Best route from Monroe, LA to New Orleans

[efusco]

We're driving to New Orleans from Little Rock, AR on Monday. EV Trip Planner is trying to route us through Texarkana for some reason, but Monroe looks quite reachable (Model X 90D). We do not have easy access to charging while in New Orleans, so will want to top up in either Slidell or Baton Rouge depending upon which route we take from Monroe. Just wondering if anyone has taken either the:
Monroe -> Alexandria -> Red Stick -> NOLA route
Or the:
Monroe -> Jacksonville -> Slidell -> NOLA route

and has advice on which is better as far as both ease of the drive, time, etc.

 

[NOLA_Mike]

Slidell is a good bit closer to New Orleans than Baton Rouge (i.e., if you get a full charge at Slidell and head to New Orleans you will end up in New Orleans with more juice). Without looking it up it's probably 30 miles from Slidell to NO and 65 miles from Baton Rouge.

Other than that I would say it's six or half dozen as far as the route goes. If you come down I-55 (from Jackson, MS) I can offer you use of my HPWC at max of 64A in Hammond, LA. The drawback to that is there is nothing to do at my house while you charge.

Mike

 

[ryanakata]

Little Rock to Monroe is absolutely doable, it's the Monroe to New Orleans part that will be the tight squeeze. It would be SLIGHTLY out of the way, but you could hit the Jackson, MS supercharger and then shoot down to Slidell to charge up to hold you over while in N.O.

Also, congrats on the 2016 Mike. I know Louisiana isn't a massive thriving Tesla community but I know you've been on here since I joined and I just noticed you got a new one.

 

[NOLA_Mike]

Also, congrats on the 2016 Mike. I know Louisiana isn't a massive thriving Tesla community but I know you've been on here since I joined and I just noticed you got a new one.

Thanks man! I take delivery next Friday so I haven't quite gotten it yet. We've come a LONG way since my first one in June 2013 - both with the vehicles and especially the Supercharger infrastructure.

 

[ryanakata]

Thanks man! I take delivery next Friday so I haven't quite gotten it yet. We've come a LONG way since my first one in June 2013 - both with the vehicles and especially the Supercharger infrastructure.

Absolutely, I honestly was surprised to see Monroe get one as soon as we did. I'm still on the fence about cancelling my Model 3 reservation and grabbing a 60D. I test drove one in Houston back in 2014 and now that the wife is working I have been leaning harder and harder. If only Arkansas had some chargers then I'd be able to use a Tesla for 99% of my driving.

 

[efusco]

Little Rock to Monroe is absolutely doable, it's the Monroe to New Orleans part that will be the tight squeeze. It would be SLIGHTLY out of the way, but you could hit the Jackson, MS supercharger and then shoot down to Slidell to charge up to hold you over while in N.O.

Also, congrats on the 2016 Mike. I know Louisiana isn't a massive thriving Tesla community but I know you've been on here since I joined and I just noticed you got a new one.

Yeah, I posted the routes I'm considering and both of them we're not looking to push our luck and will go either through Jacksonville-> Slidell or Alexandria -> Baton Rouge. Leaning toward the Jacksonville ->Slidell due to the closer proximity to NOLA, but overall I think it's about 30 miles farther drive.

Thank you, Mike, for the offer of the HPWC, but we'll probably stick to the superchargers as, ultimately, I think it will be faster for a fairly long drive.

 

[NOLA_Mike]

@efusco Evan - you keep posting Jacksonville but you mean Jackson, MS, correct?

I'm sure you've looked on Plugshare but there is a Rouse's supermarket in downtown New Orleans with a CHAdeMO charger and Tesla adapter. I can't vouch for its serviceability since I haven't been to it in a long time but the store manager is very helpful and will reset the breaker or do whatever else he can to help out. I also believe the Ritz Carlton downtown has recently installed a couple of Tesla HPWCs.

Mike

 

[efusco]

@efusco Evan - you keep posting Jacksonville but you mean Jackson, MS, correct?

I'm sure you've looked on Plugshare but there is a Rouse's supermarket in downtown New Orleans with a CHAdeMO charger and Tesla adapter. I can't vouch for its serviceability since I haven't been to it in a long time but the store manager is very helpful and will reset the breaker or do whatever else he can to help out. I also believe the Ritz Carlton downtown has recently installed a couple of Tesla HPWCs.

Mike

crap, yeah, Jackson, MS
I did look at Plugshare and saw the CHAdeMO and we've packed our adapter, so we may well drop by there to top up during the trip. The Ritz requires you to be a hotel guest. There's a Sheraton with charging as well, but parking is $45/day, so would rather avoid that...that said, our hotel may be just as bad (The Astor).

 

[ZAKEEUS]

Is Monroe directly to Baton Rouge something you've considered. The speed limit on US 425 and US 61 doesn't go above 65, but there are some hills. It's about 190 miles.

 

[jbcarioca]

@efusco Evan - you keep posting Jacksonville but you mean Jackson, MS, correct?

I'm sure you've looked on Plugshare but there is a Rouse's supermarket in downtown New Orleans with a CHAdeMO charger and Tesla adapter. I can't vouch for its serviceability since I haven't been to it in a long time but the store manager is very helpful and will reset the breaker or do whatever else he can to help out. I also believe the Ritz Carlton downtown has recently installed a couple of Tesla HPWCs.

Mike

I have used that one several times. There's also L2 charging in the parking facility just beside Rouse's. The only problems with Rouse's are 1) it is limited to 20 minutes per session so you nee to reinitiate every 20 minutes; 2) The handle has been broken for ages so it is hard to connect the adapter (may be fixed by now); 3) it is often ICE'd when teh parking si full but Rouse's chases down violators pretty diligently. the advantage of Rouse's is, It's Rouse's!

 

[efusco]

Is Monroe directly to Baton Rouge something you've considered. The speed limit on US 425 and US 61 doesn't go above 65, but there are some hills. It's about 190 miles.

Had not considered that, may think about it as it's a doable range. Thanks!

 

[efusco]

Trip Update:
Heading home to Nixa, MO, but overnighting in Little Rock. Just to update we ended up doing the Monroe, LA direct to Baton Rouge, LA (about 186 miles) with no problem what so ever. Thus, we had only 2 SpC stops each way. The Nav in the car refused to put us on the most direct route, so we had to use Waze at least until we were part way from LR to Monroe then from Monroe to BR.

Fortunately the parking garage our hotel used had a 120v/12a outlet, we left it plugged in there and only took the car out once, so left this AM with a full battery and didn't need to use any chargers in New Orleans at all. l

 

[ryanakata]

Trip Update:
Heading home to Nixa, MO, but overnighting in Little Rock. Just to update we ended up doing the Monroe, LA direct to Baton Rouge, LA (about 186 miles) with no problem what so ever. Thus, we had only 2 SpC stops each way. The Nav in the car refused to put us on the most direct route, so we had to use Waze at least until we were part way from LR to Monroe then from Monroe to BR.

Fortunately the parking garage our hotel used had a 120v/12a outlet, we left it plugged in there and only took the car out once, so left this AM with a full battery and didn't need to use any chargers in New Orleans at all. l

Good to hear! Which day was it you were at the Monroe SC? I was passing by yesterday and saw a black S charging.

 

[efusco]

Good to hear! Which day was it you were at the Monroe SC? I was passing by yesterday and saw a black S charging.

We were there from about 11:30am to 12:45pm yesterday and also from about 10:30am to 11;30pm on Monday.

Black Model X