New Orleans to Brusly is 86.8 miles and takes about 1h 44m via I 10 and Highway 1 South, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. Most of the drive is on interstate highways, making it a straightforward and efficient option for getting from the city to your destination. Given the relatively short duration, it's a manageable drive that doesn't require overnight stays.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.4 miles from New Orleans, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 10
80.5 mi
1h 32m
Highway 1 South
3.9 mi
5m
West Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
Poydras Street
0.6 mi
1m
Loyola Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Tulane Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 80.5 mi, about 1h 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Orleans, LA and Brusly, LA.
1
Start on Tulane Avenue
40 ft·3 sec·Tulane Avenue
2
Turn right onto Loyola Avenue
0.3 mi·46 sec·Loyola Avenue
3
Turn right onto Poydras Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Poydras Street
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward I 10 West: Baton Rouge
5
Merge onto I 10
79 mi·1 hr 29 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
1.9 mi·2 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Exit 153Toward LA 1 North, LA 1 South: Port Allen, PlaquemineUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·25 sec
Toward LA 1 South: PlaquemineUse the slight left lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·32 sec
Toward LA 1 South: PlaquemineUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto LA 1
3.9 mi·5 min·Highway 1 South
11
Turn right onto LA 989-2
0.7 mi·1 min·West Main Street
12
Arrive at destination
LA 989-2
Trip Plan
Since this drive is under two hours and doesn't have any designated stops, you have a lot of flexibility. Leaving New Orleans in the morning or mid-afternoon should allow you to avoid the heaviest traffic. With a fuel cost estimated at $13, filling up before you leave New Orleans is a good idea, as you'll be on the interstate for the vast majority of the trip. Keep an eye out for the transition off I 10 onto Highway 1 South, as that's when the driving environment will change.
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 43.4 miles from New Orleans, LA, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.5 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 19 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.4 miles or 51m 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 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brusly, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving New Orleans, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from New Orleans, LA
This is one driving day of about 86.8 miles and 1h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from New Orleans, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 10 for about 80.5 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 82 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Loyola Avenue
Turn right onto Loyola Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
79.7 mi into trip|~1h 32m 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.
8
81.6 mi into trip|~1h 35m in
Take the exit toward LA 1 North, LA 1 South: Port Allen, Plaquemine
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 153
Toward LA 1 North, LA 1 South: Port Allen, Plaq...
8
81.8 mi into trip|~1h 35m in
Keep slight left at fork toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
8
82 mi into trip|~1h 36m in
Keep slight left at fork toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.11 one way
$26.22 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg30 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$14.39
$28.78
premium
$4.56
$15.58
$31.16
diesel
$5.61
$19.16
$38.33
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26
0
$9.11
$4.17
Efficient EV
21.7
0
$7.59
$3.47
EV Truck/SUV
34.7
0
$12.15
$5.56
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
New Orleans, LA
Morning
in New Orleans on Tuesday
Local time
6:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Brusly, LA
Morning
in Brusly on Tuesday
Local time
6:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°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
17 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
1h 44m 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 about 97% of this 86.8-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on I 10 covers 80.5 miles. After that, you'll transition to Highway 1 South and then West Main Street, shifting to surface roads for the final portion of your trip. Expect a noticeable change in pace as you exit the interstate and navigate local streets.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 80.5 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and Highway 1 South. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Loyola Avenue.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 86.8 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: near the start (Loyola Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 79.7 miles (I 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 81.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 New Orleans, LA to Brusly, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Plaquemine along the way.
Way down yonder in New Orleans (French: La Nouvelle-Orléans), you'll find the roots of jazz and a blossoming culture that is unlike anything else on Earth. Here, the laid-back atmosphere of the riverfront South has mixed with French sophistication, Spanish style, and African-American energy to create something greater than the sum of its parts. "NOLA" is the largest city in Louisiana and one of the top tourist destinations in the United States.
"Laissez les bons temps rouler" is what they say here in the Big Easy, and you too can "let the good times roll" with a cool stroll down Bourbon Street, a hot Dixieland band, and even hotter Creole cuisine. Mardi Gras may be the city's calling card, but that's just one day out of the hot and muggy year in New Orleans.
Go ahead, take a riverboat down the Mississippi, munch on some beignets, and watch the Saints go marchin' in.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 86.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 44m 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 80.5 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 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.
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 Brusly, 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: near the start (Loyola Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 79.7 miles (I 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 81.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Brusly, LA before heading back.
