Trip from Lake Charles, LA to New Roads, LA

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

Drive Time

2h 39m

Distance

126.4 mi

203 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$19

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min

4 AM

2h 29m ★

6 AM

2h 39m

8 AM

3h 0m

10 AM

2h 47m

12 PM

2h 45m

3 PM

2h 48m

5 PM

2h 59m

8 PM

2h 33m

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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Lake Charles, LA

Liisbet Luup

New Roads, LA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 126.4-mile drive from Lake Charles, LA, to New Roads, LA, is a feasible day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 39 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $19, it's an economical journey. The route primarily utilizes local roads, with only about 27% on highways, suggesting a more scenic and potentially slower pace. Given the relatively short duration and the character of the drive, you can comfortably complete this trip in a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. Both your origin and destination are within Louisiana's Southeast region, so you'll remain in familiar territory throughout.

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

63.2 miles from Lake Charles, LA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 14m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
West Vine Street	33.2 mi	42m
Basile Eunice Highway	27.8 mi	31m
US 165	18.5 mi	22m
3rd Avenue	13 mi	14m
I 10	12.7 mi	14m
Parlange Lane	4.5 mi	8m
West Landry Street	4.4 mi	4m
False River Road	4.4 mi	6m

Longest stretch: West Vine Street — 33.2 mi, about 42m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake Charles, LA and New Roads, LA.

Start on Enterprise Boulevard

478 ft · 14 sec · Enterprise Boulevard

Continue on Enterprise Boulevard

1.6 mi · 3 min · Enterprise Boulevard

Turn right onto Belden Street

93 ft · 1 sec · Belden Street

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 29 sec

Merge onto I 10; US 90

13 mi · 14 min · I 10; US 90

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 59 sec

Toward US 165: Kinder, Alexandria

Keep slight left at fork

444 ft · 11 sec

Continue on US 165

18 mi · 22 min · US 165

Turn right onto US 190

13 mi · 14 min · 3rd Avenue

Continue on US 190

28 mi · 31 min · Basile Eunice Highway

Continue on US 190

4.4 mi · 4 min · West Landry Street

Turn slight right onto US 190

33 mi · 42 min · West Vine Street

Use the straight lane.

Turn left onto LA 78

3.1 mi · 5 min · State Route 78

Use the left lane.

At end of road, turn left onto LA 78

4.5 mi · 8 min · Parlange Lane

At end of road, turn left onto LA 1

4.4 mi · 6 min · False River Road

Continue on LA 1 Bus

1.1 mi · 1 min · False River Drive

Continue on LA 1 Bus

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Main Street

Turn left onto LA 1 Bus

0.6 mi · 1 min · New Roads Street

Turn left onto LA 1 Bus; LA 10 Bus

112 ft · 3 sec · Parent Street

Arrive at destination

LA 1 Bus; LA 10 Bus

Trip Plan

For this 2-hour and 39-minute drive, consider departing in the morning to maximize daylight and allow for any spontaneous stops. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost of $19, pacing is flexible. The route's 'turn-heavy local drive' profile means paying close attention to navigation, especially when transitioning between West Vine Street and Basile Eunice Highway. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as services might be less frequent on the local road segments. This trip is perfectly suited for a single day, so you can adjust your departure time based on your needs.

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 63.2 miles from Lake Charles, LA, or about 1h 14m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 33.2 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 63.2 miles or 1h 14m 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 4m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Lake Charles, 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 Lake Charles, LA

This is one driving day of about 126.4 miles and 2h 39m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Lake Charles, 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 West Vine Street for about 33.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Church Point, LA

63 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

Kinder, LA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Eunice, LA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 63.2 miles from Lake Charles, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

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

Pujo St Cafe

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour Moderately

Hours: 7 am–9:30 pm

+13374392054

Visit website

Southern Spice Restaurant & Grill

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lake Charles, Louisiana

1.9 mi

Jarreau's Restaurant

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

New Roads, Louisiana

2.1 mi

Pujo St Cafe

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour Moderately

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Hours: 7 am–9:30 pm

+13374392054

Visit website

Southern Spice Restaurant & Grill

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour Inexpensiv

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Hours: 6:30 am–3 pm

+13374746065

Visit website

Jarreau's Restaurant

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20 mile 126.4

New Roads, Louisiana

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+12257133551

Visit website

Lake Area Adventures

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.8 mi from route ~9 min detour

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Hours: 3–8 pm

+13373101681

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 81.2

Opelousas, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 81.2

Opelousas, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Nissan Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 81.2

Opelousas, Louisiana

+33172676914

2.3 ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour

Lake Charles, Louisiana

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 63.2

Eunice, Louisiana

Hours: 8:30 am–4:30 pm

+13374576540

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 14.7 and 119.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

14.7 mi into trip | ~18m in

Take the exit toward US 165: Kinder, Alexandria

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 165: Kinder, Alexandria

15.2 mi into trip | ~19m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

112.1 mi into trip | ~2h 15m in | LA 78 / State Route 78

Turn left onto LA 78 / State Route 78

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

115.2 mi into trip | ~2h 20m in | LA 78 / Parlange Lane

At end of road, turn left onto LA 78 / Parlange Lane

Navigation decision point

119.7 mi into trip | ~2h 28m in | LA 1 / False River Road

At end of road, turn left onto LA 1 / False River Road

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$19.09 one way

$38.18 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 44 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.21	$20.96	$41.91
premium	$4.56	$22.69	$45.37
diesel	$5.61	$27.91	$55.82

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$19

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$44–$69

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 44.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	37.9	$13.27	$6.07
Efficient EV	31.6	$11.06	$5.06
EV Truck/SUV	50.6	$17.70	$8.09

Gas CO2

44 kg

EV CO2

15 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 Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Lake Charles, LA

Late night in Lake Charles on Sunday

Local time

2:36 AM

CDT

Current temp

81°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

New Roads, LA

Late night in New Roads on Sunday

Local time

2:36 AM

CDT

Current temp

84°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

3 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

2h 39m 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 a turn-heavy local drive for the majority of this 126.4-mile journey, as only 27% of the route is on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 33.2 miles along West Vine Street. This indicates that you'll be navigating a series of local roads and potentially smaller highways, rather than a continuous interstate experience. The road character will likely shift as you progress, moving from more urban or suburban areas around Lake Charles to the rural landscapes typical of this part of Louisiana.

Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.

20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 33.2 mi on West Vine Street.

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 14.7 miles in.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 39m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 14.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 112.1 miles (LA 78 / State Route 78): Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Lake Charles, LA to New Roads, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Alexandria along the way.

Alexandria

14.7 mi in | ~18m

About the Cities

Starting in Lake Charles, LA

Full guide →

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.

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 39m. Total distance: 126.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (27%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 33.2 miles on West Vine Street. 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.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at New Roads, 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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Trip from Lake Charles, LA to New Roads, LA

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Nearby Places

Pujo St Cafe

Pujo St Cafe

Southern Spice Restaurant & Grill

Jarreau's Restaurant

Lake Area Adventures

ChargePoint Charging Station

ChargePoint Charging Station

Nissan Charging Station

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Tesla Supercharger

ChargeLab Charging Station

ChargePoint Charging Station

ChargePoint Charging Station

Lake Charles Visitor Center

Millennium Park

Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center

Escape Room Louisiana

We Rock the Spectrum - Lake Charles

The Children's Museum of Southwest Louisiana

Bayou Escape Rooms

Eunice Depot Museum

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Lake Charles, LA

New Roads, LA

Same local time

3 degrees warmer at arrival

2h 39m on the road

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Lake Charles, LA

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

Continue From New Roads, LA

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