Brenham to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico Road Trip: Route & Stops

By admin, 30 September, 2026

The Wayro route from Brenham to Ciudad Acuña is 306 miles (492 km), about 5 h 50 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 303 on this route, near the Del Rio port of entry.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Coahuila — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Coahuila is the Mexican state that contains Ciudad Acuña. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic SitesPalmetto State ParkWalnut Springs ParkSaffold DamSan Antonio SpringsMission San Juan CapistranoMission ConcepcionLandmark Inn State Historic SiteSan Felipe CreekU.S.–Mexico borderBrenhamCiudad Acuña
Route from Brenham to Ciudad Acuña with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots) and the approximate U.S.–Mexico border crossing (red square).
Distance306 mi (492 km)
Driving time, no stops5 h 50 min
Main roads, in orderUS-290 → TX 237 → TX 159 → FM 609 → I-10 → US-90
Border crossingabout mile 303 of this route, Texas → Coahuila (near the Del Rio, TX port of entry)
Mexican states on the routeCoahuila (Level 3)
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 12.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Ciudad Acuña

PassportPassport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land
FMM entry permitNot needed if you stay within 12 miles (20 km) of the border for 6 days or less; required for longer stays or if you travel farther in
Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP)Not needed inside the border zone; required if you drive farther into Mexico
Mexican auto insuranceRequired for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you cross

Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.

Crossing at Del Rio

The Del Rio International Bridge crosses the Rio Grande between Del Rio and Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila. It is a full-service crossing that handles pedestrians, passenger vehicles and buses as well as commercial trucks.

Sources: [1] [2]

What the drive from Brenham to Ciudad Acuña is like

US-90 (152 mi) and I-10 (89 mi) carry about 79% of the 306 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Texas for about 303 miles; after the border at Del Rio you have about 3 miles left in Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Brenham to Ciudad Acuña, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–22Texas
US-2902–1513Texas
TX 23715–3116Texas
TX 15931–376Texas
connecting roads37–403Texas
FM 60940–6020Texas
I-1060–14989Texas
US-90149–301152Texas
local roads301–3065Texas, Coahuila
  • Mile 303 of this route: Texas → Coahuila (international border)

Stops between Brenham and Ciudad Acuña

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Mission Concepcion (mile 148), Landmark Inn State Historic Site (mile 171), San Felipe Creek (mile 300)
  • Nature and outdoors: Palmetto State Park (mile 90), Walnut Springs Park (mile 114), Saffold Dam (mile 115), San Antonio Springs (mile 143), San Felipe Creek (mile 300)
  • Museums and history: Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites (mile 39), Mission San Juan Capistrano (mile 147), Mission Concepcion (mile 148), Landmark Inn State Historic Site (mile 171)

Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites

Mile 39 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

On a bluff above La Grange, a tomb honors Texans of the Dawson Massacre and Mier Expedition. Next door, docents lead tours of German immigrant H.L. Kreische's brewery ruins and his home, with interpretive trails and picnic spots.

Palmetto State Park

Mile 90 · State park · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Dwarf palmettos, the park's namesake, grow beneath the trees along a trail at this Gonzales County park. Visitors canoe, swim and fish on the San Marcos River and an oxbow lake, and CCC-built structures still stand.

Walnut Springs Park

Mile 114 · Park · 2 mi from the route

Designed by architect Robert H. H. Hugman and begun by Civilian Conservation Corps workers in 1933, this Seguin park follows Walnut Branch, a Guadalupe River tributary, with stone walls, walkways, and bridges; the renovated park was dedicated in 2011.

Saffold Dam

Mile 115 · Waterfall · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Along the Guadalupe River in Seguin, this dam sits within Max Starcke Park, a 227-acre city park with picnic pavilions, a walking trail, riverbank fishing, and a paddling trail on Lake Seguin.

San Antonio Springs

Mile 143 · Spring · 4 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Blue Hole, source spring of the San Antonio River, lies within Headwaters at Incarnate Word, a 53-acre nature sanctuary on Broadway in San Antonio. Walkers and leashed pets are welcome on its trails.

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mile 147 · Spanish mission · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in 1716 in East Texas as Mission San José de los Nazonis, it was moved to the east bank of the San Antonio River in 1731 and renamed San Juan Capistrano. It's part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mission Concepcion

Mile 148 · Spanish mission · 0.4 mi from the route

Dedicated in 1755, the stone church here is one of the country's oldest remaining original stone churches and the least restored of San Antonio's colonial missions. Inside, four rooms still show colorful frescoes painted more than 250 years ago.

Landmark Inn State Historic Site

Mile 171 · State historic site · 0.1 mi from the route

Set on five acres along the Medina River in Castroville, the "Little Alsace of Texas," this historic inn offers overnight rooms plus tours and living history programs about the people who settled near the river ford.

San Felipe Creek

Mile 300 · Spring · 0.2 mi from the route

Fed by San Felipe Springs, one of the largest spring systems in Texas and Del Rio's water supply, this creek has swimming holes at Horseshoe and Lions parks, a paved hike-and-bike trail, and good birdwatching.

When you get to Ciudad Acuña

Ciudad Acuña faces Del Rio, Texas, across the Rio Grande, at the spot where Las Vacas Creek flows into the river. Coahuila's tourism office calls it the state's friendly border, and its biggest draw is the Amistad reservoir, the largest body of water in Coahuila, used for boating, fishing, skiing, sailing and kayaking.

  • Presa La Amistad: The reservoir is the city's signature attraction, with fishing, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, diving and kayaking. source
  • Plaza Benjamín Canales: The main square anchors the historic center, near the Hemiciclo a Juárez, the monumental flagpole and the Fiftieth Anniversary Forum. source
  • Parroquia de Santa María de Guadalupe: The downtown parish church dates from 1914 and is one of the historic landmarks of the city center. source

Whitehead Memorial Museum

Museum · in Ciudad Acuña

Set on about 2.5 acres in Del Rio, this pioneer-village history museum covers frontier life, border radio, and "goat-gland doctor" John Brinkley, and holds the grave of Old West justice of the peace Roy Bean.

More drives to Ciudad Acuña

From Brenham to other places in Mexico

All routes to Ciudad Acuña, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico from the U.S.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Brenham to Ciudad Acuña?

About 5 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 306 miles.

How far is Ciudad Acuña from Brenham by car?

About 306 miles (492 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.

Where does the Brenham to Ciudad Acuña drive cross into Mexico?

At about mile 303 of this route, from Texas into Coahuila, near the Del Rio port of entry.

Do I need a permit to drive my car from Brenham to Ciudad Acuña?

Not needed inside the border zone; required if you drive farther into Mexico. You also need Mexican auto insurance and a passport book or card.

Is it safe to drive from Brenham to Ciudad Acuña?

The U.S. State Department rates Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Brenham to Ciudad Acuña use?

In order: US-290, TX 237, TX 159, FM 609, I-10 and US-90. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Brenham and Ciudad Acuña?

Closest to the road: Mission Concepcion (spanish mission, mile 148, 0.4 mi from the route); Landmark Inn State Historic Site (state historic site, mile 171, 0.1 mi from the route); San Felipe Creek (spring, mile 300, 0.2 mi from the route). All stops are described above.

How we put this guide together

Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway mile markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.

Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.