How far is San Marcos, CA from Waco, TX?
The driving distance from San Marcos, CA to Waco, TX is about 1358.9 miles (2186.9 km), with a travel time of about 23h 53m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 1172 miles (1886.1 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 47h 47m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Reverse, save, or send this route
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
Gas Cost Calculator
Leave and Arrive Planner
Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.
Drive time stays fixed at 23h 53m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.
Halfway Point
A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.
City in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States of America
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Partly Sunny
Mostly Clear
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Marcos and Waco.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Marcos and Waco.
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1
Start on Pico Avenue
922 ft · 35 sec · Pico Avenue
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2
Turn left onto West San Marcos Boulevard
132 m · 19 sec · West San Marcos Boulevard
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3
Turn right onto North Twin Oaks Valley Road
1640 ft · 44 sec · North Twin Oaks Valley Road
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4
Take the ramp left toward CA 78 East
1201 ft · 31 sec
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5
Merge slight left onto Ronald Packard Parkway
3 mi · 3 min · Ronald Packard Parkway
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6
Take the exit slight right toward I 15 South: San Diego
1.1 km · 1 min
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7
Merge slight left onto Escondido Freeway
1010 ft · 13 sec · Escondido Freeway
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8
Keep slight right to continue on Escondido Freeway
8.7 mi · 10 min · Escondido Freeway
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9
Take the exit slight right toward Camino Del Norte
1341 ft · 35 sec
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10
Turn left onto Camino del Norte
1.6 mi · 3 min · Camino del Norte
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11
Continue on Twin Peaks Road
2.6 mi · 5 min · Twin Peaks Road
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12
Turn right onto Espola Road
1.3 km · 1 min · Espola Road
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13
At the end of the road, turn left onto Poway Road
2.6 mi · 4 min · Poway Road
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14
Turn right
9.2 mi · 13 min
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15
Turn left onto Mapleview Street
1.2 km · 2 min · Mapleview Street
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16
Continue on Lake Jennings Park Road
2.4 mi · 4 min · Lake Jennings Park Road
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17
Take the ramp straight toward I 8 East: El Centro
1409 ft · 34 sec
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18
Merge slight left onto Kumeyaay Highway
148.1 mi · 2 hr 40 min · Kumeyaay Highway
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19
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
177.9 mi · 3 hr 3 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
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20
Keep slight right to continue on I 10 East: Tucson
2912 ft · 38 sec
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21
Continue on Phoenix Bypass Route
2090 ft · 28 sec · Phoenix Bypass Route
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22
Continue on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.6 mi · 56 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
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23
Continue on North Freeway
6.1 mi · 7 min · North Freeway
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24
Continue on Tucson-Benson Highway
42.9 mi · 45 min · Tucson-Benson Highway
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25
Continue on Benson-Steins Pass Highway
88.3 mi · 1 hr 28 min · Benson-Steins Pass Highway
-
26
Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
164.3 mi · 2 hr 48 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
-
27
Continue on Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
12 mi · 14 min · Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
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28
Continue straight
174.8 mi · 2 hr 53 min
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29
Keep slight left
137.4 mi · 2 hr 13 min
-
30
Take the exit slight right toward TX 158, FM 715: Garden City, San Angelo
1187 ft · 29 sec
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31
Turn straight onto East Interstate 20
1.5 km · 2 min · East Interstate 20
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32
Turn right onto Garden City Highway
1.2 mi · 2 min · Garden City Highway
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33
Continue on East State Highway 158
61.4 mi · 1 hr 10 min · East State Highway 158
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34
Merge slight left onto US Highway 87 North
2.6 mi · 3 min · US Highway 87 North
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35
Continue on 4th Street
1.2 mi · 2 min · 4th Street
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36
Turn left onto Robert Lee Highway
34.6 mi · 36 min · Robert Lee Highway
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37
Continue on Highland Park Road
11.8 mi · 13 min · Highland Park Road
-
38
Turn right onto South State Street
1818 ft · 44 sec · South State Street
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39
Turn slight left
23.7 mi · 25 min
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40
At the end of the road, turn left onto Hutchings Avenue
1.4 km · 2 min · Hutchings Avenue
-
41
Take the exit straight toward US 67 North
37 mi · 39 min
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42
Merge slight left onto Wallis Avenue
21.9 mi · 25 min · Wallis Avenue
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43
Continue on Early Boulevard
1.7 mi · 2 min · Early Boulevard
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44
Turn right onto Garmon Drive
1.3 mi · 1 min · Garmon Drive
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45
Continue on US Highway 84 East
98.3 mi · 1 hr 49 min · US Highway 84 East
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46
Continue on West McGregor Drive
2.8 mi · 4 min · West McGregor Drive
-
47
Continue on West US Highway 84
5.3 mi · 6 min · West US Highway 84
-
48
Continue on George W Bush Parkway
10.6 mi · 15 min · George W Bush Parkway
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49
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · West Waco Drive
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Marcos and Waco.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Blue Star Memorial Highway
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
178 mi · 03h 03m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
Better with a longer stop
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
Partly Sunny leaving San Marcos and Mostly Clear near Waco.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Marcos to Waco?
The road trip is about 1358.9 miles (2186.9 km) and usually takes 23h 53m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Mesilla is a useful midpoint, sitting about 678.7 miles from San Marcos and 680.2 miles from Waco.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 1172 miles (1886.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 186.9 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.
When is the best time to leave for this route?
A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $276.62 one way or $553.25 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 426.1 kg one way.
Do you cross a time zone on this route?
Yes. There is about a 2 hour time difference between San Marcos and Waco, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around San Marcos and Mostly Clear near Waco.
Stop Ideas Near Mesilla
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Mesilla.
Las Cruces, New Mexico
El Paso (Bus Station), Texas
Union Depot
Deming station
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Marcos and Waco. Straight-line distance: 1171.97 mi (1886.1 km).
#1 San Marcos
The second most populous city in San Diego County, California.
| Population | 97,477 |
| Coordinates | 33.1433700, -117.1661400 |
| Altitude | 177 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Waco
The 11th most populous city in Texas.
| Population | 141,377 |
| Coordinates | 31.5493300, -97.1466700 |
| Altitude | 143 |
| Country | United States |
End: Waco (-97.14667, 31.54933)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 2187 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 45h 16m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 33h 58m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 27h 10m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 22h 38m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 19h 24m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 16h 57m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $276.62 | $553.25 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $290.86 | $581.73 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $299.35 | $598.70 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $362.84 | $725.68 |
Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.
Prices in California · Jul 13, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.