Metairie Terrace, LA to Lake Arthur, LA is 177.6 miles and takes about 3h 31m via I 10 and State Route 26, with a fuel budget near $27 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. Given its mostly highway profile and manageable duration, it's a straightforward drive for a single day. Plan for a primarily interstate experience that transitions to a state route for the final leg.
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
88.8 miles from Metairie Terrace, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 44m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 10
162.4 mi
3h 2m
State Route 26
5 mi
8m
Highway 26
3.4 mi
5m
Elton Road
1.8 mi
3m
South Lake Arthur Avenue
1.5 mi
2m
Clearview Parkway
1.2 mi
2m
West Metairie Avenue North
0.9 mi
2m
Calcasieu Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 162.4 mi, about 3h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Metairie Terrace, LA and Lake Arthur, LA.
1
Start on Mayflower Drive
0.1 mi·24 sec·Mayflower Drive
2
Continue on Civic Street
396 ft·18 sec·Civic Street
3
Turn right onto Waltham Street
0.1 mi·23 sec·Waltham Street
4
Turn left onto West Metairie Avenue North
0.9 mi·2 min·West Metairie Avenue North
5
Turn right onto LA 3152
1.2 mi·2 min·Clearview Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward I 10 West: Baton Rouge
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·41 sec
8
Merge onto I 10
71 mi·1 hr 20 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
92 mi·1 hr 41 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward LA 26: Jennings, Elton
11
Turn left onto LA 26
361 ft·13 sec·State Route 26
12
Continue on LA 26
1.8 mi·3 min·Elton Road
13
Continue on LA 26
1.5 mi·2 min·South Lake Arthur Avenue
14
Continue on LA 26
5.0 mi·8 min·State Route 26
15
Continue on LA 26
3.4 mi·5 min·Highway 26
16
Continue on LA 26
0.1 mi·11 sec·Calcasieu Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
LA 26
Trip Plan
For this 1-day drive, consider leaving in the morning to maximize your daylight hours and allow for any unexpected delays. With a total duration of just over 3.5 hours, you won't need to split the drive, but factor in one stop for fuel or a quick break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach Lake Arthur, as services may become less frequent in the more rural stretches of State Route 26.
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 88.8 miles from Metairie Terrace, LA, or about 1h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 162.4 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 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 88.8 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 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Arthur, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Metairie Terrace, 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 Terrace, LA
This is one driving day of about 177.6 miles and 3h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Metairie Terrace, 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 162.4 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 165.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Waltham Street
Turn right onto Waltham Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.2 mi into trip|~3m in|LA 3152 / Clearview Parkway
Turn right onto LA 3152 / Clearview Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
3.1 mi into trip|~7m in|I 10
Merge onto I 10
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
73.9 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.
5
165.5 mi into trip|~3h 9m in
Take the exit toward LA 26: Jennings, Elton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward LA 26: Jennings, Elton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.82 one way
$53.64 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg62 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$29.44
$58.89
premium
$4.56
$31.88
$63.75
diesel
$5.61
$39.21
$78.42
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
53.3
0
$18.65
$8.52
Efficient EV
44.4
0
$15.54
$7.10
EV Truck/SUV
71
0
$24.86
$11.37
Gas CO2
62 kg
EV CO2
21 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 17, 2026
Origin
Metairie Terrace, LA
Morning
in Metairie Terrace on Sunday
Local time
8:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lake Arthur, LA
Morning
in Lake Arthur on Sunday
Local time
8:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°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 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 31m 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.
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?
You'll spend 97% of this 177.6-mile trip on highways, with the longest continuous stretch covering 162.4 miles on I 10. This means you'll experience significant highway cruising before transitioning to State Route 26. Expect a dense environment of exits and merges for most of your travel time on the interstate portion.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 162.4 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and State Route 26. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Waltham Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 177.6 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.2 miles (Waltham Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (LA 3152 / Clearview Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Metairie Terrace, LA to Lake Arthur, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Elton along the way.
Elton
165.5 mi in|~3h 9m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 31m. Total distance: 177.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 31m 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 162.4 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 16 rest areas or service plazas 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: at 0.2 miles (Waltham Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (LA 3152 / Clearview Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Lake Arthur, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
