Day Trip
Breaux Bridge
Crawfish Capital of the World
A charming Cajun town on Bayou Teche — antique shops, Café Des Amis with Saturday zydeco brunch, and access to the Atchafalaya Basin.
Explore Bayou Country →
📍 Louisiana Regions
Destinations &
Regions Guide
Six distinct regions, each with its own character, cuisine, and soul. From the jazz-soaked French Quarter to the wild Atchafalaya Basin.
Explore by Region
Click a region to discover what awaits you there.
New Orleans
There is no city quite like New Orleans. Founded in 1718 by the French, shaped by Spanish rule, African and Caribbean culture, and Acadian migration, New Orleans is a living museum of the human spirit. Every block tells a story; every corner holds a song.
Must-See Neighbourhoods
- French Quarter — Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, Café Du Monde
- Garden District — Antebellum mansions, oak-lined promenades, Commander's Palace
- Frenchmen Street — The authentic local jazz scene — far better than Bourbon St
- Magazine Street — 6 miles of boutiques, galleries, and restaurants
- Tremé — The oldest Black neighbourhood in America, birthplace of jazz
Top Attractions
- National WWII Museum — rated #1 attraction in USA by TripAdvisor
- French Market — 200-year-old public market along the Mississippi
- Audubon Zoo & Aquarium of the Americas
- New Orleans City Park — largest urban park in America
- Tulane & Loyola University campuses (Uptown)
Baton Rouge
Louisiana's capital city sits dramatically on a bluff above the Mississippi River, its Art Deco capitol tower — the tallest state capitol building in the USA — visible for miles. Baton Rouge combines political and cultural power with LSU's extraordinary campus.
Must-See Highlights
- LSU Campus — Walk the oak alleys, see Mike the Tiger, and feel the football energy
- Louisiana State Capitol — 450 ft tall, free tours, and panoramic observation deck
- USS Kidd Veterans Museum — WWII destroyer docked permanently on the river
- River Road Plantations — Houmas House, Nottoway, and Oak Alley just 30 minutes away
- Baton Rouge Arts District — Galleries, restaurants and live music downtown
⚜ LSU Game Day Experience
Fall Saturdays in Baton Rouge revolve entirely around LSU football. Tiger Stadium becomes the 5th largest "city" in Louisiana on game days. Book accommodation months in advance if visiting during football season.
Lafayette & Acadiana
Lafayette is the cultural capital of Cajun Country — Acadiana — where French is still spoken, zydeco fills the dancehalls, and the food is some of the best in the world. This is where Louisiana's Acadian roots run deepest.
Must-See Highlights
- Vermilionville — Living history museum of Cajun, Creole, and Native culture spanning 1765–1890
- Acadian Village — Authentic 19th-century Cajun folk village in a beautiful natural setting
- ULL Cypress Lake — Visit the unique living swamp ecosystem on the university campus
- Blue Moon Saloon — Legendary zydeco and Cajun music venue in the heart of Lafayette
- Festivals Acadiens et Créoles — October festival celebrating Cajun and Creole culture
🦞 Eat This in Lafayette
Boudin (pork and rice sausage) fresh from Best Stop Supermarket. Cracklins at Don's Specialty Meats. Crawfish étouffée at Prejean's. You will not eat better anywhere in Louisiana — and that's saying something.
Plantation Country
The Great River Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge is lined with magnificent antebellum plantation estates — America's most concentrated collection. These historic sites now tell complex, layered stories of both architectural splendour and the enslaved people who built them.
Notable Plantations
- Oak Alley Plantation — Famous for its quarter-mile alley of 300-year-old live oaks; the most photographed plantation in Louisiana
- Whitney Plantation — The only Louisiana plantation museum focused entirely on the enslaved experience
- Houmas House — Greek Revival mansion with stunning grounds and acclaimed restaurant
- Nottoway Plantation — America's largest surviving antebellum plantation house, 64 rooms
- Destrehan Plantation — The oldest documented plantation house in the lower Mississippi Valley
Cultural Sensitivity Note: Louisiana's plantation sites tell stories of both architectural heritage and the immense suffering of enslaved people. Whitney Plantation specifically centres this narrative. We encourage all visitors to engage thoughtfully with this history.
Bayou Country
Southern Louisiana is defined by its water — a vast network of bayous, marshes, and the mighty Atchafalaya Basin, the largest river swamp in North America covering 1.4 million acres of ancient cypress forest, hidden waterways, and extraordinary wildlife.
Bayou Experiences
- Atchafalaya Basin — Kayak or airboat through America's greatest wild swamp
- Jean Lafitte National Park — Walking boardwalks through pristine bayou wilderness south of New Orleans
- Henderson Swamp — Local boat tours departing from Whiskey River Landing
- Honey Island Swamp — Guided tours of one of the least-altered river swamps in America
- Breaux Bridge — "Crawfish Capital of the World" — a charming Cajun town on the Bayou Teche
⚠️ Safety: Never approach or feed alligators. Stay on marked paths. Wear insect repellent (DEET-based). Bring sun protection and water. Inform someone of your plans when venturing into remote swamp areas.
North Louisiana
Often overlooked by tourists, North Louisiana offers pine forests, rolling hills, natural springs, Civil War history, and a deeply musical heritage — birthplace of great musicians from Lead Belly to Jimmie Davis, "You Are My Sunshine" governor.
North Louisiana Highlights
- Shreveport — Louisiana's 2nd largest city with Riverboat casinos, R.W. Norton Art Gallery, and Caddo Lake
- Natchitoches — America's oldest permanent European settlement (1714), Christmas festival, and Steel Magnolias filming location
- Poverty Point World Heritage Site — 3,400-year-old Indigenous earthwork complex — a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Kisatchie National Forest — 600,000 acres of pine forest, camping, and hiking
- Monroe/West Monroe — Duck Dynasty country; Biedenharn Museum and Elsong Gardens
🎵 North Louisiana Music Heritage
Shreveport's KWKH Radio launched the Louisiana Hayride — where Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, and Johnny Cash launched their careers. The Municipal Auditorium where the Hayride was held still stands downtown.
Hidden Gems & Day Trips
Venture beyond the obvious and discover Louisiana's best-kept secrets.
Day Trip
Hidden Gem
Natchitoches
America's Oldest Settlement
Founded 1714, famous for meat pies, the Steel Magnolias connection, and the nation's largest Christmas festival lighting display on Cane River.
Explore North Louisiana →
Authentic Culture
Mamou & Eunice
Rural Mardi Gras Country
Experience the wild courir de Mardi Gras — a rural horseback Mardi Gras tradition. Deeply authentic, completely different from New Orleans' parade culture.
Explore Acadiana →