Lamar and McNeese State in 3 Days: A Beaumont, Texas and Lake Charles, Louisiana College Visit Fly-In Trip
A parent-first plan for visiting two Southland Conference schools about an hour apart on I-10: Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas (90-minute student-led tours) and McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana (weekday tours), with Budget to Upscale hotels in both cities, drive times from Houston's IAH, the Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum and the Creole Nature Trail for siblings, and Gulf Coast weather by season, every fact sourced and checked Oct 31, 2026.
Lamar University's Montagne Center and Provost Umphrey Stadium seen from MLK Parkway in Beaumont, Texas (June 2011). Photo: ThomasHorn7 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 31, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
The short version
Trip at a glance
Schools
Lamar University (Beaumont, TX) and McNeese State University (Lake Charles, LA), both Southland Conference
Days
3 days: fly into Houston and drive to Beaumont on day 1, Lamar tour and drive to Lake Charles on day 2, McNeese tour and drive back to Houston on day 3.
Fly into
Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), about 1 hour 50 minutes from Lamar by car.
Best bases
MCM Eleganté in Beaumont (about 11 minutes from Lamar) and Best Western Plus Prien Lake in Lake Charles (about 5 minutes from McNeese).
Car or transit
Rent a car; the schools are about 1 hour 13 minutes apart on I-10.
Registration
Book each tour on the school's official sign-up page: Lamar offers daily and Saturday tours, McNeese offers personalized tours Monday through Friday.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to see two universities on the Texas–Louisiana Gulf Coast in one trip.
Lamar's main address is 4400 MLK Blvd., Beaumont, TX 77710, (409) 880-7011; McNeese is at 4205 Ryan St., Lake Charles, LA 70605.
Why this order
Lamar's 90-minute walking tour is led by a current student from its LU Crew, with stops that include residence halls, Science & Technology, the Rec Sports Center, the Setzer Student Center and the Reaud Honors College.
McNeese offers personalized campus tours Monday through Friday, plus Preview Day events for prospective students.
The two campuses are about 1 hour 13 minutes apart by car with no traffic, so one tour a day fits comfortably.
Plan ahead: registration and timing
Register for a Lamar tour on its daily campus tour sign-up page; Saturday morning tours add an admissions presentation, and an Engineering Experience add-on is offered. You get a confirmation email after registering.
Lamar asks you to arrive 15 minutes before your tour; late arrival may mean a modified or canceled tour.
Register for a McNeese tour on its official event sign-up page; tours run Monday through Friday.
Tour availability varies by season.
Because McNeese tours run only on weekdays, put Lamar first (it also offers Saturday tours) and plan the McNeese day for Monday through Friday.
Summers are hot and wet here: July averages about 92°F highs with 5.7 to 6.9 inches of rain, so plan for heat on the walking tours.
2. The suggested 3-day plan
Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Houston traffic can add a lot to the IAH legs.
Day 1: Fly into Houston and drive to Beaumont
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) → MCM Eleganté Beaumont (2355 I-10 South)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 43 min, 75.4 mi
Driving
Rental car
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) → Lamar campus
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 50 min, 79.7 mi
Driving
Rental car
Lamar's directions page covers the drive from Houston as well as from Jack Brooks Regional Airport and Louisiana.
Day 2: Lamar University tour, then drive to Lake Charles
MCM Eleganté Beaumont → Lamar Welcome Center (1032 Jim Gilligan Way, Beaumont)
Driving (no traffic)
~11 min, 6.7 mi
Driving
Drive
Baymont Beaumont → Lamar Welcome Center (1032 Jim Gilligan Way, Beaumont)
Driving (no traffic)
~10 min, 6.6 mi
Driving
Drive
Lamar campus → Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum
Driving (no traffic)
~3 min, 1.1 mi
Driving
Drive
Lamar campus → Best Western Plus Prien Lake (1245 E. Prien Lake Rd.)
Check in at the Lamar Welcome Center at the corner of Jim Gilligan Way and Rolfe Christopher Dr. (409-880-8890, visit@lamar.edu); Lamar's directions page recommends arriving at least 10 minutes early for check-in, and the tour portal asks for 15.
The Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum is about 3 minutes from campus if you have time after the tour.
Day 3: McNeese State tour and drive back to Houston
Best Western Plus Prien Lake → McNeese campus (4205 Ryan St., Lake Charles)
Driving (no traffic)
~5 min, 2.4 mi
Driving
Drive
L'Auberge Casino Resort → McNeese campus (4205 Ryan St., Lake Charles)
Driving (no traffic)
~7 min, 3.9 mi
Driving
Drive
McNeese campus (4205 Ryan St., Lake Charles) → Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point (Sulphur)
Driving (no traffic)
~18 min, 12.5 mi
Driving
Drive
McNeese campus (4205 Ryan St., Lake Charles) → Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Driving (no traffic)
~2 hr 51 min, 135.9 mi
Driving
Drive
Visitors who park on campus need a temporary parking pass from McNeese Police, (337) 475-5711, and may not park in the student parking garage.
With nearly three hours of driving back to IAH, book an evening flight or stay another night.
3. Campus by campus
Lamar University's Montagne Center and Provost Umphrey Stadium seen from MLK Parkway in Beaumont, Texas (June 2011). Photo: ThomasHorn7 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Tours start from the Welcome Center at 1032 Jim Gilligan Way, at the corner of Jim Gilligan Way and Rolfe Christopher Dr.
Visitor parking
We found no live Lamar visitor parking page, so ask the Welcome Center (409-880-8890 or visit@lamar.edu) where to park when you register.
Getting there
Campus is about 10 to 11 minutes by car from the I-10 hotels in Beaumont with no traffic.
What to know
The 90-minute walking tour is led by a current student and stops at residence halls, Science & Technology, the Rec Sports Center, the Setzer Student Center and the Reaud Honors College.
Saturday morning tours add an admissions presentation, and an Engineering Experience add-on is available.
Contact
Lamar Welcome Center: 409-880-8890, visit@lamar.edu; main number (409) 880-7011.
Last checked Oct 31, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
4. Where to stay: Beaumont and Lake Charles hotels near Lamar and McNeese
Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Hotel · Night 1Mid-range
MCM Eleganté Hotel & Conference Center Beaumont
2355 I-10 South, Beaumont, TX 77705
Why here
On I-10 in Beaumont, about 11 minutes by car from Lamar with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
The listing shows a free buffet breakfast, a pool, an on-site restaurant, free parking and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Also on I-10, about 10 minutes by car from Lamar with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
The listing shows a free continental breakfast, an outdoor pool, free parking and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
About 5 minutes by car from McNeese with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
The listing shows a free full breakfast, an indoor pool, free parking and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
About 7 minutes by car from McNeese with no traffic.
Expedia lists this resort as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
The listing shows a pool, a spa, restaurants, the Contraband Bayou Golf Club, free parking and a minimum check-in age of 21; it is a casino resort. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Spend night one in Beaumont before the Lamar tour and night two in Lake Charles before McNeese. Every listing here shows a minimum check-in age of 21, so a parent needs to check in.
5. Meals between tours
Hours change, so check before you go.
Near your hotel
The MCM Eleganté, Baymont and Best Western listings show breakfast included, and the MCM Eleganté and L'Auberge have on-site restaurants.
6. Things for siblings along the route
With siblings
Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum
5550 Jimmy Simmons Blvd., Beaumont, TX
About 3 minutes from Lamar by car. A museum recreating the boomtown that grew up after the 1901 Lucas Gusher on Spindletop Hill. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. (closed Mondays; last admission 4:00 pm). Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors (60+), $2 for children 6 to 12 and free for children 5 and younger.
Start at the free Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point in Sulphur, about 18 minutes from McNeese by car, with hands-on displays; the trail itself offers alligators, over 400 bird species and 26 miles of Gulf beaches.
Houston's IAH is about 1 hour 50 minutes from Lamar and about 2 hours 51 minutes from McNeese by car with no traffic.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Lake Charles Regional Airport and Port Arthur Southeast Texas Regional Airport)
Spring: April averages about 79°F highs and 59°F lows in both areas, with about 3.9 to 4.4 inches of rain.
Summer: July averages about 92°F/75°F, with about 5.7 inches of rain in Lake Charles and 6.9 near Beaumont.
Fall: October averages about 82°F/60°F, with about 4.8 to 5.5 inches of rain.
Winter: January averages about 63°F/43°F, with about 5.3 to 5.9 inches of rain.
Parent checklist
Book a Lamar tour on its daily campus tour sign-up page and plan to arrive 15 minutes early.
Book a weekday McNeese tour on its event sign-up page.
Call McNeese Police at (337) 475-5711 about a temporary visitor parking pass.
Book flights into Houston (IAH) plus a rental car.
Book one night in Beaumont and one in Lake Charles.
After the visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
2 Division I
Athletics
Lamar University
NCAA Division I Southland Conference
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (Lamar University and McNeese State University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 31, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
Expedia listing: L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Lake-Charles-Hotels-LAuberge-Casino-Resort-Lake-Charles.h2001528.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Best Western Plus Prien Lake Hotel & Suites (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Lake-Charles-Hotels-Best-Western-Plus-Prien-Lake-Inn-Suites.h14798392.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: MCM Eleganté Hotel & Conference Center Beaumont (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Beaumont-Hotels-MCM-Elegante-Hotel-Conference-Center-Beaumont.h17479.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Baymont by Wyndham Beaumont (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Beaumont-Hotels-Howard-Johnson-By-Wyndham-Beaumont.h11321.Hotel-Information)
