The town of Allen Parish, located in southwestern Louisiana, is named after the Confederate General and former Governor of Louisiana, Henry Watkins Allen. One of the primary attractions in this small town is the Coushatta Casino Resort, located in Kinder. Coushatta is the biggest casino and resort in the whole of Louisiana, boasting over 2,800 slot machines and 70 table games. At Coushatta, you can win and lose a fortune playing everything from poker and blackjack to bingo and roulette.
Planning a visit? Have a great time at the Coushatta Casino Resort.
Even kids are catered for at this colossal casino, with Cyber Quest and Kids Quest facilities to keep them entertained while you blow their college funds. If the heat and intensity of the casino floor gets too much, Coushatta also has a golf course, where you can take out your frustrations with a few rounds of golf.
Looking for a glimpse of Native American Heritage? The Coushatta Pow-Wow is a must see when you’re in Kinder, but it only runs for two days a year, so make sure you’re in town when it’s on. This Coushatta tribal tradition involves dozens of tribe members (dressed in traditional garb) dancing to the beat of traditional drums and accompanied by Native American singers.
The Pow-Wow is an alcohol-free event that includes drum competitions. This is a great opportunity to learn about the cultures and traditions of Native Americans.
On the whole, Kinder is a great place to stay. This small location is pretty much dominated by the huge Coushatta resort, but there is plenty to keep everybody entertained. After spending some time and money at the casino, visitors to Kinder can do a little shopping or grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants in town. Eat like the locals do and taste a slice of Louisiana life at Roy’s Catfish Hut, where fresh catfish, shrimp, oysters and crabs are served up with some southern hospitality. Feast on family fare at Fausto’s Family Restaurant, where American-style food is served in a child-friendly environment, or eat and watch at Gumbeaux’s Oyster and Sports Bar.
For something a little different, the Cilantro Restaurant cooks up some classic Mexican food and is quickly becoming one of the best places to eat in town.
When you’ve gorged yourself on the best that Louisiana has to offer, loosen your belt a few notches and head on over to the Dry Creek Ranch, which promises the “best preserve hunting in the south.” This ranch has over 1,500 acres of hunting land, with pheasant hunts, mallard hunts, quail hunts and exotic deer hunts. Dry Creek Ranch is also home to a selection of beautiful horses and a 30-acre private lake that’s stocked with bass. You can kick-back and cast on the shore, or you can take a boat out onto the lake.
If you’re looking for something a little more romantic, then book the Couples Getaway package, which gives you an evening meal, a night in one of the onsite cabins and 24 hours of bass fishing.
If this is the sort of thing that rocks your boat, you may also want to rent a canoe and take a scenic and relaxing trip down the Ouiska Chitto, one of the most beautiful and majestic waterways that the state of Louisiana has to offer. Let the wash of the river, the singing of the birds and the gentle lolling of the canoe transport you somewhere primitive, somewhere natural and somewhere serene.
During your visit to Allen Parish and Kinder, be sure to check in at the Leatherwood Museum, one of the prime tourist locations in town. This building was opened in 2008 and used to serve as a hospital where—many years ago—the women of Allen Parish would come to deliver their babies. The building has also served as a boarding house and as the home of the Leatherwood family. The former Leatherwood home showcases local industry with an emphasis on agriculture and timber. Visitors to the museum can also see antique dental and medical equipment, along with documents from World War II and a letter that was sent from a Confederate soldier to his wife during the American Civil War. The museum has a section dedicated to local sports stars Johnny Buck, Hoyle Granger and Curtis Cook, along with exhibits based on the history of the Coushatta Indian tribe.