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It’s easy to fall for the Big Easy. There’s simply no other city in the worldlike New Orleans, with its fabulous jazz scene, gorgeous architecture andone-of-a-kind restaurants serving up pure decadence from their legendary kitchens.

Yet there’s so much to discover beyond Crescent City. Cajunmusic halls, historic villages and sprawling plantation homes set thescene for some memorable weekend getaways. And the scenery here isspectacular. Lush wetlands and subtropical forests provide the backdropto wildlife spotting, leisurely hikes and scenic swamp tours. You’ll alsoeat well here: high-end restaurants and even old-school diners dish up amouthwatering array of Cajun and Creole cooking.

Regis’s Adventure

Want to tick off some of the exciting experiences had by Regis

and his family? Look for the camera icon throughout this guide.

French QuarterPHOTO BY: RAULUMINATE / GETTY IMAGES ©

Exploring Cajun Country A few hours west of New Orleans lands you in the heart of Cajun Country, where you’ll find foot-stomping music, scrumptious Cajun cooking and a warm, hearty welcome. Highlights here include wandering through a recreated 19th-century village, boating amid towering cypress trees and exploring some stellar, if little-known attractions in the state capital.

DISTANCE

320 MILES

Hit the road early for the 130-mile westward drive from New Orleans to Breaux Bridge. On weekends, this tiny Cajun town comes to life with live music spilling out of its cafes and restaurants. The best place to be on Saturday morning is Cafe des Amis, which hosts a riotously fun Zydeco breakfast. Folks of all ages pack the dance floor, taking breaks to nibble on sweet potato pancakes, omelets and other classic comfort fare.

It’s a short 11-mile hop to Lafayette, the largest city in Cajun Country. While there’s much to see and do here, don’t miss the weekly farmers market out at the old Horse Farm. You can pick up fresh-baked breads, tangy juices, berry-filled tarts and jars of tasty homemade concoctions like apricot jam with bacon. There’s also a food truck and a few handicraft stalls. Afterwards, take your picnic fare and find a grassy spot in the adjoining park – a former horse farm turned into lush public green space.

DAY 1

Tip

The Blue Moon in Lafayette is one of the best places in Cajun Country to hear live music. There’s also a guesthouse here where you can spend the night.

St. John’s Cathedral

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In the afternoon delve into Cajun culture at nearby Vermilionville. Here you’ll find costumed guides who bring history to life in a 19th-century Cajun village. There are a dozen or so buildings you can tour, each shedding light on a bygone era in American history. Don’t miss the school building, which shows how kids were punished for speaking French. Cajun bands often perform in the barn, and there’s spicy cooking at the onsite restaurant.

Spend the night at the Cajun Cottages outside of Breaux Bridge. These sweet, freestanding cabins are set on a peaceful lake, and breakfast is brought right to your door.

DAY 2

Start the morning with a boat trip amid the watery land-scape of Southern Louisiana. While many outfits run tours, few can compete with the knowledge of Butch Gucherau, who was born and raised in the Bayou Teche area and knows these swaps like the back of his hand. On a boat ride with Butch’s Cajun Country Swamp Tours, you’ll have the chance to spot an abundance of plant and animal life, including massive American lotus blossoms, numerous bird species (egrets, herons, and the rare bald eagle), plus the iconic American alligator.

Grab lunch at nearby Pont Breaux’s. Crawfish is the dish to order – you’re in the crawfish capital of America!

After lunch, drive 50 miles east to Baton Rouge. Check out the stunning outdoor murals that make up the Museum of Public Art located in the Old South neighborhood. Artists from across the globe have created brilliantly colorful works, some of which emerge 3D-like out of the crevices of old buildings and abandoned storefronts.

A couple of miles northwest is the Louisiana State Capital. Stretching 34 stories above the city, this is not only Baton Rouge’s highest building, but it’s also America’s tallest state capitol – and a striking 1930s Art Deco masterpiece. You can head up to the observation deck for a mesmerizing view over the mighty Mississippi. Spend the night at The Stockade, a lovely B&B with at-tractive rooms and an elegant setting, located southeast of Baton Rouge’s downtown. It’s an easy 75-mile drive from there back to New Orleans.

Cajun accordion

Blue Heron in the swamp

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Lush Landscapes Down the BayouSouth and west of New Orleans, you’ll find sleepy, bayou-side settlements and architecturally rich towns that hold their own against New Orleans’ loveliest neighborhoods. It’s all set amid some of Louisiana’s finest scenery, including pristine wetlands, flower-filled lakeside gardens and a verdant subtropical island teeming with plant and animal life.

DISTANCE

318 MILES

Start the day with breakfast at a French Quarter classic like Brennan’s. Going strong since the 1940s, Brennan’s spreads one of New Orleans’ most lavish morning repasts. Try the corned duck hash, eggs Benedict or a crab and chanterelle omelet. Afterwards, walk it off on a stroll along historic Royal Street, which is lined with antique shops and galleries.

Hop in the car and drive 20 miles southwest to the endless greenery of the Barataria Preserve. This sprawling 20,000-acre protected area provides a good introduction to the wetlands environment. Stop in the visitor center, which often stages worthwhile exhibitions on the nature and ecology of the area. Afterwards, head out for a walk along the boardwalk trails, for a look at bald cypress trees, forest birds, turtles and alligators.

In the afternoon, make the winding, 60-mile drive to Thibodaux, a small town settled by French-speaking colonists back in the 18th century. For a journey into Cajun lore, stop in the small Acadian Cultural Center on the banks of the Bayou Lafourche. Multimedia exhibits here cover virtually every aspect of life in the wetlands, touching on music, religion, cuisine, work and life around the home.

DAY 1

Eucalyptus trees in the Bayou

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Drive west 80 miles to New Iberia, a pretty town that was settled not by the Acadians, but by the Spanish in the late 18th century. Start off with a tour of Shadows on the Teche, a grand Greek-revival plantation house on the banks of the bayou. You’ll learn about four generations of one family that once lived here. Original furnishings and knowledgeable guides help bring this antebellum estate to life.

New Iberia is also the stomping ground of Dave Robicheaux, the fictional Cajun detective in James Lee Burke’s award-winning novels. You can follow in his footsteps at Victor’s Cafeteria, which cooks up delicious down-home recipes, served up cafeteria-style. Grab a tray and feast on fried catfish, crawfish bisque or stuffed crabs, and leave room for creamy, rich desserts.

It’s an easy 10-mile drive south of New Iberia to Avery Island, the headquarters of the McIlhenny Tabasco Factory. Admirers of the spicy chili sauce can see how it’s made on a short tour, but the real reason to visit is for a wander through the lush landscapes of Jungle Gardens. It’s an incredibly picturesque setting of moss-covered live oaks and blooming azaleas, with an abundance of wildlife – including snowy white egrets, deer and alligators.

Stay overnight in one of New Iberia’s low-key B&Bs. The Cottages at Rip Van Winkle Gardens have an idyllic setting near Lake Peigneur. From there it’s about a 2.5-hour drive back to New Orleans.

DAY 2

That night have dinner in Thibodaux’s small historic downtown district. Fremin’s serves locally sourced specialties, like char-grilled oysters from the Gulf and Abbeville pork loin. Spend the night in the Dansereau House, an architectural stunner built in 1847.

Did you know?

After being exiled from L’Acadie (present-day Nova Scotia) in the 18th century, French-speaking Acadians

began arriving in New Orleans and settling the swamplands. They soon became known as Cajuns.

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American alligator

Louisiana crayfish

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Content supplied by Ford Motor Company

Rambling along the Mississippi America’s mightiest river plays a starring role on this scenic journey through Louisiana and southern Mississippi. You’ll take in antebellum plantation homes, picturesque forests and plenty of surprises (haunted mansions, prison-run rodeos). The drive here offers fascinating glimpses of the past, with stops in the Mississippi’s oldest settlement, and a legendary New Orleans dining room from the 1840s.

DISTANCE

425 MILES

Historic plantations dot the Mississippi riverbanks leading west of New Orleans. One of the best is the Laura Plantation, about a one-hour drive from the city. Here you can take a fascinating tour right into the 19th century. Well-versed guides give a compelling and eye-opening account of life among the gentry and their less fortunate slaves. There are nearly a dozen buildings you can explore at this quiet place just off the river.

It’s about a 90-minute drive to St Francisville, a peaceful riverside settlement packed with vestiges of the past. More than 150 original buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries still stand. You can pick up a walking-tour brochure at the visitor center and take a scenic stroll past grand homes nearby. Grab a quick lunch at the charming Magnolia Cafe, which has fresh salads and filling sandwiches.

Afterwards, drive 25 miles northwest to the Louisiana State Penitentiary (also known as Angola). Just outside the gates, you’ll find an intriguing museum that describes what life is like for those living behind bars. Although once a brutal place, today Angola is known for its progressive policies of education and rehabilitation. The prison grows its own crops, has a radio station, TV station and newspaper, and it even hosts a rodeo several times a year.

DAY 1

Rosedown Plantation

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That night, drive back to St Franciscville and stay the night (if you dare) in the Myrtles Plantation B&B, which is sometimes described as one of the ‘most haunted houses in America’. Scaredy cats might not want to take an evening mystery tour, which delves into ghostly events that have occurred around this 18th-century home.

Start early for the 60-mile drive north to Natchez. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi, Natchez is the oldest town on the river, and has an impressive collection of antebellum homes. It’s well worth taking a drive around town to take in some of the architectural wonders. Another great spot for a drive is along the Natchez Trace Parkway, a beautiful tree-lined road dotted with historic sites and great scenery that changes with the seasons (wildflowers in spring, fiery colors in autumn).

For a taste of the great outdoors, head 26 miles east to Homochitto National Forest. There you can take a hike amid rolling woodlands, with some 20 miles of trails to explore. This is a good place to stretch your legs before beginning the return journey toward New Orleans.

On the way back to the city, take the Causeway Bridge, across vast Lake Pontchratrain. Spanning 24 miles, this is the world’s longest bridge over a body of water. If your timing is right, you’ll enjoy a fabulous sunset as you roll on south.

Back in New Orleans, treat yourself to a first-rate dinner in the French Quarter. Opened in 1840, Antoine’s is the oldest family restaurant in America. It’s pure decadence feasting inside its gilded dining rooms. Don’t miss classic plates like oysters Rockefeller, a dish that was actually invented here.

DAY 2

Did you know?

The Mississippi, the world’s fourth longest river, runs over 2300 miles from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Its watershed measures a staggering 1.2 million square

miles, covering some 40% of the continental US.

Produced by Lonely Planet for Ford Motor Company. All editorial views are those of Lonely Planet alone and reflect our policy of editorial independence and impartiality.

Rosalie Mansion

Sunset over the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

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