8 Perfect Destinations For A Long Weekend In Louisiana
With the arrival of the new year comes the need to plan for a relaxing long weekend from your busy days of work. Fortunately for you, there are plenty of perfect destinations for a long weekend to choose from in the state of Louisiana. So named after the Sun King of France, Louis XIV, Louisiana’s bayous and bays and backyard-like outdoors are home to some of the best small towns you can visit and explore. At Breaux Bridge and Opelousas, you can appreciate the Acadian and Cajun cultures the Pelican State is known for. Then, there are historic small towns like Saint Francisville and Natchitoches whose legal systems are based on the one Napolean Bonaparte created. Whether for the history or for the thrill of adventure, you will not be disappointed in the small towns of the Pelican State and the perfect destinations for a long weekend in Louisiana.
Breaux Bridge
An Acadian pioneer named Firmin Breaux wanted to build a footbridge across the Bayou Teche so that the communities of Lafayette could be in touch with other towns in Louisiana. As a result, the beautiful town of Breaux Bridge not only provides a perfect destination for a long weekend, but it is also the Crawfish Capital of the World. Travelers can catch all manner of crawfish in the Atchafalaya Basin, one of the largest river basins in North America. In contrast, Lake Martin is teeming with alligators that you should be wary of. For those of you who prefer dry land, you can always tour historic locations like the Fourgeaud House, which was once the home of a prominent doctor from France, and the Silvestre Broussard House, the oldest Creole/Acadian structure in Breaux Bridge since 1811. There are fun and games to be enjoyed at Silver's Travel Plaza & Casino and much Cajun food and Zydeco music to cherish during the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival in May.
Natchitoches
The town of Natchitoches is just an hour away from the city of Shreveport. With its scenic position beside Sibley Lake and the Red River, Natchitoches thrived as a Native American village and as the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase as well as the first French colony in the state when colonists from Europe permanently established their community in 1714. The Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site is one of the many historic locations in Natchitoches that specifically focuses on the French and Indian War that raged in Louisiana. Natchitoches also contributed to the American Civil War in 1864 when Union soldiers bypassed the town after their failed Red River Campaign.
More of Natchitoches’ history can be appreciated at the Prudhomme-Rouquier House, the Kaffie-Frederick General Mercantile, and the Minor Basilica. You might also be interested in taking El Camino Real, “The King’s Highway”, which starts from the Natchitoches Parish and leads one towards the southern nation of Mexico. For outdoor leisure, you can always watch Natchitoches’ Mardi Gras festival from January to February or go strolling through the Kisatchie National Forest and the Cane River National Heritage Area. Finally, for lodgings, you can look to either the Sweet Cane Inn or Chateau Saint Denis Hotel for your daily and nightly needs.
Farmerville
Farmerville is naturally one of the best destinations for travelers to savor the bountiful croplands and agricultural yields of Louisiana. Only about two hours away from Natchitoches, newcomers to Farmerville can eat tons of watermelons during the annual Louisiana Watermelon Festival on the last weekend of July. You ought to also compete with other skilled fishermen at Lake D'Arbonne or simply enjoy the simplicities of life by traipsing through the D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge and the Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge. However, you should be mindful of the many alligators lounging in Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Most importantly, you should not forget to first book a room at either the D'Arbonne Lake Motel or Edgewood Plantation B&B for a merrier weekend vacation in Farmerville.
Abita Springs
Abita Springs is a humble and tranquil small town an hour away from the big cities of Baton Rouge and New Orleans. As a convenient retreat from the often hectic, busy, and crowded sceneries of the major metropolises, Abita Springs ensures a healthy and rejuvenating atmosphere for travelers eager for a perfect destination for a long weekend. One can sample delicious craft beers such as TurboDog and Andygator at the Abita Brewing Company. Bikers and cyclists can try out the exhilarating Tammany Trace bike trail, and you can even partake in the annual Louisiana Bicycle Festival every April. Those who prefer to take things nice and slow can go strolling along Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas. The Fontainebleau State Park is open to locals and newcomers alike, just as the Abita Mystery House captivates visitors with its antiquated attractions. You can listen to invigorating Cajun, Zydeco, and Bluegrass music at the Abita Springs Opry. Most of all, you can book a room in a fine lodging like the Abita Springs Hotel.
Saint Francisville
Saint Francisville, located about 35 minutes from Baton Rouge, is a remarkable town brimming with history and culture on the Mississippi River. The Grace Episcopal Church stands as an architectural replica of the Church of England, and the Angola Museum highlights the history of America’s largest maximum-security prison, the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Every July 6, the Audubon State Historic Site hosts a historic demonstration of cannons being fired during the War of 1814.
Meanwhile, the Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site and the Greenwood Plantation are two scenic locations that have been used as film settings for movies like “Louisiana,” “North & South,” “GI Joe II,” and “Jeepers Creepers III.” Additionally, these sites also narrate the history of plantations, which subjected many African-American slaves to difficult labor. You need not feel apprehensive about the past and the present when taking in the panoramic views of the Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge and Cat Island Cypress. Lastly, you need not look too far for accommodations, not when you can be staying at the Hotel Francis, St. Francisville Inn, or the Hemingbough Guest House.
Morgan City
People living in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and New Orleans can have a convenient getaway from their cities by traveling 60 miles towards Morgan City. This small town is “right in the middle of everywhere,” particularly beside the Atchafalaya River which comes from the Attakapas word meaning “long river.” The very first Tarzan movie was filmed in Morgan City in 1917, the same year that World War I ended. On the shoreline that borders the Gulf of Mexico, the townsfolk celebrate the annual Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival on Labor Day on September 2.
Petroleum is a significant export and import in Morgan City which you can learn all about in the International Petroleum Museum. Engineers will definitely appreciate the construction of the Great Wall, a flood barrier on the Atchafalaya River that manages the flow of Flat Lake and Lake Palourde. Nature lovers can be thrilled at the sights of Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area and Game Preserve, while history enthusiasts will be enamored by the Union Fortress of Fort Star that protected Morgan City during the American Civil War. Morgan City has everything for everyone, so consider it one of the perfect destinations for a long weekend.
Opelousas
Opelousas, the third oldest settlement in the state, is a perfect destination for individuals wanting to immerse themselves into the Acadian, Zydeco, Creole, and Cajun attitudes Louisiana is known for. Originally called Le Poste Des Opelousas in its founding in 1720, Opelousas was where music pioneer Rob Bernard upgraded Swamp Music into Clifton Chenier, labelling him the King of Zydeco and transforming Opelousas into the Zydeco Capital of the World.
Travelers can listen to Zydeco music and appreciate more of the Acadian wilderness by gallivanting through the Thistlethwaite State Wildlife Management Area, the Bayou Teche, and the Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge. Every year in January, Opelousas honors Martin Luther King Junior and his contributions to African-American history with the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade. Meanwhile, from the months of August to September, the Zydeco Capital of the World hosts the beloved Original Southwest LA Zydeco Music Festival. There are plenty more activities and attractions to experience in the funky and opulent town of Opelousas.
Bastrop
Bastrop is one of the best stops and spots to pick when taking in the rural countryside of Louisiana. Only about 25 miles north of the city of Monroe, Bastrop was named after Felipe Enrique Neri, the Baron de Bastrop. Since its founding in the year 1796, the town has endured as the heart of Morehouse Parish. With dozens of well-preserved historic houses and even a courthouse from the olden days, Bastrop is an image of antiquated and antebellum perfection. Beyond the rural confines of the town, travelers will be amazed by the sensational sights at the Ouachita River, the Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, the Georgia Pacific Wildlife Management Area, and the Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge. You might also be interested in more of Louisiana’s outdoor landscapes vis-à-vis the Chemin-A-Haut State Park and Handy Brake National Wildlife Refuge. At the end of the day, you should certainly retire and refresh yourself for a lovely evening in places like the Best Budget Inn.
The perfect destinations for a long weekend in Louisiana are undoubtedly the many small towns that exemplify the captivating Cajun, Acadian, Zydeco, and Creole cultures the state is known for. Many visit these towns for the swamps and bayous, for the historical and filmic mementos, and for the excitement of experiencing and discovering something brand new in the Pelican State. In spite of the alligators and other animal-based hazards that you ought to respect, the perfect destinations for a long weekend in Louisiana will enchant and enamor visitors far and wide. For the many months to come in 2025, you should plan for a much-needed vacation in the many beautiful small towns in Louisiana.
