Fred's State Line - Casino and Truck Stop
0.1 mi from route
Trip from New Orleans, LA to Jena, LA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 27m
Distance
221 mi
356 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$34
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 14m
★
6 AM
4h 27m
8 AM
4h 54m
10 AM
4h 37m
12 PM
4h 34m
3 PM
4h 38m
5 PM
4h 53m
8 PM
4h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Orleans, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Jena, LA
SHOX ART
Trip Overview
New Orleans to Jena is 221 miles and takes about 4h 27m via I 10 and Samuels Road, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. The profile is mixed highway and surface, suggesting you'll transition from faster driving to more local roads. With only one recommended stop and a duration under five hours, this is a straightforward drive suitable for a single day. Plan for a budget of around $35 for fuel, making it an economical option for getting from New Orleans to Jena.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
110.5 miles from New Orleans, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 11m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 10 | 78.5 mi | 1h 29m |
| Samuels Road | 75.7 mi | 1h 28m |
| Louisiana Avenue | 37.2 mi | 48m |
| Natchez-Vidalia Bridge | 10.2 mi | 11m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Scenic Highway | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| US 84 | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Freeway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 78.5 mi, about 1h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Orleans, LA and Jena, 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 right at fork onto I 110
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway
Toward I 110 North: Downtown, Metro Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 110
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 8C
Toward US 61 North: Natchez
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on US 61
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Scenic Highway
10
Continue on US 61
76 mi
·
1 hr 28 min
·
Samuels Road
11
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
12
Continue on US 84; US 425
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
John R Junkin Drive
13
Continue on US 84; US 425
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Natchez-Vidalia Bridge
14
Turn left onto US 84; LA 15
37 mi
·
48 min
·
Louisiana Avenue
15
Continue on US 84; LA 8
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
US 84; LA 8
16
Arrive at destination
US 84
Trip Plan
For this 221-mile drive, leaving New Orleans in the morning is advisable to maximize daylight. The total duration is around 4 hours and 27 minutes, so you can comfortably complete it in one day. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility on when and where to break up the drive. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is $35. Remember that Samuels Road is a key surface road segment on your way to Jena, so be prepared for potentially more local traffic then.
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 110.5 miles from New Orleans, LA, or about 2h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78.5 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 49 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 110.5 miles or 2h 11m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jena, 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.
+
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 New Orleans, LA
This is one driving day of about 221 miles and 4h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from New Orleans, 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 78.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
111 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 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 110.5 miles from New Orleans, 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 78.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Made To Go Truck Stop
0.1 mi from route
TA Express
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.9 mi from route
TA Express
2.4 mi from route
La1 Truck Stop
2.5 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 88.5 — 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
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Poydras Street
Turn right onto Poydras Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 10
Merge onto I 10
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
79.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 32m in
|
I 110 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 110 / Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway toward I 110 North: Downtown, Metro Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 110 North: Downtown, Metro Airport
8
88.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 61 North: Natchez
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8C
Toward US 61 North: Natchez
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.97 one way
$67.94 round trip
$3.90/gal
25.4 MPG avg
77 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $37.57 | $75.14 |
| premium | $4.65 | $40.43 | $80.87 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $46.55 | $93.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 77.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 66.3 | 0 | $23.21 | $10.61 |
| Efficient EV | 55.3 | 0 | $19.34 | $8.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 88.4 | 1 | $30.94 | $14.14 |
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Origin
New Orleans, LA
Afternoon in New Orleans on Wednesday
Local time
4:02 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
SE 5 to 10 mph
71% chance
Live forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued May 28 at 12:27PM CDT until May 28 at 3:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 28 at 9:07AM CDT until May 31 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS New Orleans LA
Destination
Jena, LA
Afternoon in Jena on Wednesday
Local time
4:02 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 5 mph
54% chance
Live forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued May 28 at 12:27PM CDT until May 28 at 3:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 28 at 9:07AM CDT until May 31 at 7:00AM 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h 27m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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...
1 mi from route
~2 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive has 41% of its mileage on highways. You'll spend the longest stretch, 78.5 miles, on I 10 before transitioning. Expect to see a mix of highway cruising and surface road travel as you proceed. The route involves navigating urban merging near New Orleans before shifting to more open terrain.
41% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 78.5 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Loyola Avenue.
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 221 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: near the start (Loyola Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Poydras Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
312 ft
-1 ft
Total Climb
423 ft
Total Descent
257 ft
Highest Point
312 ft
~126.3 mi in
Elevation Range
313 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Jena, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Airport along the way.
Airport
79.7 mi in
|
~1h 32m
|
via I 110
About the Cities
Starting in New Orleans, LA
Full guide →“Crescent City” · Founded 1718
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.
Top landmarks
- • Tulane University of Louisiana — private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
- • Caesars Superdome — domed stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
- • French Quarter — neighborhood of and historic district in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
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 4h 27m. Total distance: 221 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 78.5 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 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: near the start (Loyola Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Poydras Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 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 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Jena, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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