Kansas - Galveston: Drive fast or more scenic

My wife and I are going on our first cruise for our 10 year anniversary on 09/05 and leaving from Galveston. We'll be driving in from Kansas - we'll leave on 09/04 and stay the night in Sugar Land and head from there to Galveston the morning on 09/05.

What I'm looking for are opinions on what route to take from Kansas to Sugar Land. There is the direct route of going down I35 the entire way - going through OKC and Dallas or alternately we can head down Hwy 75 through Kansas and Oklahoma and then some Texas highways (either bypassing or going through Dallas).

I'm not concerned about Dallas traffic or anything - especially as we'd be passing through on a Sunday afternoon. I'm more wondering if going the non-I35 route would be a more pleasurable and scenic drive. Google maps puts I35 as around an hour faster so that isn't really a concern either.

So I'm on here for opinions from people on if there's any value on the non-Interstate route or if we should just take I35 down.

Thanks!

Don't take the "scenic" route. I don't know about Oklahoma, but once you get to Texas you will have town after town with traffic lights and slower speed limits. Also, at Dallas you'll need to change from I 35 to I 45. If you stay on 35 you'll end up in Waco, Austin, San Antonio.....

I don't think you'll miss anything too scenic by staying on the interstate in this case! It's mostly a lot of flat-ish prairie. And TT is right about the speed limits. Some of those small towns are speed traps, and my DH has a ticket to prove it, from our last drive down to Dallas. Enjoy your cruise!

My wife and I are going on our first cruise for our 10 year anniversary on 09/05 and leaving from Galveston. We'll be driving in from Kansas - we'll leave on 09/04 and stay the night in Sugar Land and head from there to Galveston the morning on 09/05.

 

What I'm looking for are opinions on what route to take from Kansas to Sugar Land. There is the direct route of going down I35 the entire way - going through OKC and Dallas or alternately we can head down Hwy 75 through Kansas and Oklahoma and then some Texas highways (either bypassing or going through Dallas).

 

I'm not concerned about Dallas traffic or anything - especially as we'd be passing through on a Sunday afternoon. I'm more wondering if going the non-I35 route would be a more pleasurable and scenic drive. Google maps puts I35 as around an hour faster so that isn't really a concern either.

 

So I'm on here for opinions from people on if there's any value on the non-Interstate route or if we should just take I35 down.

 

Thanks!

I'm going to Galveston from Kansas City on 10/7 to get on the boat on 10/9. Since I'm leaving right after work, I'm going to drive to Tulsa, spend the night then drive HWY75 / Indian Nations Turnpike to Dallas. I'll pick up I-45 from there and head to Houston to spend the night of 10/8 on Galveston Island. Four hours that first day will be plenty and then the eight from Tulsa to Galveston should be fine. I'm getting to the point where 12 hour drives JUST aren't that much fun anymore. :D

I'm dreading HOUSTON traffic much more than Dallas - driving in Houston seems almost to be a contact sport! LOL

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Sounds like we'll just take the Wichita/OKC/Dallas route down. Another thing I've been looking at is which way to go from Sugar Land to Galveston - from what I've read 6 is not a great option because of speed traps and potential traffic and I should head over to I45 and take that down - does this sound right?

Also - I think we'll get lunch in Galveston before boarding the ship so am looking for a good place to eat at, any suggestions there?

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Sounds like we'll just take the Wichita/OKC/Dallas route down. Another thing I've been looking at is which way to go from Sugar Land to Galveston - from what I've read 6 is not a great option because of speed traps and potential traffic and I should head over to I45 and take that down - does this sound right?

 

Also - I think we'll get lunch in Galveston before boarding the ship so am looking for a good place to eat at, any suggestions there?

Take HW 6 ! Easy drive !

Take HW 6 ! Easy drive !

Well, I live less than a mile off 6 and I wouldn't consider it. I take the toll road (have an EZ Tag) around to 45. Without an EZ Tag it might be OK to take 6 vs. having to wait inline at the toll booths.

I lived off Hwy 6 for years, now in Galveston, and always take Hwy 6 to Sugar Land and points south on Hwy 59. It is easy and a straight shot and takes less time that going through Houston to 45.

The Beltway on the south side is a pain, two lanes and backed up at toll booths. Drove it once, took double the time to 45 and still had a long way to go vs. 6 which meets 45 at the causeway. Save your money and time.

I lived off Hwy 6 for years, now in Galveston, and always take Hwy 6 to Sugar Land and points south on Hwy 59. It is easy and a straight shot and takes less time that going through Houston to 45.

The Beltway on the south side is a pain, two lanes and backed up at toll booths. Drove it once, took double the time to 45 and still had a long way to go vs. 6 which meets 45 at the causeway. Save your money and time.

Not my experience at all and most of the tollway on the south side is now 3 lanes in each direction. Now, if I were doing it at 6 AM Sunday morning, maybe 6 would be faster.

To each his own, but drive this way frequently. Only back up is at 6 & 59 by Williams Trace though it still moves. Tollway has always taken twice as long. Still go to Dr. In Sugar Land, so have driven at all hours during the day.

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The question I have is why the heck are you going to Sugarland? That is not even on the route between North Tx and Galveston. :confused:

The question I have is why the heck are you going to Sugarland? That is not even on the route between North Tx and Galveston. :confused:

We'll be in Sugar Land because I needed somewhere to stay the night - just randomly picked Sugar Land because it looked like it would be easy to get up in the morning and finish the drive to Galveston. I initially was going to stop north of Houston but hoped that with being there on a Sunday evening it would be just as easy to drive a little bit further and get Houston out of the way for the final trek to Galveston the following day.

We'll be in Sugar Land because I needed somewhere to stay the night - just randomly picked Sugar Land because it looked like it would be easy to get up in the morning and finish the drive to Galveston. I initially was going to stop north of Houston but hoped that with being there on a Sunday evening it would be just as easy to drive a little bit further and get Houston out of the way for the final trek to Galveston the following day.

You're going to be on I45 S thru downtown, make the drive to the Clear Lake area, Webster, League City...you'll appreciate it come Monday morning heading to Galveston.

agreed I stayed in Webster about two years ago. Lot of new hotels with lots of places eat in walking distance.

easy drive the next morning.

If you end up in N Houston stay around Conroe. only other place N of Houston would be the woodlands and when I have stayed there I was not impressed.

We'll be in Sugar Land because I needed somewhere to stay the night - just randomly picked Sugar Land because it looked like it would be easy to get up in the morning and finish the drive to Galveston. I initially was going to stop north of Houston but hoped that with being there on a Sunday evening it would be just as easy to drive a little bit further and get Houston out of the way for the final trek to Galveston the following day.

Have you checked for hotels?

Sugar Land is a bedroom community of Houston. Has a large shopping area, but few hotels/motels.

 

I'm dreading HOUSTON traffic much more than Dallas - driving in Houston seems almost to be a contact sport! LOL

You are SOOO RIGHT!!!! Houston traffic is 10x worse than anything we have to deal with here in DFW area! And it seems like I45 south of Houston has been under construction forever!

 

Also - I think we'll get lunch in Galveston before boarding the ship so am looking for a good place to eat at, any suggestions there?

http://thespot.islandfamous.com/

We ate here last fall in Galveston. Really enjoyed the food and the view of the gulf.

Have you checked for hotels?

Sugar Land is a bedroom community of Houston. Has a large shopping area, but few hotels/motels.

I booked and paid for the hotel in Sugar Land back in May. Live and learn I guess!

Just browsing online and The Spot was one of the two I was thinking of - the other being Miller's Seawall Grill.

agreed I stayed in Webster about two years ago. Lot of new hotels with lots of places eat in walking distance.

easy drive the next morning.

If you end up in N Houston stay around Conroe. only other place N of Houston would be the woodlands and when I have stayed there I was not impressed.

The Woodlands was actually the town I was originally thinking of before I booked in Sugar Land. Wish I would have come to this site before making those decisions a couple months ago.

Why pay for a meal before boarding the ship? We set our check-in time between 11-11:30 am so we can get on the ship asap (since we are paying for 4 days) and can have lunch before the ship leaves. Give us time to explore.

KS too, we always take the interstate without another thought.