The drive from Laplace, LA to Alexandria, LA covers 177.6 miles and takes about 3h 25m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, I 10, State Route 1 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 64.9 miles on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.82 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
88.8 miles from Laplace, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 25m. Total distance: 177.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Laplace, LA to Alexandria, LA covers 177.6 miles and takes about 3h 25m, 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.
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 64.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near LA 3188 / Belle Terre Boulevard.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 177.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (LA 3188 / Belle Terre Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 54.6 miles (I 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.3 mi into trip|~2m in|LA 3188 / Belle Terre Boulevard
Turn right onto LA 3188 / Belle Terre Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
3.4 mi into trip|~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 West: Baton Rouge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 10 West: Baton Rouge
6
54.6 mi into trip|~1h 3m 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.
7
58.6 mi into trip|~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward LA 415: Lobdell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 151
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
7
58.9 mi into trip|~1h 8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward LA 415: Lobdell
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
64.9 mi
1h 5m
I 10
54.2 mi
59m
State Route 1
49 mi
1h 2m
North Lobdell Highway
3.6 mi
4m
Belle Terre Boulevard
2.2 mi
3m
West Airline Highway
1.3 mi
2m
Murray Street
0.3 mi
1m
10th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
— 64.9 mi, about 1h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Laplace, LA and Alexandria, LA.
1
Start on this road
41 ft·5 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto US 61
1.3 mi·2 min·West Airline Highway
3
Turn right onto LA 3188
2.2 mi·3 min·Belle Terre Boulevard
Use the right lane.
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 10 West: Baton Rouge
5
Merge onto I 10
50 mi·55 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
3.9 mi·4 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Exit 151Toward LA 415: LobdellUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
317 ft·7 sec
Toward LA 415: LobdellUse the right lane.
9
Merge onto LA 415
3.6 mi·4 min·North Lobdell Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 190; LA 1
49 mi·1 hr 2 min·State Route 1
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward I 49 North, US 167 North: Alexandria
12
Merge onto I 49; US 167
65 mi·1 hr 5 min·Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward M L King Drive, Downtown Alexandria
14
Continue on 10th Street
0.2 mi·22 sec·10th Street
15
Turn right onto Murray Street
0.3 mi·1 min·Murray Street
16
Arrive at destination
Murray Street
Trip Plan
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 Laplace, LA, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.9 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 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 88.8 miles or 1h 47m 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 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alexandria, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Laplace, 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 Laplace, LA
This is one driving day of about 177.6 miles and 3h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Laplace, 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 Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway for about 64.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 88.8 mi from Laplace, LA
· 1h 47m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
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.
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 15, 2026
Origin
Laplace, LA
Afternoon
in Laplace on Friday
Local time
1:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Alexandria, LA
Afternoon
in Alexandria on Friday
Local time
1:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
85°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
5 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 25m 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 Laplace, LA to Alexandria, LA covers 177.6 miles and takes about 3h 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, I 10, State Route 1. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 88.8 miles from Laplace, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.82 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 177.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (LA 3188 / Belle Terre Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 54.6 miles (I 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Laplace, LA to Alexandria, LA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
