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Trip from Lafayette, LA to Gray, LA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 55m

Distance

96.8 mi

156 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 47m ★
6 AM
1h 55m
8 AM
2h 12m
10 AM
2h 1m
12 PM
1h 59m
3 PM
2h 2m
5 PM
2h 11m
8 PM
1h 50m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Gray, LA, LA

Gray, LA

Israyosoy S.

Trip Overview

This 96.8-mile drive from Lafayette to Gray, Louisiana, is an efficient, highway-focused journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 55 minutes. With an estimated fuel cost of $15, it's an economical option for a day trip. You'll primarily be on US 90, Southwest Evangeline Thruway, and Veterans Memorial Expressway, making it a straightforward path. The route stays within the Southeast region of Louisiana, offering a consistent feel throughout. Given its short duration and direct highway nature, this trip is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

48.4 miles from Lafayette, LA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 90 81.7 mi 1h 28m
Southwest Evangeline Thruway 4.6 mi 5m
Veterans Memorial Expressway 1.8 mi 2m
North Morgan Avenue 1.6 mi 2m
Ambassador Caffery Parkway 1.5 mi 2m
East University Avenue 1.4 mi 2m
West Park Avenue 1.3 mi 2m
St Etienne Road 1 mi 4m
Longest stretch: US 90 — 81.7 mi, about 1h 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lafayette, LA and Gray, LA.

1

Start on Rue Vermilion Ouest

335 ft · 18 sec · Rue Vermilion Ouest
2

Turn right onto Rue Jefferson

0.3 mi · 48 sec · Rue Jefferson
3

Turn right onto Johnston Street

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Johnston Street
4

Turn left onto East University Avenue

1.4 mi · 2 min · East University Avenue
5

Merge onto US 90; LA 182

506 ft · 7 sec · Southeast Evangeline Thruway
6

Continue on US 90; LA 182

4.6 mi · 5 min · Southwest Evangeline Thruway
7

Turn right onto North Morgan Avenue

1.6 mi · 2 min · North Morgan Avenue
8

Turn left onto LA 3073

1.5 mi · 2 min · Ambassador Caffery Parkway
9

Turn right onto East Fairfield Drive

0.1 mi · 20 sec · East Fairfield Drive
10

Turn left onto St Etienne Road

1.0 mi · 4 min · St Etienne Road
11

At end of road, turn left onto LA 92-1

0.6 mi · 52 sec · Young Street
12

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90; LA 92-1

0.5 mi · 31 sec · Veterans Memorial Expressway
13

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90

0.2 mi · 12 sec · Veterans Memorial Expressway
14

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90

0.2 mi · 11 sec · Veterans Memorial Expressway
15

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90

0.2 mi · 14 sec · Veterans Memorial Expressway
16

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90

0.8 mi · 53 sec · Veterans Memorial Expressway
17

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90

82 mi · 1 hr 28 min · US 90
18

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 49 sec
19

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 30 sec
20

Turn left onto LA 24

1.3 mi · 2 min · West Park Avenue
21

Turn right onto LA 316

27 ft · 0 sec · Bayou Blue Road
22

Arrive at destination

LA 316

Trip Plan

For this relatively short, 1 hour and 55-minute drive, you have the flexibility to depart at your convenience. Consider leaving mid-morning to avoid the peak rush hour in Lafayette and to allow for a relaxed start. With a total distance of 96.8 miles, you likely won't need extensive stops, but plan for a quick fuel top-off before you leave, as the longest stretch on US 90 is quite substantial at 81.7 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during that longer segment, to ensure you have enough to reach Gray comfortably.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 48.4 miles from Lafayette, LA, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 81.7 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 21 miles or 31m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 48.4 miles or 1h in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 34m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gray, LA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Lafayette, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Lafayette, LA

This is one driving day of about 96.8 miles and 1h 55m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Lafayette, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 90 for about 81.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Baldwin, LA, LA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Baldwin, LA

48 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

New Iberia, LA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Franklin, LA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 48.4 miles from Lafayette, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 90 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 81.7 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Spoonbill Watering Hole & Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lafayette, Louisiana

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour $20 to $30

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+13375340585

Visit website

Vestal Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lafayette, Louisiana

0.1 mi

Vermilionville Historic Village

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lafayette, Louisiana

1.6 mi

Spoonbill Watering Hole & Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour $20 to $30

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+13375340585

Visit website

Vestal Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.1 mi from route $100 or ab

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 4–9 pm

+13375340682

Visit website

Vermilionville Historic Village

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+13372334077

Visit website

Bon Temps Grill

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour $20 to $30

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+13377068850

Visit website

Annie Mae's Soul Food Restaurant

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour $10 to $20 mile 48.4

Franklin, Louisiana

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+13374717016

T-Coon's Restaurant

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 6 am–2 pm

+13372330422

Visit website

Bangkok Thai Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour $20 to $30

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 11 am–8:30 pm

+13379892009

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

+13374826858

Visit website

EV Connect Charging Station

3.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

1 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 13.8

Broussard, Louisiana

+18668167584

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

3.3 mi from route ~8 min detour

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

Early in the drive, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 20.7

New Iberia, Louisiana

+18887584389

Visit website

Red E Charging Station

3.0 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the start, ~10 min detour

4 mi from route ~10 min detour

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

Jule Charging Station

1.0 ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Near the start, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18555675853

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

Near the start, ~10 min detour

4.1 mi from route ~10 min detour

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.6 mi from route ~12 min detour

Lafayette, LA

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Children's Museum of Acadiana

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+13372328500

Visit website

Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 62.2

Patterson, Louisiana

Hours: 9:30 am–4 pm

+19853991268

Visit website

Lafayette Science Museum

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+13372915544

Visit website

The Lafayette Museum

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+13372342208

Visit website

Cajun Coast Tourism

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 69.1

Morgan City, Louisiana

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+19853808224

Visit website

Kemper Williams Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 62.2

Patterson, Louisiana

Hours: 8 am–8 pm

+19853952298

Visit website

Girard Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

Visit website

Lake End Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 69.1

Morgan City, Louisiana

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 19

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 12.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Rue Jefferson

Turn right onto Rue Jefferson

Navigation decision point

4
6.7 mi into trip | ~10m in | North Morgan Avenue

Turn right onto North Morgan Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
10.9 mi into trip | ~19m in | LA 92-1 / Young Street

At end of road, turn left onto LA 92-1 / Young Street

Navigation decision point

5
12.1 mi into trip | ~21m in | US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
12.3 mi into trip | ~21m in | US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.62 one way

$29.24 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 34 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $16.05 $32.10
premium $4.56 $17.37 $34.75
diesel $5.61 $21.37 $42.74

Estimated Tolls: $0.32

Southwest Evangeline Thruway (4.6 mi) $0.32

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 33.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 29 0 $10.16 $4.65
Efficient EV 24.2 0 $8.47 $3.87
EV Truck/SUV 38.7 0 $13.55 $6.20

Gas CO2

34 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (68% 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

Lafayette, LA

Night in Lafayette on Saturday

Local time

11:35 PM

CDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gray, LA

Night in Gray on Saturday

Local time

11:35 PM

CDT

Current temp

80°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

79°F

Baldwin, LA

48 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

19 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

1h 55m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect an 88% highway share on this trip, meaning you'll spend most of your time on faster-paced roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 81.7 miles on US 90, providing a consistent experience for a significant portion of the drive. This highway-focused profile suggests a drive characterized by efficiency rather than winding scenic byways. While the exact terrain isn't detailed, the dominance of major roadways indicates a predictable and relatively smooth journey, allowing you to maintain a steady pace.

88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 81.7 mi on US 90.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 90 and Southwest Evangeline Thruway. You will hit about 19 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Rue Jefferson.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 96.8 miles you will encounter 19 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Rue Jefferson): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (North Morgan Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.9 miles (LA 92-1 / Young Street): Navigation decision point.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 55m. Total distance: 96.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 81.7 miles on US 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.32 in tolls one way, starting with Southwest Evangeline Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

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 Gray, LA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Rue Jefferson): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (North Morgan Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.9 miles (LA 92-1 / Young Street): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Gray, LA before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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