2-week roadtrip in the authentic Louisiana

🎺 Jazz, blues and soul music fan ? You love discovering unusual sceneries ? You need to fill up your two weeks of vacation ?
Well this itinerary is mad for you ! Head to Louisiana and enjoy authentic music, history and nature through this road trip ! 😍

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Itinerary of this to weeks roadtrip in Louisiana

 

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🚗 We recommend for this itinerary to rent a car from Hertz. , It’s possible to rent it in one city and return it in another without exorbitant prices and limiting hidden costs.

🗺 Need a road map to prepare your itinerary ? We recommend this one, the most detailed and the most pleasant to read !

📗 You want to buy a paper travel guide ? We recommend this one ! In our opinion, it is the most complete, the most visual and the most up to date !

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The itinerary : step by step

 

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What to do in New Orleans ? 

An endearing city with so much character.

• By feet, explore the historic city center called the French Quarter or Vieux Carré. Appriciate the spanish architecture, the narrow streets, the wrought iron balconies, the gardens and patios …
• Walk along the Moon Walk following the Mississippi river. You could even get a on cruise for a few hours in the morning and enjoy the rising sun.
• If you’d better like to see the cultural side of the city, go to the WareHouse District, New Orleans’ trendy district.
• For the nature enthusiasts, take the famous streetcar up to the Garden District, enjoy the many parks and gardens with a lot of ante-bellum houses.
• Before leaving the city, be sure to go listen to some jazz music. Go the iconic Preservation Hall, the House of Blues or the legendary House of Rising Sun.

 

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What to do in Bâton-Rouge ?

Cajun, music and bayous : Louisiana’s capital.

• Explore (for free !) the Louisiana State Capitol and go up to the observatory on the highest floor. You’ll get an amazing panoramic view of the city and the Mississippi river.
• Choose to go on a captivating tour of the USS Kidd, a second-world-war destroyer-boat, called the “Pirate of the Pacific”. It is now a museum and even displays airplanes that flew over the Southern Pacific Ocean.
• Do not miss Louisiana State University’s Rural Life Museum. Learn about the Cajun history and culture.
• For the nature enthusiasts, head to the Independence Park Botanic Gardens. Those passionate about stars will prefer the Louisiana Art and Science museum and its planetarium.
• And if you prefer cultural tourism, go to the Louisiana State Museum or the LSU Rural Museum.

 

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What to do in St Francisville ?

Calm little city surrounded by plantations.

• Explore Grace Episcopal Church, a church built in 1827 with gunboat pieces. finish your tour off by walking around the small historic cemetery, under the oaks.
• Nature enthusiast, go walk on the Bird Walk, you’ll get to see hundreds of birds with the comments of bird expert, Murrell Butler.
• Do not miss the Louisiana State Penitentiary Museum, an intriguing old jail that was made into a museum.

 

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What to do in Natchez ?

Mississippi’s oldest colony & Native American fascinated by the sun.

• Imagine the old Natchez in Under-the-Hill district. Walk along Silver Street and discover many restaurants, bars, shops and its floating casino (it’s on a steamer !).
• To learn more about America’s history, go to Forks of the Road Slave Market Site, where the second biggest slave market used to take place. You’ll be overwhelmed with emotions.
• Step in the manors built with cotton trade after steamers started arriving in Mississippi : Longwood, Stanton Hall, Melrose, Rosalie Mansion or Dunleith.
• Get back to America’s roots and go visit the large Natchez tribe village, take a walk on a trail in the middle of nature and get to see where the tribe used to host their celebrations. For a complete tour, step in the small museum and enjoy interactive exhibitions.

 

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What to do in Monroe ?

A city in the wild bayou. 

• Need a break from the city ? Head to Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge, a national park of 4500 ha of lakes, swamps and pine trees. Go down a trail winding in a woody humid area and cross path with alligators, turtles, deers and hundreds of wild birds. You could also rent a kayak or canoe and go for a ride even closer to the ‘gators.
• If being in the middle of wild nature is not your thing, go to the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo, a zoologic park spread over 80 ha of garden, trails with many animals. Discover the local wildlife and rare vegetation.
• For Coca-Cola fans, go to Biedenharn Museum & Gardens, the iconic “Coke” museum. You’ll get to see some of the first objects like a delivery truck, posters, bottles or Coke machines. Take a break in one of the gorgeous gardens nearby.
• If you like wine better, go on the tour of the Landry Vineyards, it is really worth it. You will get to learn how to properly taste wine and listen to open-air jazz & country concerts. Do not miss the two harvest festivals that take place every summer. A unique experience !

 

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What to do in Natchitoches ?

A green city surrounded by plantations. 

• Explore Fort Saint Jean-Baptiste founded in 1714, its purpose was to keep in the Spanish two occupied Texas.
• If you are in Natchitoches in December, do not miss the traditional « Festival of Lights », the city lights up with thousands of lights.
• For an authentic feel of the city, taste the local specialty : Meat Pie, a meat filled pie.
• Gator lovers, go to Natchitoches Alligator Park and explore the unique and mysterious world of american alligators.
• Stop by Melrose Plantation and discover and authentic 1833 plantation. You’ll be speechless when you’ll see the cotton field and the magnificent mansion surrounded by trees.

 

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What to do in Lafayette ? 

 

A city for food lovers and party people.

 

• Go see the city’s main attraction : the Acadian village, a reconstitution of an authentic 19th century Acadian village (french influences).
• Do not miss the International Festival of Louisiana in April as well as Mardi Gras, a major event with many festivities.
• If you want to check the starry sky out, head to the Natural History museum and to the planetarium. You’ll get the chance to look out for stars through a real telescope !

 

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What to do in New Iberia ? 

Cajun territory.

• If you want to have a unique story to tell your friends when coming home, go visit the famous tabasco factory on Avery Island. Discover a unique cultural blending created by an African, Spanish, French and Creole heritage.
• Step in a neo-classical style house built in 1834 for the sugar planter named David Weeks : Shadows on the Teche. On top of that : they have french tours !
• In New Iberia, take time to walk around, observe and get a feel of this city’s multicultural atmosphere.

 

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What to do in Houma ?

City in the bayou.

• If you like fishing, Houma is made for you. It is the official front door to a world class fishing region. With a simple fishing rod, catch mackerel, tuna, trouts and even sharks !
• If you are looking to learn a lot about the local culture, you are in the right place ! Step in 18th century trappers’ cabins or gorgeous plantation mansions. Stop in local art galleries or take pictures of the beautiful wall paintings of the city center. Don’t forget to go to Chauvin Sculpture Garden and admire over a hundred concrete statues created by Kenny Hill.
• Do not leave without going on an excursion in the virgin swamps to discover a breathtaking vegetation and an exotic wildlife : alligators, giant reptiles and rare birds.

 

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What to do in Vacherie ? 

Plantation city.

• If when you think of Louisiana you imagine two long rows of oak leading to a mansion, you are imagining Vacherie ! Take a tour of the most iconic American plantation : Oak Alley. Hundred-year-old oak trees, a magnificent greek antebellum renaissance mansion, you’ll be speechless !
• Continue the tour by going to Laura Plantation, where you will learn about creole culture and what being a slave was like. Surrounded by a gorgeous scenery.
• Do not miss St Joseph Plantation and Evergreen with its 37 historic buildings of which were 22 slave cabins. Get a chance to get in touch with America’s past.
• If you are a thrill lover, head to St Louis cemetery where lie over 100 000 deceased. Learn about the voodoo legend which tells that they still walk around the cemetery’s graves, some dating back to 1789.
• Don’t go home without tasting the local creole and cajun food in one of the many restaurants.

 

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To learning more…

 

• You want to know all the information about the country ? it’s here.
• Then, to rent a car at the best price, we advise you this website.
• Finally, to book a flight at the best price, we advise you this website.

 

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If you have any information, good tips, or simply a comment about this itinerary, please don’t hesitate to leave us a comment at the bottom of the page! The whole team will be happy to hear from you!

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