The Louisiana Tourism Board recently made headlines
by helping the hurricane ravaged city
of New Orleans get back on its feet. Now it
aims to show the country and the world that the state
of Louisiana is ready to take on the tourism boom again.
Starting with their slogan, "Come and fall in love
with Louisiana all over again", the Louisiana Tourism
Board focuses on the beauty, culture depth and history
Louisiana is famous for. With the cities rebuilt
and raring to go, you won’t be disappointed.
With all this excitement, planning a vacation
to Louisiana is something you will want to do over
and over again.
So, what is there to do in Louisiana? More than
you think! When planning Louisiana vacations, you
have several regions to choose from. Each region
has large cities to visit like Baton
Rouge (the capital), New Orleans, Shreveport,
Lafayette and Lake
Charles, each with its own flavor and excitement.
Louisiana tourism is the lifeblood of many Louisiana travel
destinations, so there is a plethora of attractions
designed to entertain all visitors from near and far.
Louisiana is also home to many festivals and events, like
the famous Mardi Gras, and
the New Orleans
Jazz Festival. You can always find some exciting
activities to entertain you and your family in this interesting
and diverse state!
Louisiana travel destinations are divided into five regions. The Louisiana Tourism Board describes the state as a "Pirate's Boot" because of its shape, it’s a fun way to look at this historic gem of the south, which borders the Gulf of Mexico, where pirates used to land to hide their treasure!
The first region is the Greater New Orleans region,
in the toe of the pirate's boot. It’s home
to the city that is legendary for its famed French quarter,
old steamboats plowing down the Mississippi River, young
jazz musicians playing on the street corners and the French
inspired cuisine like creole, gumbo, pralines, bread pudding
and the best beignets this side of Paris.
Between the museums, boat tours, plantation tours, casinos,
and don't forget the scrumptious Cajun cuisine, there
are so many things to do in New Orleans, you won't know
where to start. The charming architecture is steeped
in French and Spanish roots so that you feel almost like
you have arrived in a European city. It's
one of the few U.S. cities you will find that has retained
this quaint feel.
Cajun Country is the second region of Louisiana, home
of the cities Lafayette and Lake Charles, this area stretches
along the Gulf of Mexico and the bottom of the "pirate's
boot". There are so many examples of
living history in this region,
like the Acadian Village where they have a recreated city
with a doctor’s museum, a blacksmith, and a quaint
chapel to see how the first settlers lived in this region.
There are also the famous swamp tours, a one of a kind
adventure and unlike anything you will see in the U.S.
Plantation country is north of the New Orleans region
and the geographic center of Louisiana. Home of the capital
city of Baton Rouge, it’s a historical gem of the
south. The location of so many plantation
homes it is a great way to experience how life was
lived in the 1800’s. One of the great Louisiana
vacations is a plantation home tour along the Mississippi
River and many of the plantation homes offer overnight
stays. With so many great restaurants, boat
tours, and history that shows what pre-civil war life
was like in the south, this is one region on the Louisiana
travel “must-see” list.
The Crossroads region is the geographical center of
Louisiana. It is full of wildlife and nature.
There is an 800,000 acre national forest, a huge reservoir,
a beautiful old Bayou to take canoe rides in and an amazing
collection of historic plantation homes. This is
an area of unspoiled nature full of cabin resorts hotels
to take the family fishing, camping
or boating. It’s also home to some of
the south’s most charming bed
and breakfasts and antique shops.
The fifth region is in the northernmost area of the
State of Louisiana, known as the Sportsman's paradise
and it borders Texas.
Here you can find fishing,
bird watching and hunting to satisfy the outdoorsman traveler.
Home to the city of Shreveport, where you can find many
locals and gaming and casinos along the river. There’s
also a toy museum in Bernice on a 1938 railway caboose
and a historic tavern in the steamboat town of Columbia.
Listen to the music, take in the history, and enjoy the nature, but most of all don’t forget to eat! Cajun and Creole food that is distinct and original to the State of Louisiana is a taste you will never forget! Louisiana vacations are sure to delight, entertain, relax and inspire.
