Solo Female Travel Guide To Texas

Since moving to Austin in 1999, I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of solo traveling in Texas. While I don’t have any problem traveling alone here, I know it can be daunting for someone who is visiting for the first time. So, I organized this guide and a list of places that are fun to travel to alone so I can help you put together your own solo trip to Texas.

Honestly, I think Texas is one of the best places in the United States to travel alone. Why? You’ll find friendly people, awesome food, amazing historic sites, and diverse landscapes to explore, to name a few reasons. From mountains and high desert to rolling hills and wine country, to plains, prairies, and piney woods, to white sand beaches and wetlands on the Gulf Coast, you can enjoy the diverse history, cultures, and customs of Texas.

If you’ve never been to Texas, I recommend either a road trip if you enjoy driving alone or visiting one of the bigger cities in Texas if you don’t want to drive at all. In Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio, you can get around by walking and using rideshare apps like Lyft or Uber, so you don’t need a car.

Taking a solo road trip in Texas requires more planning compared to visiting one city, but you’ll get a more complete travel experience by visiting some of the small towns and seeing more of the landscape and some cool Texas landmarks along the way.

 

Texas Solo Travel Tips

As a solo female traveler in Texas, I do take some precautions to help ensure I have a trouble-free journey. Traveling alone offers a lot of freedom, but you also have to take care of any problems that arise, so it’s best to do some pre-travel preparations in advance.

Download Google Offline Maps for the places you will be traveling. The offline maps allow you to navigate even if you have no internet service.

If you are directionally challenged (yup, that’s me), it’s also a good idea to print out a map of the area you are staying in, so you have an idea of the nearby streets, what’s in the neighborhood, etc. This way, you can review it before your trip. And you keep it in your handbag, so you have it as a backup in case you forget to charge your phone, and the battery dies while you’re out and about, and you forget how to get back to your hotel.

If you’re driving, I recommend buying an auto membership like AAA (American Automobile Association) so you can have peace of mind that you’ve got someone to help you out if your car breaks down, gets a flat tire, or runs out of gas. On my solo trip to Port Aransas, I got a flat tire, and AAA Texas put on my spare tire. Roadside assistance is great insurance while you’re on a road trip, especially as a lone female traveler.

For road trips, always bring a roadside emergency kit with the basics like jumper cables, a flashlight, tire inflator, etc. You can buy this car emergency kit on Amazon or shop at your local auto store to see what they have in stock.

Share your travel plans with a trusted family member or friend and let them know if your plans change along the way.

Don’t drink alcohol excessively, and don’t take drinks from people you don’t know. I know it’s fun to party while on vacation, but make sure you are always in control of your actions. Have fun, but don’t be careless.

When you book your lodging, choose a hotel or apartment with great reviews and look at the location on Google Maps so you can get an idea of what else is in the neighborhood. I usually avoid places that have hardly any reviews.

I use Booking.com for my accommodations because they list hotels and apartments, have lots of photos and reviews, and often allow reservations without prepayment. To double check before booking the reservation, I often look up the hotel on the internet to read more reviews and make sure they agree with what Booking.com reviewers are saying.

General safety while traveling in Texas is basically the same as anywhere else. Use your common sense, listen to your gut instinct, be aware of your surroundings, and keep your handbag close to your body in busy tourist areas.

If you find yourself in a sticky situation, try to remain calm and think about how to solve your problem. If you need help, it’s important to get some help from someone you can trust, such as the local police, hotel staff, airport staff, or tourist information center. You can also call on friends or family or ask questions in travel forums online if you want to discuss your situation with others who may have good advice for you.

If it’s an emergency situation and you have been injured, robbed, assaulted, etc, you should call the emergency number 911 or ask someone to call for you.

Make sure your local health insurance covers you while traveling out of state or buy travel health insurance so that you are covered for medical emergencies. I have used Seven Corners Travel Insurance as well as Tin Leg, but I’ve never had to make a claim, so I can’t comment about that aspect of health insurance.

 

Best Time to Visit Texas

Spring and fall are generally the best times to visit Texas. But deciding when is the best time for YOU to visit Texas will depend on your priorities, such as cost, weather, the area of Texas you want to visit, and festivals or events you would like to attend, etc.

Weather in Texas

For the most pleasant weather, the best time to visit Texas is from March through May and from October through mid-December.

From mid-December to February the weather is somewhat unpredictable. There’s a chance for snow and freezing rain, more so the further north you go, but also in the central and coastal regions. My Canadian friends were always surprised when I told them about ice storms in Austin in January and February.

Late December through early February, is also cedar/juniper pollen season (locals call it cedar fever) in Central Texas and West Texas. And it is not your average pollen allergy. Read more about cedar allergy season from Texas A&M.

Hurricane season is from June through November, so if you’re planning on visiting coastal Texas, keep that in mind. I’m not saying there will be a hurricane; just don’t rule it out because it’s certainly possible.

Tornadoes are another possible weather related phenomenon in Texas. Although more common in the Panhandle and North regions, they do occur elsewhere.

If you LOVE hot weather, then summer is the best time to visit Texas. If you plan on camping or doing outdoor activities, keep in mind that it’s not recommended to hike in extremely hot weather. And park officials sometimes close hiking trails when it gets too hot, for instance in Palo Duro Canyon or Big Bend National Park.

Generally, Texas is very hot in the summer, and depending on where you go, it can either be hot and dry or hot and humid. The humidity level makes a big difference in how hot it feels.

High Season, Major Events, Spring Break

The high season depends somewhat on the area of Texas you are visiting. Although the typical high season rates for hotels kick in for all the usual holidays like Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter, you should also consider major events (such as ACL, Fiesta, and SXSW) and spring break, which occurs in March and April.

Big Bend National Park busy season is from October through April, with holiday weekends extra busy (and expensive).

Coastal Texas high season is from Memorial Day long weekend through Labor Day long weekend. Additionally, spring break brings college kids to the coast to celebrate and party like there’s no tomorrow.

Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio are busiest when there are major events happening, such as music festivals and major sports events. You can also expect big crowds (and higher hotel rates) during long weekends.

Shoulder Season

Shoulder season is the time just before and just after high season, and this is my favorite time to book a trip anywhere because prices are generally cheaper for accommodations, the weather is good, and there are fewer tourists.

I spent a few days in Port Aransas and Corpus Christi in February, and although the weather was beautiful, it was not crowded at all. And my hotel only cost me $60 per night (including taxes) because Booking.com had an off-season deal.

 

How to Get to Texas

All of the major US airlines fly to Texas, and a few airlines have hubs or operating bases in Texas.

Major airports in Texas:

• Austin: AUS
• Dallas: DFW
• Houston: IAH
• San Antonio: SAT

Dallas/Ft Worth (DFW) is a primary hub for American Airlines and an operating base for Spirit Airlines.

Houston (IAH) is a hub for United Airlines.

Dallas-Love Field (DAL) and Houston Hobby (HOU) are operating bases for Southwest Airlines.

How to Get Around in Texas

Once you get to Texas, will you stay in one place or drive around? If you’re flying into and staying in one of the major cities, it’s easy to get around with rideshare (Lyft or Uber), so you don’t need to rent a car when you get to Texas.

If you’re not staying in one place, then driving is the easiest way to travel around Texas, but you can easily fly between major cities too. However, flying can be a hassle, especially for short trips where you spend more time at the airport than flying in a plane. I suggest driving as the best option for getting around in Texas and it’s easy to arrange for a rental car at all the major airports in Texas.

Friendly reminder: Texas is a BIG state.

It takes about 12.5 hours of driving time to get from El Paso (near New Mexico) to Orange, TX (near Louisiana) on Interstate I-10. That doesn’t include pit stops for gas, bathroom breaks, getting stuck in traffic due to accidents, an overturned semi, or a vehicle on fire. (Those last two items are oddly common occurrences in Texas.)

So, if you’re planning on driving around Texas, do check the mileage between all the places you want to visit. Make it a realistic trip.

If you only have a week or two, do not try to cram in a Gulf Coast road trip along with a trip to Big Bend National Park then off to Amarillo and Palo Duro Canyon, and then back to Dallas or Houston to catch your flight back home… unless you really LOVE driving more than anything else in the world.

 

Best City for Solo Trip to Texas

If you’re wondering which is the best city for solo travelers to Texas, the answer is that it depends.

It depends on your budget, and it depends on what you want to get out of your solo trip to Texas. There are good reasons to spend time in each of my recommended solo travel destinations in Texas, but it’s best to find a place that speaks to you and your interests. So, here’s my advice for the best city based on interests…

• Beaches, birdwatching, fishing, water sports: Corpus Christi or Port Aransas
• Culturally diverse: Houston, San Antonio, El Paso
• Fine arts and performing arts: Houston, San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin
• Foodies: Austin, Houston, San Antonio
• Hispanic culture: San Antonio or El Paso
• History buffs: San Antonio or El Paso
• Live music and music festivals: Austin or Houston
• Luxury solo travel: Austin, Dallas, Houston

Solo Weekend Trip Texas

For a solo weekend getaway in Texas, I recommend the following places if you’re in the mood for a big city vacation:

Austin has the biggest live music scene in Texas, thriving arts and culture, and an abundance of great restaurants, from fine dining to food trucks and everything in between. Generally, there is a chill vibe in Austin.

Houston has a vibrant music scene in a culturally diverse city with world-class art museums, major league sports teams like the Houston Astros, Houston Texans, Houston Rockets, and Houston Dynamo FC, and lots of shopping options from thrift stores to high-end retailers.

San Antonio is famous for the River Walk, the Alamo, the best tacos in Texas, and its rich history, including the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas, the San Antonio Missions.

Fort Worth is a big city with an Old West meets modern art vibe. You can watch the longhorn cattle drive (twice a day, 11:30 am and 4:00 pm) at Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District and visit world-class art museums all in the same town. Pretty cool, right?!

You can easily fly to these major Texas cities from numerous airports around the United States and internationally.

What about Dallas? I am not sold on Dallas for solo travelers, but if I’m wrong, let me know! It seems like it’s not as much fun as Fort Worth. And Dallas is more expensive, more busy, more traffic jammed, and has not much of a Texas feel to it compared to Fort Worth and all the other major cities in Texas. And you won’t find any longhorn cattle on the streets of Dallas!

 

Solo Texas Road Trip

I was almost forty years old before I took my first road trip alone, because I didn’t really like driving all that much. My first solo road trip was from Austin to Big Bend National Park, and I loved every minute of it! I gained a lot of confidence during that trip, and it inspired me to consider doing more road trips by myself.

Since then, I’ve done solo road trips from Texas to California, and up the West Coast to Oregon and Washington, across the Mid-West, down the East Coast from Maine to Florida, in New England, the entire Blue Ridge Parkway from Virginia to North Carolina, across the South (several times), and across Canada (a couple of times).

Now, I love to make any excuse for a road trip.

Texas Road Trip Routes

These are some of my favorite solo road trip destinations in Texas.

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend is perfect for a West Texas road trip to escape city life and enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, river trips, stargazing, wildlife viewing, and nature appreciation. You can even take a trip across the Rio Grande to Mexico; just remember to bring your passport.

Note that the closest major airport is Midland/Odessa, which is a 3-hour drive to Big Bend. From Austin or San Antonio, it’s about a 6 or 7-hour drive. You could spend a couple of days in the city before driving out to Big Bend.

Port Aransas Road Trip

Head out for a Gulf Coast road trip to Port Aransas and your choice of fishing, bird watching, boating, beachcombing, water sports, relaxing on the beach, camping on the beach, fresh seafood, and a relaxed island vibe.

Nearby, Corpus Christi has a small international airport. But if you fly into San Antonio (SAT), you could spend a day or two there and also stop in Goliad (for Texas historic sites) on the way to or from San Antonio if you have extra time. Driving from San Antonio airport to Port Aransas takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Amarillo and Palo Duro Canyon

Enjoy a canyons and Cadillacs road trip to the famous Texas landmark known as the Cadillac Ranch and the second largest canyon (about 120 miles) in the United States at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, just 30 miles from Amarillo. Other top attractions include Historic Route 66 and the 72-oz Steak Challenge at The Big Texan Steak Ranch.

Amarillo has an international airport. Driving from Dallas to Amarillo takes about 5.5 hours.

Fredericksburg Road Trip

Texas Hill Country road trip to wine country, German heritage, hiking Enchanted Rock, and small town charm. And you can also visit the famous town of Luckenbach, less than 15 miles from Fredericksburg.

San Antonio is the closest major airport, about 1 hour and 15 minutes driving time to Fredericksburg. From Austin, it takes about 90 minutes to get to Fredericksburg, and you can also stop in Johnson City to visit the LBJ State Park and Historic Site.

 

Texas Bluebonnets Road Trip in the Spring

In the months of March and April, much of the state comes alive with the brilliant blue of the state flower of Texas, the Texas Bluebonnet. These perennial flowers attract large crowds and plenty of photographers as people seek out the best bluebonnet fields and iconic sites like the Bluebonnet House on Hwy 281 in Marble Falls.

The bluebonnet season typically begins in late February to early March in south Texas before gradually moving north, first to west Texas and central Texas hill country, and then to the Dallas area and the official Bluebonnet City of Texas, in Ennis.

Several cities have bluebonnet festivals (Burnet, Chappell Hill, and Ennis), so be sure to book accommodations early if you plan to attend because lodging demand exceeds supply in most cases.

Favorite bluebonnet routes include the Ennis Bluebonnet Trail. With over 40 miles of country roads and abundant blooms, April is the best time to plan this road trip.

For a scenic bluebonnet route from Houston, take Hwy 290 to Chappell Hill and Brenham, then 237 to Round Top and La Grange, then aim for Fayetteville and Industry. There’s a field with bluebonnets and zebras on Hwy 159, about midway between Industry and Fayetteville.

About an hour from Austin, the Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area is a top spot for bluebonnets in central Texas hill country. From there, head to Marble Falls, Burnet, and Liberty Hill before heading back to Austin.

 

Texas Revolution Historic Sites Road Trip

 

Texas declared its independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836. Step back in time with visits to some of the most important historical sites of the Texas Revolution, including:

• The Alamo and the San Antonio Missions
• Presidio la Bahia State Historic Site in Goliad, and while in town you can also visit Zaragoza Birthplace State Historic Site, Mission Espíritu Santo State Historic Site, and Mission Rosario State Historic Site
• Fannin Battleground State Historic Site in Victoria
• Gonzales Memorial Museum in Gonzales
• Star of the Republic Museum in Washington-on-the-Brazos
• San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site in Houston
• San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site in La Porte
• Texas Heroes Monument in Galveston

Fly into San Antonio and spend a couple of days visiting the Alamo and the San Antonio Missions, then drive to Goliad, Victoria, Gonzales, Washington-on-the-Brazos, Houston, La Porte, and Galveston. Or fly into Houston and do the road trip in the reverse order.

 

What about Budget Travel in Texas?

As for your travel budget, it depends on how you are traveling to Texas: driving, flying, train, or bus. The bus is the cheapest option but takes the longest. Train fares in the United States often cost as much as flying, but train travel is slower. Most people will opt to fly or drive to Texas.

If you are traveling on-the-cheap then hostels, budget motels, or shared accommodations will offer the cheapest lodging options.

I’ve stayed at all of these types of cheap accommodations and I always read several reviews and look at the photos of the places before deciding to book a reservation. I look for places that are clean, quiet, and at a convenient location, and if they’re also cheap, that’s great.

Budget hotel/motel chains in Texas

• Motel 6
• Super 8
• Days Inn
• La Quinta
• Best Western

For motels, I look for the mom-and-pop type of motels. I find that when the owner lives at the motel, they often care a whole lot more about the place compared to some corporate owners, who are more concerned with profits than customer satisfaction. I’ve also had some great travel advice and recommendations from motel owners.

Traveling during the shoulder season or off-season is another way to save on accommodation costs. I prefer shoulder season because I can usually find reduced rates for lodging, the weather is typically pleasant, and there are fewer crowds.

To save money on food, you can stay in a place with a kitchenette or full kitchen so you can buy food from the local grocery store to save on meal costs.

If I’m only staying for a weekend, I usually like to eat at restaurants the whole trip, but if I’m traveling for a couple weeks or more, I prefer to have a kitchen so I can make some of my own meals.

Summary

As you can tell, Texas has many options for solo travelers, from big cities to small towns, beautiful beach towns to big nature adventures at state and national parks, plus numerous historic sites. The Lone Star State is an ideal option when you’re looking for the freedom to roam on your own.

You can leave questions and comments below. Happy travels!

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