Houston to New Orleans road trip: the drive and a playlist for it
About 350 miles, 5½ hours of driving and 21 songs. You'll hear Houston first, then Port Arthur, Lake Charles, Lafayette and Baton Rouge, and pull into New Orleans with its own artists.
Driving the other way? New Orleans to Houston
The drive
How long is the drive from Houston to New Orleans?
About 350 miles. Plan on about 5½ hours of driving without stops.
What's the usual route from Houston to New Orleans?
It's I-10 east the whole way, through Beaumont, Lake Charles, Lafayette and Baton Rouge. There are no tolls.
Good places to stop
- Beaumont, TXThe Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum, on the area's first oil boom, or Gator Country for the alligators.
- Lake Charles, LAAbout halfway. The Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu has a big collection of costumes.
- Lafayette, LALunch, if you want Cajun or Creole food. Vermilionville and Acadian Village are here too.
- Baton Rouge, LAThe Louisiana State Capitol, the tallest state capitol in the country, with views over the city.
Where the songs fall
The songs follow I-10. Port Arthur's play around Beaumont, then Lake Charles, Lafayette and Baton Rouge as you reach each one.
Checked Oct 13, 2026 against Wanderlog, Rome2rio, Turo, Sixt, Enterprise and AARoads. Times are for driving straight through: the middle of what the sources say, rounded to the half hour.
For the back seat
Try one bingo card free (1-page PDF)
One card to print. The $4 pack has four different cards and three more games.
Every song is by an artist from that place, in the order you'll pass through. Tap a stop when you see the sign. Driving distances come from OpenStreetMap data.
For the drive
- Bluetooth FM transmitterFind one
No Bluetooth in the car? This plays your phone through the radio. - Dash or vent phone mountFind one
So the driver can see which stop is next. - Two-port USB-C car chargerFind one
Hours of streaming drains a phone fast. - Volume-limited kids' headphonesFind one
For when the back seat wants its own music.
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