There’s so many things to do in this world and so many places to visit. I’m hoping to check off the lower 48 off my list while I’m on my journey (so far I’ve been to 8 states including Colorado). Today, I want to talk about the state of Louisiana and all that I’m excited to see there (and hopefully do)! I keep a Pinterest board of all of the places I some day want to visit, so feel free to check that out, too.
Local Haunts
First up, I love all things spooky, haunted, and otherwise macabre. I know New Orleans is known for this and I am so excited to have a chance to do a vampire tour. There are several options out there but history + spooky = the perfect evening. I do believe some tours will take you through the cemeteries, but regardless, I’ll be stopping in to St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau is buried here and its reportedly one of the most haunted (if not the most haunted) cemetery in the United States. There’s many others to visit, but that one is definitely a “can’t miss it” cemetery.
Plantations
When in the South, you also can’t miss the opportunity to visit a plantation and learn about the history of slavery. The Oak Alley plantation is one that I’ve wanted to visit for years. There is also a swamp tour offered in conjunction with the plantation tour. This is just one of many plantations not only in Louisiana, but in the entirety of the southern US. The Whitney Plantation is focused solely on the experience of enslaved people. The Laura plantation was headed by Creole women. I will gladly squeeze in as many as I can! There is a tour of River Parishes that features many while also getting to enjoy the areas natural flora.
On the Bayou
I love water and being around the water, so in addition to getting swampy on a tour boat, I must also take a ride on a fan-boat. I hear they are loud but it sounds like an absolute blast. Both afford a great opportunity to see local wildlife. Colorado wetlands are extremely different that Louisiana swamps. I’m sure I’ll get to see an alligator along the way and that’s a bucket list animal for sure! My last bucket list boat item will be a steamboat jazz tour. Not sure what makes it jazz, specifically, but if you’re going to do jazz what better place than New Orleans?
National Park Sites
With any of the places I’m headed, there will always be a million and one things I could possibly do, and I have no idea how much time I’ll spend in each place until I get on the road (and get there), but no list is complete without acknowledging the national parks.
Louisiana has 6 national park sites:
- Cane River Creole National Historical Park
- El Camino Real de Los Tejas National Historical Trail
- Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
- New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
- Poverty Point National Monument
- Vicksburg National Military Park
I’d like to visit every single one and I hope to be able to do so. I love history and I love nature so any chance I get to dive in is a chance I want to take. There are so many national parks sites that are historical or monuments in the US that I don’t know if I’ll be able to tackle all of them. My goal, however, is to hit all the national parks.
Eats
And what is a trip to Louisiana without eating? Not a good one, I imagine. I probably won’t get a purists experience of what it means to eat in Louisiana (I don’t eat fish and the like) but I’d like to try some Cajun and Creole food and really get a good taste. I think you can learn a lot about a place by eating there, so I’ll definitely try to find the most hole-in-the-wall mom and pop shops I can.
Off the Beaten Path
I don’t want to just explore New Orleans, as amazing as it sounds to visit. There’s a little town called Breaux Bridge that looks like it has some magic of its own. They have a rookery there which sounds so cool! Caddo Lake borders Louisiana and Texas and you can kayak through the cypress trees. There is a civil war fortress being swallowed up by a lake that looks super cool.
No road trip is complete without kitschy roadside attractions! Rayne, LA has a frog statue wearing a top hat. Shreveport is home to the largest mural in the US entitled “Once in a Millennium Moon” as well as a giant Dalmatian statue with glowing spots. I’m a sucker for a good sculpture garden and there is one in Chauvin that seems to have very colorful sculptures to enjoy. Then of course there’s giant mailboxes, syrup cans, and even a mystery house (and museum).
Any must visit must see places in Louisiana that I have to check out? I’m confident there are some gems I haven’t even thought about. Haunted, kitschy, natural wonders, food – tell me below so I can add it to the list! Once I make it to Louisiana, make sure to check out my bucket list recommendations!
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