Ontario Canada to Texas

[RPerk]

This winter, January, we are heading south to Corpus Christi, Texas in our Motorhome for the first time and I wondered if anyone has done the trip from Ontario Canada to Texas? If so do you have any route suggestions and any helpful tips? We did the trip this past winter to Cape Coral, Florida and even before Ian hit we had Texas booked as RV sites were booked up fairly well in Florida.

[BZTS561]

Depending on your point of entry into the US will dictate which route is most handy. While we have not done January departures, typically November or December, our route takes us across at Sarnia/Port Huron and then south to Galveston. We take 69 across to Lansing which then heads south into Indianapolis. From there it is 70 across to 57 which takes you into Memphis where you pick up 55. This will get you to 12 where you start the trek west. At Baton Rouge it becomes 10 and that will run you across to Houston. Prior to Houston you can elect to go south and pick up 35 that will run you into Corpus Christi.

As an alternative you can pick up 65 at Indianapolis and head south to Nashville where you pick up 40 west. This will take you through Memphis too and you can elect to head south from there or continue on 40 towards Dallas. I am sure there is a route south prior to Dallas which will get you to CC, the trick is to avoid the metropolitan areas as best you can.

We have typically stayed on the main highways and done fairly decent runs each day as it is a balance of weather windows and places to stay that are open. We've got ourselves locked into some familiar places to stay, out of convenience more than anything else. We save sight seeing and backroad routes for the way home when the weather is better and things are opening up.

[RPerk]

This is very helpful, thank you. We will be coming from the Kitchener area and heading to Port Aransas/Corpus Christi, so this is very helpful!

[harris155]

Ditto above route but after West Memphis we get off interstates in Arkansas and Louisiana, good roads, towns spread nicely apart. #79. we get down to the Gulf in Louisanna and take the Coast road to Texas, back down to the coast, on the Bolivar Ferry to Galveston Beach and then on to Rockport Texas.
Indianaplolis is the biggest metro area we drive thrugh,
Leaving Port Dover end of November.

[harris155]

For a first time trip look up the Natchez Trace Parkway. A 450 mile lighty travelled National Park road from Nashville to Natchez. NO, ZERO stop signs.
Runs NE/SW. Three free dry camping sites along the Parkway.

Also lots of dry camping on the Texas beaches.

Lots of cheap, free casino camping down the mighty Mississippi River.

[Rob_M]

Originally Posted by RPerk

This winter, January, we are heading south to Corpus Christi, Texas in our Motorhome for the first time and I wondered if anyone has done the trip from Ontario Canada to Texas? If so do you have any route suggestions and any helpful tips? We did the trip this past winter to Cape Coral, Florida and even before Ian hit we had Texas booked as RV sites were booked up fairly well in Florida.

Where exactly in the Corpus area? It makes a difference which way we go depending on what part exactly.
And how scenic do you want vs quickest way possible. Avoid toll roads and large metro areas?

Even from that far away, looks like a solid 1/3 of your drive will be in Texas. I would avoid Houston. Most of the roads down here are good.

[Lt Dan]

To avoid downtown Dallas traffic, take I-30 to Greenville, go Hwy 34 south to Terrell then I-20 around the south end of Dallas to I-35E south. In Waco, pick up US77 and follow that all the way south to Corpus. I have driven 77 numerous times to Port Aransas and it's good road all the way. You could go through Port Aransas, but you have to take a ferry across the ship channel and depending on tide levels you may not be able to get a motor home on board so I would stay on 77 to Corpus. Just for reference, it's about 7-8 hours from Dallas to Corpus.

[tetranz]

I'm not sure how relevant this is but we've driven twice in both directions from New Hampshire to Houston which includes going past Buffalo NY on I-90. From there we carry on I-90 through the top of PA and into OH. Then we head south to Columbus, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Memphis, Little Rock, Texarkana and finally to Houston. I'm not sure what route you'd take in Texas but the rest of it probably fits.

I don't think going through Houston is all that bad except when we went to Galveston for a week a few months ago. I-45 down to the coast was a bit of a mess with lots of construction going on.

[creativepart]

Are you aware that Corpus/Port A/Rockport isn’t far enough south to avoid cold weather, freezing temps and even the occasional snow?

We live in the San Antonio area and we leave for Arizona every January-February to escape the bad weather. It’s going to be warmer than Ontario, sure but a lot more humid. And, you’ve never thought 39 could be so cold as it is at the coast in winter.

We love Port A and have reservations for March when the weather starts being decent again.

If you want real snowbird weather head to the Rio Grande Valley with all the other Canadian RVers. That’s where winter Texans return year after year.

Maybe this will be a warm winter. It happens. You just never know.

[Souljourner]

Originally Posted by creativepart

Are you aware that Corpus/Port A/Rockport isn’t far enough south to avoid cold weather, freezing temps and even the occasional snow?

We live in the San Antonio area and we leave for Arizona every January-February to escape the bad weather. It’s going to be warmer than Ontario, sure but a lot more humid. And, you’ve never thought 39 could be so cold as it is at the coast in winter.

We love Port A and have reservations for March when the weather starts being decent again.

If you want real snowbird weather head to the Rio Grande Valley with all the other Canadian RVers. That’s where winter Texans return year after year.

Maybe this will be a warm winter. It happens. You just never know.

I’ve been following this thread because I’m also planning a winter trip from the northeast to TX and have Corpus Christi, Rockport, and Port A on my destinations list. Surprised to hear you say those areas are not warm enough, as average temps over the winter seem to be mid-60’s day, and low 50’s overnight.

I realize warm is relative but coming from the cold and snowy northeast these temps sound pretty inviting to me. I camp in the northeast through late fall so cold overnights don’t frighten me.

Just curious - are those average temps that I found online for those areas not your experience?

I’m thinking that more moderate temps than those found further south might make for less crowded conditions over the winter months?

[docj]

Originally Posted by Souljourner

I’ve been following this thread because I’m also planning a winter trip from the northeast to TX and have Corpus Christi, Rockport, and Port A on my destinations list. Surprised to hear you say those areas are not warm enough, as average temps over the winter seem to be mid-60’s day, and low 50’s overnight.

I realize warm is relative but coming from the cold and snowy northeast these temps sound pretty inviting to me. I camp in the northeast through late fall so cold overnights don’t frighten me.

Just curious - are those average temps that I found online for those areas not your experience?

I’m thinking that more moderate temps than those found further south might make for less crowded conditions over the winter months?

We've lived in Rockport TX for the past >6 years. In only one of them, two years ago, did we experience a significant freeze and, even then, the cold snap only lasted a couple of days.

There's no way to extrapolate "inland temperatures" in TX with those right on the coast. You don't have to drive more than ~20 miles inland to experience much colder temps. Furthermore, even within the local area there are significant differences. For example, in our experience Port Aransas is much windier than Rockport because it is directly on the Gulf of Mexico rather than the Bay.

For those with a horticultural bent, Rockport is in Zone 9b. Only during that cold snap have we ever lost plants rated for that zone.

The bottom line is that my wardrobe consists primarily of shorts, t-shirts and sandals, year round. During the winter I add a sweat shirt in the morning and might even break down and wear jeans occasionally! But by noon on a sunny day, it's usually warm enough to ditch the sweatshirt and change back to shorts.

[creativepart]

I know Texas can be super variable in Jan and Feb. I've seen 17 degrees the first week of Feb, I've seen 4" of snow in January and I've seen 102 in February as well.

I have seen other snowbirds complain about choosing Port A / Rockport for wintering due to lousy weather. And I've talked to other Canadians wintering in Port A that they love the coast during the winter. I also know that the RGV is by far the more preferred Texas snowbird locale.

As I said, we spend Jan/Feb in Tucson and to us, that's great winter weather. 70 degree days and 50 degree nights with zero humidity and bright blue skies. Here in the Texas Hill Country the cold, windy, humid 40's just cut right through.

By the way, I grew up in Ohio and Michigan and lived in Jackson, WY from 2000 to 2005 so I've seen my fair share of really cold, really snowy weather. It's not like I don't know that weather.

[SergioP]

The temps will be fine in the Corpus area compared to the northeast. Two years ago we had the big winter freeze that killed the electric grid. Even the Rio Grand valley saw temps in the low 40’s. In Houston we had a couple of 20º nights and 30º days. There was ice and snow on the ground for 5 days or so. That was a rare winter storm, if there’s snow here it melts by afternoon. The bigger problem is ice on overpasses and bridges.

There shouldn’t be much trouble finding an RV park in Rockport, Port A, or Corpus. There’s more in the valley but that’s about a 2-3 hour drive from Corpus. I was down in the valley a couple months ago, drove to the SpaceX facilities. They are right off the road so you can see their rockets up close. You could never get that close to rockets at NASA. If you watch their website you might catch a launch of a rocket from South Padre Island.

[Rob_M]

Usually when we get a cold snap down here it’s only for a couple days or a week And usually it’s end of January or first of February. Notoriously February is the month we get the weird hard freeze. It’s not unusual to have an 80° Christmas.

I have parked my RV on the beach in Port A and lounged in my shorts and got a sunburn in February… So there you go.

Agreed a dryer climate would be more comfortable, but we love the people in Texas.