Dallas to New Orleans Road Trip: Best Stops on I-20 and I-49

Dallas to New Orleans covers about 450 miles and 5.5 hours, running east on I-20 through East Texas before connecting to I-49 South and I-10 East into the city.

The first stretch out of Dallas is well covered — there’s a run of Buc-ee’s locations right along I-20 heading east. After that, the route crosses a quieter stretch of East Texas and northwest Louisiana before picking back up near Shreveport and continuing on toward New Orleans.

Good stops along the way

• Buc-ee’s, Terrell, TX (I-20) — the first stop east of Dallas, and a good one to fuel up at before the longer stretch ahead.
• Buc-ee’s, Canton, TX (I-20) — another solid option in the same corridor if you’re getting an early start.
• Buc-ee’s, Longview, TX (I-20) — the last Buc-ee’s before Louisiana, worth a stop before the state line.
• RaceTrac, Shreveport, LA (I-20) — roughly the halfway point, and a reliable break heading into Louisiana.
• RaceTrac, Metairie or Slidell, LA (I-10) — depending on which side of the city you’re approaching from, both are solid final stops before New Orleans.

The stretch through East Texas and northwest Louisiana is the one to plan fuel around — it’s longer between reliable stops than the rest of the drive. Topping off in Longview before crossing into Louisiana is the easiest way to avoid any surprises.