Origin
Lake Charles, LA
Morning in Lake Charles on Saturday
Local time
11:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Charles, LA to Opelousas, LA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 35m
Distance
80.6 mi
130 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 28m
★
6 AM
1h 35m
8 AM
1h 50m
10 AM
1h 40m
12 PM
1h 39m
3 PM
1h 41m
5 PM
1h 49m
8 PM
1h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Charles, LA
Liisbet Luup
Opelousas, LA
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from Lake Charles, LA to Opelousas, LA covers 80.6 miles and takes about 1h 35m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Basile Eunice Highway, US 165, 3rd Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.8 miles on Basile Eunice Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.17 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.3 miles from Lake Charles, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 48m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 35m. Total distance: 80.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Lake Charles, LA to Opelousas, LA covers 80.6 miles and takes about 1h 35m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Basile Eunice Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 27.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 14.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 35m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 14.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 80.4 miles (LA 182 / South Union Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
14.7 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward US 165: Kinder, Alexandria
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 165: Kinder, Alexandria
4
15.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
80.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 34m in
|
LA 182 / South Union Street
Turn left onto LA 182 / South Union Street
Navigation decision point
4
80.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 35m in
|
East Bellevue Street
Turn left onto East Bellevue Street
Navigation decision point
5
80.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 35m in
|
LA 182 / South Main Street
Turn left onto LA 182 / South Main Street
Navigation decision point
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 Lake Charles, LA to Opelousas, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Alexandria along the way.
Alexandria
14.7 mi in
|
~18m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Basile Eunice Highway | 27.8 mi | 31m |
| US 165 | 18.5 mi | 22m |
| 3rd Avenue | 13 mi | 14m |
| I 10 | 12.7 mi | 14m |
| West Landry Street | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| Enterprise Boulevard | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| West Vine Street | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| South Union Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Basile Eunice Highway
— 27.8 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Charles, LA and Opelousas, LA.
1
Start on Enterprise Boulevard
478 ft
·
14 sec
·
Enterprise Boulevard
2
Continue on Enterprise Boulevard
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Enterprise Boulevard
3
Turn right onto Belden Street
93 ft
·
1 sec
·
Belden Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
5
Merge onto I 10; US 90
13 mi
·
14 min
·
I 10; US 90
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Toward US 165: Kinder, Alexandria
7
Keep slight left at fork
444 ft
·
11 sec
8
Continue on US 165
18 mi
·
22 min
·
US 165
9
Turn right onto US 190
13 mi
·
14 min
·
3rd Avenue
10
Continue on US 190
28 mi
·
31 min
·
Basile Eunice Highway
11
Continue on US 190
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
West Landry Street
12
Turn slight right onto US 190
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Vine Street
13
Turn left onto LA 182
0.1 mi
·
20 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
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 40.3 miles from Lake Charles, LA, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 27.8 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 18 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.3 miles or 48m 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 21m
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 Lake Charles, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lake Charles, LA
This is one driving day of about 80.6 miles and 1h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Lake Charles, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Basile Eunice Highway for about 27.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 40.3 mi from Lake Charles, LA · 48m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
40 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
Arriving in Opelousas, LA
The final approach into Opelousas, LA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.17 one way
$24.35 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $13.36 | $26.72 |
| premium | $4.56 | $14.47 | $28.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.80 | $35.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.2 | 0 | $8.46 | $3.87 |
| Efficient EV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.05 | $3.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.2 | 0 | $11.28 | $5.16 |
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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.
Destination
Opelousas, LA
Morning in Opelousas on Saturday
Local time
11:26 AM
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
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
1h 35m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Lake Charles, LA to Opelousas, LA covers 80.6 miles and takes about 1h 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Basile Eunice Highway, US 165, 3rd Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 40.3 miles from Lake Charles, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.17 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 1h 35m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 14.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 80.4 miles (LA 182 / South Union Street): Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Lake Charles, LA to Opelousas, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Alexandria along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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