13 Ways to Experience Louisiana Like a Local
Louisiana, also popular as “Sportsman’s Paradise” and “Bayou State”, is mostly dominated by wetlands, swamps, the Gulf of Mexico, and other natural characteristics that are ideal spots for boating and fishing. The place has small historic towns with stunning moss, oaks, magnolias, and other flora. Southwest Louisiana is a Cajun country that is home to spicy fish, Boudin, Cajun, and Zydeco music.
But to enjoy all these amazing places, you must adapt and think like a local to basically make the most of it. Now it’s equally important to make your trip pocket friendly and let’s be honest vacations can be a huge drain. For tourists, it can be difficult to find good deals around so it would be best to start thinking and researching more about Louisiana like a local. To avoid such situations, you must research thoroughly the best shopping deals that are available in the city.
To bridge the gap between your aspiration and reality, we bring to you the top 13 ways to experience Louisiana like a local and find the best local deals in and around Louisiana.
1. Catch live music concerts almost everywhere
The weather has never stopped the Louisianians from coming outside to shake that thang to some live local music. And with free concerts in numerous public squares and parks around the city, there’s something happening every night of the week, all season long, like the New Orleans Jazz, French Quarter Fest, and the Heritage Festival.
2. Never fret to take that bite or to take that drink
We must tell you that Louisiana’s cuisine is diverse and delicious. The state has drafted a detailed culinary trail map to help tourists try all the state’s specialties. If you want to explore Louisiana like a local, then you must try boudin and crawfish in the south of the state or cornbread and fried chicken in the Delta Delights of Northeast Louisiana.
Also, Louisiana also offers numerous craft breweries, distilleries, and wineries, many of which are available to easily tour.
3. Collect the best souvenirs out there
Fetching Cajun souvenirs is an ideal way to celebrate an unforgettable holiday. Take a tour of the Louisiana Spirits Distillery in Lacassine and get a bottle of Bayou Rum. Take a tour of the Tabasco Factory in Avery Island and fetch the hot sauce supplies. If you love music, then you can find albums by the Mamou Playboys, Steve Riley, and Wayne Toups at the House Rockers Record Shop in Lafayette.
4. Watch a movie at the Burgundy Picture House
At Bywater, you can fetch the best outdoor movie screenings. These outdoor movies bring out all the people on pleasant nights. There are plenty of grassy, empty lots in the Bywater by the water that would be perfect for anyone.
5. Taste the best beer at Great Raft Brewing
The Great Raft Brewing in Shreveport offers some of the best beer in the state. The family-friendly craft brewery curates and packages all the beer on-site and presents a tasting room with a rotating roster of beers. The place presents a less brewery feeling and more of a community gathering place with fun runs, food trucks, and numerous games. Also, free tours are offered every Saturday afternoon.
6. Explore a more scenic trip in the outskirts
There are tons of stunning landscapes and outdoor activities that one can explore in the outskirts of Louisiana. With numerous options, from the state’s Audubon Golf Trail to dozens of state parks that offer fishing, kayaking, and hiking trails, there’s plenty for the entire family to explore.
The state’s largest park, Chicot State Park, has plenty of beauty to offer visitors, plus fishing, mountain biking, and the choice to camp in one of the park’s floating cabins. Just like locals, tourists can go for a scenic bike ride along the Mississippi River.
7. Go for a boat tour at the Honey Island Swamp Tour
Louisiana’s swamps are home to varieties of wildlife – herons, alligators, egrets, otters, and more. As a local, it is a unique landscape that has to be experienced first-hand. There are dozens of swamp tours around the state, but Honey Island, a secured nature preserve, is an ideal place to begin. On the tour, you’ll understand the importance of the wildlife, the swamps, and the history of the region. The ideal of all, you’ll fetch an up-close view of the wildlife in their natural habitat.
8. Let’s go fishing
We recommend you cast a line and enjoy the delight of your own Cajun-style dinner. Double Down Charters in Chauvin and Custom Charters in Houma will surely set you up with an offshore or inland fishing trip you’ll be bragging about to your friends long after you’ve stepped ashore. If you prefer to go alone, you’ll find stunning fishing spots at Vermillion Bay and the Grand Isle State Park.
9. Cheer for the LSU Tigers
As a local, you must understand that college football is massive in the South, and LSU has one of the biggest fan following in the region. Being in one of Tiger Stadium’s 102,000 seats offer quite the thrill, hearing the fans roar as LSU dominates their opponents. We recommend that you catch a night game for an amazing tailgate experience, and make time to visit mascot Mike the Tiger’s habitat.
10. Look at the adorable baby gators
Go look at those adorable baby gators at the Gator Chateau in Jennings, about 40 miles west of Lafayette. The Chateau is home to rescued baby alligators, which are fostered until they are released into their natural habitat securely. We recommend you stop by Monday through Saturday to watch a feeding, hold a hatchling, and understand all about how the region’s native gators grow and survive.
11. Get a taste at the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival
In Louisiana, each local has a favorite spot for crawfish, but an ideal way to sample the delicacy is by visiting the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, held the full weekend in May. There’s a parade, Cajun and Zydeco contests, Cajun and Creole music, and of course, crawfish cooked in numerous ways – friend, boiled, bisque, jambalaya, pie, and more.
12. A touch of beauty at The Myrtles, St. Francisville
The oaks outside Baton Rouge, the Myrtles Plantation will surely transport you to another era. Guided tours are ideal for tourists to understand the mansion’s details, like ornamental ironwork, chandelier, hand-painted stained glass, and gold-leafed furniture.
13. Get a touch of history at the Chauvin Sculpture Garden
Since all locals know about it, you must too when visiting Louisiana. In the early 80s, Kenny Hill set up a tent, built a house, and then began filling the surrounding land with his sculptures portraying the struggles of his life. He later left in 2000, and the place has been open to the public since then. We recommend that you must spend an entire afternoon wandering through the colorful creations and visit the museum and art center to understand more.
We hope that our tips enabled you to make quicker and yet more efficient decisions!
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