The state of Louisiana, located in the southern part of the United States of America, is celebrated for its lively culture and deep-rooted history – a fusion of French, Spanish, and African influences. This is vibrantly reflected in the state’s music, cuisine, architecture, and festivals. From the iconic celebrations and festivals in New Orleans to the plantation homes along the Mississippi River, the tranquil swamps of the Atchafalaya Basin, and the Cajun way of life on display at Vermilionville in Lafayette, the state offers an array of experiences that celebrate its heritage and natural beauty.
1. Shreveport-Bossier City Area
Sprinkled among lakes and bayous in Louisiana’s northwest, this region offers scenic state parks, with excellent fishing and hunting grounds and nature-viewing areas, including parts of the Kisatchie National Forest. Shreveport and Bossier City feature six casinos, a horseracing track, and a rich musical and cultural heritage seen through festivals and a flourishing film industry.
2. Monroe-Ruston Area
Monroe is home to Delta Air Lines’ origins as a crop-dusting service and Coca-Cola’s first bottling plant, as well as attractions that showcase the region’s history, legacy, and unique experiences like Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo and the Louisiana State Cotton Museum This area is a sportsperson’s paradise with outdoor activities and college sports. Great dining, shopping, and cultural events add to the region’s charm.
3. Natchitoches-Winnfield Area
Natchitoches is the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. The city’s red-bricked Front Street is part of a charming scene that draws people for a stroll along the river. In the Cane River Creole National Historical Park, browse historically significant buildings such as Oakland and Magnolia Plantation. Visit landmarks that reflect the area’s Spanish and Native American influences in Robeline, and the historic landmarks of Marthaville and Melrose.
4. Toledo Bend Lake Country Area
Toledo Bend Reservoir State Park is revered for its bass fishing, boating, and water sports. The region offers over a thousand acres of great camping, hiking, and birding. Nearby Zwolle celebrates its Dutch-Spanish heritage with the annual Zwolle Tamale Fiesta. The Lois Loftin Doll Museum in DeRidder is home to more than 3,000 unique antique dolls.
5. Alexandria Area
The cities of Alexandria and Pineville straddle the Red River and form a hub for fine arts with the Louisiana History Museum or Kent Plantation House. This region explores Native American heritage from Marksville and Simmesport to Vidalia, boasts the South’s oldest sawmill complex, and honors rock ‘n’ roll and blues at Ferriday’s Delta Music Museum.
South Louisiana
6. Lake Charles Area
The Lake Charles Area showcases diverse Cajun culture. It caters to many different tastes, from glitzy casinos and the quiet greens of award-winning golf courses, to hunting and fishing options and over 75 festivals. It is also home to five diverse museums, one of which houses the world’s largest display of Mardi Gras costumes.
7. Lafayette Area
The area of Lafayette is at the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole Country, with more restaurants per capita than any other US city. It is also known as the ‘Happiest City in America’, and the distinctive Cajun and Zydeco music is part of the region’s rich culture. Visit Eunice and Opelousas for the Zydeco music, Breaux Bridge for the crawfish, St. Martinville for architecture and buildings, and the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest wetland and swamp in the United States of America.
8. Baton Rouge Area
Baton Rouge is home to the beautifully restored Louisiana Old State Capitol and diverse museums that explore steam locomotives, African-American art, and early village life. Historic communities like St. Francisville and New Roads showcase French Creole influences while rolling hills around Jackson and Clinton offer scenic drives.
9. New Iberia-Morgan City Area
While in the New Iberia area, sample the region’s unique cuisine, and be sure to try Cracklins, a Louisiana specialty. Visit Conrad Rice Mill, the country’s oldest working rice mill and Shadows-on-the-Teche, an antebellum home and National Trust Historic Site, once occupied by Union soldiers during the Civil War. Stroll in the Jefferson Island Rip Van Winkle Gardens and later learn about Louisiana’s sugarcane industry at the Jeanerette Bicentennial Park and Museum.
10. Northshore Area
St. Tammany Parish, north of Lake Pontchartrain, offers clear streams, piney woods, and idyllic communities with antique shops, galleries, and restaurants. Just 40 minutes from New Orleans, visitors enjoy Northshore art, cuisine, culture, and outdoor activities. There are about 80,000 acres of national wildlife refuge, including Big Branch NWR and the Northlake Nature Center on Bayou Castine. Other activities include birdwatching, the Tammany Trace bike trail, kayaking, swamp tours, and fishing.
11. Great River Road
The towns of Gonzales, Darrow, Sorrento, and Vacherie form the Great River Road region, which is situated between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The region is known for its Creole and Cajun cuisine, mansion restaurants, music festivals, and antebellum plantations like Oak Alley and Houmas House.
Houma-Thibodaux-Grand Isle Area
Located in southeastern Louisiana, the vibrant Cajun culture of Houma, Thibodaux, Grand Isle, and surrounding towns offers outdoor adventures and nature walks, including world-class fishing and birding. Discover Grand Isle’s beaches, shops, and state parks. Thibodaux’s rich history and culinary hotspots like the Bayou Country Crawfish Trail add to the area’s charm.
12. New Orleans Area
One of the country’s oldest and most exciting cities, New Orleans is known as a culturally rich and vibrant center of festivity, fine dining, and history. Explore New Orleans’ historic heart, the French Quarter with its distinct architecture and great nightlife. The city’s many attractions include taking a ride on a streetcar on St. Charles Avenue and visiting the Audubon Zoo, making a day out of exploring the National WWII Museum, and boarding a paddle boat on the Mississippi River. New Orleans also invites you to celebrate with festivals such as Mardi Gras and Jazz and Heritage Festival. You’ll find plentiful seafood along the Jefferson Parish Oyster Trail.
