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Monroe, LA Road Trips

Drivers starting from Monroe, LA have 29 mapped routes to choose from, making it a small but connected base in the Southeast. The route mix is balanced, with options ranging from 167-mile quick runs to 274-mile cross-state drives. Most routes from Monroe, LA head south, giving the route network a clear directional lean.

Downtown Monroe, LA, LA

Photo: Perry Z

Trip Routes

58

Longest Drive

304 mi

Chauvin, LA

Quickest Drive

3h 12m

Sunset, LA

Plan Around Monroe, LA

Trips from Monroe, LA

Driving from Monroe, LA

The typical drive from Monroe, LA covers about 222 miles and takes around 4h 21m. This is long-haul territory. Most routes stretch past the 250-mile mark, so pack snacks and plan fuel stops. The longest mapped route runs 274 miles (5h 21m), while the shortest is just 167 miles.

Popular Destinations

Top road trip destinations from Monroe, LA are Marrero, LA (274.1 mi, 5h 21m), Harvey, LA (272.5 mi, 5h 19m), Waggaman, LA (266.6 mi, 5h 17m), New Orleans, LA (266.2 mi, 5h 11m), and Slidell, LA (264.8 mi, 5h 3m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.

Planning & Costs

For the average 222-mile drive from Monroe, LA, expect to burn about 8.7 gallons of fuel one way at 25 MPG. Check local pump prices before you go to lock in your budget.

Most trips take a half-day, so a morning start gets you there in time for lunch or an afternoon of exploring. The majority of destinations are to the south. Morning starts help you avoid the midday heat on longer drives.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 29 mapped routes leaving Monroe, LA and 29 routes heading into Monroe, LA, covering 58 total connections. Distances range from 167 to 274 miles.

The longest mapped route from Monroe, LA covers 274 miles and takes approximately 5h 21m. Shorter options start at just 167 miles.

The average route from Monroe, LA runs about 222 miles with a drive time of roughly 4h 21m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.

The most popular road trip destinations from Monroe, LA include Marrero, LA, Harvey, LA, Waggaman, LA and New Orleans, LA. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.

Monroe, LA by the Numbers

Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Population

47,241

Median Income

$36,521

Median Home Value

$174,800

Median Age

34.7

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.

Monroe, LA at a Glance

Founded

1785

Elevation

72 ft

Area

3 mi²

Notable People from Monroe, LA

A sampling of people born in Monroe, LA.

Bill Russell

Bill Russell

1934–2022

American basketball player (1934–2022)

Ronnie Coleman

Ronnie Coleman

1963

American IFBB professional bodybuilder

Huey P. Newton

Huey P. Newton

1942–1989

Co-founder of the Black Panther Party (1942-1989)

Paul Millsap

Paul Millsap

1985

American basketball player

Susan Ward

1976

American actress and model

Samuel D. McEnery

Samuel D. McEnery

1837–1910

American politician (1837-1910)

Luke Letlow

1979–2020

American politician (1979-2020)

David Toms

David Toms

1967

professional golfer

Mantan Moreland

Mantan Moreland

1902–1973

American actor (1902–1973)

Landmarks & Historic Sites

Attractions and heritage-registered places located in Monroe, LA.

Neville High School

Neville High School

high school in Louisiana, United States

National Register of Historic Places listed place
Bright-Lamkin-Easterling House

Bright-Lamkin-Easterling House

historic house in Monroe, Louisiana, United States

National Register of Historic Places listed place
Bynum House

Bynum House

historic house in Monroe, Louisiana, United States

National Register of Historic Places listed place
J.S. Block Building

J.S. Block Building

historic building in Monroe, Louisiana, United States

National Register of Historic Places listed place
G.B. Cooley House

G.B. Cooley House

historic house in Monroe, Louisiana, United States

National Register of Historic Places listed place
Chennault Aviation and Military Museum

Chennault Aviation and Military Museum

museum in Monroe, Louisiana

City data from Wikidata (Q947115), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.

Traveler Guide to Monroe, LA

Monroe is the third-largest city in Northern Louisiana, largest city in Northeast Louisiana, and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish. It is also home to the University of Louisiana at Monroe and their sports team, the ULM Warhawks. Founded as Fort Miro, it took on the name of Monroe after the paddle-wheeler James Monroe that came to town in the early 19th century, and, by extrapolation, the former president James Monroe. An interesting bit of trivia is that Monroe was once the headquarters of Delta Airlines, which got its start as the crop dusting operation Delta Dusters in nearby Tallulah. Slathered down with highly religious views and the effects of years of racial inequality, Monroe can have a rather gritty appearance imbued with a fragrant aroma from its paper mill, but, well, take heart, Wikivoyage traveler.

1 St Matthews Catholic Church, 121 Jackson St, ☏ +1 318 323-8878. 2 Masur Museum of Art, 1400 S Grand St, ☏ +1 318 329 2237. Tu-F 9AM-5PM, Sa noon-5PM. A local art space. (updated Aug 2021) 3 Chennault Aviation & Military Museum, 701 Kansas Ln, ☏ +1 318 362 5540. Tu-Sa 9AM-4PM. Learn about this military personality named General Claire Chennault and WWII stories and visit a vintage plane out in the yard. (updated Aug 2021) 4 Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum, 1051 Chennault Park Dr, ☏ +1 318 342 8889. This museum focuses on Black art and history. (updated Aug 2021) 5 Biedenharn Museum & Garden, 2006 Riverside Dr, ☏ +1 318 387 5281. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM. Take a guided tour of this aristocrat's mansion and English garden and Coca-Cola museum if you're okay with fussy things like that. (updated Feb 2026) 6 Northeast Louisiana Children's Museum, 323 Walnut St, ☏ +1 318 361 9611. Tu-Sa 9AM-4PM. This is really quite passable, unless you have a kid in tow. (updated Aug 2021)

1 Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo, 1405 Bernstein Park Rd, ☏ +1 318 329-2400. 10AM-5PM daily. The zoo can look a bit shabby, but the animals may be happy to see you. Adults $6, Seniors (65+) and Children (3-12) $4.50, Children (2 and under) free. (updated Dec 2021) Try a Warhawk game at the 2 University of Louisiana Monroe Explore an intriguing forested parkland with pond, covered and suspension bridges, and nature trails at 3 Kiroli Park at 820 Kiroli Rd in West Monroe, or check out 4 Restoration Park with its impressive swampy boardwalk at 700 Downing Pines Rd nearby. Or for a real treat, try 5 Black Bayou Lake or 6 D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge. You'll be able to capture some eerie shots of bald cypresses rising out of a swamp that is quintessential Louisiana, along trails or at various viewpoints, but actually the experience might be enhanced with a boat or at least mosquito spray.

1 Trapp's, 113 S Riverfront St, ☏ +1 318 855 6428. Tu-Sa 11AM-10PM-ish. Cajun restaurant on the Ouachita River with dock dining. (updated Aug 2021) 2 Warehouse No 1 Restaurant, 1 Olive St, ☏ +1 318 322 1340. More upscale restaurant overlooking the Ouachita River. (updated Aug 2021)

1 Enoch's Pub and Grill, 507 Louisville Ave. M-Th 11AM-midnight, F Sa 11AM-2AM. Irish pub with occasional live music. (updated Aug 2021)

1 Americas Best Value Inn, 310 Thomas Road (I-20 at Exit 114 North Thomas Rd), ☏ +1 318-325-5780. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Air conditioning, restaurants nearby, smoking and non-smoking rooms, pets in some rooms, outdoor pool, cable TV, free fax/copy service, truck and bus park, Internet access, free breakfast, microwaves and refrigerators, hair dryers, in-room coffee in all rooms (updated Mar 2016) 2 Comfort Suites Monroe, 1401 Martin Luther King Dr, ☏ +1 318-410-1005, fax: +1 318-410-0145. (updated Mar 2016) 3 Hamilton House Inn, 318 Trenton St, ☏ +1 318-366-2412. (updated Mar 2016) 4 Quality Inn, 1407 Martin Luther King Junior Dr (I-20 at Exit 118A), ☏ +1 318 361 9944. Not a whole lot of character but it does have a continental breakfast and outdoor pool. (updated Mar 2016)

1 Monroe Regional Airport (MLU IATA) (east of the city). Has nonstop flights on American to Dallas/Fort Worth, Delta to Atlanta, and United to Houston. Monroe is located on Interstate 20, about 100 miles east of Shreveport and 75 miles west of Vicksburg.

Monroe Transit has several routes to get you around the metro area.

Travel tips adapted from Monroe (Louisiana) on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.

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