Day 10: Natchez MS to Lafayette LA
Taking the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge meant entering Louisiana, the last state of the road trip.
The first part of the ride, another solitary drive with no other cars in sight for miles, began on the 15S, coasting along the Mississippi – both river and state – and ended with the long unpaved stretch on the riverbank road beside the Atchafalaya River.
About 20 miles before reaching Lafayette, I took an airboat ride experience in one of the largest swamps in the country: brown waters, beautiful trees, friendly alligators, and zero regrets for the fried reptiles I had eaten no more than 48 hours prior. I am just a bad person with a great curiosity for food… Right. Sorry gators.
The airboat adrenaline progressively faded over the 20 more miles I had left before reaching Lafayette, to definitely evaporate in the back garden of a grocery shop where I ended up sunbathing with a seafood po’boy in one hand and a Louisiana beer in the other.
Walking back to the hotel through a neighborhood with bilingual French and English street signs, wooden pastel-colored houses each with a hammock and rocking chair on the porch, and despite it being Monday, I couldn’t help but notice that everyone and everything seemed to be moving slower and taking it easier than I am accustomed to.
Note: If the trees in California forever changed my benchmark for what ‘tall’ means, then the crawfish platter in Louisiana has given a completely new meaning to the expression ‘big portion’.
I might need a night cup.
Driving from Natchez to Lafayette Cheat Sheet
Accommodation in Lafayette
- The Juliet Hotel, 800 Jefferson St, Lafayette, LA 70501, Great location in downtown Lafayette.
Where to eat and what to see between Natchez and Lafayette
- Olde Tyme Grocery, 218 W St Mary Blvd, Lafayette, LA 70506, the place to go for a Po’Boy sandwich. They recommended the seafood one, and it didn’t disappoint.
- The Cajun Table, 4510 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Suite C & D, Lafayette, LA 70508. Be hungry: it is a crawfish fest. They serve one of the largest platters I’ve ever seen.
- Carpe Diem Cafe & Wine Bar, 812 Jefferson St, Lafayette, LA 70501, a nice bar with a selection of wines to chill after a day of driving.
- The Bulldog, 109 General Mouton Ave, Lafayette, LA 70501, looking for a nightcup? look no further.
- Atchafalaya Basin Landing Airboat Swamp Tours, 1377 Henderson Levee Rd, Henderson, LA 70517, a very fun experience. The tour lasts a couple of hours and takes you to various locations in the swamp around Lafayette, where you’ll have close encounters with very friendly alligators.
Driving from Natchez to Lafayette FAQ
The shortest route is 147 miles. However, my drive was slightly longer due to my attempt to avoid the highway as much as possible and take a diversion towards the Airboat Swamp Tour location
It would take two and half hours to drive from Natchez MS to Lafayette LA.
The unpaved stretch on the riverbank road beside the Atchafalaya River is a pretty fascinating drive.
One of my favorite moments during the entire trip was the Airboat Swamp Tours, where you can see huge alligators up close.
Considering my route (off the highway and on the unpaved stretch along the riverbank road beside the Atchafalaya River), I highly recommend an SUV or, even better, a 4×4. If it’s raining, it’s safer to stick to paved roads.
More pictures and video taken from Natchez and Lafayette
My two weeks itinerary on a Chicago to New Orleans road trip
- Chicago to New Orleans – main article
- Day 1: Chicago to Indianapolis
- Day 2: Indianapolis to Louisville
- Day 3-4: Louisville to Nashville
- Day 5-6: Nashville to Memphis
- Day 7: Memphis to Clarksdale
- Day 8: Clarksdale to Greenville
- Day 9: Greenville to Natchez
- Day 10: Natchez to Lafayette
- Day 11, 12, 13: Lafayette to New Orleans
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