Highway 82 through Cameron (Lafayette, Houma, Abbeville: construction, college, live)

[Reivax]

I drive from Houston to our Houma facility and I'm tired of I-10 / 90.
Want to have a look at something different, so I figured I'd aim south at Port Arthur, Sabine lake, and take this highway 82 through Cameron, eventually meet up with 14, then 90 at new Iberia.


Is this a nice drive?

EDIT: also, anywhere good to eat along here? thanks!

[redbean]

I drove from Oak Grove to Kaplan quite a few years back. There was nothing to see and I don't remember any restaurants or stores. Not sure about the more Westerly part of your route though. I say drive it once just to check it out but eat before you leave, LOL.

[edesign]

I know what you mean about I-10/Hwy. 90...but honestly I don't really advise this route unless you just can not stand the thought of I-10 that day. It would be nice to mix up the routine a bit but I-10 is probably going to be faster (that stretch of nothingness west of the Texas border along with the MILES of construction always "killed" me...I hated it).

Originally Posted by Reivax

Is this a nice drive?

I used to drive this route fairly often back in college as I lived in Lafayette and my parents had moved to Johnson Bayou for a little while. The following pertains to the LA/TX border east to Abbeville (lived there for a while too).

In the daytime...yes, has/had (haven't been through there in the last couple of years) some very pretty spots. Be advised there is a ferry just west of Cameron so have a dollar or three (not sure what the current rate is) on you for a ferry ticket. Only one runs so if you get there just as it leaves you can expect a good 15-30 minute delay before you get across (depends on amount of traffic...they will wait for as full a load as possible).

At night? Not the road I would want to break down on as much of it is in the middle of nowhere. There are some small towns and some VERY small towns along the way. Also be wary of deer running across the road and possibly alligators along a few areas that are marshy. I never had a problem but some others have had incidences with deer (no alligators that I know of but I have seen them on the road).

Watch for cops especially around the Cameron vicinity, they love to ticket on this highway but I know a few people who constantly drive 80+ on it and have been lucky so far. Also, if you get stuck behind an 18-wheeler on a few stretches it may be a while before you get a good chance to pass...not to mention the reduced speed limits in the towns along the way.

EDIT: also, anywhere good to eat along here? thanks!

Once you get east of Cameron you're not gonna find much to eat save for gas station snacks provided they are open at the time you pass by until you hit Kaplan or Abbeville. Abbeville has some restaurants along the Hwy. 14 bypass and a few that are not far off the highway too, I can't really recommend any due to lack of personal experience. Lynn G's was good but I don't know if they serve anything besides dinner.