Tag: Louisiana travel

A Guide to Louisiana’s Crawfish Festivals

It’s crawfish season in Louisiana, and festival season also. That can only mean one thing, crawfish festivals!

Crawfish are an important part of Louisiana State’s identity, economy, and cuisine. This red crustacean is found in both Creole and Cajun dishes throughout Louisiana and is cooked in every possible way imaginable.

In fact, the most commonly asked question in Louisiana from visitors is “When is crawfish season?”

The importance of the crawfish is first seen in the Houma Indian tribe, where the crawfish was used as its emblem for hundreds of years. In the 1800s, lobster recipes brought by Cajun settlers from their Canadian roots were substituted with crawfish. Then, Creole restaurant entrepreneurs realized how delicious and accessible crawfish was, and it’s been an important part of Louisiana culture and cuisine ever since!

What makes crawfish an even bigger commodity is the fact that it’s seasonal. Prime time for crawfish falls from February to mid-May. For many Louisiana residents, crawfish is the marker for an upcoming spring.

In honor of crawfish season and the fact that Louisianians have a festival for everything, here’s a guide to the best Louisiana Crawfish festivals you don’t want to miss.

Louisiana Crawfish Festival

This festival is from March 26th to the 29th in Chalmette. St. Bernard Parish is one of the most seafood-centric regions in Louisiana. Most of this is due to a commercial fishing industry that has been thriving for decades. Head to this fest for every imaginable recipe of crawfish, good Cajun music, arts and crafts, and pageants.

The Original Downtown Lake Charles Crawfish Festival

This three say party occurs on April 17-18 in Lake Charles. Although it’s called a crawfish festival, expect a celebration that focuses on all the awesome things St. Charles has to offer. You’ll find pageants, live music, local crafts, and carnival rides.

Slidell’s Annual Crawfish Cook-Off

The largest one day event on the Northshore, this festival is on April 18 in Slidell. This festival hosts a healthy competition that has more than 60 teams cooking for the title of Best Crawfish in St. Tammany Parish. Plan for large crowds, great music from well known artists, and a special kids zone for kids 12 and under.

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival

The first weekend of May each year (May 1-3 this year), this huge festival is hosted in Breaux Bridge. With over 30,000 visitors flocking to Cajun Country, Breaux Bridge was named the Crawfish Capital of the World in 1959, and the festival followed suit in 1960. The festival embodies Cajun culture with authentic music and food.

Curious about other festivals in Louisiana? Click herefor a complete list.

Want to find crawfish without the crowds? Head to one of these restaurants for a delicious crawfish meal:

If you’re interested in the history of crawfish, Jeff Davis Parish offers crawfish farm toursthat show visitors a glimpse into crawfish ecology and the business.

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Things to do in Ascension Parish

It seems like everyone knows about Baton Rouge and New Orleans, but what about what is in between them? Ascension Parish is the perfect melting pot of Native American, Spanish, French, German, Italian, English, African, and Acadian cultures. You’ll find a place where 500 years of history, culture, and tradition have mingled and thrived, leaving unbelievable sights, traditions, and experiences.

Louisiana Travel created a list of the best things to do in Ascension Parish that let every visitor get a taste of its unique culture and culinary traditions.

The Crown Jewel of Louisiana’s River Road

Experience life on a sugarcane plantation in the 1800s at the Houmas House and Gardens. You’ll find a mansion that’s been restored to the antebellum era, which reflects the wealth of the sugarcane farm in its youth. Take a guided mansion tour to explore its 250-year history and learn about the evolution of the structures and style of the mansion, as well as how it became a grand estate. Artwork around the house reflects the plantation life.

Aside from being the oldest and most beautiful estate in the South, Houmas House and Gardens is home to Latil’s Landing Restaurant, The Carriage House Restaurant, and Cafe Burnside. The chef, Jeremy Langlois, has mastered the art of creating delicious recipes utilizing the freshest local ingredients and giving his guests an unforgettable culinary experience.

Donaldsonville’s Historic Portal to the Past

Prefer to explore on your own terms? No problem at all. Experience a blast to the past in Donaldsonville at your own pace by visiting this portal map where you can find seven self-guided portals in the Historic District. You can start anywhere you like, and the route is about 2.5 miles. You can walk, bike, or explore by car! Learn more about Donaldsonville!

Louisiana’s First State Capitol

Donaldsonville, which served as Louisiana’s first state capital from 1829-1831, is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River. Head to the Historic District to learn about the diverse histories of past Donaldsonville occupants that deserve to be heard. The River Road African American Museum, located on Railroad Avenue, is the perfect place to start. This museum preserves, collects, and exhibits all types of art, artifacts, and buildings as they relate to the history and culture of the African American communities along the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.

Head to Farmer Dave’s Frame Shop to see and purchase the art of a local Donaldsonville artist, Alvin Batiste, who focuses his art on life along the Mississippi.

Find the Jambalaya Capital of the World

Jambalaya is a Cajun or Creole dish (depending on the ingredients you use) that is a combination of various meat, rice, vegetables, and seasonings all combined into one pot to make a delicious meal.

Sound yummy? You can head to Gonzalez, Louisiana and eat your way through the annual Jambalaya Festival and World Champion Jambalaya Cooking Contest. Louisianan’s pride themselves on their culinary skills that pay tribute to their culture and heritage, so be prepared for Jambalaya cooked to perfection.

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Best Places for a Weekend Getaway in Louisiana

Louisiana is a great place to plan a weekend getaway, but knowing where to start when it comes to actually planning your trip can seem overwhelming. Should you visit Cajun Country, as everyone else seems to? Or maybe explore the deep southern routes in Plantation Country? But if you want to do outdoor activities, maybe it’d be best if you head north?

Planet Ware put together a list of the best top-rated weekend getaways you can take in Louisiana, complete with activities and attractions you’d enjoy. Here are a few of our favorites!

New Orleans

Naturally, New Orleans had to be in our top favorites! This city is one of the top vacations spots in Louisiana thanks to its neverending adventures and over 300 years of history, culture, and amazing food.

Hop on a streetcar and explore the French Quarter. You can choose from one of four streetcar lines, but the oldest is the Saint Charles Streetcar Line, which has been in operation for more than 150 years.

Once you’re in French Quarter, make sure to stop at the Vieux Carre, where you can explore Jackson Square and tour St. Louis Cathedral.

A few other adventures to add to your list include stopping at Café du Monde for their famous beignets and stopping at the French Market. The French Market is an open-air market that spans five blocks. It has specialty shops, a community flea market, home-cooked food, and music.

Plantation Country

If you prefer a quiet getaway, this is your stop. This region of Louisiana is about an hour outside New Orleans and is home to a multitude of sprawling plantations you can tour. It’s also the birthplace of Louisiana’s famous andouille, a staple in their Southern dishes.

A few of the more plantations to tour are the Houmas House Plantation and Gardens, the Laura Plantation, and the Oak Alley Plantation. The Ormond Plantation, Houmas House, and Oak Alley all offer dining and lodging if you’re looking for an extra special trip!

A few other activities you can do while in Plantation Country that doesn’t involve touring these historic homes are taking a kayak, pontoon, or airboat swamp tour and learning about local wildlife, the Cajuns, and the Native Americans that originally inhabited the area, spending an afternoon taking in the Louisiana culture, or going on a food tour of the Cajun cuisine made in Plantation Country.

Toledo Bend Reservoir Weekend Getaway 

If you’re a fan of the outdoors and want to make sure you have plenty of opportunities to be outside on this getaway, your best bet is Toledo Bend Reservoir in North Toledo Bend State Park. This reservoir is home to the largest man-made lake in the south and is known as one of the top fishing spots in Louisiana. You can even take a guided fishing trip on the lake.

Activities include hiking, biking, water sports, and year-round golf. You can rent kayaks, canoes, and flat-bottom boats from the park for day-to-day use. The reservoir is also a fantastic birding location, with over 900 acres to look for native and migrating species.

If you prefer to camp, the state park has campsites on site that range from premium sites to backcountry camping. Cabins are available that sleep up to 6 people and lodging for larger families is also available.

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Five Unusual Things to do in New Orleans

In Louisiana, New Orleans is the place to go to experience a city that truly captures the essence of Louisiana’s culture and history. You’ll find jazz music at the corner of every street, epic gumbo festivals, tons of museums, haunted cemeteries, and of course, Mardi Gras.

But not everyone wants to check out the usual spots, or maybe they aren’t a fan of the crowds that usually populate local favorites. Thanks to Louisiana Travel, here is a list of unusual things to do in New Orleans.

Located in one of New Orleans’ oldest neighborhoods, you’ll find an arrangement of artist shacks and tiny homes, all built with recycled materials. If you go inside one of these shacks, you’ll find an assortment of handmade musical instruments built into the building themselves.

Their website states “The Music Box Village is a place where play, imagination, experimentation, collaboration, community and hard work come together as a whimsical village of artist-made interactive “musical houses.” Each installation is inspired by the unique musical and architectural culture of our home city of New Orleans, and represents a collaborative process between artists based here and abroad. Our one-of-a-kind art site hosts intensive artist residencies, performances, panels, and welcomes visitors for exploration and play.”

Established in 1772, this shop is named for Pierre Lafitte, a blacksmith and a brother of Jean Lafitte, a pirate, and hero of the Battle of New Orleans. The brothers used their shop to plan their many exploits. In the 1940s, the shop became a popular cafe with local artists.

Their website claims Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop to be “a gumbo of truth and French, Spanish, African, Cajun and American embellishments.”

So make sure to stop by and soak up some history when you’re in the French Quarter.

Have you ever been curious about Voodoo and its roots? If so, make sure to stop by this museum!

At the Historic Voodoo Museum, you will learn about the real history of Voodoo and experience Voodoo related artifacts and objects. The museum was founded in 1972 as a designated place for all things Voodoo to live. They claim they took “all the mysteries, the secrets, the history, and the folklores of rituals, zombies, of gris-gris, of Voodoo Queens and all that jazz, and put it all in one place at the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter.”

This warehouse-converted-art gallery features 35,000 feet of gallery space and is home to the up-and-coming artist Brandan “Bmike” Odums. Contrary to tradtional canvases, Odums paints powerful and hopeful murals on exterior and interior walls.

“Studio Be features “Ephemeral Eternal,” his first solo exhibition that includes over a dozen original murals, several room-sized installations, and reconstructed murals salvaged from #ProjectBe before the Florida Housing Development’s demolition in 2014. The studio is open to the public 4 days a week, and welcomes hundreds of visitors from near and far weekly.”

Located in the historic Tremé neighborhood, this museum is the only one of its kind in the world. Dedicated to the contributions of the city’s African Americans to New Orleans culture, the museum has become a collection of priceless artifacts from Mardi Gras Indians and jazz funerals, and has archived images of more than 500 related cultural events.

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Seven Tours You Can Take In New Orleans

What better way to get to know New Orleans than to take one of these tours? New Orleans is filled with rich culture and heavy history, so using a tour guide who is well versed with all the ins and outs of the city, coupled with a hefty knowledge of all the ‘ghosts of New Orlean’s past’, is a great way to see the sites.

Louisiana Travel put together these tours in New Orleans so you can get better acquainted with the Crescent City.

Step Back in Time: History Tours

New Orleans doesn’t have just any old history. This city has experienced it all – massive fires, cultural melting pots, a few spells, mischievous personalities, and so much more. If you know the right places to look, you’ll find that New Orlean’s past is represented all around you. Finding the perfect guide to enlighten you on the stories that are (literally) under your nose.

Eat Your Way Through New Orleans: Culinary Tours

Is it even truly New Orlean’s if there isn’t food? You can take one of many culinary tours that will take you to a few classic New Orleans restaurants and learning the history behind it. If you want a more hands-on experience, check out one of the city’s cooking schools, where you can try your hand at making jambalaya, corn and crab bisque, or barbecued shrimp.

Ride in Style: Carriage Tours

What better way to see the city than a carriage tour? Call for your carriage to pick you up from your hotel or head down to the Decatur Street side of Jackson Square and hop in! All you have to do is sit back in awe as your driver narrates stories from the French Quarter or Jackson Square.

Choose to Cruise: Riverboat Tours

Choose between the Creole Queen or the Steamboat Natchez and experience New Orleans history at it’s smoothest. Pick between a relaxing evening with dinner and a side of Jazz from the Dukes of Dixieland while cruising up the Mississippi River, or dive into history with the Chalmette Battlefield cruise, which starts at the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans and visits other historical combat sites.

Spook Yourself Silly: Ghost Tours

Get prepared to have a spookingly good time, because New Orlean’s has lots of ghosts. These nighttime adventures will take you to French Quarter locations best known for their paranormal activity. If you want to tour an actual haunted house, check out the Mystère Mansion/Haunted Mortuary, a neoclassical mansion built in 1912 with nine resident ghosts.

Walk Among the Dead: Cemetery Tours

Between cowboys, African slaves, and plenty of voodoo, New Orleans definitely doesn’t have a shortage of cemeteries. On one of these tours, you can wander historic cemeteries, visit graves, and learn about voodoo, including its root in West African cultures, Catholic influences, and its modern-day practices.

Distinguishing Designs: Architecture Tours

Mixed in with New Orlean’s rich and dynamic culture, you’ll find colorful houses, plant-filled balconies, and wistful courtyards. You will see influences from French, Caribbean, and Southern American styles and architectures, resulting in a unique style known from New Orleans. On one of these tours, you’ll see structures that range from modern to the late colonial era.

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The Visitor’s Guide to Vernon Parish, Louisiana

Vernon Parish, Louisiana is a beautiful town filled with history and culture, beginning with being part of the “No Man’s Land” area, a strip of disputed territory where the border of Mexico once was. Many lives were fought for, lost, and won on the soil of Vernon Parish, adding to the celebrated rich history.

Read on to learn how you can celebrate with the locals and make the most out of your time in Vernon Parish, thanks to this list from Louisiana Travel.

See the Myths and Legends Byway

Known as Louisiana’s Wild West, Vernon parish was once home to the Coushatta and Atakapa Indians and to outlaws and gun-slingers with names like Leather Britches Smith. The Myths and Legends Byway is a section of the Louisiana Trails and Byways and follows different travelers’ journeys. To find out what life was like as a traveler on the frontier,  begin at Burr Ferry and follow the scenic backroads through Vernon and neighboring parishes.

Tour the Leesville Main Street Cultural District in Vernon Parish

One of six in Louisiana’s nationally accredited main streets, Leesville is brimming with history. Visitors can walk at their own pace throughout the well-preserved historical buildings, like the Wingate and Ferguson Houses on display. You can find local goods every Thursday and Saturday at the 3rd Market Street or head to Gallery One Eleven, a co-op of contemporary and traditional local artists that showcase west Louisiana culture.

Have fun at MayFest

This annual festival takes place the first full weekend of May and brings in food vendors, face painters, craftsmen, and artisans from Louisiana and Texas. You can find hand-blown glass, pottery, homemade candles, and many other types of crafts and trinkets. They also showcase local musicians and well-known Louisiana artists like Tab Benoit and the “Soul Queen of New Orleans”, Irma Thomas. Check out this guide to MayFest for more information.

Hike in the Kisatchie National Forest, Vernon Parish

Taking up a portion of Vernon Parish, Kisatchie National Forest actually stretches out through most of central and west Louisiana. Here you can find endangered bird species and natural areas that showoff Louisiana’s backcountry. Make sure to check out Little Cypress Recreation Area if you’re into horseback riding, off-road biking, or boating.

Dine in at the Vernon Parish Restaurants

Get your fill of quality Louisiana-style southern food like gumbo and jambalaya, along with other homestyle dinners. Check out restaurants like The Mustard Seed, BJ’s Diner, BubbaQue’s BBQ, and Wagon Master Steakhouse.

Wander the Talbert-Pierson Cemetery

Cemeteries are no stranger to Louisiana, inspiring many myths and scary stories of Louisiana’s eclectic culture and the Talbert-Pierson Cemetery is no exception. It’s filled with 13 grave houses with tombs as it’s occupants that date back decades.

Learn the history at the Museum of West Louisiana.

The Museum of West Louisiana is filled with artifacts that capture the region’s history, housing everything from railroad memorabilia to Native American artifacts made from stone and clay. This museum also features a series of paintings made by World War II German Prisoners of War during their time at Fort Polk.

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