We are traveling to the Whooping Crane Festival in Port Aransas in February. This is Virginia's first visit to Port Aransas, and I haven't been in years. My vague recollection from childhood trips was that you just headed to San Antonio, and then headed to the coast, but it appears you could also take the (relatively) new tollway and bypass San Antonio completely. Also, you can stop in Waco for lunch and have a Magnolia fix. I found Buc-ee's in Hillsboro and Luling for soda breaks, so that completes the route.
Going home will probably be through San Antonio, just because Virginia has some things she wants to get at the Market Square (aka El Mercado.) So, it really doesn't add much driving time, it just adds shopping time and raises my blood pressure.
Northbound, we'll alter the route a bite and head through San Antonio - which gives time for Tex-Mex at Mi Tierra - and you don't have to check the schedule since they're open 24x7. Virginia will have a "short" time to shop, and then we head back home, with Buc-ee's stops along the way. The Hillsboro Buc-ee's is replaced with Slovacek's to grab some kolaches and sausages, as well as sodas for the road.