Traveling from Ferriday to Lake Charles covers a 158.1-mile journey that typically takes about 3 hours and 22 minutes to complete. Because this trip is manageable in a single day, you can easily plan it as a straightforward day trip without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via Masonic Drive, LA 28, and Louisiana Avenue to reach your destination. Budgeting approximately $24 for fuel will cover your transit costs comfortably. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region of Louisiana, you will experience a consistent local atmosphere throughout the drive. This route offers a practical, efficient connection between these two points, making it a reliable choice for travelers who prefer a direct approach.
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
79.1 miles from Ferriday, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 44m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Masonic Drive
79.7 mi
1h 40m
LA 28
32.3 mi
42m
Louisiana Avenue
27.2 mi
33m
I 10
12.9 mi
14m
Pineville Expressway
2 mi
2m
Enterprise Boulevard
1.6 mi
3m
US 167 Bus
1.5 mi
2m
East Wallace Boulevard
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Masonic Drive
— 79.7 mi, about 1h 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ferriday, LA and Lake Charles, LA.
1
Start on this road
203 ft·21 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto US 425; LA 15
335 ft·8 sec·East Wallace Boulevard
3
Turn right onto US 84; LA 15
27 mi·33 min·Louisiana Avenue
4
Turn left onto LA 28
32 mi·42 min·LA 28
5
Turn left onto LA 28
0.2 mi·33 sec·LA 28
6
Merge onto US 167; LA 28
2.0 mi·2 min·Pineville Expressway
7
Take the exit onto US 167 Bus; LA 28 Bus
1.5 mi·2 min·US 167 Bus; LA 28 Bus
Toward LA 1, LA 28 Business: Downtown Alexandria
8
Turn right onto Fenner Street
303 ft·7 sec·Fenner Street
9
Continue on Masonic Drive
1.4 mi·2 min·Masonic Drive
10
Enter roundabout onto US 165
0.4 mi·35 sec·Masonic Drive
11
Continue on US 165
78 mi·1 hr 36 min·Masonic Drive
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
13
Merge onto I 10
13 mi·14 min·I 10
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
15
Turn straight onto US 90 Bus
0.6 mi·1 min·Enterprise Boulevard
16
Continue on Enterprise Boulevard
1.0 mi·1 min·Enterprise Boulevard
17
Arrive at destination
Enterprise Boulevard
Trip Plan
Planning for this 158.1-mile route is straightforward, especially since you only need to build in one stop along the way. To keep your travel stress-free, try to time your departure to avoid peak local traffic, as the mix of state highways and local avenues can slow down during busy hours. Since fuel costs are estimated at $24, filling up before you leave Ferriday is a smart way to ensure you don't have to worry about finding a station while on the longer stretches. Use that single planned stop as a chance to stretch your legs after the 79.7-mile Masonic Drive segment. Flexibility is your biggest advantage here, so feel free to adjust your pace to suit your personal comfort level.
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 79.1 miles from Ferriday, LA, or about 1h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 79.7 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 35 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 79.1 miles or 1h 44m 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 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Charles, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ferriday, 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 Ferriday, LA
This is one driving day of about 158.1 miles and 3h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Ferriday, 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 Masonic Drive for about 79.7 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 61.6 — 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|US 425; LA 15 / East Wallace Boulevard
Turn left onto US 425; LA 15 / East Wallace Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|US 84; LA 15 / Louisiana Avenue
Turn right onto US 84; LA 15 / Louisiana Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
27.3 mi into trip|~34m in|LA 28
Turn left onto LA 28
Navigation decision point
4
59.4 mi into trip|~1h 16m in|LA 28
Turn left onto LA 28
Navigation decision point
5
61.6 mi into trip|~1h 20m in|US 167 Bus; LA 28 Bus
Take the exit onto US 167 Bus; LA 28 Bus toward LA 1, LA 28 Business: Downtown Alexandria
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward LA 1, LA 28 Business: Downtown Alexandri...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.88 one way
$47.75 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg55 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$26.21
$52.42
premium
$4.56
$28.38
$56.75
diesel
$5.61
$34.91
$69.81
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 55.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
47.4
0
$16.60
$7.59
Efficient EV
39.5
0
$13.83
$6.32
EV Truck/SUV
63.2
0
$22.13
$10.12
Gas CO2
55 kg
EV CO2
18 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Ferriday, LA
Late night
in Ferriday on Sunday
Local time
4:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lake Charles, LA
Late night
in Lake Charles on Sunday
Local time
4:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
85°F
Alexandria, LA
79 mi in
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
1 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 22m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip features a mixed drive profile, blending local road segments with faster highway travel. You will spend about 31% of your time on highways, providing a balanced experience behind the wheel. The longest uninterrupted portion of the journey occurs on Masonic Drive, which stretches for 79.7 miles. Expect the road personality to shift as you transition between these main thoroughfares, keeping the drive engaging without becoming overly technical. The combination of roadway types ensures that you get a variety of driving conditions as you make your way across the state.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 79.7 mi on Masonic Drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 425; LA 15 / East Wallace 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 22m drive. You will face about 11 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 (US 425; LA 15 / East Wallace Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 84; LA 15 / Louisiana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 27.3 miles (LA 28): Navigation decision point.
Lake Charles is the second-largest city in the Acadiana region of Louisiana, with 87,000 residents in 2022. It is well known for gaming and the great outdoors, culinary delights and rhythm and blues. There are over 75 annual festivals from the splendor of Mardi Gras to the swashbuckling days of the Contraband Days Pirate Festival, there is something going on nearly every weekend.
The longest stretch is about 79.7 miles on Masonic Drive. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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: near the start (US 425; LA 15 / East Wallace Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 84; LA 15 / Louisiana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 27.3 miles (LA 28): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Lake Charles, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
