In the southern area of the USA, you’ll find the
wonderful state of Louisiana which offers an interesting mixture
of cultures. The state’s capital is Baton Rouge, while the
largest city is the popular and famous New Orleans. Some of the
other major cities include Shreveport, Lake Charles, Alexandria,
Bossier City, Monroe, and Lafayette, As far as size goes, it’s
the 31st largest state in America and comes in at number 25 on
the population list with about 4.5 million people. It’s a very
historic place and it became the 18th state to join the Union
back in 1812.
Some areas of Louisiana are quite multicultural and
multilingual as they have been influenced throughout the years
by 18th century Spanish, African, and French cultures as it was
previously both a French and Spanish colony. The region was
settled by Native Americans and discovered by the Spanish in
1528. It became French in the later years and the US acquired it
in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. These days, Creoles and
Cajuns of French ancestry dominate most of southern Louisiana.
Louisiana’s southern coast lies on the Gulf of
Mexico and the state consists of prairies, woodlands, marshland,
swamps, rivers, bayous, streams, beaches, and barrier islands.
The Mississippi River also runs through it as does hundreds of
miles of navigable waterways. Outdoor activities are pretty
popular as the weather’s basically quite good all year round as
the summers are long, hot, and humid while the winters are
generally mild and short.
Getting into the state and then driving around
it is pretty simple as the interstate system and regional roads
can take you wherever you want to go. If you’re flying into
Louisiana the main airport is in New Orleans and there are also
quite a few smaller regional airports around for local and
domestic hauls.
There are quite a few places to explore the
outdoors as the state has numerous national forests and state
parks, as well as fishing and wildlife areas. Some of the most
popular ones include the Cane River National Heritage Area and
National Historical Park, the New Orleans Jazz National
Historical Park, , Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and
Preserve, Sabine River/Bayou, Kisatchie National Forest, Poverty
Point National Monument and the High Delta Safari Park.
Louisiana is a wonderful location for travellers
of all ages as it offers activities for history buffs to
festival lovers. One of the main attractions is the city of New
Orleans, especially during the Mardi Gras festival when the old
streets are filled with exciting parades, live music, and
parties. The historic French Quarter, jazz clubs, and Louisiana
State Museum are also worth checking out while you’re there.
Some other New Orleans sites include Bayou
Country, which features excellent fishing and swamp tours. The
capital of Baton Rouge offers magnolias and antebellum mansions.
Central Louisiana was an important location in the American
Civil War and is home to numerous historical sites and museums
that relate to this era. Bossier City and Shreveport, in the
northern area of the state offer plenty of gaming options and
much of the state’s countryside is filled with historic
plantations.
For sports lovers, you’ll find the New Orleans
Hornets basketball team in the NBA and the National Football
League's New Orleans Saints. There are also minor league
baseball and hockey teams along with several collegiate squads.
When it comes to food, Louisiana serves up some
fantastic southern and Creole cooking and seafood. This includes
shrimp, crayfish, catfish, gumbo, and jambalaya. There are
plenty of places to stay in Louisiana and the hotels and motels
etc. are made to suit all types of travelling budgets.
A trip to Louisiana allows you to enjoy a unique
lifestyle and culture while taking in the excellent assortment
of scenery, history, activities and cuisine.
About Louisiana