Self-Drive The Lone Star Trail

Tour Information

12nt Tour Begins & Ends Dallas: 2nts Dallas; 1nt Austin; 1nt Houston; 1nt Corpus Christi; 2nts San Antonio; 1nt Pecos; 1nt El Paso; 2nts Albuquerque; 1nt Amarillo

Day 1

Fly from Dublin - Dallas
Arrive Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport. Pick up your car and transfer independently to your hotel.
Overnight: Best Western Dallas Hotel

Day 2

Dallas – Austin (207 miles)
This morning at 08:00 hours you will be met by your representative and provided with a welcome kit which includes driving instructions, vouchers, maps, and brochures of the places you are about to visit. Then head out for the capital city of Texas, home to the handsome State Capitol Building and the Texas State History Museum. Austin is a lively city that bills itself as the “Live Music Capital of the World” because of the large number and variety of live music venues located throughout the city, especially in entertainment districts such as Sixth Street and the Warehouse Districts.
Overnight: Red Roof Inn Austin South

Day 3

Austin – Houston (201 miles)
Discover Houston’s past in Heritage Park amid the skyscrapers of downtown Houston. Visit the nearby Johnson Space Center for a fascinating history of America’s love affair with outer space.
Overnight: La Quinta Bush Intercontinental Inn

Day 4

Houston – Corpus Christi (213 miles)
Take a short drive to the island community of Galveston, filled with Victorian reminders of its reign as Texas’ leading port. Galveston dominated commerce along the Gulf until its growth was halted by a hurricane. Then head for Corpus Christi, a seaport specializing as Texas’ playground.
Overnight: Best Western Marina Grand

Day 5

Corpus Christi – San Antonio (149 miles)
See the open range and farmland of early German settlers on the way to San Antonio. San Antonio’s unique blend of cultures makes it one of the most charming cities in the U.S. Your hotel for two nights is located in the heart of San Antonio within easy walking distance of the major sites.
Overnight: Red Roof Inn

Day 6

San Antonio
Stroll along the Riverwalk or visit El Mercado of the Alamo City. The Spanish Governor’s Palace or one of the many Spanish missions will take you into the historical heritage of this charming city. But most of all remember the Alamo and visit the site of the courageous battle between a handful of Texans and Santa Ana’s vast army, which was instrumental in creating the Republic of Texas.
Overnight: Red Roof Inn

Day 7

San Antonio – Pecos (330 miles)
The rolling hill country was the site of early settlements in mid-Texas. The farmers had to battle infertile earth and marauding Comanches to survive here. Overnight in Pecos.
Overnight: La Quinta Inn Fort Stockton

Day 8

Pecos – El Paso (240 miles)
The City of El Paso is located on the westernmost tip of the state of Texas and is on the US/Mexico border. Its proximity to Mexico helps promote the best the two worlds have to offer, and El Pasoans have long enjoyed the benefits of being situated between three states and two nations. El Paso’s climate – typical of the desert southwest– the fact that it is located at the base of the Franklin Mountains, and its mix of cultures and traditions makes the Sun City a unique and
interesting place to visit.
Overnight: La Quinta Inn Cielo Vista

Day 9

El Paso – Albuquerque (269 miles)
Leave El Paso and cross into New Mexico. Between the mountains and the mesas runs a river, and astride it stands a city that embodies the diversity of cultures and breadth of ideals that are uniquely American. It is Albuquerque.
Overnight: Best Western Plus Rio Grande Inn

Day 10

Albuquerque
Albuquerque is a city full of exciting attractions and events, from Historic Old Town, where the Villa of Albuquerque was founded in 1706, to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the most popular ballooning event in the world. The code of the West rules here in spirit as you venture north through Pecos County where giants and legends, such as Pecos Bill, are made. Look for deer, javelinas, jackrabbits, and coyote as you journey across this seemingly uninhabitable terrain.
Overnight: Best Western Plus Rio Grande Inn

Day 11

Albuquerque – Santa Fe – Amarillo (341 miles)
Unique to this area are the Pinyon pines, which produce an edible nut considered a gourmet delicacy in the West. Continue eastward to the panhandle of Texas and hopefully you’ll get a glimpse of the Texas blue sky or a towering thundercloud, both prevalent features of this flat plain. Amarillo was once a railhead town for cattle shipments to the North. The cattle industry remains an important element of the city’s economy. Amarillo is well known for its Cadillac graveyard.
Overnight: La Quinta Inn Amarillo East

Day 12

Amarillo – Dallas (370 miles)
Drive eastward today to Palo Duro Canyon and see artefacts of pre-Pueblo inhabitants. Then continue south toward Dallas. Cotton fields and grain silos flank the highway en route to Dallas today.
Overnight: Best Western Dallas Hotel

Day 13

Dallas Departure
Return your rental car at the airport before your departure flight.

Day 14

Arrival back to Dublin

What's Included

• Return transatlantic schedule flights
• Economy size car rental
• Hotel accommodation as specified, or of a similar standard
• Detailed briefing by Tour Representative as specified in itinerary
• Welcome kit with comprehensive maps and day-to-day itinerary