This 212.9-mile drive from Cecilia, Louisiana, to Shreveport, Louisiana, is estimated to take about 3 hours and 52 minutes. Designed as a single-day trip, you can expect a fuel cost of around $32. The route primarily utilizes Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway and Main Highway, with a portion on State Route 93. Given its profile as a turn-heavy local drive, it's best suited for those who prefer a more engaging journey over pure speed. You'll be traveling within the Southeast region for the entire trip, staying within Louisiana.
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
106.4 miles from Cecilia, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
194.8 mi
3h 19m
Main Highway
5.9 mi
10m
State Route 93
3.2 mi
5m
Bayou Courtableau Highway
3.1 mi
5m
East Martin Luther King Jr Drive
1.2 mi
2m
Caddo Street
0.9 mi
2m
Pete Harris Drive
0.8 mi
1m
Neblet Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
— 194.8 mi, about 3h 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cecilia, LA and Shreveport, LA.
1
Start on LA 355
0.2 mi·23 sec·Cecilia Bridge Highway
2
Keep slight right at fork onto LA 355
183 ft·3 sec·Cecilia Bridge Highway
3
Continue on LA 31
5.9 mi·10 min·Main Highway
4
Continue on LA 31
0.6 mi·1 min·Neblet Street
5
Turn slight left onto LA 93
3.1 mi·5 min·Bayou Courtableau Highway
6
Continue on LA 93
3.2 mi·5 min·State Route 93
7
Continue on LA 93
0.3 mi·26 sec·Martin Luther King Drive
8
Continue on LA 93
1.2 mi·2 min·East Martin Luther King Jr Drive
9
At end of road, turn left onto LA 93
231 ft·4 sec·Charles Avenue
10
Continue on LA 93
0.2 mi·18 sec·West Martin Luther King Drive
11
Continue on LA 93
427 ft·8 sec·State Highway 93
12
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward I 49 North, US 167 North: Opelousas
13
Merge onto I 49; US 167
195 mi·3 hr 19 min·Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward Pete Harris Drive, Murphy Street
15
Continue on Pete Harris Drive
0.8 mi·1 min·Pete Harris Drive
16
Turn right onto LA 173
0.9 mi·2 min·Caddo Street
17
At end of road, turn left onto Clyde Fant Memorial Parkway
0.5 mi·56 sec·Clyde Fant Memorial Parkway
18
Turn slight right onto River Parkway
68 ft·1 sec·River Parkway
19
Arrive at destination
River Parkway
Trip Plan
With a duration under four hours, this trip is easily manageable as a single-day adventure. Aim to depart in the morning to take advantage of the full day and factor in one planned stop to break up the 194.8-mile stretch on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway. Keep an eye on your fuel, as a significant portion of this drive is on non-highway roads where services might be less frequent. The 'turn-heavy local drive' profile means you'll want to stay alert and have your navigation ready for frequent adjustments.
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 106.4 miles from Cecilia, LA, or about 2h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 194.8 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 47 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 106.4 miles or 2h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Shreveport, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cecilia, 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 Cecilia, LA
This is one driving day of about 212.9 miles and 3h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Cecilia, 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 194.8 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 211.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|LA 355 / Cecilia Bridge Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto LA 355 / Cecilia Bridge Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
14.5 mi into trip|~25m in|LA 93 / Charles Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto LA 93 / Charles Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
14.8 mi into trip|~26m in
Take the ramp toward I 49 North, US 167 North: Opelousas
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 49 North, US 167 North: Opelousas
6
209.9 mi into trip|~3h 45m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Pete Harris Drive, Murphy Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Pete Harris Drive, Murphy Street
4
211.5 mi into trip|~3h 48m in|LA 173 / Caddo Street
Turn right onto LA 173 / Caddo Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.55 one way
$59.11 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg75 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$33.07
$66.13
premium
$4.29
$35.95
$71.90
diesel
$4.80
$40.20
$80.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 74.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
63.9
0
$22.35
$10.22
Efficient EV
53.2
0
$18.63
$8.52
EV Truck/SUV
85.2
1
$29.81
$13.63
Gas CO2
74 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (66% 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Cecilia, LA
Night
in Cecilia on Monday
Local time
9:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Cloudy
0 mph1% 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
Shreveport, LA
Night
in Shreveport on Monday
Local time
9:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 5 mph2% 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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 52m 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
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 132.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' on this route, with only 2% of the journey on highways. The majority of your time will be spent on local roads, including Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, Main Highway, and State Route 93. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 194.8 miles on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway. This suggests a drive that requires more active navigation and may involve more varied speed as you transition between different local road types.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 194.8 mi on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 around 0.2 miles in near LA 355 / Cecilia Bridge Highway.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 52m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (LA 355 / Cecilia Bridge Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 14.5 miles (LA 93 / Charles Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 14.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Shreveport is the largest city in Northern Louisiana, part of the twin city metro of Shreveport-Bossier City, and is considered the principal city in the three-state region known as the "Ark-La-Tex." It has about 188,000 residents (2019), and is in the area of the state designated as the Sportsman's Paradise. Many lakes and rivers are in the area and offer recreational activities. The surrounding area is also a contrast from points in southern Louisiana, in that the landscape is marked by rolling hills and pine forests, being an extension of the Texas region known as the Piney Woods.
Top landmarks
•Petroleum Tower — 16-story high-rise office building located at 425 Edwards Street at the corner o...
•Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium — theater and meeting hall in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
•Strand Theatre — theater in Shreveport, Louisiana
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 194.8 miles on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 9 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.
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: at 0.2 miles (LA 355 / Cecilia Bridge Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 14.5 miles (LA 93 / Charles Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 14.8 miles: 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 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Shreveport, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
