Thanksgiving road trip

Dallas to New Orleans for Thanksgiving

Distance

520 mi

Driving

8 hrs + traffic

Halfway

Alexandria

The next Thanksgiving lands on Thursday, November 26, 2026. On I-20, I-49 and I-10, the heaviest traffic usually hits the Tuesday and Wednesday before and the Sunday after. Drive Thanksgiving morning itself; roads are often the quietest of the week.

Book the halfway night early

Alexandria sits about 310 miles from Dallas and 210 miles from New Orleans. Holiday weekends sell out the rooms near the highway first.

• Stays in Alexandria
• Stays in New Orleans

Along the way

• Shreveport's riverfront boardwalk
• Cajun food in Lafayette
• The 18-mile Atchafalaya Basin Bridge

Full drive guide for this route