Top Things to do in Louisiana
10 Bodies of Water in Louisiana That You Shouldn't Miss
Louisiana tourism is centered on New Orleans and the North Shore region in the southeastern corner of the state near the Florida border. West of New Orleans is the Great River Road, with the I-10 running to the Mississippi River port capital city of Baton Rogue. West of New Orleans along the Gulf of Mexico, the I-10 cuts through Lafayette and Lake Charles on its way past Abbeville to Texas. Central Louisiana is Lake Country, and home to cities like Alexandria and Natchitoches. In northern Louisiana, the I-20 runs west from Monroe to Bossier City, Shreveport, and East Texas. Unless Louisiana is very familiar and frequent territory, New Orleans will be the top choice for a Louisiana vacation. Though Mardi Gras, music, and the winning ways of the New Orleans Saints football team get the spotlight, there is much more to explore in New Orleans. Within New Orleans choose among Bourbon Street, Royal Street, the Upper and Lower French Quarters, the Warehouse and Central Business District, the Garden District and Uptown, and Mid-City. With street car lines linking the French Quarter to the Garden District, Convention Center, and everywhere else, it is easy for the whole family to get around. If long walks are your exercise, explore the scenic city on foot. An easy two-hour drive from New Orleans brings you to Baton Rogue, Natchitoches and Lake Country. Explore old Beauregard Town in downtown Baton Rogue, the historic homes of the Baton Rogue Garden District, and tour one or several working plantations. Walk the 33-block Historic Landmark District and tour the historic homes and churches of Natchitoches. Relive Spanish Empire history in Louisiana at Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site. Heading west from New Orleans is Cajun Country and Lafayette with its mix of French, French Canadian (Acadian), Spanish, and Caribbean cultures. Besides Cajun and Creole cookery, explore the Civil War heritage at the Lafayette Museum. Stop by Abbeville to view the courthouse designed by Hayes Town, St. Mary Magdalen Church, and have a seafood meal. With 75 annual festivals Lake Charles is Louisiana's Festival City, and home to the Creole Nature Trail Scenic Byway. Shreveport and Bossier City in northwest Louisiana are casino and entertainment centers. Shreveport is renowned for hosting the Louisiana State Fair in the fall. Plus floral centers, art galleries, and museums. Monroe in the northeast also has notable gardens.
Restaurants in Louisiana
1. Atchafalaya Basin
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
2. Lake Martin
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 382 reviews
This small lake contains an enormous amount and variety of wild animals and birds.
Reviewed By HELUIN - Norfolk, United States
A quiet and interesting boat trip alongside alligators, blue herons, aigrettes and nutria! I recommend at sunset especially for pictures.
3. Lake Martin Rookery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 181 reviews
Reviewed By 218SD - Franklin, United States
April is the month to go to view the colorful Irises. We saw the blue, purple, yellow, white and 1 rust color. The white birds were nestled far back into the rookery. You can ride on the gravel road both right and left. The boat landing is closed, but there is a place to let down boats and kayaks. The flowers are past the boat landing on the left side a lone home is on the right. You have to turn around or park your car and walk around the lake. But NOT during alligator mating season. We did see a medium size alligator not in the lake but across the road in the ditch! It is a gravel road and does have many deep ruts, I don't recommend going when it has rained a lot. It is my peaceful place to go for a drive and enjoy the scenery
4. University Lake
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 33 reviews
Reviewed By SunflowerDay - Fort Lauderdale, United States
Great place for daily walks/jogs/bike rides. The scenery is breathtaking and the houses you pass by are stunning. The trail is well maintained and marked.
5. Mississippi River
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 96 reviews
Reviewed By georgia638 - Dallas, United States
I have been on 11 cruises with Regent Seven Seas, Norwegian, Celebrity, Holland America and Viking, and American Queen Steamboat Company beats them all! I just Finished the cruise on The Countess from Memphis to New Orleans. Memphis is such a cool city. It has a great vibe. The first stop after Memphis was the Grammy museum in Greenville Mississippi. Did you know that more people from Mississippi have won Grammys than any other State? The food is outstanding. They have prime steaks and lobster available every night included so you can order lobster with your entrée every single night. Which I did. They also have open bars all throughout the day with no limit and no excluded alcohol. Lots of people were experimenting with different cocktails and enjoy themselves every night before dinner. The wine pairings with dinner were excellent. We had an inside cabin and it was spacious. There was plenty of room for the two of us to store our belongings. We never felt crowded in anyway. The bathroom was really large. Everything is beautiful on the Countess. The highlight of the cruise was the entertainment. The stage band is comprised of extremely talented musicians from some of the best musical universities in the United States. The singers and dancers were fresh off of Broadway. Of course, Broadway he has been closed for a year, so it’s nice to see these people having a chance to earn a living. One night we had a magician perform. He was funny, talented, and engaging. It was a great show. Each day, all of the excursions were included. We learned a lot about history and culture, music and food. The excursions are very interesting. The nice thing also is they have their own dedicated buses so your same bus driver stays with you throughout the cruise and the buses are extremely comfortable. I am booking their Columbia and Snake River cruise for 2022 right now!! This was the best vacation of my life and I have been to 45 countries. American Queen Steamboat Company hires only US citizens. Support America. Support our economy and our jobs! These River towns depend on the tourists to survive. Book your cruise now!!
6. Catfish Cove
7. Lake Pontchartrain
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 302 reviews
Reviewed By PatriciaS884
We had been across the Lake Pontchartrain bridge several years ago, so while we were in the area, we decided to drive it again. So glad we did. It is a beautiful drive. Pretty amazing construction right there!
