Shreveport to Opelousas is 192 miles and takes about 3 hours 22 minutes via Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway and US 190, with a fuel budget near $29 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. Expect a drive primarily on surface roads, offering a more local feel than a pure interstate experience. It's a straightforward, single-day trip suitable for those looking for a direct connection between these two Louisiana cities.
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
96 miles from Shreveport, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 42m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
186.4 mi
3h 10m
North Common Street
1.4 mi
2m
US 190
0.8 mi
<1m
Allen Avenue
0.8 mi
1m
River Parkway
0.5 mi
1m
Caddo Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Airport Drive
0.3 mi
<1m
Jack Wells Boulevard
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
— 186.4 mi, about 3h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shreveport, LA and Opelousas, LA.
1
Start on River Parkway
0.5 mi·1 min·River Parkway
2
Turn left onto Jack Wells Boulevard
0.1 mi·31 sec·Jack Wells Boulevard
3
Turn left onto Airport Drive
0.3 mi·39 sec·Airport Drive
4
Turn right onto North Common Street
1.4 mi·2 min·North Common Street
5
Turn right onto LA 173
0.3 mi·36 sec·Caddo Street
6
Continue on LA 173
0.1 mi·23 sec·Ford Street
7
Turn left onto Allen Avenue
0.8 mi·1 min·Allen Avenue
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 49 South: Alexandria
9
Continue on I 49
186 mi·3 hr 10 min·Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward US 190: Baton Rouge, Opelousas
11
Keep slight right at fork
358 ft·8 sec
Toward US 190 West: Opelousas
12
Merge onto US 190
0.8 mi·59 sec·US 190
13
Turn right onto LA 182
387 ft·11 sec·South Union Street
14
Turn left onto East Bellevue Street
234 ft·15 sec·East Bellevue Street
15
Turn left onto LA 182
157 ft·2 sec·South Main Street
16
Arrive at destination
LA 182
Trip Plan
Given the 3-hour 22-minute duration, leaving Shreveport in the morning allows ample time to reach Opelousas by afternoon. With just one recommended stop, you have plenty of flexibility to pace yourself. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is $29, and plan to refuel before or during the 186.4-mile stretch on the Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway if needed. Since this is a single-day trip, you can easily adjust your departure time based on your morning activities in Shreveport.
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 96 miles from Shreveport, LA, or about 1h 42m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 186.4 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 42 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 96 miles or 1h 42m 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 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Opelousas, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Shreveport, 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 Shreveport, LA
This is one driving day of about 192.1 miles and 3h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Shreveport, 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 Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway for about 186.4 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 192 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|Airport Drive
Turn left onto Airport Drive
Navigation decision point
5
3.5 mi into trip|~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 49 South: Alexandria
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 49 South: Alexandria
5
190.6 mi into trip|~3h 19m in
Take the exit toward US 190: Baton Rouge, Opelousas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 190: Baton Rouge, Opelousas
5
191.1 mi into trip|~3h 20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 190 West: Opelousas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 190 West: Opelousas
5
192 mi into trip|~3h 22m in|LA 182 / South Main Street
Turn left onto LA 182 / South Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.01 one way
$58.02 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg67 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$31.85
$63.70
premium
$4.56
$34.48
$68.96
diesel
$5.61
$42.41
$84.83
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 67.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
17 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Target - Tesla Supercharger
Bossier City, LA
Tesla
12 DCFC
Mall St. Vincent - Tesla Supercharger
Shreveport, LA
Tesla
8 DCFC
Shop-A-Lott - Tesla Supercharger
Natchitoches, LA
Tesla
8 DCFC
Holiday Inn Alexandria Downtown - Tesla Supercharger
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
57.6
0
$20.17
$9.22
Efficient EV
48
0
$16.81
$7.68
EV Truck/SUV
76.8
0
$26.89
$12.29
Gas CO2
67 kg
EV CO2
22 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 15, 2026
Origin
Shreveport, LA
Night
in Shreveport on Saturday
Local time
11:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Opelousas, LA
Night
in Opelousas on Saturday
Local time
11:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°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
23 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
3h 22m 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.
Cane River Creole National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The Cane River region is home to a unique culture; the Creoles. Generations of the same families of workers, enslaved and tenant, and owners lived on these lands for over 200 years. The park tells the...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 79.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend most of your time on surface roads, with only a highway share of 1%. The longest stretch on a highway is 186.4 miles on the Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. Expect to transition from highway cruising to surface roads as you approach your destination. The profile indicates mostly surface roads, so be prepared for varied speed limits and more local traffic.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 186.4 mi on Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 0.7 miles in near Airport Drive.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 22m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Airport Drive): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 190.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Shreveport is the largest city in Northern Louisiana, part of the twin city metro of Shreveport-Bossier City, and is considered the principal city in the three-state region known as the "Ark-La-Tex." It has about 188,000 residents (2019), and is in the area of the state designated as the Sportsman's Paradise. Many lakes and rivers are in the area and offer recreational activities. The surrounding area is also a contrast from points in southern Louisiana, in that the landscape is marked by rolling hills and pine forests, being an extension of the Texas region known as the Piney Woods.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 186.4 miles on Louisiana Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. 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.
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 0.7 miles (Airport Drive): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 190.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Opelousas, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
