New Roads, Louisiana travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

New Roads is a small community and county seat of Pointe Coupee Parish in the Acadiana region of Louisiana. Home to only about 5,000 people, the town offers great opportunities to tourists while preserving the small town feel that is missing from places like New Orleans.

2 sights · 3 places to eat

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about New Roads

Parlange Plantation

Pointe Coupee Parish Museum

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Oct–May. Summer highs reach about 92°F; winter lows dip to about 42°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jun and Jan. (climate data from nearby Baton Rouge)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
BTR Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Baton Rouge — 21 mi away. Directions
LFT Lafayette Regional Airport, Lafayette — 47 mi away. Directions
MSY Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, New Orleans — 85 mi away (major hub). Directions

The airport closest to New Roads is Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR), about 35 miles southeast. New Orleans International (MSY) is about 125 miles southeast.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 1-day itinerary

Day 1

Morning Parlange Plantation
Lunch Cactus Rose
Afternoon Pointe Coupee Parish Museum
Dinner Morel's Restaurant

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

Food for you

New Roads offers a variety of fine cuisine ranging from seafood, to Mexican, to Chinese.

Cuisine (tap to filter)

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Understand

New Roads is the second oldest settlement in the state of Louisiana, after New Orleans. It was built alongside what was once the Mississippi River. But since the city was first settled, the river has changed its course and left behind an oxbow lake. Oxbow lakes are known for their semi-circular or crescent shapes, and they occur when one curve in the river is cut off from the main channel and becomes sealed of from it, creating a lake. Over the years, New Roads has become one of the most visited small towns in the state, and several tourists return after their first trip.

Get in

By plane

The airport closest to New Roads is Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR), about 35 miles southeast. New Orleans International (MSY) is about 125 miles southeast.

By car

New Roads is somewhat remote and does not lie along any interstate. But from Downtown Baton Rouge take I-10 westbound crossing the Mississippi River via the Horace Wilkinson Bridge. Exit at LA Hwy 415 which will merge into US Hwy 190. Turn onto the LA Hwy 1. This stretch of road comes to an end but LA 1 continues left. Take left and arrive in New Roads.

By bus

Bus service from Baton Rouge does not travel to New Roads, as most of the town's tourists are from within the state and drive there. But rental cars are available at Baton Rouge Metro and New Orleans International.

Get around

New Roads and the surrounding countryside are relatively easy to navigate for an attentive motorist, but beware, the oxbow shape of the Lake can get you turned around when traveling on LA 1. Within the city proper, the main arterial streets are Main Street (LA 10), New Roads Street (LA 10), Parent Street-Morganza Hwy (LA 1). New Roads offers ample parking space along Main Street and Morrison Parkway. There is also a lot behind the courthouse on Main Street (accessible via Alamo and Court Streets) and large lot behind the post office (accessible via Main Street)

Rush hour traffic on Main Street can be very annoying, so try to travel during the middle of the day during the week and early or late on weekends.