Louisiana Travel Guide
The French Quarter, New Orleans. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Louisiana is the most culturally distinct state in America: French, Spanish, African and Caribbean currents fused into Creole and Cajun culture. New Orleans is the centre of gravity, the birthplace of jazz, with the French Quarter's balconies, second lines, and a food scene that rivals any city in the country.
Beyond the city: the bayous of Cajun country around Lafayette, with airboat swamps and zydeco dance halls; the plantation houses along the River Road; Baton Rouge's capitol; and the Creole Nature Trail on the Gulf. Mardi Gras season runs January to Fat Tuesday.
Destinations in Louisiana
National WWII MuseumThe country's top-rated museum by many visitor polls; allow a full day.
French QuarterBourbon Street, Jackson Square, the balconies and courtyards of the Vieux Carre.
Frenchmen StreetThe local music strip: jazz clubs, brass bands, night after night.
Garden DistrictAntebellum mansions under live oaks, reached by the St. Charles streetcar.
Cafe du MondeThe 1862 coffee stand: beignets and chicory cafe au lait, 24 hours.- Atchafalaya Basin swampsAirboat and swamp tours through cypress bayous full of alligators.
- River Road plantationsOak Alley, Whitney and Laura: the great houses and their difficult histories.
- LafayetteThe heart of Cajun country: zydeco halls, boudin shops and festivals.
- Avery IslandThe Tabasco factory and Jungle Gardens on the salt dome island.
Hover a state to explore it. Click a city pin to open its guide.
Top Cities & towns in Louisiana
Regional food
- Gumbo (the state dish: dark roux, okra, sausage and seafood)
- Jambalaya (the one-pot Creole rice dish)
- Beignets (French-style square doughnuts under powdered sugar)
- Po'boy (the overstuffed Louisiana sandwich)
- Boudin (Cajun pork-and-rice sausage)
Getting there
New Orleans (MSY) is the gateway; Baton Rouge (BTR) covers the capital region. The French Quarter and Garden District are walkable and streetcar-served; Cajun country and the plantations need a car.