Bossier City to Opelousas is 190.5 miles and takes about 3 hours 17 minutes via Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway and US 190, with a fuel budget near $28 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. Expect a drive that is mostly on surface roads, giving you a good feel for the local landscape. With a recommended single day for travel, this route is a straightforward option for getting between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
95.3 miles from Bossier City, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 39m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
186.4 mi
3h 10m
Purple Heart Recipients Highway
1.4 mi
2m
US 190
0.8 mi
<1m
Barksdale Boulevard
0.2 mi
<1m
South Union Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
East Bellevue Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
South Main Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Monroe Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 186.4 mi, about 3h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bossier City, LA and Opelousas, LA.
1
Start on Monroe Street
78 ft·4 sec·Monroe Street
2
Turn right onto Barksdale Boulevard
0.2 mi·32 sec·Barksdale Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
4
Merge onto I 20; US 71
1.4 mi·2 min·Purple Heart Recipients Highway
5
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward I 49 South: Alexandria
6
Continue on I 49
186 mi·3 hr 10 min·Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward US 190: Baton Rouge, Opelousas
8
Keep slight right at fork
358 ft·8 sec
Toward US 190 West: Opelousas
9
Merge onto US 190
0.8 mi·59 sec·US 190
10
Turn right onto LA 182
387 ft·11 sec·South Union Street
11
Turn left onto East Bellevue Street
234 ft·15 sec·East Bellevue Street
12
Turn left onto LA 182
157 ft·2 sec·South Main Street
13
Arrive at destination
LA 182
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 1-day drive, consider an early morning departure from Bossier City. This will give you ample time to reach Opelousas without feeling rushed. Since the drive is under 4 hours, you won't necessarily need a mid-trip overnight stay, offering flexibility in your schedule. Plan for one stop to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point, to stretch your legs and refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you transition to surface roads, where service stations might be less frequent than on major highways.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 95.3 miles from Bossier City, LA, or about 1h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 186.4 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 42 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 95.3 miles or 1h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Opelousas, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bossier City, 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 Bossier City, LA
This is one driving day of about 190.5 miles and 3h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Bossier City, 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 Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway for about 186.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 95.3 miles from Bossier City, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 186.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 190.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Barksdale Boulevard
Turn right onto Barksdale Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
1.8 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the exit toward I 49 South: Alexandria
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 49 South: Alexandria
5
189 mi into trip|~3h 15m in
Take the exit toward US 190: Baton Rouge, Opelousas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 190: Baton Rouge, Opelousas
5
189.5 mi into trip|~3h 16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 190 West: Opelousas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 190 West: Opelousas
5
190.5 mi into trip|~3h 17m in|LA 182 / South Main Street
Turn left onto LA 182 / South Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.91 one way
$55.82 round trip
$3.72/gal25.4 MPG avg67 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.13
$30.98
$61.97
premium
$4.49
$33.65
$67.29
diesel
$5.60
$41.99
$83.99
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 66.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
57.2
0
$20.00
$9.14
Efficient EV
47.6
0
$16.67
$7.62
EV Truck/SUV
76.2
0
$26.67
$12.19
Gas CO2
67 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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 Aug 24, 2026
Origin
Bossier City, LA
Night
in Bossier City on Saturday
Local time
10:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Partly Cloudy
SE 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 23 at 11:43AM CDT until August 24 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 23 at 11:34AM CDT until August 24 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Lake Charles LA
Destination
Opelousas, LA
Night
in Opelousas on Saturday
Local time
10:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Clear
SW 0 to 5 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 23 at 11:43AM CDT until August 24 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 23 at 11:34AM CDT until August 24 at 8:00PM 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
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 17m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 78.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is primarily surface roads, with 0% highway driving. You'll spend the vast majority of your time on local roads, with the longest stretch on the Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway covering 186.4 miles. Be prepared for frequent intersections and potential slowdowns as you navigate through towns and rural areas. The shift from highway segments to surface roads will be gradual, with most of the drive occurring on the latter.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 186.4 mi on Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Barksdale Boulevard.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 17m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Barksdale Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 189 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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
Opelousas is the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, and is one of the former capitals of Louisiana. Opelousas is in the south Louisiana area known as "Acadiana", the center of Cajun culture in Louisiana. Opelousas is also on the far eastern edge of the geographic region known as the "Cajun Prairie." This is due to the extensive prairie lands that extend from northeast of Lake Charles eastward to the edge of Opelousas.
Top landmarks
•Opelousas Historic District — historic district in Louisiana, United States
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 186.4 miles on Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Barksdale Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 189 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Cane River Creole National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Opelousas, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
