Houston to Lake Charles LA drive: Distance, time & best stops
The distance from Houston to Lake Charles LA by car is 143 miles, with a 2h6m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Houston to Lake Charles LA drive are the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Gator Country and Beaumont TX.
Finding the best things to do between Houston and Lake Charles LA
The Houston to Lake Charles drive takes you from the biggest city in Texas to western Louisiana.
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.
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.
Houston to Lake Charles LA distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Houston to Lake Charles LA is 143 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and six minutes. The quickest route is along the I-10.
The best stops to add to a Houston to Lake Charles road trip itinerary are the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Gator Country and Beaumont TX.
Houston to Lake Charles 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.
Best stops between Houston and Lake Charles LA: Gator Country
South-west of Beaumont, Gator Country offers the opportunity to see some massive alligators, as well as see some animal shows. These are billed as educational, although that’s a somewhat questionable claim.
While at Gator Country, you can feed the massive tortoises and let the kids play in the splash pads. The company also runs swamp boat tours.
Houston to Lake Charles 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 20th century.
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