Metairie, LA to Oakdale, LA is 179.4 miles and takes about 3h 51m via 47th Street, North Causeway Boulevard, and 46th Street, with a fuel budget near $26 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. Since the majority of this route uses surface roads with no highway driving, expect a more local pace. It's a straightforward, single-day trip perfect if you're looking for a direct connection between these two points without extensive highway time.
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
89.7 miles from Metairie, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 10
76.2 mi
1h 26m
State Route 1
49 mi
1h 2m
US 167
17.5 mi
26m
Oakdale Road
9.8 mi
14m
Vidrine Road
7.1 mi
10m
Oakdale Highway
4.4 mi
6m
State Route 10
4.1 mi
5m
North Lobdell Highway
3.6 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 76.2 mi, about 1h 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Metairie, LA and Oakdale, LA.
1
Start on Fagot Avenue
111 ft·4 sec·Fagot Avenue
2
Continue on 47th Street
0.2 mi·40 sec·47th Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto North Causeway Boulevard
285 ft·17 sec·North Causeway Boulevard
4
Turn left onto 46th Street
47 ft·4 sec·46th Street
5
Turn right onto North Causeway Boulevard
0.6 mi·1 min·North Causeway Boulevard
6
Take the exit
425 ft·12 sec
Toward I 10 East, I 10 West: New Orleans, Baton Rouge
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 10 West: Baton RougeUse the slight left lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
9
Merge onto I 10
72 mi·1 hr 22 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
3.9 mi·4 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Exit 151Toward LA 415: LobdellUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
317 ft·7 sec
Toward LA 415: LobdellUse the right lane.
13
Merge onto LA 415
3.6 mi·4 min·North Lobdell Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Merge onto US 190; LA 1
49 mi·1 hr 2 min·State Route 1
Use the straight lane.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward I 49 North, US 167 North: Alexandria
16
Merge onto I 49; US 167
3.2 mi·3 min·Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
17
Take the exit onto US 167
0.3 mi·44 sec·US 167
Toward US 167 North, LA 744: Ville Platte
18
Turn left onto US 167
17 mi·25 min·US 167
19
Turn straight onto US 167; LA 10
1.2 mi·1 min·West Main Street
20
Continue on US 167; LA 10
0.1 mi·10 sec·Chemin Vidrine
21
Turn straight onto LA 10
7.1 mi·10 min·Vidrine Road
22
Continue on LA 10
3.6 mi·5 min·Oakdale Road
23
Continue on LA 10
0.5 mi·48 sec·State Route 10
24
Continue on LA 10
0.7 mi·1 min·Oakdale Highway
25
Continue on LA 10
3.2 mi·4 min·Oakdale Road
26
Turn straight onto LA 10
3.6 mi·5 min·Oakdale Highway
27
Continue on LA 10
2.9 mi·4 min·Oakdale Road
28
Continue on LA 10
3.6 mi·4 min·State Route 10
29
Turn right onto Irene Street
240 ft·6 sec·Irene Street
30
Continue on East 5th Avenue
0.1 mi·15 sec·East 5th Avenue
31
Continue on South 13th Street
0.2 mi·24 sec·South 13th Street
32
Turn left onto East 6th Avenue
0.1 mi·38 sec·East 6th Avenue
33
Arrive at destination
East 6th Avenue
Trip Plan
With a drive time of under 4 hours, this route is easily doable in a single day. You can leave Metairie anytime in the morning and still reach Oakdale with plenty of daylight to spare. Since it's a surface road route, plan for potential traffic delays, especially if you're traveling during peak commute times. The estimated fuel cost of $26 is a good starting point, but it's always wise to have a little extra. Given the single stop recommended, consider making that stop around the halfway point to stretch your legs and refuel if necessary.
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 89.7 miles from Metairie, LA, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 76.2 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 39 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 89.7 miles or 1h 47m 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 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Oakdale, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Metairie, 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 Metairie, LA
This is one driving day of about 179.4 miles and 3h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Metairie, 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 76.2 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 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 78.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|North Causeway Boulevard
At end of road, turn right onto North Causeway Boulevard
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
0.9 mi into trip|~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 West: Baton Rouge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 10 West: Baton Rouge
6
74.4 mi into trip|~1h 27m in|I 10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
78.3 mi into trip|~1h 32m in
Take the exit toward LA 415: Lobdell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 151
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
7
78.7 mi into trip|~1h 32m in
Keep slight right at fork toward LA 415: Lobdell
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.93 one way
$55.85 round trip
$3.95/gal25.4 MPG avg63 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$30.79
$61.58
premium
$4.71
$33.27
$66.55
diesel
$6.18
$43.64
$87.28
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
53.8
0
$18.84
$8.61
Efficient EV
44.9
0
$15.70
$7.18
EV Truck/SUV
71.8
0
$25.12
$11.48
Gas CO2
63 kg
EV CO2
21 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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Metairie, LA
Morning
in Metairie on Monday
Local time
9:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Sunny
NE 15 to 20 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued October 17 at 5:35AM CDT until October 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Jackson MS
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 17 at 3:29AM CDT until October 17 at 3:00PM CDT by NWS New Orleans LA
Destination
Oakdale, LA
Morning
in Oakdale on Monday
Local time
9:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Sunny
NE 10 to 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued October 17 at 5:35AM CDT until October 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Jackson MS
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 17 at 3:29AM CDT until October 17 at 3:00PM CDT by NWS New Orleans 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
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
3h 51m 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.
New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Discover the roots of jazz at the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, our park offers live performances, exhibits, and programs that celebrate the le...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This 179.4-mile drive is entirely on surface roads, meaning you won't encounter any highway driving. You'll be navigating through local streets for the entire 3h 51m duration. Expect to see a lot of intersections and traffic signals as you make your way across Louisiana on mostly surface roads. The longest stretch without a significant break is not specified, but the lack of highway suggests frequent opportunities to slow down and observe your surroundings.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 76.2 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and State Route 1. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near North Causeway Boulevard.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 179.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (North Causeway Boulevard): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 74.4 miles (I 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 51m. Total distance: 179.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 76.2 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Oakdale, LA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (North Causeway Boulevard): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 74.4 miles (I 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — New Orleans Jazz 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 Oakdale, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
