How far is Lake Charles, LA from Arcadia, LA?

The driving distance from Lake Charles, LA to Arcadia, LA is about 184.9 miles (297.5 km), with a travel time of about 04h 18m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 162.2 miles (261.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 08h 37m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
184.88 mi
04h 18m
Flight
162.26 mi
261.14 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lake Charles.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
162.26 mi
Kilometers
261.14 km
Flight Time
00h 19m

Driving Distance

Road route
184.88 mi
Kilometers
297.53 km
Drive Time
04h 18m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 04h 18m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Arcadia
Sun, Apr 19, 7:51 PM CDT
Return by in Lake Charles
Mon, Apr 20, 12:09 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lake Charles
2026-04-19T15:32
Arrive Arcadia
Sun, Apr 19, 7:51 PM CDT
Route Timing
04h 18m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:19 AM to 12:19 PM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
8:22 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lake Charles
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Provencal
LA

Village in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States

From Lake Charles
92.6 mi
02h 09m
To Arcadia
92.3 mi
02h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Sunday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph NE
Destination
71°F
Sunday

Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph NE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lake Charles and Arcadia.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake Charles and Arcadia.

  1. 1

    Start on Enterprise Boulevard

    146 m · 15 sec · Enterprise Boulevard

  2. 2

    Continue on Enterprise Boulevard

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Enterprise Boulevard

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Belden Street

    28 m · 2 sec · Belden Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight left

    1211 ft · 30 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    1.4 km · 1 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward Opelousas Street

    553 ft · 14 sec

  7. 7

    Continue on I-10 Service Road

    676 ft · 14 sec · I-10 Service Road

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Opelousas Street

    1218 ft · 26 sec · Opelousas Street

  9. 9

    Turn left onto North Martin Luther King Highway

    5 mi · 8 min · North Martin Luther King Highway

  10. 10

    Continue on Highway 171

    37.5 mi · 43 min · Highway 171

  11. 11

    Continue on East 1st Street

    1.5 mi · 2 min · East 1st Street

  12. 12

    Continue on Mahlon Street

    1.4 km · 1 min · Mahlon Street

  13. 13

    Continue on Shirley Street

    1065 ft · 20 sec · Shirley Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto North Pine Street

    2.4 mi · 4 min · North Pine Street

  15. 15

    Continue on Johnny B Hall Memorial Highway

    3.7 mi · 5 min · Johnny B Hall Memorial Highway

  16. 16

    Continue on Lake Charles Highway

    12.9 mi · 17 min · Lake Charles Highway

  17. 17

    Continue on South 5th Street

    3.1 mi · 5 min · South 5th Street

  18. 18

    Keep slight right

    1288 ft · 17 sec

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight left

    884 ft · 24 sec

  20. 20

    Continue on LA 117

    36.9 mi · 54 min · LA 117

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on LA 117

    4.6 mi · 7 min · LA 117

  22. 22

    At the end of the road, turn right

    7.1 mi · 10 min

  23. 23

    Turn left onto Highway 3110

    2 mi · 3 min · Highway 3110

  24. 24

    Turn right onto Highway 3175

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Highway 3175

  25. 25

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Washington Street

    3.3 mi · 5 min · Washington Street

  26. 26

    Turn left onto LA 486

    5.2 mi · 9 min · LA 486

  27. 27

    Continue on Railroad Street

    973 ft · 20 sec · Railroad Street

  28. 28

    Turn right onto Edenborn Street

    612 ft · 16 sec · Edenborn Street

  29. 29

    At the end of the road, turn left

    1.1 mi · 2 min

  30. 30

    Turn right

    21.1 mi · 30 min

  31. 31

    Turn left onto 4th Street

    911 ft · 31 sec · 4th Street

  32. 32

    Continue on Natchitoches Street

    22.2 mi · 31 min · Natchitoches Street

  33. 33

    Continue straight

    8.5 mi · 13 min

  34. 34

    Turn right onto 1st Street

    58 m · 12 sec · 1st Street

  35. 35

    Turn sharp left

    45 m · 5 sec

  36. 36

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lake Charles and Arcadia.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
36 steps
15 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
19.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
LA 117
41.5 mi · 22%
Highway 171
37.5 mi · 20%
Natchitoches Street
30.7 mi · 17%
Lake Charles Highway
12.9 mi · 7%
LA 486
5.17 mi · 3%
North Martin Luther King Highway
4.98 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Highway 171

Continue on Highway 171

37.5 mi · 00h 43m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 18m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
08h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+22.7 mi
162.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Provencal
02h 09m from Lake Charles
Leave By
8:22 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy leaving Lake Charles and Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny near Arcadia.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Charles to Arcadia?

The road trip is about 184.9 miles (297.5 km) and usually takes 04h 18m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Provencal is a useful midpoint, sitting about 92.6 miles from Lake Charles and 92.3 miles from Arcadia.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 162.2 miles (261.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 22.7 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 8:22 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $24.69 one way or $49.38 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 57.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy around Lake Charles and Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny near Arcadia.

Stop Ideas Near Provencal

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Provencal, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Provencal.

BUS

Shreveport, Louisiana

109 mi away
451 Clyde Fant Parkway
BUS

Shreveport, LA

109 mi away
408 Fannin Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lake Charles and Arcadia. Straight-line distance: 162.26 mi (261.14 km).

Lake Charles

#1 Lake Charles

The second most populous city in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.

Population78,433
Coordinates30.2130900, -93.2044000
Altitude4
CountryUnited States
Arcadia

#2 Arcadia

Town in and the parish seat of Bienville Parish in north Louisiana, United States

Population2,648
Coordinates32.5490400, -92.9201600
Altitude117
CountryUnited States
Start: Lake Charles (-93.2044, 30.21309)
End: Arcadia (-92.92016, 32.54904)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 298 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 09m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 37m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 41m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 04m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 38m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.52 gal
24.69 L · about $24.69
Round trip
$49.38
13.04 gal · 49.38 L
Estimated CO2
57.9 kg one way
Round trip: 115.9 kg / 256 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $24.69 $49.38
Mid-grade $4.26 $27.77 $55.54
Premium $4.63 $30.15 $60.31
Diesel $5.42 $35.31 $70.61

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Louisiana · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Lake Charles and Arcadia. The current time is 15:32:28.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.