Even the name Louisiana conjures up images of hot summer evenings with cicadas singing nearby and the laughter of loved ones gathered around a table heaped with mouthwatering Southern cuisine. Time passes more slowly in this state, and accomplishing is given more weight than living.
The Crescent City, also known as New Orleans, is one of the best locations to discover the state’s charms and take in some Creole culture. Attractions in Louisiana, People have fun as they dress up and parade around the streets during the renowned Mardi Gras. The French Quarter honours the state’s past and is a terrific spot to get lost while knowing that a delicious meal and a fun time are waiting around every corner.
Baton Rouge, the state capital, is only a short distance away. Occasionally, state capitals can be stuffy locales, but not Baton Rouge. In spite of its bad reputation, this community proudly promotes everything it has to offer, including a capitol building that is home to Sarah the ghost.
Outdoor enthusiasts will want to visit Lake Charles to take in the natural beauty and possibly make a stop at one of the nicest beaches in the state.
10 Best Tourist Attractions in Louisiana
Once you’ve given the cities what they deserve, leave the city. Visit the bayous and swamplands, where the waterways are filled with creepy creatures that could want to devour you. Visitors who are less daring could prefer taking a tour of a plantation.
Our list of Louisiana’s greatest attractions might help you plan your trip.
1. New Orleans’ French Quarter
The oldest and most well-known district in New Orleans is called the French Quarter. Many of its stunning buildings, some of which are more than 300 years old, have wrought iron balconies that overhang the tourist-heavy sidewalks below. The French Quarter is a popular destination for tourists interested in sightseeing, shopping, dining, and entertainment. The Mardi Gras celebrations draw even more people to the neighbourhood.
The busiest destination in the French Quarter is Bourbon Street, which is constantly bustling with tourists and live music. While Decatur Street is a favourite hangout for hipsters, North Rampart Street is less congested but boasts many historic structures and excellent eateries. The pedestrian-friendly Royal Street, which is home to art galleries and antique stores, is lined with jazz clubs.
2. National WWII Museum
The National WWII Museum in New Orleans provides a thorough examination of every facet of the fight, from the difficulties of combat at sea and in the air to the ground war in Europe. “Road to Berlin” is one of the most powerful exhibits, giving visitors the chance to become immersed in history while viewing meticulously reproduced war zones complete with the sights and sounds.
Other exhibits examine the challenges faced by the Seabees and Merchant Marines in assisting the troops, the importance of home front support, and the specifics of the D-Day assault of Normandy.
3. Mardi Gras
The Mardi Gras festival that takes place in New Orleans is the biggest occasion on Louisiana’s annual calendar. This vibrant celebration, which includes a parade, balls, and street parties unlike any other, is a major undertaking. Although Mardi Gras is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, festivities start the weekend before that day.
Huge people attend the celebration to take part in the fun and see more than 1,000 floats pass by on dozens of parade routes. Visit Mardis Gras World to see the floats up close and watch artists and craftspeople create them.
This workshop produces over half of the parade’s floats, costumes, and accessories.
4. Melrose Plantation
When Marie Thérèse and Claude Thomas Pierre Metoyer, liberated slaves, owned the Natchitoches property, it was known as Yucca Plantation and later changed its name to Melrose Plantation. On the property is Yucca House, which dates to the 1790s. The Big Mansion is a plantation house with West Indies Creole architecture and early Greek Revival features.
John Hampton Henry, a lover of the arts, and his wife Camie made Melrose their home around the turn of the century. Mrs. Henry expanded the garden while maintaining the structures. Over the years, Melrose has hosted a lot of authors and creatives as guests.
5. Old State Capitol
Visitors passing by are dramatically impressed by the Old State Capitol’s Gothic-Revival design, and its interior is as magnificent. The main entrance is flanked by two enormous towers, and the roof is crenellated. The edifice, which has a castle-like appearance, is situated on a hill in the heart of Baton Rouge with a view of the Mississippi River.
A political history museum, which features relics, records, and interactive displays that explore the state’s lengthy history, is now housed in this historically significant building. The “Ghost of the Castle” exhibit, a 4-D experience hosted by the ghost of Sarah Morgan, provides visitors with more information about the building’s significance and history.
6. Swamp Tours
Fortunately, you don’t have to travel very far from New Orleans to enter the heart of bayou country. Louisiana is known for its marshes and bayous. You may witness moss-covered trees, vast swamplands, a variety of fauna, such as alligators, wild pigs, wading birds, and snakes, in this unusual habitat.
One of the best tours is the New Orleans Swamp and Bayou Boat Tour with Transportation, which is simple to schedule. A skilled and personable guide will entertain you with tales of the Honey Island Swamp and point out the numerous animals, huge, tiny, and extra large, living here during your two-hour boat tour. Additionally, the journey makes a stop at a Cajun village that is only reachable by water, where you can learn about their.
7. Laura Plantation
Since it opened to the public in 1994, the Laura Plantation in Vacherie has allowed tourists to view the 1805 structure and grounds that were a sugarcane plantation for 180 years. The house has artefacts showcasing Laura Locoul’s memoirs as well as authentic period furniture.
The plantation’s expansive museum featuring the lives and individualised tales of those who were held as slaves on the farm, however, is its most noteworthy feature. The exhibit examines the complicated interactions between the slaves’ owners and themselves as well as a number of other facets of modern life, such as religion and health.
Rare images and records from the state’s slave population as well as the African-Americans who lived and worked on this Creole farm are covered in the collections.
8. Vermilionville
The customs and heritage of the Acadian settlers from the late 18th and early 19th centuries are on display in Vermilionville in Lafayette. Costumed artisans and historians present folk crafts and skills that have been passed down from earlier generations at this living history museum.
The 23-acre complex, which includes historic buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries and renovated original Acadian dwellings, is home to artisans. The property also has exhibits that study the life of Louisiana’s indigenous peoples and are presented on a rotating basis.
9. Spend a Day at the Beach in Louisiana
Given that Louisiana is known for being a steamy, hot area in the summer, you could find yourself heading straight for one of the state’s many beaches.
Holly Beach, also referred to as the “Cajun Riviera,” is one of the nicest. The state’s southwest section is home to a beach with long, flat, and wide stretches of golden sand. In the summer, the Gulf of Mexico waters become deliciously warm, and kids love playing in the shallow water.
Grand Isle, a prominent beach resort, is only a few hours south of New Orleans. The beach here covers virtually the whole length of this barrier island, which juts out into the Gulf of Mexico.
10. USS Kidd and Veterans Memorial
At the USS Kidd and Veterans Memorial in Baton Rouge, visitors can board a decommissioned warship. The ship served in WWII and has since appeared in movies and television shows.
The museum features information about the ship as well as nautical artefacts and memorabilia. The Rear Admiral Isaac Campbell Kidd, Sr., who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, is honoured with the naming of the USS Kidd.
The memorial includes a ship as well as an observation tower and a museum. Historical items and a facsimile of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall can be found inside the museum. The model ship collection will captivate both kids and adults.
