Taste real Cajun with a dash of Creole in
Lafayette,
the heart of French Louisiana.
You'll find authentic Cajun and Creole cuisine, original Zydeco and Cajun music, scenic
swamplands, and many activities and sights characteristic of our cultural uniqueness. Tour
swamplands, plantations and folklife attractions like Acadian Village and Vermilionville. For
an orientation to the lifeways of the Acadians, visit the Acadian Cultural Center. Experience
Lafayette's culture and history at the Alexandre Mouton House, University Art Museum, Lafayette
Natural History Museum and Children's Museum of Acadiana. Celebrate year round with Mardi Gras,
Festival International de Louisiane,
Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, "Le Cajun" Music Awards
Festival, Zydeco Festival, Festivals Acadiens, and "A Cajun Christmas." Eat. Drink. Be
Joyeaux. Lafayette Louisiana never tasted so good!
St. Martin Parish,
home to the world's largest freshwater river basin, the Atchafalaya
Basin, provides nearly every type of outdoor recreational activity imaginable. Boat tours
provide a close-up view of life in Acadiana. Bayou Teche meanders through Arnaudville, Cecilia,
Breaux Bridge, Parks and St. Martinville, each with a beautiful Catholic church and
above-ground cemetery. In addition, the parish has a variety of bed & breakfasts, motel
accommodations and campgrounds. Breaux Bridge is proud to be known as the "Crawfish Capital of
the World," and swells to 100,000 plus during the first full weekend in May as visitors join in
the fun. The fine restaurants in Henderson are sure to please. St. Martinville, the parish
seat, is the third oldest town in Louisiana. Here, you'll find many buildings and homes with
beautiful architecture and the Evangeline Oak made famous in Longfellow's poem of Evangeline
and Gabriel.
From the Liberty Theatre in Eunice, hosting the best Cajun and Zydeco music, to the
Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, to the Atchafalaya gateway towns of Krotz Springs
and Melville,
St. Landry Parish
captures the spirit of the people of Acadiana. Three historic
districts, in Grand Coteau, Washington and Opelousas, preserve the past. Washington, once
the largest steamboat port between New Orleans and St. Louis, preserves its 19th-century
architecture and character and offers an antique mall and a number of antique shops. Grand
Coteau features two of the nation's oldest religious institutions. Opelousas served as the
Confederate capital of Louisiana. The legendary Jim Bowie spent his boyhood here. Many weekend
festivals are held throughout the parish.
There's a lot to see and a lot to enjoy in the friendly lands of South Louisiana. Some of
the most colorful points of interest can be found in
Acadia Parish.
There's the International
Rice Festival in Crowley, the Frog Festival in Rayne, the Buggy Festival in Church Point, and
the new Germanfest in Roberts Cove as well as the unique Mardi Gras celebration in Church
Point and Iota. The elegant architecture of Crowley's huge historic district, the charm of the
murals in Rayne, the amazing European-style castle in Mermentau, the Rice Museum and Blue Rose
Museum in Crowley, and the tiny pilgrim's chapel in the German settlement called Roberts Cove
are fascinating to visit. There is also a booming rice industry that helps to feed hungry
people all over the world, excellent Cajun cooking and dancing, top-flight motel
accommodations, campgrounds and bed & breakfast establishments. This and much more waits for
you in Acadia Parish.
Visit
Vermilion Parish...
a cornucopia of culture, history, and unique attractions. Explore
magnificent marshlands, Leland Bowman Locks in Intracoastal City, emu and alligator farms, and
diverse agriculturally rich lands. Experience a Cajun Cowboy Cattle Drive, a tour of
Abbeville's Historic District including the grandiose St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, or a
trip to Erath's Acadian History Museum. Attend a captivating performance at the Abbey Players'
Theatre in Abbeville. As you travel the Jean Lafitte Scenic Byway, enjoy the abundant wildlife,
hybrid day lilies, flora, pristine and serene land, and wonderful waterways. Capitalize on some
of the best birding spots in America. Vermilion Parish, "the most Cajun place on Earth"
according to the latest census, touts fabulous food; fun-filled festivities in Abbeville,
Erath, Gueydan and Kaplan; toe-tappin' Cajun, French, Zydeco and Country music; and "joie de
vivre"!
