COUNTDOWN TO CARNIVAL BEGINS IN NEW ORLEANS
The countdown to Mardi Gras began Saturday in New Orleans as Carnival season kicked off with dozens of costumed revellers and a brass band crowding onto a streetcar for a nighttime ride down historic St. Charles Avenue. Meanwhile, a walking club in the French Quarter marched in its annual procession honoring Joan of Arc. MORE
FESTIVAL SEASON IN LOUISIANA IS ALL YEAR LONG
Louisiana can properly claim the title "festival capital of the world," with more than 400 festivals and events scheduled annually around the state. MORE
Even if you consider yourself a Mardi Gras expert, we're here to say you haven't seen anything yet! Let’s go over a few basic terms you'll want to know before you don a mask and head out for your Carnival experience, shall we? MORE
CHOOSE YOUR LOUISIANA OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
There’s no shortage of ways to explore the Louisiana outdoors! Avid outdoorsmen can’t come to Louisiana without stopping by one (or more) of its 21 state parks that offer opportunities for camping, fishing, paddling, hiking, horseback riding and more. MORE
Celebrating Louisiana’s World-Renowned Cuisine
Louisiana’s cuisine is unlike anywhere else, and locals have conjured up a plethora of ways to honor these traditional dishes and the influences that brought them to life. MORE
Exploring Louisiana’s Highlights & Hidden Gems
There’s no better way to explore all Louisiana has to offer than by taking a road trip! Along the way, you’ll experience Louisiana’s most popular attractions along with quirky marvels. MORE
Louisiana’s Unique History & Influences
Louisiana is where Jazz and zydeco music originated, Cajun cuisine was concocted, where industries flourished and where the Civil Rights Movement made an impact. Learn about Louisiana’s unique and storied history told at countless historic sites, museums and venues around the state. MORE
VIRTUAL LOUISIANA
Bring the Bayou State into your home with these virtual tours.
No matter where you might be in the world, you can visit Louisiana anytime with these virtual tours with sites and sounds from all around the state. MORE
Airboat, kayak or cruise through some of the country’s most fascinating landscapes on a guided swamp tour.Louisiana serves up a lot more memorable experiences than just bowls of its famed gumbo. To experience an indelible part of the state’s past, present and future, visit the mysterious and exquisite swamps throughout south Louisiana, home to one of the planet’s richest and most diverse ecosystems. Perceived as beautiful and menacing, south Louisiana’s ancient swamps have long captivated writers, historians and travelers. MORE
MUSIC TO YOUR EARS
The Soundtrack of Louisiana
Find your Louisiana beat — wherever you are! Louisiana is the birthplace of Cajun and zydeco music, swamp pop and of course — jazz. These sounds are so distinctive that, when you hear a song from the Bayou State, there’s a decent chance you’ll recognize it almost immediately. You can bring a little bit of Louisiana into your home, car, earbuds or wherever you like via streaming services. MORE
FRENCH QUARTER SANS TOURISTS
‘An old neighbourhood again’
For Jack Greenwood, New Orleans' COVID-19 lockdowns brought sadness, but also a revelation: He was making more acquaintances with fellow residents - people he might not have noticed before tourism dried up in the French Quarter. “I've seen and met more neighbours now than ever before,” said Greenwood, who has lived in the Quarter for more than two years. “When there's a normal amount of tourists in town, people's faces can kind of get lost in the crowd.” MORE
PRECIOUS PLACES
Preservation Hall, New Orleans
New Orleans is famous for a lot of things, among them the French Quarter, Mardi Gras, a colourful history, authentic American music (jazz, blues, Cajun) and amazing food, but my thoughts and memories of the Big Easy inevitably settle in Preservation Hall. MORE
Unexplained noises, shadowy figures, objects moved or displaced—these are a small sampling of the ghost stories emanating from the historic homes, buildings and cemeteries across Louisiana. Nearly every old house claims at least one ghostly presence, and others can’t even keep track of the number of hauntings occurring there. Below is a roundup of some of the most intriguing ghost stories, hauntings and paranormal activity found around the state of Louisiana. MORE
Tip a Glass in Louisiana at World Class Distilleries
Louisiana is one of America’s biggest producers of sugar, and it’s found everywhere in the state, whether snowed upon beignets, stirred inside a hot café au lait or growing in tall, lean rows on the Cajun prairie. MORE
