Spring and Summer Travel
Adventure is calling and the Gulf South is ready to answer with festivals, getaways, and excursions to wile away those hot Summer days.
Big Cypress Lodge
One of the South’s great wonders, the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid, holds a wilderness hotel, Big Cypress Lodge. Combining rustic simplicity with modern elegance, Big Cypress Lodge features rooms and amenities designed to bring the great outdoors inside, with screened-in porches overlooking Bass Pro Shops, electric fireplaces, handcrafted furniture, and luxury bathrooms with jetted tubs. Enjoy all the charm and culture that Memphis has to offer, from the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, with over 200,000 tulips in bloom, Memphis Redbirds playing at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, the highly anticipated US Open Bowfishing Championship May 17-18, and so much more! Learn more about all the exciting offerings at Big Cypress Lodge and plan your next adventure into the heart of Memphis, TN, one of America’s most historic cities.
Please visit big-cypress.com.
Lafayette
Lafayette is at the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun & Creole Country, an area known as the Happiest City in America, and it’s no mystery why. Its distinctive blend of food, music, and culture has people from all over heading down to Acadiana for festivals, outdoor adventures, and all-around good times for all.
Summertime is near, and there’s something exciting around every corner. Come down May 2 – 4 for the world-famous Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, one of the year’s largest gatherings of renowned Cajun musicians and the best food you’re apt to find. May 23 – 25, Couillon Fest brings the laughs for a three-day stand-up comedy festival while Zydeco Extravaganza takes over the Blackham Coliseum on May 25, with live music, an amateur accordion contest, and top-tier traditional Creole cuisine. Finally, on June 8, join your Acadiana neighbors for a celebration of culture and heritage with Creole Culture Day.
Learn more at lafayettetravel.com.
Port Arthur
The Official Cajun Capital of Texas is calling. Port Arthur, Texas, prides itself on its own personal brand of Cajun culture, offering food, fun, and sun that you can’t find anywhere else. The perfect location for your family vacation, Port Arthur, Texas, boasts everything from sports to music, camping to windsurfing.
Visit Sea Rim State Park, 5.2 miles of beach shoreline alongside 4,000 acres of marshland perfect for fishing, birding, kayaking, camping, and swimming, or follow the Cajun Heritage Trail where Swamp Pop, Zydeco and Cajun ballads swim through the air and the finest boudin and crawfish in the Lone Star State are ready to be devoured.
Lifelong memories at Port Arthur are rife for the making, a gumbo overflowing with culture and attractions for the whole family. The final ingredient is you! Learn more about all the experiences and attractions at Port Arthur, Texas, at visitportarthurtx.com.
Avoyelles Parish
Avoyelles Parish, located in Louisiana’s geographic center, is amid an exciting festival season, and you’re invited to experience it all!
May kicks off with three incredible festivals: the Cajun Crossroads Sports Festival on May 2-3, the Cochon de Lait Festival on May 9-10, and the Tunica Biloxi Pow-Wow on May 17-18, 2025. Additionally, from May 2-4, the Tunica Biloxi Invitational Golf Tournament will take place at Paragon’s Tamahka Trail Golf Club. For more details, call 318.240.6305.
In June, don’t miss the 38th Louisiana Corn Festival, hosted by the Bunkie Chamber of Commerce from June 12-14.
The summer fun continues with the Avoyelles Arts and Music Festival at Paragon Casino Resort on July 4th, Louisiana’s longest-running Fourth of July celebration.
Come join us in Avoyelles Parish for these vibrant events and celebrate the culture, music, and traditions of the Centre de la Louisiane!
Visit www.travelavoyelles.com or follow us on Facebook at TravelAvoyelles.
Mississippi
Summer is rapidly approaching, and our thoughts turn to sun and sand. Luckily, Mississippi is an incredible place to spend these sun-drenched days with luxurious beaches, world-class casinos, iconic historical locales, and fun-filled adventures for the entire family.
Mississippi’s capital city, Jackson, blooms both literally and figuratively during the months of May and June, ensuring visitors an exceptional opportunity to discover a welcoming and unique blend of southern cultural, recreational, and educational experiences to engage. Explore the hiking and fishing of LeFleur’s Bluff State Park, the botanical abundance of Mynelle Gardens, dance the night away at the Cathead Jam on June 6-7 at Cathead Distillery, or have yourself a briny good time at Mississippi Pickle Fest at the Mississippi Agriculture Museum June 7 – 8.
Jackson will stir the soul with its must-see attractions. So spend this Summer in Mississippi and discover a new way to play!
Learn more at visitmississippi.org.
