A ten-day loop from New Orleans: the River Road plantations, the mansions of Natchez in Mississippi, the Atchafalaya Basin, Cajun country around Breaux Bridge and Lafayette, then the bayous around Houma. Flat, toll-free roads, rarely more than three hours behind the wheel a day, but a hurricane season to keep an eye on from June to November.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 3 | New Orleans | Start |
| Day 4 | Vacherie | 81 km · 1h10 |
| Days 5 to 6 | Natchez | 239 km · 3h10 |
| Day 7 | Breaux Bridge | 223 km · 2h45 |
| Day 8 | Lafayette | 48 km · 45 min |
| Day 9 | Houma | 202 km · 2h55 |
| Day 10 | Back to New Orleans | 92 km · 1h15 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
March to May and October-November, before and after the heavy summer heat and thunderstorms; winter stays mild. The hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, with most of the activity from mid-August to mid-October.
🚗 81 km · 1h10 of driving from New Orleans
I-10 and I-310 out of the city, then the LA 18 (River Road) at the foot of the levee, on the west bank of the Mississippi.
🚗 239 km · 3h10 of driving from Vacherie
Cross the river at Gramercy towards Houmas House, take I-10 to Baton Rouge, then US 61 via St. Francisville into Mississippi.
🚗 223 km · 2h45 of driving from Natchez
Back on US 61 to Baton Rouge, then I-10 over the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge, limited to 60 mph.
🚗 48 km · 45 min of driving from Breaux Bridge
The LA 31 follows Bayou Teche to St. Martinville, then the LA 96 and US 90 to Lafayette.
🚗 202 km · 2h55 of driving from Lafayette
US 90 via New Iberia and Morgan City, with a detour on the LA 329 to Avery Island.
🚗 92 km · 1h15 of driving from Houma
Drop Natchez: from Vacherie, head to Breaux Bridge on I-10 (about 2 hours) and keep 2 nights in New Orleans, 6 nights in all. Houmas House, Rosedown and the Mississippi mansions are left out.
| Small car, New Orleans | ≈ $44 a day (€39) |
|---|---|
| Car, January (cheapest month) | ≈ $47 a day (€41) |
| Car, May (most expensive month) | ≈ $62 a day (€54) |
| SUV, New Orleans | ≈ $73 a day (€64) |
| Convertible, New Orleans | ≈ $104 a day (€91) |
| Vehicle | Saloon or small SUV: the whole loop is flat and paved, a 4x4 is no use. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | Louis Armstrong Airport (MSY), west of the city, on the way to the River Road; return it there. |
| Insurance | Take the LDW or CDW (damage to the vehicle) and extended liability cover (LIS or SLI). |
| Age | 20 at Hertz, 21 at Enterprise; a surcharge of about $25 a day under 25. |
| Licence and card | Hertz MSY requires a licence and passport in the same name; an International Driving Permit alone is not enough. |
| Parking | Leave nothing visible inside the car and use well-lit car parks, advises the UK Foreign Office. |
| Prices recorded | Kayak averages for September 2026, excluding insurance and taxes. |
⚠️ You will not need it for the three days in New Orleans, which you can explore on foot and by streetcar: pick it up on the day you leave.
Tolerated by the US authorities. International Driving Permit strongly recommended. Passport required at the rental desk.
As in mainland Europe. Almost all hire cars are automatics.
70 mph on urban interstates, 65 at most on other roads. In Mississippi, 70 on interstates.
0.08% in Louisiana as in Mississippi; 0.02% under 21 in Louisiana.
Fines since 1 January 2026: $100, $250 in a school or roadworks zone. Hands-free allowed.
Come to a full stop and give way to pedestrians and traffic, unless there is a NO TURN ON RED sign.
29 km of viaduct, with no hard shoulder at the two river crossings. Lorries at 55 mph, in the right-hand lane.
Also compulsory from sunset to sunrise and when visibility is under 150 m.
Compulsory for all occupants; child seat or booster under 6 years or 27 kg.
As soon as an emergency vehicle approaches with a siren or flashing lights.
Peak from mid-August to mid-October. Follow evacuation orders; road conditions on 511 or at 511la.org.
≈ €0.93 a litre ($4.03 a gallon, AAA Louisiana average, 24 September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Today's price: AAA Gas Prices →
⛽ 885 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €60 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
+$1.30 a gallon in a year; $4.00 in Mississippi. Non-US card: pay inside at the till if the pump asks for a ZIP code.
| Motorways and bridges on the loop | No tolls |
|---|---|
| Crescent City Connection bridge (New Orleans) | Free since 2013 |
| Lake Pontchartrain Causeway | Tolled, off the route |
| Houmas House | House and gardens from $35, gardens only from $20 |
| Rosedown | $7 per person, $12 with the house tour |
| Melrose (Natchez) | $10 per adult plus a $1 fee, on Recreation.gov |
| Other Natchez historical park sites | Free |
| Parks and museums | The America the Beautiful pass does not cover these visits |
| Coast and bayous (Houma, Morgan City) | Evacuations when a hurricane approaches, especially from mid-August to mid-October |
|---|---|
| Barataria Preserve (Jean Lafitte park) | Most trails closed from 2 February 2026 for about two years |
| Whitney Plantation | Closed on Tuesdays, last entry at 15:00 |
| Rosedown | Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and 1 January |
| Parade routes, New Orleans | Streets closed during Carnival (Mardi Gras on 9 February 2027) |
Ten days for the full loop: 9 nights, 6 stages, about 1,000 km and never more than 3h15 of driving between two stages. In 7 days, drop Natchez and head straight from the River Road to Cajun country on I-10. With less time, New Orleans and a day of plantations are enough.
Excluding flights and accommodation: about $400 to $560 of car hire over 9 days ($44 to $62 a day depending on the month, Kayak), about €60 of petrol at September 2026 prices for about 900 km, plus visits: Houmas House from $35, Rosedown $12, Melrose $11. No tolls on the loop.
March to May and October-November. Summer is sultry and stormy, and the hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, with most of the activity between mid-August and mid-October. In February, the New Orleans Carnival (Mardi Gras on 9 February 2027) pushes prices up and closes the streets on the parade routes.
Yes, with cancellable bookings and an eye on the National Hurricane Center. Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon on 29 August 2021, south of Houma, with winds of 240 km/h. Follow evacuation orders and check road conditions on 511; the coastal bayous are the first to be evacuated.
Whitney, a museum devoted to the history of slavery (closed on Tuesdays), Laura for Creole culture, Oak Alley for its 240 m avenue of oaks, Houmas House for its gardens (from $35). Further north, Rosedown ($12 with the house) in St. Francisville. Two or three visits a day is the maximum.
Yes, for a tourist stay: the US authorities tolerate EU licences, and an International Driving Permit is strongly recommended; apply for it before you leave, in the country that issued your licence. At Hertz at the airport, a passport in the same name is required.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/louisiana · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
