Origin
Lafayette, LA
Late night in Lafayette on Tuesday
Local time
4:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lafayette, LA to Metairie, LA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 32m
Distance
129.1 mi
208 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 22m
★
6 AM
2h 32m
8 AM
2h 53m
10 AM
2h 39m
12 PM
2h 37m
3 PM
2h 40m
5 PM
2h 52m
8 PM
2h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Metairie, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lafayette to Metairie is 129.1 miles and takes about 2 hours 32 minutes via I 10, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, beginning in the Southeast region and ending in the same region. It's a straightforward, mostly highway cruise, ideal for a quick trip when you want to get to your destination efficiently. Plan for a single day of travel, as the drive is well under a full day's commitment.
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
64.5 miles from Lafayette, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 16m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 10 | 124.8 mi | 2h 22m |
| Northeast Evangeline Thruway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| North Causeway Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Rue Jefferson | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Jefferson Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 47th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Rue Vermilion Ouest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 46th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 124.8 mi, about 2h 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lafayette, LA and Metairie, LA.
1
Start on Rue Vermilion Ouest
335 ft
·
22 sec
·
Rue Vermilion Ouest
2
Turn left onto Rue Jefferson
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Rue Jefferson
3
Continue on Jefferson Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Jefferson Boulevard
4
Turn left onto US 90; LA 182
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Northeast Evangeline Thruway
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 East: Baton Rouge
6
Merge onto I 10
125 mi
·
2 hr 22 min
·
I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 228
Toward Causeway Boulevard, Mandeville, Bonnabel Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
Toward Causeway Boulevard South
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto North Causeway Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Causeway Boulevard
10
Turn left onto 46th Street
88 ft
·
5 sec
·
46th Street
11
Turn right onto North Causeway Boulevard
285 ft
·
17 sec
·
North Causeway Boulevard
12
Turn left onto 47th Street
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
47th Street
13
Arrive at destination
Fagot Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of this trip, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Lafayette in the morning should get you to Metairie by midday, leaving plenty of time to settle in. With only 129.1 miles, you likely won't need more than one fuel stop, and the $20 budget should cover it. The longest stretch on I 10 is substantial, so ensure you're comfortable with sustained highway driving. As you get closer to Metairie, pay attention to the increasing traffic and exit numbers.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 64.5 miles from Lafayette, LA, or about 1h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 124.8 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 28 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 64.5 miles or 1h 16m 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 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Metairie, 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.
+
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 Lafayette, LA
This is one driving day of about 129.1 miles and 2h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Lafayette, 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 I 10 for about 124.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
65 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 64.5 miles from Lafayette, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 10 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 124.8 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 128.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 10
Merge onto I 10
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
127.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 28m in
Take the exit toward Causeway Boulevard, Mandeville, Bonnabel Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 228
Toward Causeway Boulevard, Mandeville, Bonnabel...
7
127.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 28m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Causeway Boulevard South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Causeway Boulevard South
5
128.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 31m in
|
North Causeway Boulevard
Turn right onto North Causeway Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
128.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 31m in
|
47th Street
Turn left onto 47th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.50 one way
$38.99 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
45 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $21.40 | $42.81 |
| premium | $4.56 | $23.17 | $46.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $28.50 | $57.01 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.13
Northeast Evangeline Thruway
(1.9 mi)
$0.13
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
$20
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 38.7 | 0 | $13.56 | $6.20 |
| Efficient EV | 32.3 | 0 | $11.30 | $5.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 51.6 | 0 | $18.07 | $8.26 |
Gas CO2
45 kg
EV CO2
15 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.
Destination
Metairie, LA
Late night in Metairie on Tuesday
Local time
4:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 32m 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?
You'll spend about 97% of this drive on the highway, so expect a high-speed cruise for the majority of the trip. The longest continuous stretch on I 10 is 124.8 miles. The transition to surface roads begins as you approach your destination, with Northeast Evangeline Thruway and North Causeway Boulevard being the final segments before reaching Metairie. Be prepared for a dense series of exits as you near the urban area.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 124.8 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and Northeast Evangeline Thruway. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in near I 10.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 129.1 miles you will encounter 10 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 3 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 127.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 127.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Lafayette, LA
Full guide →Lafayette is a city in Louisiana. It's the unofficial capital of Acadiana or Cajun Country. This flourishing moderate sized city is home to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Music and dancing is an integral part of community life. Several restaurants and dance halls thrive in the area and the city hosts several musical festivals throughout the year.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 32m. Total distance: 129.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 124.8 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.13 in tolls one way, starting with Northeast 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.
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 3 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 127.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 127.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Metairie, 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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