Louisiana is one of the most culturally unique states in America. The region changed hands between European powers before becoming part of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and centuries of French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, Native American, and American influences have all left their mark. That mixture can be seen in everything from the architecture and music to the food and local traditions. Add in enormous swamps, subtropical wildlife, and cities unlike anywhere else in the country, and Louisiana easily became one of the most interesting states I’ve traveled through.
Explore New Orleans
New Orleans is easily one of America’s most distinctive cities. The French Quarter, historic architecture, jazz, Creole and Cajun food, and nonstop nightlife give the city a culture that feels completely different from most of the United States. New Orleans is especially famous for Mardi Gras, when parades and celebrations take over the city. Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the region in 2005, but New Orleans rebuilt and remains one of the country’s great travel destinations.
Explore the Atchafalaya Basin
The Atchafalaya Basin is a completely different side of Louisiana. This enormous network of swamps, bayous, forests, and waterways forms one of the largest wetland wilderness areas in the United States. The best way to experience it is from the water, where boats can travel through flooded forests and narrow channels surrounded by cypress trees. The basin is also home to alligators, snakes, birds, black bears, and countless other species that thrive in Louisiana’s humid wetlands.
Explore Baton Rouge
Louisiana’s capital of Baton Rouge sits along the Mississippi River and is the state’s second-largest city. Its name comes from the French phrase meaning “red stick,” referring to a marked pole early French explorers encountered in the area. One of the city’s most recognizable landmarks is the Louisiana State Capitol, a towering Art Deco building that is the tallest state capitol in the United States. Baton Rouge also has the unusual Old State Capitol, which looks more like a Gothic castle than a government building.
