The US Travel Association holds National Travel & Tourism Week every May, and this year it falls on May 5-11. it's a great opportunity to invite visitors into our state, and I wanted to share some my favorite destinations below. Happy travels, y'all!

  • French Quarter, New Orleans. No visit to Louisiana would be complete without a stop in this unique area of the Big Easy. So much more than just souvenir shops, there's an amazing amount of history in the buildings that have been around for over a century
  • River Road Plantations. The road that runs from New Orleans to Baton Rouge along the Mississippi is filled with historic homes and sites. Most have tours, and you can see what life was like over a hundred years ago.
  • Tabasco / Avery island. One of the most famous products in the world, Tabasco Pepper Sauce has been made in Avery island for over 150 years. The grounds and the new tour are pretty amazing.
  • Festivals. Take your pick, we have over 400 a year in Louisiana, and there is something for everyone.
  • Grand Isle State Park. Spectacular fishing, birding and sunsets. Home to the oldest fishing rodeo in the United States.
  • The National Hansen's Disease Museum, Carville. A fascinating look into the only medical facility in the USA that housed patients of the dreaded disease. The grounds are gorgeous and the history is pretty amazing.
  • Bonnie & Clyde Ambush Museum, Gibsland. The site where the two outlaws met their demise is now a museum with artifacts from their careers as bank robbers and murderers. Fascinating.
  • Natchitoches. The oldest city in Louisiana is a fun place to visit along the beautiful Cane River. You can also take a 'Steel Magnolia's' tour to see all the places where the 1989 movie was filmed.
  • The Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville. Supposedly the most haunted house in America. Really.
  • Louisiana State Capitol, Baton Rouge. You can still see the bullet holes where the esteemed 40th Governor of Louisiana, Huey P. Long, was assassinated in 1935. The Observation deck on the 27th floor also gives a breathtaking view of Baton Rouge and the Mississippi River.

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