Traveling from Avondale to Bossier City covers 327 miles across Louisiana, typically taking about 6 hours and 8 minutes. This trek is best suited as a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, I-10, and State Route 1. Budgeting approximately $50 for fuel will cover your transit costs comfortably. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region, you can expect a consistent atmosphere as you transition between these two Louisiana hubs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
163.5 miles from Avondale, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
186.3 mi
3h 10m
I 10
74.7 mi
1h 24m
State Route 1
49 mi
1h 2m
US 90
4.8 mi
7m
LA 3152
3.8 mi
7m
North Lobdell Highway
3.6 mi
4m
Purple Heart Recipients Highway
1.5 mi
2m
Jamie Boulevard
0.2 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
— 186.3 mi, about 3h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Avondale, LA and Bossier City, LA.
1
Start on Valentine Drive
0.1 mi·30 sec·Valentine Drive
2
Turn right onto Jamie Boulevard
0.2 mi·1 min·Jamie Boulevard
3
Turn left onto US 90
4.8 mi·7 min·US 90
4
Continue on LA 3152
3.8 mi·7 min·LA 3152
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward I 10 West: Baton Rouge
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·41 sec
7
Merge onto I 10
71 mi·1 hr 20 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
3.9 mi·4 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Exit 151Toward LA 415: LobdellUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
317 ft·7 sec
Toward LA 415: LobdellUse the right lane.
11
Merge onto LA 415
3.6 mi·4 min·North Lobdell Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Merge onto US 190; LA 1
49 mi·1 hr 2 min·State Route 1
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward I 49 North, US 167 North: Alexandria
14
Merge onto I 49; US 167
186 mi·3 hr 10 min·Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward I 20: Dallas, Monroe
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 20 East: Monroe
17
Merge onto I 20
1.5 mi·2 min·Purple Heart Recipients Highway
18
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward Traffic Street
19
Continue on Barksdale Boulevard
0.2 mi·36 sec·Barksdale Boulevard
20
Turn left onto Monroe Street
78 ft·2 sec·Monroe Street
21
Arrive at destination
Monroe Street
Trip Plan
To make the most of your 6-hour and 8-minute journey, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and refuel. Since you are facing a significant 186.3-mile stretch on the Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, timing your break around this segment is essential to maintain focus. Leaving early in the day will help you manage the duration effectively and avoid peak traffic patterns. Keep your $50 fuel budget in mind as you plan your stops, ensuring you don't run low during the more remote portions of the route. Flexibility is your biggest advantage here, so use your single scheduled stop to refresh yourself before tackling the final leg of the drive.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 163.5 miles from Avondale, LA, or about 3h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 186.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 72 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 163.5 miles or 3h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bossier City, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Avondale, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Avondale, LA
This is one driving day of about 327 miles and 6h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 72 miles from Avondale, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway for about 186.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 324 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Jamie Boulevard
Turn right onto Jamie Boulevard
Navigation decision point
6
80.5 mi into trip|~1h 38m in|I 10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
84.4 mi into trip|~1h 43m in
Take the exit toward LA 415: Lobdell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 151
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
7
84.7 mi into trip|~1h 44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward LA 415: Lobdell
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
6
324 mi into trip|~6h 2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 20: Dallas, Monroe
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 20: Dallas, Monroe
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.39 one way
$90.79 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg114 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$50.79
$101.58
premium
$4.29
$55.22
$110.43
diesel
$4.80
$61.74
$123.49
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 114.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
98.1
1
$34.34
$15.70
Efficient EV
81.8
0
$28.61
$13.08
EV Truck/SUV
130.8
1
$45.78
$20.93
Gas CO2
114 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Avondale, LA
Evening
in Avondale on Saturday
Local time
8:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Mostly Sunny
NW 5 mph5% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 8:11PM CDT until July 21 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Lake Charles LA
Destination
Bossier City, LA
Evening
in Bossier City on Saturday
Local time
8:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 0 to 5 mph16% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 8:11PM CDT until July 21 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Lake Charles LA
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
6h 8m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Cane River Creole National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The Cane River region is home to a unique culture; the Creoles. Generations of the same families of workers, enslaved and tenant, and owners lived on these lands for over 200 years. The park tells the...
5 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 248.1
Discover the roots of jazz at the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, our park offers live performances, exhibits, and programs that celebrate the le...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed drive that balances high-speed interstate travel with secondary road navigation. With roughly 40% of the journey spent on highways, you will encounter varying road conditions throughout the 327-mile span. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on the Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, where you will cover 186.3 miles at a time. This transition from major transit arteries to local routes keeps the experience dynamic rather than monotonous. Be prepared for the shift in pace as you move off the primary interstate sections and onto State Route 1.
40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 186.3 mi on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Jamie Boulevard.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 327 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Jamie Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 80.5 miles (I 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Bossier City is the second-largest city in Northern Louisiana and the largest city in Bossier Parish. Home to Barksdale Air Force Base, which hosts several Air Force commands, as well as the backup landing site of Air Force One, Bossier City's recent history revolves largely around the U.S. military. In addition, most of the casinos in the Ark-La-Tex (the three-states region where Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas intersect) are within the corporate limits of Bossier City.
Top landmarks
•Bossier High School — high school in Bossier City, Louisiana, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 8m. Total distance: 327 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 8m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 186.3 miles on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 14 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Bossier City, LA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 14 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Jamie Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 80.5 miles (I 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Cane River Creole National Historical Park and New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Bossier City, LA before the return drive.
