Places Welcoming You
| Tangipahoa Parish Convention & Visitors Bureau Hammond, Louisiana |
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Paragon Casino RV Resort Marksville, Louisiana |
| Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau Morgan City, Louisiana |
The balmy bayous and bustling big cities of Louisiana are intoxicating, to say the least. The mesmerizing mix of Acadian, Cajun, Creole, French, Spanish and American cultures has created a region that’s rich with tantalizing flavors, customs and traditions. There’s no other place in the world like the Pelican State.
Greater New Orleans is the unmistakable nucleus for tourists. Historic Victorian-era buildings and vibrant city districts are teeming with live music, great bars and fabulous restaurants, while the surrounding area is lined with old plantations and sweeping bayou landscapes. Can’t-miss highlights include the French Quarter, Jackson Square and the Audubon Zoo.
Further inland, Baton Rouge and Lafayette offer everything from fine Cajun dining to swamp boat tours. Family-friendly attractions include Acadian Village, the Old State Capitol building, and the adjacent Blue Bayou Water Park.
Louisiana is packed with great state parks, loads of protected wildlife refuges and a wealth of swampy bayous that are ripe for exploring (with a guide, of course, or you best beware of gators). Coastal Louisiana is dotted with barrier islands that are perfect for boating and fishing, while further inland you’ll find the country’s largest river-fed swampland, transitioning to lush prairie for hunting and hiking.
On New Orleans’ northern edge sits vast Lake Pontchartrain, which is a popular spot to embark on a day of summer sailing or casting out your lures in search of a big, juicy catch. The lake is also rimmed with a series of protected areas that are full of great trails and hunting grounds. These include Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, St. Tammany Wildlife Refuge, Manchac Wildlife Management Area and Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area.
Louisiana is well-known for its cheeky collection of risqué Mardi Gras festivals, with the biggest and the baddest being held each February in New Orleans, Houma and Baton Rouge. And while they’re each a world-class hot spot for the right crowd, the state’s many other attractions and events shouldn’t be overlooked.