Raleigh NC to New Orleans drive: Best stops, distance & time

The best road trip stops on the Raleigh NC to New Orleans drive are Charlotte NC, Atlanta GA and Montgomery AL. The distance from Raleigh to New Orleans by car is 878 miles, with a 13 hour driving time.

Planning a Raleigh to New Orleans road trip itinerary

The Raleigh to New Orleans drive takes you from the capital of North Carolina to the most intoxicating city in Louisiana.

Raleigh NC offers a series of high quality museums. The North Carolina Museum of History, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina Museum of Art are the three big-hitters. Meanwhile, the Mordecai Historic Park is where you’ll find Raleigh’s oldest house and the William B Umstead State Park is the top spot for outdoorsy pursuits.

Top Raleigh activities include trolley pub tours and ghost tours.

For Raleigh accommodation, the Marriott is the prime address downtown and the Store is a gorgeous guesthouse.

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.

Raleigh to New Orleans distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Raleigh NC to New Orleans is 878 miles. That makes for a driving time of around 13 hours. The best road trip stops on the Raleigh NC to New Orleans drive are Charlotte NC, Atlanta GA and Montgomery AL.

For more suggestions, see the guides to the individual legs of the road trip.

• Raleigh NC to Charlotte NC drive.
• Charlotte to Atlanta drive.
• Atlanta to Montgomery drive.
• Montgomery to Mobile drive.
• Mobile to New Orleans drive.

Raleigh to New Orleans road trip attractions: Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte is the biggest city in North Carolina. Major attractions include the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the thrill-packed Carowinds amusement park and the Billy Graham Library. Another popular option is the Sea Life aquarium.

For top Charlotte activities, try historical city tours by golf cart, Segway tours through the Uptown neighbourhood and after dark ghost tours.

Well-reviewed and central Charlotte accommodation options include the AC by Marriott and the Hyatt House.

Best stops between Raleigh and New Orleans: Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta played a massive part in the Civil Rights movement, and a black history and civil rights tour is pretty much a must-do.

For more Atlanta experiences, try a sightseeing trolley tour for orientation and overview. Or a guided bike ride to get a better feel for the neighbourhoods.

Other Atlanta favourites include the World of Coca Cola, Midtown food and cocktail tours and multi-brewery beer tours.

Raleigh to New Orleans drive: Montgomery, Alabama

The main reason to visit Montgomery is the Civil Rights heritage. There are several ways to explore this, with the cheapest being a self-guided audio tour and the most in-depth being a three hour private tour.

Other fun Montgomery experiences include a party pedal boat cruise along the Alabama River,

If planning to blitz several attractions, a city pass might save you money.

More Raleigh NC road trips

Raleigh NC to Asheville | Raleigh NC to Atlanta | Raleigh to Baltimore | Boston to Raleigh NC | Charlotte to Raleigh | Columbia SC to Raleigh NC | Raleigh to Dallas | Raleigh NC to Greensboro NC | Raleigh NC to Greenville SC | Raleigh to Myrtle Beach | Raleigh to Nashville | Raleigh NC to New York City | Raleigh NC to Orlando | Raleigh NC to Philadelphia | Raleigh to Pittsburgh | Richmond VA to Raleigh NC | Raleigh to Tampa | Raleigh NC to Washington DC | Raleigh to Wilmington NC | Winston-Salem NC to Raleigh NC.

More New Orleans road trips

Atlanta to New Orleans | Baton Rouge to New Orleans | New Orleans to Biloxi | Chicago to New Orleans | Cincinnati to New Orleans | Cleveland to New Orleans | Dallas to New Orleans | New Orleans to Destin FL | New Orleans to Galveston | New Orleans to Gulf Shores | Houston to New Orleans | Huntsville to New Orleans | Jackson MS to New Orleans | Kansas City to New Orleans | Lafayette LA to New Orleans | Memphis to New Orleans | New Orleans to Mobile AL | Nashville to New Orleans | New Orleans to Orlando | Panama City to New Orleans | Pensacola to New Orleans | New Orleans to San Antonio | Savannah to New Orleans | Tallahassee to New Orleans | Tulsa to New Orleans.