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Voykit pocket guide · United States
DeRidder
Skip unless you have a specific reason (family, work, or the Old Jail). Half a day covers the town; one night if you need a cheap stop on US-190.
DeRidder is a small Louisiana city on US-190 between Lake Charles and Baton Rouge. Its main draw is the Gothic Old Beauregard Parish Jail, a hanging jail with dormer windows. The town is otherwise a quick fuel-and-food stop. Most travellers pass through in under an hour.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Jun–Sep (hurricane season)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–80 excl. bed · Mid $80–130 excl. bed · High $130+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $2–4 |
| Burger and fries | $8–12 |
| Mexican combo plate | $10–15 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $3–4 (check) |
| Motel room (budget) | $49–88 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LCH · Lake Charles Regional
- About 45 min drive; limited flights.
- AEX · Alexandria International
- About 1 h drive.
Typical fares
- Lake Charles → DeRidder (car)
- about 45 min, $5–10 gas
- Alexandria → DeRidder (car)
- about 1 h, $8–15 gas
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. The town is small enough to walk the few blocks of downtown, but the motels and restaurants are spread along N Pine Street (US-171).
See and do
Known for
- Old Beauregard Parish Jail
- US-190 / US-171 crossroads
- Hometown of Chris Cagle
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles | US-171 south, about 45 min | About 1 h |
| Alexandria, Louisiana | US-171 north then US-165, about 1 h | About 1.25 h |
| Many, Louisiana | US-171 north, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Vidalia, Louisiana | US-84 east, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Woodworth, Louisiana | US-171 north, about 40 min | About 50 min |
| Lecompte | US-171 north then LA-113, about 50 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- N Pine Street corridor
- Most motels and fast food; convenient for US-190.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Howdy |
| Thank you | Thanks |
| How much? | How much? |
| Where is the jail? | Where's the old jail? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Old Beauregard Parish Jail hours are irregular: call ahead or check the city website.
- No public transport; taxis and rideshare may be scarce.
- Hurricane season (Jun–Sep) can disrupt travel on US-190.
DeRidder is generally safe. Standard precautions apply: lock your car, avoid poorly lit areas at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for DeRidder yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Old Beauregard Parish Jail
- US-190 / US-171 crossroads
- Hometown of Chris Cagle
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: DeRidder, revision 5149594 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5149594
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
DeRidder
Take me to this address, please
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
English is universal; no language barrier.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/deridder). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.