9 Off-The-Beaten-Path Towns In Louisiana
The paths that are less beaten than others often lead to extraordinary destinations. In the case of the state of Louisiana, you will be led towards some of the best off-the-beaten-path towns in the Pelican State where Acadian and Creole cultures, Cajun foods, and Zydeco music thrive and vivify everyone. There are destinations like Breaux Bridge and Opelousas where one can immerse themselves in the compelling Acadian and Cajun cultures the Pelican State is known for. Then, there are locations like Saint Francisville and Natchitoches that have contributed much to the historic formations of Louisiana. On the other hand, you will find places like Abita Springs and Bastrop to be both historically appealing and naturally beautiful destinations that are worth going off the beaten path for. Whichever road you follow, consider taking the less traveled ones that lead to some of the best off-the-beaten-path towns in Louisiana.
Breaux Bridge
Breaux Bridge, the self-campaigned “Crawfish Capital of the World,” is one of the best off-the-beaten-path destinations in Louisiana. During the 18th century, an Acadian pioneer named Firmin Breaux built a bridge over the Bayou Teche in order to connect the nearby city of Lafayette with the rest of Louisiana. A number of historic buildings have retained their original architecture over the changing years. Among them are French-themed structures like the 1905 Fourgeaud House, the 1895 Gaston Patin House, and the 1896 Jaeger House.
When restaurants in Breaux Bridge became the first to offer crawfish openly on their menus, the town’s world-famous crawfish etouffee was soon created, propelling Breaux Bridge into what the Louisiana legislature officially designated as “la capitale Mondiale de l’ecrevisse” or “the crawfish capital of the world.” In honor of the exquisite crawfish farming and cooking that Breaux Bridge is known for, you can attend the annual Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival on the first week of May. Aside from these cuisines, you can travel through points of interest such as Lake Martin, the largest nesting area for wading birds and alligators in the state.
Abita Springs
Approximately 50 minutes north of New Orleans from across the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, the small town of Abita Springs has prospered as a humble little community in the Saint Tammany Parish. It once served as a home for many Native Americans as far back as 2,220 years ago, with plenty of game, fish, and spring water to make life comfortable until the repressive government policies forced the Native Americans into Oklahoma. When Louisiana settlers established more permanent residences beside Abita Creek and Abita Springs in 1820, the town became famous for its mineral-rich waters and its distant proximity to businesses in big cities like New Orleans.
These days, Abita Springs promises access to a handful of panoramic and pleasurable areas of interest, such as the Fontainebleau State Park beside Lake Pontchartrain and the Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge, whose swampy woodlands extend to the state of Mississippi. Travelers can learn more about Abita Springs’ humble origins from the exhibits and mementos at the Abita Springs Museum. You might also fancy perusing the wares and goods at the Abita Springs Art and Farmers Market for anything that suits your needs and wants. Most importantly, you ought to book a room in a lodging facility like the Abita Springs Hotel for a more comfortable vacation in Abita Springs.
Bastrop
Bastrop, located about 25 miles north of Monroe and 20 miles south of the Arkansas state line, is a remarkable small town with historic relevance to Louisiana. When Governor Baron de Carondelet of Spain granted 12 leagues square, or one million acres, to a nobleman from the Netherlands named Felipe Enrique Neri, the Baron de Bastrop, in the year 1796, the town of Bastrop started out as a laidback and struggling community of over 500 families making a living in the New World. When the Louisiana Purchase forced the Baron de Bastrop to sell the town to Abram Morehouse, the town became the parish seat in 1846 and experienced its first industrial boom after 1916, when natural gas was discovered in the area.
In more modern times, the North Louisiana Cotton Festival and Fair is held annually in October for those interested in all things related to cotton. The more adventurous of you can go gallivanting through the Georgia Pacific Wildlife Management Area and the Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge to the northwest of Bastrop. Whichever path you intend to take, it will all lead you to rewarding and spectacular attractions surrounding and within the small town of Bastrop.
Natchitoches
Beside the flowing Red River and approximately an hour away from Shreveport, the delightful small town of Natchitoches is home to some of the most fascinating historic Louisiana features within the National Historic Landmark District. Natchitoches was once the abode of French-Canadian explorer and soldier Saint-Denis, also known as Louis Juchereau de Saint-Denis, who was charged with the defense of Natchitoches against Spanish incursion and occupation and building Natchitoches as a trading center in Louisiana. The Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site is one of the last bases Saint-Denis was headquartered in before dying in 1744.
During the American Civil War in the year 1864, Union troops passed through Natchitoches as they retreated from the failed Red River Campaign. Meanwhile, in the 19th century, the Kaffie-Frederick General Mercantile, the city’s oldest general store, was opened and continues to remain operational for one and all. Most of all, in the National Heritage Area in the Cane River Creole National Historical Park, you will find the Oakland Plantation, the most complete Creole plantation in the South that has been around since the 18th century. Similarly, you can head to other plantation areas like the Melrose Plantation, renowned for its Creole art and education and home to famed folk artist Clementine Hunter, whose paintings can be seen in the African House and even in the Louvre in Paris, France.
Farmerville
Farmerville's wholesome and rural communities can guide you to off-the-beaten-path destinations within Louisiana’s verdant and vibrant outdoors. From the expansive and exciting body of water known as Lake D'Arbonne that Farmerville lounges beside, one can improve their fishing and boating techniques on its challenging waterways. Furthermore, you can participate in several fishing tournaments that are often hosted on Lake D’Arbonne at different times of the month. On the other hand, visitors can attend the annual Louisiana Watermelon Festival, which is often held on the last weekend of July. At Lake D'Arbonne State Park, travelers can go camping and walk through the scenic forest areas and untamed woods deep within Louisiana’s natural landscapes. Trekkers will also be exhilarated when hunting and hiking through the vast acreages of the D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge and the Union Wildlife Management Area.
Opelousas
Opelousas, the third oldest town in Louisiana since its founding in 1805 after the Louisiana Purchase, is lauded for being the world’s capital of Zydeco, a unique genre of music that originated in Louisiana. Grammy-award-winning individuals such as Clifton Chenier, hailed as the King of Zydeco, and Terrance Simien propelled Zydeco into the modern musical landscape with their immersive and popular brand of rhythm and style, which you can learn more about at the Zydeco Music Exhibit at Le Vieux Village Heritage Park. Similarly, you should visit the park in the spring and fall to hear live zydeco bands on Friday evenings at Music & Market or immerse yourself more in Zydeco during the Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival held on the Saturday before Labor Day.
Since Opelousas is the third oldest town in Louisiana, you can find all manner of well-preserved antebellum, Victorian, and early 20th-century architecture all over the town. Among them is the "Hidden Capital of Louisiana," which served as the governor's mansion during the American Civil War. At the Le Vieux Village Heritage Park, there is Zydeco music to listen to and a handful of historic structures to tour, such as the Jim Bowie Display, the Whiteville Schoolhouse, Andrepont’s General Store, and The Venus House. Those of you eager for exploration can venture into the bramble and bushes of the Thistlethwaite State Wildlife Management Area. Finally, for those of you who wish to celebrate all things Creole, you can participate in the Holy Ghost Creole Bazaar & Festival this year in November.
Saint Francisville
Approximately 35 minutes north of Baton Rouge, visitors will be intrigued by the many historic plantation sites all over Saint Francisville. The Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site boasts a Greek Revival mansion and sublime gardens for everyone to tour. At the same time, the Greenwood Plantation features film locations you might have seen in movies like Louisiana, GI Joe II, and North & South. The Myrtles Plantation, on the other hand, is infamous for being one of America’s most haunted homes, partly due to the fact that some of the plantations around Saint Francisville and in Louisiana as a whole were sites of slavery and abuse.
Aside from plantations, Saint Francisville also boasts other historic landmarks to tour. The Port Hudson State Historic Site, for example, commemorates the Siege of Port Hudson during the American Civil War. During the last weekend of March, you can watch a reenactment of such a battle with costumed volunteers and actors playing the roles of Confederate and Union soldiers in battle. Meanwhile, the Angola Museum at the Louisiana State Penitentiary focuses on the storied history of the largest maximum-security prison in America. Suppose you prefer to soak in the outdoors rather than indoor lessons. In that case, you can follow the Mississippi River towards grand regions like the Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge and Tunica Hills WMA.
Saint Martinville
On Bayou Teche and about 13 miles south of Breaux Bridge, the out-of-the-way town of Saint Martinville has contributed much to the history and formation of the state of Louisiana. Formerly known as Poste des Attakapas after a Native American tribe that once resided in the area, Saint Martinville was founded in the 1760s by a colony of Acadians whom the British expelled from Nova Scotia, Canada. This historical event laid the groundwork for the story of Evangeline, renowned author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who became famous in one of his poems. Evangeline’s romance with Gabriel is a well-preserved and recorded moment, which you can learn more about in the Longfellow-Evangeline State Commemorative Area just outside town.
When the French Revolution ended, numerous Royal refugees from France fled to Saint Martinville to avoid more guillotine executions in Europe. Because of the influx of French customs and culture from this period, Saint Martinville soon became known as Le Petit Paris (“Little Paris”) and was so named after Saint Martin of Tours, the patron saint of France and father of monasticism in Gaul. These days, Saint Martinville promotes exquisite swamp tours through the bayous and bogs in the Atchafalaya Basin and in the calmer waters of Lake Martin. There are many more surprises and adventures to experience in the historic and off-the-beaten-path town of Saint Martinville, so you should prepare an extra set of clothes for marsh journeys and history lessons from this amazing small town.
Grand Isle
Jutting out towards the Gulf of Mexico lies the narrow barrier island and town known as Grand Isle. Famous for its beaches and fishing piers at the Grand Isle State Park, Louisiana's only inhabited barrier island has captivated beachgoers and thrill-seekers for generations. It was once a prominent fishing spot for the Chitimacha tribe until Spain acquired and colonized the island. Pirates and privateers like Jean Lafitte frequented the area in the early 1800s, and construction of Fort Livingston began in the 1830s on the nearby Grand Terre Island to repel both piracy and enemy empires.
If there are no issues with the weather, you will find Grand Isle a grand destination for more than simply the beaches and the basin of the Gulf of Mexico. You will be mesmerized by the oak trees surrounding the Grand Isle Birding Trail. You will be assuaged by the sight of butterflies within the Butterfly Dome and by the rookeries of the largest brown pelicans that the Pelican State is known to have on Queen Bess Island. Most importantly, you will be awed by annual events such as the Grand Isle Migratory Bird Celebration from April 25 to 26, when various bird species take a break on the barrier island, as well as the Island Strong Music Fest to honor Grand Isle’s recovery from recent hurricanes on July 17-19.
Conclusion
The state of Louisiana, so named after the Sun King, Louis XIV of France, shelters some of the best off-the-beaten-path towns worth visiting this year. Most vacation in this fantastic destination because of the spectacular outdoors and sceneries you will find either in the bayous and woods around places like Farmerville or beside the Gulf of Mexico in towns like Grand Isle. Others prefer these small towns because of their historical and cultural relevance, whether they enjoy Breaux Bridge for its crawfish or Opelousas for inspiring Zydeco. However, everyone will feel like going off the beaten trails and paths when discovering the beautiful destinations and small towns in Louisiana.
