New Orleans to San Antonio drive: Time, distance & best stops
The best road trip stops on the New Orleans to San Antonio drive are Baton Rouge, Lake Charles and Houston. The distance from New Orleans to San Antonio by car is 543 miles, with an 8h30m driving time.
Planning a New Orleans to San Antonio road trip itinerary
The New Orleans to San Antonio drive connects historic cities in Louisiana and Texas.
New Orleans resolutely refuses to feel like any other American city. From the raucous hedonism of Bourbon Street to the European-influenced charm of the French Quarter, New Orleans is mesmerizingly unusual to hang out in.
Top New Orleans experiences include French Quarter food tours, haunted pub crawls, jazz cruises aboard the steamboat Natchez and cemetery walking tours.
For other attractions, try the National WWII Museum, the Vue Orleans observation deck and the urban enslavement tours at Hermann Grima House.
If looking for New Orleans accommodation, the pool and jazz bar-equipped Royal Sonesta in the French Quarter is a great option. The Virgin Hotel downtown has a huge sense of fun, too.
San Antonio’s most famous site is the Alamo, a fortified Spanish mission that played host to a critical battle in the Texas Revolution. It’s far from the only historic building in the city, though – the San Fernando Cathedral and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park are both visually impressive. It’s worth taking a guided tour of the missions for better understanding.
Further attractions include San Antonio Zoo, the Sea Life aquarium, the magic show at the Magicians Agency Theater and the Hopscotch Immersive Art Experience.
Other San Antonio experiences worth considering are the haunted ghost bus tour, downtown food tours, hop-on hop-off buses and Segway tours.
Book ahead for San Antonio accommodation deals. But try the Hotel Emma for five star opulence and the Canopy by Hilton for youthful energy on the Riverwalk.
New Orleans to San Antonio distance and driving time
By car, the distance from New Orleans to San Antonio is 543 miles. You can expect a driving time of around eight hours and 30 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-10.
The best stops to add to a New Orleans to San Antonio road trip itinerary are Baton Rouge, Lake Charles and Houston.
New Orleans to San Antonio road trip attractions: Baton Rouge LA
The obvious attraction in Baton Rouge is the Louisiana Capitol Building, but the castle-like Old Capitol Building is more attractive. It’s also now a museum, with interactive exhibits on democracy and the colourful characters who have walked the corridors over the decades. The colourful stained glass dome is spectacular, too.
As a museum, the Capitol Park Museum is better, telling multiple strands of Louisiana’s story. Other Baton Rouge attractions include the Magnolia Mound Plantation, built in 1791, and the environmentally educational Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center.
Great places to stay in Baton Rouge include the affordable Hampton Inn & Suites Baton Rouge Downtown and the historic Watermark.
New Orleans to San Antonio drive: 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.
Best stops between New Orleans and San Antonio: Houston TX
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.
More New Orleans road trips
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