6 days in Austin, San Antonio & Houston Itinerary

Despite its laid-back college vibe, Austin is an influential center for politics, technology, film, and music.

Kick off your visit on the 24th (Sat): get a sense of history and politics at Texas State Capitol, then get engrossed in the history at Bullock Texas State History Museum, then take some stellar pictures from Mount Bonnell, and finally stroll around Zilker Metropolitan Park.

To find ratings, traveler tips, maps, and other tourist information, you can read our Austin online driving holiday planner.

Minneapolis to Austin is an approximately 4.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or take a bus. Expect warmer temperatures when traveling from Minneapolis in December; daily highs in Austin reach 64°F and lows reach 45°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 24th (Sat) to allow enough time to drive to San Antonio.

As the state’s second largest city, San Antonio embodies Texas’ rich cultural heritage while maintaining the Old West charm of an oil town.

Kick off your visit on the 25th (Sun): pause for some serene contemplation at San Fernando De Bexar Cathedral and then get in on the family fun at SeaWorld. Keep things going the next day: get to know the resident critters at San Antonio Zoo, take in the history at Mission San Jose, then make a trip to Main Plaza, then browse the exhibits of The Alamo, and finally go for a walk through The San Antonio River Walk.

To see ratings, traveler tips, where to stay, and tourist information, go to the San Antonio trip builder app.

Drive from Austin to San Antonio in 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or take a train. In December, plan for daily highs up to 66°F, and evening lows to 47°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 26th (Mon) to allow enough time to fly to Houston.

Although urban sprawl remains synonymous with Houston, most of the city's tourist attractions lie within the relatively small downtown area, surrounded by diverse neighborhoods housing the nation's biggest African-American, Asian-American, and Latino communities.

Kick off your visit on the 27th (Tue): get curious at Cockrell Butterfly Center, then learn about wildlife with up-close encounters at Houston Zoo, and then test your team's savvy at popular escape rooms. On the next day, have fun and explore at Children's Museum Houston, engage your brain at The Houston Museum of Natural Science, and then stroll around Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park.

To see other places to visit, maps, ratings, and tourist information, refer to the Houston day trip tool.

Fly from San Antonio to Houston in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus. December in Houston sees daily highs of 66°F and lows of 50°F at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 28th (Wed) so you can fly back home.