Houston to Lafayette LA drive: Distance, time & best stops

The distance from Houston to Lafayette LA by car is 217 miles, with a 3h9m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Houston to Lafayette LA drive are the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Beaumont TX and Lake Charles LA.

Finding the best things to do between Houston and Lafayette LA

The Houston to Lafayette drive takes you from the biggest city in Texas to a Louisiana city with a strong Cajun feel.

The top Houston attraction is unquestionably the NASA Space Center, which takes you behind the scenes of the Johnson Space Center. This includes the Mission Briefing Center, and a vast array of high tech exhibitions.

Other attractions include the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Children’s Museum,

For more Houston experiences, try hip hop party bike tours, foodie walks in the Montrose neighbourhood and quirky tours of Houston’s tunnel system.

Top Houston accommodation options include the superb value Club Quarters Houston Downtown and the upscale but boutique Magnolia.

Lafayette’s top attractions include Acadian Village, a recreated 19th-century Cajun village, which plays host to artisans and craftspeople among the historic homes.

Vermilionville is similar, but the living history museum here looks at the cultures of Native American and Creole people as well as the Acadians.

Elsewhere, the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist is famed for its stained glass windows.

Top Lafayette experiences include Cajun food tours.

For Lafayette accommodation, the SpringHill Suites and Home2 Suites tend to get the best reviews.

Houston to Lafayette LA distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Houston to Lafayette LA is 217 miles. That makes for a driving time of around three hours and nine minutes. The quickest route is along the I-10.

The best stops to add to a Houston to Lafayette road trip itinerary are the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Beaumont TX and Lake Charles LA.

Houston to Lafayette LA drive: Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge is a good spot to see the birds and other animals that hang out in the marshes. The highlight is arguably the butterfly garden, but you can also see a lot on the 2.6 mile drive around Shoveler Pond. Along this driving route, it’s worth getting out for a short stroll along the boardwalk, or stopping at an observation platform.

Houston to Lafayette LA road trip attractions: Beaumont TX

Beaumont TX is just west of the Louisiana border. The top attraction is the Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum, located on the site of a 1901 oil strike that changed West Texas forever. It’s a recreated town, with rebuilt historic buildings, and plenty of Texas oil history.

Also worth looking at is the McFaddin-Ward House Museum, a heritage home with original art and furnishings. It gives a good idea of how much money was sloshing around in the early 20^th century.

Best stops between Houston and Lafayette LA: Lake Charles LA

Most visitors to Lake Charles are there for the casino resorts – the Golden Nugget is the classic option. However, you can enjoy more wholesome activities, including picnicking and walking the trails around Prien Lake Park and driving the 26 mile Creole Nature Trail. This rural drive links lakes, marshes, Gulf beaches and plenty of wildlife.