rhode Island, TX to La Grulla, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Corpus Christi along the way.

Corpus Christi

274.4 mi in | ~4h 42m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
TX 130 Toll	86.1 mi	1h 19m
South Nueces Street	66.2 mi	1h 10m
I 37	60.5 mi	1h 1m
Falfurrias Expressway	55.8 mi	58m
Purple Heart Trail	37.9 mi	39m
I 10	32.5 mi	33m
I 2	30.9 mi	35m
I 69C	27.1 mi	29m

Longest stretch: TX 130 Toll — 86.1 mi, about 1h 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rhode Island, TX and La Grulla, TX.

Start on County Road 161

10 ft · 7 sec · County Road 161

Turn left onto FM 833

0.9 mi · 1 min · East FM 833

Turn right onto TX 75; FM 833

52 ft · 2 sec · North State Highway 75

Turn left onto FM 833

0.7 mi · 1 min · West FM 833

Continue on FM 833

0.4 mi · 55 sec · Farm-to-Market Road 833

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 50 sec

Merge onto I 45

20 mi · 19 min · I 45

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec

Exit 227 Toward TX 31: Athens, Waco

Turn left onto South Interstate 45

0.4 mi · 50 sec · South Interstate 45

Turn left onto TX 31

5.6 mi · 6 min · Corsicana Bypass

Use the straight lane.

At end of road, turn left onto TX 31

19 mi · 21 min · West State Highway 31

Continue on TX 31

5.5 mi · 5 min · Hubbard Bypass

Continue on TX 31

17 mi · 17 min · State Highway 31

Continue on US 84

2.5 mi · 2 min · East US Highway 84

Continue on US 84

2.6 mi · 4 min · Bellmead Drive

Turn straight onto US 84

0.4 mi · 1 min · East Waco Drive

Turn left onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway

519 ft · 12 sec · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the left / straight lanes.

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 37 sec

Toward I 35 South, US 77 South

Merge onto I 35; US 77

6.1 mi · 6 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

38 mi · 39 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

26 mi · 26 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 55 sec

Exit 265 Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio Use the slight right lane.

Continue on TX 130 Toll

86 mi · 1 hr 19 min · TX 130 Toll

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min

Toward I 10 West: San Antonio Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 10; TX 130

11 mi · 11 min · I 10; TX 130

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 10; US 90; TX 130

9.4 mi · 9 min · I 10; US 90; TX 130

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130

12 mi · 12 min · I 10; US 90; TX 130

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 410

1.4 mi · 1 min · Connally Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 410; TX 130

6.7 mi · 7 min · Connally Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 41 Toward I 37, US 281 North: San Antonio, Corpus Christi Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward I 37 South: Corpus Christi Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 37

60 mi · 1 hr 1 min · I 37

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit onto US 281 South

15 mi · 19 min · US 281 South

Toward US 281 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 281

66 mi · 1 hr 10 min · South Nueces Street

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

9.5 mi · 10 min · I 69C; US 281

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

56 mi · 58 min · Falfurrias Expressway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69C; US 281

18 mi · 18 min · I 69C; US 281

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min

Toward US 281 South, TX 495: Pharr

Merge onto I 2; US 83

31 mi · 35 min · I 2; US 83

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 35 sec

Toward FM 2360: La Grulla

Turn straight onto US 83 Frontage Road

0.3 mi · 53 sec · US 83 Frontage Road

Turn left onto FM 2360

1.3 mi · 3 min · Farm-to-Market Road 2360

Continue on FM 2360

1.3 mi · 3 min · Grulla Main Street

Turn left onto East Las Palmas Street

58 ft · 2 sec · East Las Palmas Street

Arrive at destination

East Las Palmas Street

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.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.

Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 267.4 miles from Rhode Island, TX, or about 4h 35m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.1 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

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

First stop

Around 118 miles or 2h 10m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 267.4 miles or 4h 35m in

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 267.4 miles or 4h 35m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 8h 16m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Rhode Island, 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.

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Rhode Island, TX

Aim for roughly 267 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into La Grulla, TX

Aim for roughly 267 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 118 miles from Rhode Island, TX.

This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on TX 130 Toll for about 86.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 267.4 mi from Rhode Island, TX · 4h 35m into the drive

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Killeen, TX

176 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Corpus Christi, TX

353 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Corpus Christi, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

San Antonio, TX

267 mi · about 4.7h in

A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 267 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Killeen, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 118 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Antonio, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 267.4 miles from Rhode Island, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before TX 130 Toll if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 86.1 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 267 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.

Arriving in La Grulla, TX

The final approach into La Grulla, 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 La Grulla, TX.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach La Grulla, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...

2 mi from route ~5 min detour Free near mile 276.6

View on nps.gov

Waco Mammoth National Monument

National Monument

Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...

5 mi from route ~13 min detour Free near mile 73.8

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$81.68 one way

$163.36 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 187 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$89.51	$179.02
premium	$4.59	$96.65	$193.29
diesel	$5.64	$118.79	$237.58

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$82

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$212–$322

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 187.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $56 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	160.4	1	$56.14	$25.67
Efficient EV	133.7	1	$46.79	$21.39
EV Truck/SUV	213.9	2	$74.86	$34.22

Gas CO2

187 kg

EV CO2

63 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 3 days ago

Origin

Rhode Island, TX

Morning in Rhode Island on Monday

Local time

6:15 AM

CDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

La Grulla, TX

Morning in La Grulla on Monday

Local time

6:15 AM

CDT

Current temp

73°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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

9 degrees warmer at arrival

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

Road read

9h 27m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Rhode Island, TX to La Grulla, TX covers 534.7 miles and takes about 9h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are TX 130 Toll, South Nueces Street, I 37. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 267 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 267.4 miles from Rhode Island, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $81.68 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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

On the drive from Rhode Island, TX to La Grulla, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Corpus Christi along the way.

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