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

The driving distance from Lake Charles, LA to Merrydale, LA is about 134.7 miles (216.8 km), with a travel time of about 02h 35m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 126.5 miles (203.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 10m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
134.69 mi
02h 35m
Flight
126.54 mi
203.64 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lake Charles.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
126.54 mi
Kilometers
203.64 km
Flight Time
00h 15m

Driving Distance

Road route
134.69 mi
Kilometers
216.76 km
Drive Time
02h 35m

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 02h 35m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Merrydale
Sun, Apr 19, 8:35 AM CDT
Return by in Lake Charles
Sun, Apr 19, 11:10 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lake Charles
2026-04-19T06:00
Arrive Merrydale
Sun, Apr 19, 8:35 AM CDT
Route Timing
02h 35m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:35 AM to 12:35 PM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
1:20 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lake Charles
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

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
Scott
LA

Suburb city of Lafayette, located in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States

From Lake Charles
67.2 mi
01h 17m
To Merrydale
67.5 mi
01h 17m

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
73°F
Sunday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph NE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    123.8 mi · 2 hr 17 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight left toward I 110 North: Downtown, Metro Airport

    2779 ft · 1 min

  7. 7

    Merge slight right onto Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway

    5 mi · 7 min · Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward US 190, US 61: Airline Highway, Opelousas

    1303 ft · 28 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on US 190 East, US 61 South: Airline Highway

    2215 ft · 54 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Airline Highway

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Airline Highway

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Greenwell Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Greenwell Street

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Greenwell Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
12 steps
2 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Belden Street
124 mi · 92%
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Freeway
4.95 mi · 4%
Enterprise Boulevard
1.73 mi · 1%
Airline Highway
1.4 mi · 1%
Greenwell Street
1.37 mi · 1%
I 110 North
0.53 mi
Longest Stretch

Belden Street

Merge slight left

124 mi · 02h 17m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 35m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+8.2 mi
126.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Scott
01h 17m from Lake Charles
Leave By
1:20 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy leaving Lake Charles and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Merrydale.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 134.7 miles (216.8 km) and usually takes 02h 35m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Scott is a useful midpoint, sitting about 67.2 miles from Lake Charles and 67.5 miles from Merrydale.

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

The direct path is about 126.5 miles (203.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 8.2 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 1:20 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $17.99 one way or $35.98 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 42.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy around Lake Charles and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Merrydale.

Stop Ideas Near Scott

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Scott, 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 Scott.

RAIL

Lafayette

8 mi away
133 East Grant St.
RAIL

New Iberia

36 mi away
West Washington St.
BUS

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

91 mi away
1253 Florida St.
RAIL

Lake Charles

108 mi away
100 Ryan Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lake Charles and Merrydale. Straight-line distance: 126.54 mi (203.64 km).

Lake Charles

#1 Lake Charles

The second most populous city in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.

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

#2 Merrydale

City in Louisiana, United States of America

Population9,772
Coordinates30.5013000, -91.1084400
Altitude16
CountryUnited States
Start: Lake Charles (-93.2044, 30.21309)
End: Merrydale (-91.10844, 30.5013)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 217 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 22m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 41m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 14m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 55m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 40m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.75 gal
17.99 L · about $17.99
Round trip
$35.98
9.5 gal · 35.98 L
Estimated CO2
42.2 kg one way
Round trip: 84.4 kg / 186 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $17.99 $35.98
Mid-grade $4.26 $20.23 $40.46
Premium $4.63 $21.97 $43.94
Diesel $5.42 $25.72 $51.44

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 Merrydale. The current time is 06:00:43.

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.