The Best Road Trips in Louisiana for Every Type of Traveler

There's no better way to see the sights of Louisiana than by car, and luckily for us, there are endless road trips in Louisiana available. Since Louisiana is a relatively small state, you can get around the entire state in a day (New Orleans to Shreveport is about a five-hour drive). The added benefit of taking a Louisiana road trip is having the freedom to stop off wherever you'd like, for however long you'd like, and do things at your own pace. If you're ready to see the Pelican State by car, get your playlists ready, because the best road trips in Louisiana are the ultimate getaways for road warriors.

Best One-Day Road Trips in Louisiana

• Route: Venice> Barataria Preserve > Woodlands Conservancy > Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge > Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge > Fontainebleau State Park
• Distance: 167 miles
• Trip Time: 3.5 hours driving time

This quick and easy scenic drive will only take you about 3.5 hours total driving time, which is perfect because then you can take your time and explore each site fully. This is one-day road trip you’ll want to get an early start on because the sunrises in the remote small town of Venice, Louisiana, are easily some of the most beautiful sunsets in Louisiana. On the flip side, if you can time your last stop at Fontainebleau State Park during sunset, you’ll have a mesmerizing view of the sunset over Lake Pontchartrain! This is one of the most scenic trips in Louisiana you can take in just one day!

The Ultimate Weekend Road Trip Through Louisiana

• Route: Cypremort Point State Park> Olde Tyme Grocery > Louisiana State Arboretum > Wild Azalea Trailhead > Driskill Mountain
• Distance: 245 miles
• Trip Time: 5 hours driving time

This Louisiana travel itinerary is perfect for a long weekend and takes you all over the Pelican State. Starting at Cypremort Point State Park, you’ll travel north through Cajun Country and into the Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana’s only National Forest, with a quick stop at Olde Time Grocery Store for a po'boy sandwich along the way. When you arrive in the forest, you can take a hike on Louisiana’s longest primitive trail, the Wild Azalea Trail. This trail clocks in at around 30 miles, and if you’d like to do the entire trek, just know that you’re welcome to pitch a tent and camp along the trail. The final destination on this Louisiana road trip takes you to Driskill Mountain, where you can take the one-mile trail to the summit, where you can proudly claim that you’re standing tall at 535 feet—Louisiana’s tallest natural summit. This is easily one of the best Louisiana nature road trips.

Week-Long Louisiana Road Trip

• Route: Rip Van Winkle Gardens > Avery Island > Lake Martin > Vermilionville > Breaux Bridge > Barn Hill Animal Preserve > Bogalusa
• Distance: 288 miles
• Trip Time: 6 hours driving time

Even though you could technically take this road trip in a day, extending it over the course of a week will really allow you ample time to see and experience all the sights. Starting off at the Rip Van Winkle Gardens, this Louisiana road trip itinerary weaves through Cajun Country, stopping off at some of Louisiana’s most famous attractions, including Avery Island, Breaux Bridge, Lafayette, and more. There are plenty of local restaurants serving up both Creole and Cajun cuisine, and this is an area of Louisiana with a rich Acadian history that’s worth learning more about. As you make your way through the Atchafalaya, there are plenty of places to stay for the night, including the cabins at the final destination in Bogalusa. Bogalusa is a sleepy little town in Washington Parish right on the Mississippi border, and these cabins offer a peaceful and relaxing setting to enjoy for a day or two.

Best Louisiana Road Trips in Cajun Country

• Route: Lake Charles > Sulphur > Sabine National Wildlife Refuge > Holly Beach > Rutherford Beach
• Distance: 180 miles
• Trip Time: 5 hours driving time

One of the most scenic drives in Louisiana, the Creole Nature Trail is an epic, 180-mile All-American Road that takes you through Louisiana’s Cajun Country, weaving through prairies, marshes, wildlife refuges, and more. Starting off in Lake Charles, the drive, which is one of the most stunning Louisiana scenic byways, takes you deep into the southern portion of the state, all the way to Louisiana’s most beautiful beaches. Both Holly Beach and Rutherford Beach are picturesque beaches that are wonderful for finding seashells, so keep your eyes peeled! These beaches on the Gulf of Mexico are unique in that you’re allowed to drive right on the beach, and you’re also allowed to camp here. This Cajun Country road trip is one of the most awe-inspiring drives in Louisiana.

Scenic New Orleans, Louisiana Road Trip for Nature Lovers

• Route: Louis Armstrong Park > Bayou St. John > City Park > Lakefront > Longue Vue House and Gardens > Audubon Park > Barataria Preserve
• Distance: 42 miles
• Trip Time: 1 hour driving time

While New Orleans is known for its busy nightlife scene (and Mardi Gras), you may be surprised to learn that there are plenty of natural spots outside of the French Quarter. Though it only clocks in at 42 miles, this is one road trip around New Orleans that can easily fill the entire day. Both City Park and Audubon Park deserve a full day to explore, but if you’re short on time, you can still visit some of the most popular attractions within these parks and still feel like you did it justice. You can also go kayaking down the bayou, which is a popular pastime in the warmer months.

Best Louisiana Road Trip for Spring

• Route: Covington > Baton Rouge > St. Martinville > Lafayette > Ville Platte > Alexandria > West Monroe > Homer
• Distance: 429 miles
• Trip Time: 8.5 hours driving time

Spring is one of the best times of year to spend your time outdoors, so this epic multi-day pizza and parks road trip is just perfect for this time of year. This road trip takes you to all the best pizza joints in Louisiana and nearby parks where you can enjoy them. Both smaller city parks and state parks make the list, so you can get a feel for the natural beauty and blooming flowers found in those charming small-town parks and the larger parks like the Louisiana State Arboretum. Feel free to pair this road trip itinerary with the 7-day road trip for an awesome adventure you won't soon forget.

Best Summer Road Trip in Louisiana

• Route: Doyline > Driskill Mountain > Chatham > Provencal > Ville Platte > Cypremort
• Distance: 365 miles
• Trip Time: 7 hours driving time

Summertime was just meant for road trips, and this one will take you from the rolling hills of Northern Louisiana all the way down to the wetlands in the south, bringing you to some of the best campsites in Louisiana, as well as hiking trails. Whether you prefer the comfort of a cabin, your own RV, or an old-school tent, these campgrounds offer a chance to experience the natural landscape in Louisiana like never before, and the hiking trails featured in the road trip offer excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. The summer is the best time of the year to see Louisiana’s most famous swamp critter, the alligator, and you can often find them soaking up the sun on the banks of bayous, swamps, and marshes. You'll start the adventure at Lake Bistineau State Park and end at Cypremort Point State Park along the Gulf Coast — it's one of the most Louisiana road trip ideas for your summer vacation.

Best Louisiana Road Trip for Fall

• Route: Bastrop > Chatham > Homer > Doyline > Zwolle > Anacoco
• Distance: 418 miles
• Trip Time: 8 hours driving time

Now, Louisiana may not have the stunning fall foliage that places like the New England states are known for, but we do indeed have some opportunities to go leaf-peeping. If you can time it right, you can catch Louisiana’s fall foliage, especially in Northern Louisiana. There’s something very magical about seeing a bayou transform into brilliant shades of red and orange that will just make you fall in love with Louisiana all over again. This road trip will take you to some of our favorite state parks in Louisiana to see the fall foliage, which typically has a late start down here. Try to time this drive towards the end of October or early November for the peak colors. This is such a great way to celebrate the fall season in Louisiana!

Best Winter Road Trip in Louisiana

• Route: Minden > Natchitoches > Alexandria > Lafayette > Baton Rouge > Lutcher > New Orleans
• Distance: 409 miles
• Trip Time: 7 hours driving time

Nothing says winter road trip quite like a Christmas lights road trip, and Louisiana does not disappoint in this department. Turn on your favorite holiday music and enjoy driving through some of the best holiday light displays in Louisiana, including the world-famous Natchitoches Christmas Lights Display. Many of these displays have options to stay in your car and drive through, while others require you to get out and stretch your legs, so be sure to check ahead to know what type of holiday light show you’re heading to, along with the days and times they are open, and to purchase tickets ahead of your visit.

Family-Friendly Louisiana Road Trip

• Route: Monroe > West Monroe > Natchitoches
• Distance: 120 miles
• Trip Time: 3 hours driving time

Are you looking for things to do, perhaps on one of the most family-friendly road trips in Louisiana? Your entire household will enjoy this family-friendly road trip across northern and central Louisiana, stopping off at incredible attractions like Kiroli Park, Biedenharn Museum and Gardens, and even a stop off at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo, followed by a visit to see gators at the Gator Country LA Alligator Park. This road trip includes one of our favorite waterfront restaurants, Mariner’s, where the views are just as good as the food. This is one of the best drives in Louisiana you can take with the whole family.

Editor's Note: Kiroli Park is currently closed due to damage from Winter Storm Fern. Visit the City of West Monroe website for updates on the park's reopening.

Historic Landmarks & Natural Wonders Road Trip in Louisiana

• Route: New Orleans > Baton Rouge > Atchafalaya Region
• Distance: 226 miles
• Trip Time: 3 hours driving time

History buffs and nature lovers alike will enjoy this quick road trip in Louisiana that hits all the most historic sites in southern Louisiana. Starting off in New Orleans, you’ll visit iconic sights like Jackson Square in the French Quarter before heading west to Baton Rouge to step on board a decommissioned WWII-era Destroyer, the USS KIDD, which overlooks the Mississippi River. From there, the journey westward continues, as you drive over the Atchafalaya River Basin, the nation’s largest river swamp. One of the best ways to admire the natural beauty of this area is to take a swamp tour of the Atchafalaya and see this incredible wetland from an entirely different perspective while learning about the rich history of the basin from knowledgeable tour guides who have grown up here. Doesn't this sound like one of the best road trips in Louisiana? I think it does!

Louisiana Small Town Road Trip Itinerary

• Route: Natchitoches > DeRidder > Eunice > Breaux Bridge > St. Francisville > Donaldsonville > Abita Springs
• Distance: 523 miles
• Trip Time: 10 hours driving time

If you really want to get a feel for what it’s like to live in Louisiana, you’ve got to explore small-town life. Even though this Louisiana small town road trip starts off in Natchitoches, which wouldn’t normally be considered a small town, the historic downtown area has a distinctive small-town charm about it, and with its 33-blocks of historic landmarks, it’s sure to keep you entertained. As you weave throughout southern Louisiana, you’ll arrive at the charming towns of DeRidder, Eunice, Breaux Bridge, and other delightfully charming small towns in Louisiana that are all full of history, some mystery, and delicious local restaurants that will welcome you with open arms.

Tips for Planning a Louisiana Road Trip

Before heading out on any road trip, make sure to check the weather, gas up or charge your car, map out gas or EV charging stations, and check your tire pressure to give you peace of mind on the road. Checking the hours of operation for any destination along the route is a great idea, as is purchasing attraction tickets in advance. You'll also want to stock up on snacks — after all, they're the best part of the trip! Check out our Road Trip Essentials Guide, featuring all of our favorite must-haves for road trips, including safety gear and comfort items for the whole family.

Have you taken any of these road trips? What do you consider to be the best road trips in Louisiana? Do you prefer quick road trips or full weekend road trips? If you need another road trip idea, check out the donut trail in Louisiana, which will give you the perfect sugar rush to drive through the Pelican State. Have fun!