Thinking about a trip to Louisiana

[koala79]

I was in Shreveport briefly a few months back and have an itch to get back to the state sometime soon...thinking mostly New Orleans or somewhere in that area. Has anyone visited around there in the last few months? I've been doing some initial research and it sounds like a lot is back up and running, especially in the touristy areas. Any thoughts/recommendations?

[melody]

I believe it was the SL issue that I just received in the mail that has some information on NO and what's up and running again.

[grneyedangel72]

If you wanna go to some of the surrounding areas for sightseeing of Plantations you need to go to Oak Alley and Laura ( in Vacherie) and if you find yourself on Hwy 61 going North, about 30-45 mins North of Baton Rouge is a town called St.Francisville. It's full of History. All kinds of Plantation Homes to see (and tour) The Mrytles is my fave.While your in St. Francisville, ride the ferry over to New Roads. Nice little town,lots of history too and go to a place called Satterfields and make sure you are hungary. The food cost a lil'bit but is so worth it.

Oak Alley (http://www.oakalleyplantation.com/)

Laura Plantation (http://www.lauraplantation.com/index-old.html)

St. Francisville (http://www.stfrancisville.net/)

And as long as your in New Olreans, there's always the Freach Quarters, Garden District, The zoo, The Aquarium and riverwalk is right there next to it.

[Heat_Addict]

Wow! It's funny that I've seen that picture of the walkway up to Oak Alley before, I think in a GA, SC, and NC tour book. :rolleyes: Then again Forrest Gump which was supposed to be in Alabama was filmed in Beaufort SC and Savannah GA. :p

[charley]

The areas that cater to tourists are up and running for the most part. The Quarter, Central Business District, and Garden District sustained very little damage from Katrina.

If you're interested in music I'd suggest a visit during JazzFest next month.
http://www.nojazzfest.com/

This is an article worth reading. http://www.frommers.com/articles/3419.html

Also agree that St. Francisville is a lovely area to visit. Lots of plantation homes and a quaint small town atmosphere. The Oxbow is an excellent restaurant.

[grneyedangel72]

The areas that cater to tourists are up and running for the most part. The Quarter, Central Business District, and Garden District sustained very little damage from Katrina.

If you're interested in music I'd suggest a visit during JazzFest next month.
http://www.nojazzfest.com/

This is an article worth reading. http://www.frommers.com/articles/3419.html

Also agree that St. Francisville is a lovely area to visit. Lots of plantation homes and a quaint small town atmosphere. The Oxbow is an excellent restaurant.

:eek: How dare I forget the Oxbow! Are they open yet? As of Thanksgiving they were still trying to get the new building ready. Also a good place for sandwiches is a lil place right across the road in a lil building I can't think of the name of it but theres a lot of black wrought iron stuff in a fence just in front of it.(the building is in the parking lot of Fred's)

[koala79]

Thanks for all the advice!

grneyedangel72, the Plantation Homes sound wonderful...have you toured that area? I'm especially interested in St.Francisville. Also, if there are restaurants that you want to see if they are open, I recommend checking out louisianatravel.com - I've been using it a lot lately and it has good info about what is open!

charley, you are saying a lot of what I've heard elsewhere too. Sounds like a lot of NO is back in business. I'm definitely interested in Jazz Fest! Have you been? The line up looks incredible!

[Expen$iveTa$te]

I'm definitely interested in Jazz Fest! Have you been? The line up looks incredible!

The Jazz Fest is a blast. There is good food there also. Be sure to dress half naked due to the high temps, humidity, and occasional downpours.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/Second%20Album/Jazzfest.jpg

[koala79]

When did you go? Is it the kind of event that people return to time and time again? I hope a lot of people go this year to support New Orleans (and bring tourist $$ with them!)

I've been looking around the Jazz Fest site this afternoon ever since finding the link to it on the other Louisiana Travel site I mentioned before...it looks so cool. It even has a countdown: Jazz Fest (http://www.nojazzfest.com/)

[Expen$iveTa$te]

I went in '01,'03, & '04. They've had financial woes due to how much it cost to put this thing on. They've had lighting storms that cut the crowds, thus revenue loss, in recent years.

[Expen$iveTa$te]

I was only two rows back when Santana was playing. That was so "Smoooth". :D

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/Second%20Album/Santana.jpg

[grneyedangel72]

koala79,
Your Welcome and Yes I've been many times. My DH is from St. Francisville, so we go 2-3 times a year. I enjoy doing the Plantation tours. No matter how many time I go I always see something new and different.

Now I got the itch to go back :D . Spring and all the flowers in bloom.

[koala79]

Expen$iveTa$te, great picture (and seats!) Looks like it was a blast :) If it lost money other years, more reason than ever for folks to go this year to help the local economy recover!

grneyedangel72, I hope you give into your itch and make a return visit! No better motivation for those of us considering trips than hearing about others who go back time and time again! I've been looking into plantations more and searched through the Lousiana Travel site for more info. I found this list here: Plantations (http://www.louisianatravel.com/search/category_search.cfm?city=219&catID=2&catSUB=15
)

Any particular recommendations?

Anyone else, please feel free to weigh in too...all advice is welcome! :)

[charley]

koala, that site doesn't list all of the plantations. I think you'll find a few more here. http://www.stfrancisville.us/

I've toured The Myrtles and The Cottage. We have a friend who lives in St. Francisville. His top 3 recommendations are Oakley, Rosedown, and Catalpa.

The site I linked also has info on lodging, restaurants, and shopping.

I've been to JazzFest a few times. The day we went last year was beautiful! Temps in the low 80s, low humidity with sunny skies. Lots of good food and music. Arts too.

[grneyedangel72]

Weeeelllll....... My picks are The Myrtles (MIL used to work there) and the Audubon Cafe' (cousin-n-law owns it) As far as the Plantations I like them all (Butler-Greenwood (still in the same family), Greenwood, Oakley, Rosedown... etc) Grace Church (downtown St.Francisville) head on down to Bayou Sara catch the ferry to New Roads and eat at Satterfields.While in St. Francisville there all kinda of lil shops. On Highway 61 there's "StarHills", "Border Imports"(great yard statues, fountians) and if its open "Sunflowers and Junebugs"( some of the best homemade jellies and jams).

Ok I'm going with itch........ DH's gonna have to take some time off work so we can go. :D Maybe later this summer but I'ma gonna go!

[SouthernBelle]

COming from a Southern Louisianan, Oak Alley is just beautiful! one of my cousins got married there so we were able to tour the place and wow! It's great! Very beautiful place for a wedding! :)

Oh yeah, and I'm only an hour south of both New Orleans and Vacherie (where OaK Alley is located). Laura Plantation had caught fire awhile back...I'm guessing it is repaired now??? :confused:

[grneyedangel72]

COming from a Southern Louisianan, Oak Alley is just beautiful! one of my cousins got married there so we were able to tour the place and wow! It's great! Very beautiful place for a wedding! :)

Oh yeah, and I'm only an hour south of both New Orleans and Vacherie (where OaK Alley is located). Laura Plantation had caught fire awhile back...I'm guessing it is repaired now??? :confused:


Laura Plantation (http://www.lauraplantation.com/actualites.htm)
According to this they are still working on it. whick is good I can't wait to go back. I thought it was a beauitful old home.

[SouthernBelle]

Ahh okay! thanks for the clarification!

[koala79]

Wow...so much to learn and see! I'm very excited by all the ideas on here. I never knew there was so much to experience in Louisiana! Sounds so pretty and fun.

The Louisiana Travel (http://www.louisianatravel.com) site has a lot of great information for those starting to plan a trip and it sounds like some of the sites you all have recommended will help me learn even more.

Please keep sharing any advice...I think anticipation/planning is half the fun of a vacation sometimes! :)

[Expen$iveTa$te]

If you are in the New Iberia area, the Tasbasco plant and Avery Island area is worth a stop.

http://www.tabasco.com/main.cfm

[SouthernBelle]

How about a swamp tour? I hear they are really awesome! :) They are several to choose from in the Louisiana Travel guide book.

If you need any Louisiana info, PM me and we can go from there. Being I'm a Southern Louisianan, I can probably help a good bit with your questions and with travel ideas!

When you plan to take this trip?

[mwcmax99]

If you are in the New Iberia area, the Tasbasco plant and Avery Island area is worth a stop.

http://www.tabasco.com/main.cfm

Expen$iveTa$te. You've read my mind! My nephew & his school (Phoenix Magnet in Alexandria, LA) are enroute to Avery Island this morning. I've been dying to go, really want to meet Eula Mae Dore', author of Eula Mae's Cajun Cooking (she's the cook at Avery Island). EXCELLENT COOKBOOK! Hopefully, I'll make it this summer. We live in NW LA, so it's a shame we haven't already been down there. Take care!

[Expen$iveTa$te]

I'm in the Shreveport area also. I never have been in trouble with the law-yet! :D

[koala79]

Love the idea of going to the Tabasco factory! From the website, looks like it would be so much fun!! mwcmax99, please fill us in later about how your nephew likes it?

Swamp tour sounds great too...heard a lot of good things about them! This trip keeps growing and growing. But if there's fun stuff to do, might as well try to fit it all in!

SouthernBelle, thanks for being so helpful! It's looking like the trip won't be in time for JazzFest at this point...life gets away from us, doesn't it? Hoping for June or July now... Unless anyone has any suggestions about a better time to go?

[charley]

Hoping for June or July now... Unless anyone has any suggestions about a better time to go?

That's fine if you like heat and humidity. :p My choice would be October or November.

[SouthernBelle]

I was about to say that, Charley....June and July are some of the HOTTEST months here in Louisiana and add to that the humidity- ouch! I'm used to it since I've lived here all my life, but out of towners get quite a shock from it. As my grandma said when she was down last summer (she's from TN), our kind of hot here is what she calls 'miserable hot'. :rolleyes:

I think a fall trip to Louisiana is an awesome idea! In Sept. it is still pretty hot, but October we start cooling off, not cold, but feels just right. We don't have an actual fall season with leaves changing obviously, but there are a lot of festivals that take place in Southern Louisiana during the fall. Too bad you weren't down here last weekend as it was the annual Strawberry festival in Pontchatoula (sp), LA. I hear that attracts quite the crowd!

GO to Avery Island! I 'lived' in the New Iberia area for a good while and Avery Island was just down the road, but yet I've never was able to find the time to go and I regret that. Now I'm back home again, 2 and a half hours south of Avery Island.

Plantation tours are so popular down here. Oak Alley is great and there's a restaurant there to eat lunch after you tour. I've always wanted to go to the plantation home in White Castle, Nottaway. GORGEOUS place! A local plantation home for me would be Southdown Plantation home in Houma, LA- the parish above where I live.

I think if you are looking for a good ole' Louisiana, Cajun type fun then a festival is a must. You'll definitely get a taste of our culture with the seafood, music and french speaking! I love living here and I'm sure you'll enjoy a visit here!

[koala79]

You are making fall sound very appealing :) I'm sorry that I missed the Strawberry festival too...sounds like fun! I'm overall just so impressed by how much Louisiana has to offer to a tourist, or a local it sounds like too.