LOUISIANA STAYCATIONS Byway Guide 2026
EXPLORE THE UNEXPECTED SIDE OF LOUISIANA
LouisianaRoadTrips.com
GLOBAL WILDLIFE CENTER
Letter from LT. GOVERNOR NUNGESSER Sometimes, the best vacation isn’t far from
ways to enjoy Louisiana. Get off the beaten
home. It’s as simple as planning a staycation.
path and take that road less traveled. From
In Louisiana, this means exploring areas you’ve
museums that explore our fascinating culture
yet to discover in your own home state. With
and history, to historic homes, and more than
more than 7,000 miles of coastline and 21 state
400 incredible festivals held across the state
parks, you’ll find more fishing spots, scenic
each year, there is always something to do in
trails, and wildlife species than you can count.
Louisiana.
Drift through coastal marshes, wander beneath
Whether you’re a birder, hiker, foodie, history
thousand-year-old cypress trees in shaded
buff, gardener, music lover, or festival
swamps, or venture out onto the open waters
enthusiast, there’s an experience waiting to
of the Gulf. Explore remarkable trail systems
inspire you. I encourage you to get out and
on foot or by bike. Pitch a tent beneath the
discover the places that make Louisiana such
stars at a scenic campground, or park your RV
a sought-after destination for visitors from
in the perfect spot. “Sportsman’s Paradise” is
around the world. You may be surprised by
more than a nickname; it’s a time-tested
what you find. Your next Louisiana staycation
truth. Of course, there are countless other
just might reveal a new way to Feed Your Soul. Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
St. Francisvill
e
HOMEGROWN ADVENTURES
Right Off the Highway 1 Louisiana Great River Road 2 Bayou Teche National Scenic Byway 6
3 Wetlands Cultural Trail 1
Caddo Lake
4 Toledo Bend Forest Scenic Byway 5 Creole Nature Trail All-American Road
South Tole do Be State Park nd
6 Boom or Bust National Scenic Byway 7 Southern Swamp Byway
4 ure Trail Creole Nat
Poverty Point State Park
5
Strawberry Capit al of the World
7 2
3
Scan to plan!
TABASCO® Factory
Grand Is le State Pa rk
Louisiana GREAT RIVER ROAD Louisiana Great River Road is one of two routes in the state that have received designation as an All-American Road. Entwined with the Mighty Mississippi, it flows through rural towns as well as cities like New Orleans and Baton Rouge, revealing an amazing mix of culture, history, and natural beauty. Near Epps, Poverty Point World Heritage Site has numerous earthen ridges and mounds built by Indigenous people between 1700 and 1100 BC. Heading to St. Francisville, Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge is home to the largest bald cypress tree in North America. The beautiful Audubon State Historic Site and Oakley House inspired famous naturalist/artist, John James Audubon. Over in Baton Rouge, you’ll find 30+ historic buildings and fascinating items from the 18th and 19th centuries at the LSU Rural Life Museum. Baton Rouge Cruises offers fun sunset, dinner, or cocktail excursions on the Mississippi River. Laura Plantation in Vacherie serves as Louisiana’s Creole Heritage Site. Meanwhile, New Orleans’s famous City Park offers 1,300 acres of gardens, playgrounds, golf, kayaking, festivals, and things to do year-round. Don’t miss the Train Garden, a small-scale version of New Orleans, complete
with
functional streetcars and train tracks.
Did you know? Pover ty P oi nt Sta te Hi s tori c Site is the state’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site – one of just 26 in the U.S.
Heavenly Cuisine The Saint at the St. Francisville Inn: 2025 Michelin Award mention. Named a top-100 restaurant in America.
City Park Tra
in Garden
Poverty Point Reservoir State Park
Running through the parishes of St. Martin, Iberia, and St. Mary in South Central Louisiana, this byway is rich in Cajun and Acadian history. The 183-mile route hugs the most famous bayou in the state, carrying visitors through a mix of lush landscapes and quaint towns, from Arnaudville to Morgan City. Plan a stop in Arnaudville to dine at spots like The Little Big Cup or Bayou Teche Brewing for some Cajun Saucer wood-fired pizza. The Breaux Bridge Historic District welcomes you with antique shops, Cajun restaurants, and lively Cajun and Zydeco music venues. St. Martinville is often called the “Cradle of Cajun Culture.” Visit its sprawling Evangeline Oak, over 400 years old and named after Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1847 poem. On Avery Island, take a self-guided tour of the Tabasco® Factory as well as the 170-acre botanical Jungle Gardens and bird sanctuary. New Iberia’s Main Street District showcases the National Historic Landmark, Shadows-on-the-Teche. Wedell-Williams Aviation & Cypress Sawmill Museum in Patterson is devoted to the “Golden Age” of aviation, along with South Louisiana’s rich history in the cypress logging industry.
super swamp Atchafalaya National Heritage Area is the nation’s largest river swamp: 15 parishes and nearly one million acres!
the Cajun saucer Chef Karlos Knott was crowned 2025 King of Louisiana Seafood.
Atchafalaya Basin
Wetlands CULTURAL Trail True to its name, water surrounds much of this scenic
Visit the E.D. White Historic Site, where you can
byway. With natural beauty around every turn, a
tour the former home of the first Louisiana Supreme
road trip along this route carries you through towns
Court Justice. Laurel Valley Plantation still has
that have made shrimping, trapping, and farming
nearly 40 original structures, offering a detailed
a way of life for centuries. Each stop is steeped in
picture of that distinct time period.
history and culture, from Native American burial mounds to colorful Cajun traditions.
Chauvin Sculpture Garden is a little folk art wonderland on the banks of Bayou Petit Caillou,
Set on the winding banks of Bayou Lafourche,
displaying more than 100 fantastical religious-
Historic Downtown Thibodaux has a fun blend
themed sculptures. Over at Faith Family Shrimp
of boutiques, bistros, and nightlife. The Bayou
Company, learn how wild-caught, dried shrimp are
Country Children’s Museum gives kids hands-on
made. Further out in Grand Isle State Park, you can
Louisiana experiences of everything from a Mardi
even camp right on one of only a small handful of
Gras float to a shrimping boat.
Gulf-front beaches in the state.
Big Boy’s Main Street Cookoff Join this festive annual showcase of Cajun cuisine in Downtown Thibodaux!
did you know? Grand Isle St
ate Park
Laurel Valley Plantation is the nation’s largest surviving 19th century sugar plantation.
Grand Isle State Park
TOLEDO BEND FOREST
Scenic Byway
did you know? This area’s nickname of “No Man’s Land” stems from its history as a neutral strip between Spain and the U.S.
“NO MAN’S LAND”
Running
along
Louisiana’s
west-central
border
off-road vehicle trails, while North offers a pool and
with Texas, this byway also parallels Toledo Bend
has superb fishing access. Cypress Bend Resort is a
Reservoir, the largest manmade lake in the South.
lakeside oasis with great views, water activities and
Constructed from an original logging train car,
a golf course. When all the action gets you hungry,
Zwolle Museum on the Bend explores the creation
don’t miss Zwolle Tamales.
of the reservoir. Fort Jesup is the site of a garrison that was established by future U.S. President Zachary Taylor in 1822. Both North and South
Cypress
Bend Re
sort Golf
Course
Toledo Bend State Parks offer great hiking, plus cabins and tent or RV camping. South has excellent South Toledo Bend State Park
Creole
NATURE TRAIL “LOUISIANA’S OUTBACK”
This picturesque 180-mile trail is one of only two routes in the state to receive All-American Road designation. Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point in Sulphur is an ideal place to start your trip. The free exhibit immerses you in Southwest Louisiana’s culture, while helping familiarize you with the trail’s unique landscapes and wildlife. Peveto Woods Bird & Butterfly Sanctuary is a major stopover for migrating birds and Monarch butterflies, welcoming around two million birds annually. Meanwhile, Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge has one of the highest nesting densities for American alligators. Just keep in mind that this is a more primitive route, so bring along your own necessities, like food, drinks, and sunscreen.
Pirate’s playground This area was once a hideout for the famous privateer Jean Lafitte.
Creole Nature Trail
BOOM OR BUST
National SCENIC BYWAY This 137-mile byway tells the story of westward expansion and the beginning of the oil industry in Louisiana. Learn more at the Louisiana State Oil and Gas Museum in Oil City before venturing beyond the rigs to explore Caddo Lake. Located on the west side of the byway, this lake covers approximately 30,000 acres. Planning a pitstop? Muddy Bottoms ATV & Recreation Park is a 5,000-acre off-roading recreation park with a welcome center, bathhouse, pro shop, eating pavilion, amphitheater, cabins, RV hookups, a Sprinkler Park, and plentiful trails, bogs, and tracks to explore. At the eastern end of the route, enjoy a meal at Port Au Prince Restaurant on Lake Claiborne, where delicious food is paired with beautiful waterfront views.
Cadd
e o Lak
did you know? Local radio station KWKH hosted the historic Louisiana Hayride show, launching the careers of icons like Hank Williams and Elvis Presley.
SOUTHERN
Swamp BYWAY This 69-mile route winds through the natural beauty of Louisiana’s bayous, marshes, and wetlands. Pick up a map at the Ascension Parish Visitors Center in Sorrento and stop by Cajun Village, where restored Acadian buildings serve as boutique storefronts. Head to Tickfaw State Park to see snowy egrets and blue herons nesting in the swamps and
did you know? Ponchatoula is often called the “Strawberry Capital of the World”!
bottomland hardwood forests. Bring your canoe or kayak and take a funfilled trip on this unique section of the Tickfaw River, including biking and hiking. The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival is a must in the spring, but in any season, Ponchatoula is excellent for antiquing. As the byway turns south on Interstate 51, stop for out-of-this-world catfish at Middendorf’s Restaurant, then finish in LaPlace with homemade andouille.
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