Louisianians are a diverse bunch, but we have a few common traits. For example, many Louisianians, no matter how close we are to our family, have an independent streak. Strength and persistence also come to mind when you consider people…
Retired biology professor Malcolm F. Vidrine enjoyed a career ripe with accomplishments: author or coauthor of 20 books and numerous scientific articles, the discovery of leprosy in wild armadillos, and important work with mussels at the Watson Brake archaeological site…
When self-taught gardener Verna Cook Garvan created a private garden on her property facing Lake Hamilton outside Hot Springs, Arkansas, she chose every plant, picked the locations and…
Louisiana is an antique shoppers wonderland, so if you are one or have one on your list, options abound in every corner of the state — and the middle, too. Shopping for the holidays in Louisiana is as unique as…
Take a road trip through Louisiana and visitors will find the most charming small towns scattered throughout the Bayou State. Nestled among bayous, fields of sugar cane and cotton, and filled with historic properties, these small towns provide for outstanding…
Nothing stops the innovators, trailblazers and entrepreneurs of Louisiana. Last year may have taken the wind out of our sails with hurricanes, freezes and a worldwide pandemic, but the Bayou State never faltered in producing new and interesting products, culinary offerings…
Doth Union and Confederate troops had Corinth in its crosshairs during the height of the Civil War, due to its two strategic rail lines. The small town in the northeast corner of Mississippi was originally named “Cross City” for the…
There’s a tremendous amount of attention that goes into restoring a 1796 Louisiana plantation home to be used as a bed and breakfast. At the time…
Tchefuncte's Restaurant in Madisonville offers upscale atmosphere and a Gulf-inspired menu. Commuting rush hour aside, blood pressure appears to drop once north of Lake Pontchartrain. Life slows down in the historic towns…
Nothing like a pandemic to…
In the ‘70s when many Americans were making a return to nature, Jeff Horchoff thought raising bees might be a fun idea. Bees require little attention once established so Horchoff thought beekeeping…
Boom or Bust Industry moved in and out of the northwest corner of Louisiana over the past two centuries. Oil and gas, timber, farming and more brought prosperity at its inception and…
Elizabeth Nehrbass of Lafayette watched news reports of the Louisiana coast disappearing for years, viewing the aerial shots of land loss in newscasts and slipping into fatalistic thinking that a problem that…
In the ‘70s when many Americans were making a return to nature, Jeff Horchoff thought raising bees might be a fun idea. Bees require little attention once established so Horchoff thought beekeeping…
Boom or Bust Industry moved in and out of the northwest corner of Louisiana over the past two centuries. Oil and gas, timber, farming and more brought prosperity at its inception and…
Eulizabeth Nehrbass of Lafayette watched news reports of the Louisiana coast disappearing for years, viewing the aerial shots of land loss in newscasts and slipping into fatalistic thinking that a problem that…
It’s a long drive from the Louisiana border to the Arkansas highlands, whether visiting the Ouachita Mountains near Hot Springs or the Ozarks blending into Missouri. If you’re…
There’s not much…
Hurricane Sally did a number on Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, flooding properties and halting businesses already…
Hurricane Sally did a number on Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, flooding properties and halting businesses already…
There’s not much…
Forget those diet resolutions. When do those 10 pounds ever come off? Especially with Carnival following the holidays. Instead, resolve to visit cities and towns in one of America’s most fascinating states — Louisiana! Here are suggestions to put on…
My mother always sewed my Mardi Gras costumes growing up, leaving room for turtlenecks and T-shirts should the weather turn cold. One never knows what Louisiana winters will bring. The weekend could prove warm and mild, our faces basking in…
There’s so much on the horizon for Natchez this year. Dunleith, the historic plantation with its sprawling estate and cozy fine dining restaurant, opens this spring after a long renovation. The historic home built in 1885 was acquired by the…
As we head into fall, and the heat abates, thoughts turn to the outdoors. What better place to enjoy the cool, refreshing weather than Louisiana’s…
When casinos reopened in May, they followed many other Louisiana businesses by limiting their offerings — in this case gaming positions — and decreasing the facility’s capacity to allow for social distancing. Safety precautions were put in place, including requiring…
Tammany Trace Abandoned train corridors can be reincarnated into excellent biking and hiking paths, and such was the case in St. Tammany Parish. The parish government purchased land once owned by the Illinois Central Railroad and created the Tammany Trace,…
You would think that an introvert who works at home would perform ok in this pandemic. At first, I did fine, although having family members constantly at home proved challenging at times. But last week hit me hard. I…
We all know that war is hell but sometimes there’s a brief pause in the suffering when the light shines through and we remember our humanity. U.S. Lt. Cmdr. John Elliott Hart happened to be commanding the Union gunboat…
Folks travel to Louisiana from around the world hoping to find French culture and language. After all, Louisiana as a European settlement was founded by the French. What tourists discover is that Louisiana’s unique heritage expands beyond its French…
I’m not into fishing, although I won’t pass up a chance to get out on a lake, especially during the Dog Days of summer. So, when tourism officials invited me out on a guided fishing excursion on Toledo Bend,…
The first time I discovered the unique Bayou Teche Museum in New Iberia was in advance of the inaugural El Festival Espanol de Nueva Iberia or Spanish Festival in 2012. I was so impressed with this small museum and…
It’s a lovely, although circuitous drive to Lorrain Parish Park, heading south from Welch and Interstate 10 and then west on rural West Niblett Road. You’ll pass bayous, cows and rows of ancient live oak trees until you reach…
Summer’s here and the beaches are calling. Coastal Alabama is not only open for business but offers plenty of ways to get outside and stay at least six feet away from others. There are 60 miles of Gulf beaches and…
Mark Elliott had spent 70 straight days working in his kayak outfitter warehouse after having to send five of his employees home due to COVID-19. Spring was usually a time when interest in paddling surged, but the phones weren’t ringing…
Summer adventure awaits in one of Louisiana’s most impressive and diverse outdoor spaces Chalk it up to the impressive statistics, the 200 species of birds and incredible sports fishing and hunting. The massive Atchafalaya River Basin tops all U.S.…
I’m still skittish about moving into society — and with good reason, of course. But, a recent getaway to Monroe-West Monroe for rest and relaxation, plus a little antique shopping and good eating, allowed me a road trip fix without…
For those of you who grew up attending movie theaters that projected one film, sold popcorn so fresh you shoveled it into your mouth before the film began and lounged in chairs plush and soft, you’ll love the Fiske…
This month, Louisiana skies will be ablaze with energy. The fifth annual CenterPoint Energy Red River Balloon Rally, presented by the Louisiana Office of Tourism, will take place June 12-14, sending local and regional balloons over various neighborhoods in…
Normally this time of year, downtown Lafayette is bursting with live music and the Downtown Alive concert series, in addition to festivals, Second Saturday ArtWalk and incredible scents of cuisine emanating from popular eateries. Galleries and restaurants are beginning…
Dr. Edwin Lewis Stephens, the first president of the University of Southwestern Louisiana Institute, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, was inspired by a Walt Whitman poem and started possibly the first organization for live oak trees. As…
During their crime spree in the early 1930s, the law despised Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow, known as the outlaw gang, Bonnie & Clyde. The couple murdered at least nine police officers and four civilians as they…
As one of the oldest states in the union, founded in 1699 by French colonists and attracting numerous nationalities over its 300-plus history, not to mention an exemplary Native American heritage, Louisiana offers countless unique places to visit. It’s a…
This week marks the annual National Travel and Tourism Week, and while travel may be stymied due to the coronavirus, Louisiana tourist commissions are hard at work, ready to roll when the state officially opens. Until that wonderful day…
Located in the northwest corner of Arkansas, Bentonville used to be a sleepy little town. Then Sam Walton got the great idea of helping people save money and live better, opening a five-and-dime called Walton’s on the square and beginning…
Digging into Louisiana genealogy led to me to understand an interesting history of Opelousas, the third oldest city in Louisiana following Natchitoches and New Orleans. The “poste” was established by the French colony’s government in 1720 for the French…
Despite the recent economic turndown due to COVID-19, Louisiana craft breweries are staying online, producing new products — even creating hand sanitizers! Take Urban South Brewery of New Orleans. This month the company has released more than 20 unique…
In the heart of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette lies a swamp, complete with alligators, turtles, fish and blooming Louisiana irises. It’s a sight representative of South Louisiana’s swampy terrain. According to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette…
Louisiana birthed many famous native sons and daughters, but other famous people traveled through our state, leaving an indelible mark. Since we’re stuck in our homes and unable to travel our beautiful region, here’s a trivia test to jog…
When I worked for The Advocate newspaper around the turn of the 21st century, I parked in an undeveloped lot overlooking the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge. Many of my colleagues would park in the non-descript gravel spaces…
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