Louisiana Travel Guide
Southern Hospitality and Creole Culture…
There’s no other place on the globe quite like Louisiana is culturally. Louisiana offers a blend of French, Spanish, African, and Creole influences, evident in its music, cuisine, and traditions like Mardi Gras.
Most famously known for New Orleans, with its excellent music scene, historic French Quarter, and annual Mardi Gras festivities.
Southern Louisiana is where you’ll find bayous and swamps and all the creatures unique to this habitat from alligators and egrets easy to visit by boat.
Nearby, the Acadiana region celebrates its French heritage with delicious cuisine and lively Zydeco music.
Central Louisana is known for its antebellum past through landmarks like plantations. The state capital of Baton Rouge is where you’ll find LSU and scenes along the Mississippi River.
In the northern part of the state you’ll find riverboat casinos, the scenic beauty of the Red River, and the cultural scene in Lafayette, known for its Creole and Cajun cuisine and where Tabasco hot sauce is made.
When traveling in the south you may see plantations as an attraction you can visit in the area. We don’t personally recommend visiting these types of tourist attractions unless they go out of their way to provide an in-depth look at the history of slavery and the lives of enslaved for educational purposes.
Quick Tips for Visiting Louisiana
When is the best time to visit Louisiana?
The best time to visit Louisiana varies depending on what you’re looking to experience.
Louisiana in the spring months of March to May offer pleasant weather with mild temperatures, perfect for enjoying outdoor activities like swamps and bayous.
Summertime in Louisiana (June to August) is very hot and humid. There are great festivals that happen this time of year though, like Jazz Fest in New Orleans.
The fall months of September through November offer comfortable temperatures with fewer crowds.
And winters are very mild in Louisiana making it a great time to visit, especially if you’re escaping a colder climate!
The choice of when to visit Louisiana boils down to your tolerance for heat and humidity.
How Much Time Do I need in Louisiana?
How much time you need for a visit to Louisiana depends on what you want to explore and the regions you plan to visit.
If you’re focusing on a city like New Orleans, you can enjoy most attractions in a long weekend of 3 to 4 days.
To experience Louisiana fully, plan to spend at least 7 days to explore various destinations.
For instance, allocating 2-3 days for New Orleans allows you to cover a lot of what NOLA has to offer.
Additionally, spending 3-4 days exploring Cajun country in Lafayette and Baton Rouge offers a glimpse into the state’s unique history and culinary traditions.
What is Louisiana most famous for?
Louisiana is most famous for its vibrant music scene, including jazz and Zydeco, rooted in cities like New Orleans.
Its rich culinary heritage shines through Creole and Cajun cuisines.
Annual festivities like Mardi Gras celebrations in the spring attract millions of visitors to its parades and parties.
Louisiana’s historical significance is evident in its antebellum architecture and plantations along the Mississippi River.
What’s the best way to get around Louisiana?
The best way to get around the state of Louisiana is by car. This allows flexibility to visit multiple destinations, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and the picturesque bayou regions at your own pace.
Louisiana’s scenic byways, such as the Great River Road and the Creole Nature Trail, offer iconic drives through historic towns, swamps, and coastal areas.
When visiting destinations like New Orleans, you don’t need a car as a lot of the city where you’d be visiting is walkable, an easy rideshare ride away, or you can use public transit like the historic streetcars.
Must Try Food in Louisiana
Louisiana offers and incredible food scene influenced by the unique blend of cultures in the state.
Start with gumbo, a hearty stew blending flavors of African, French, and Native American cuisines. Available year-round but especially comforting in cooler months, gumbo features a savory roux base with seafood, sausage, or poultry.
Crawfish étouffée is a prime example of Louisiana’s love for seafood, particularly crawfish, cooked in a rich, spicy gravy served over rice, a favorite during crawfish season from March to June.
Po’boys are iconic sandwiches made with crispy fried seafood or roast beef on French bread, enjoyed any time of year. We love a firecracker shrimp po’boy!
Boudin, a Cajun sausage made with pork, rice, and spices, is a must-try snack or meal, ideal for sampling along the Cajun Country culinary trail.
And of course, the beignets. These airy fried pastries finished off with a dusting of powdered sugar, are a sweet treat that pairs perfectly with café au lait in New Orleans.
Explore our guides
New Orleans
There’s no other place quite like New Orleans and it’s truly one of the coolest cities in the US. From the picturesque streets in the French Quarter, the colorful homes in Faubourg Marigny, the mansions in the Garden District, and the party bars along Bourbon Street there’s something for everyone here.
Deciding where to stay in New Orleans is easy, if it’s your first time you’ll want to stay near the French Quarter, if you’ve been before consider venturing off and basing yourself in another neighborhood.
From the food to the music, you’re in for a treat when visiting this cultural haven.
