Traveling Around Louisiana
The calendar and its days are both heating up with spring’s arrival, and Louisiana is an exciting state to experience during this time of rebirth and renewal. As festivals and events return to the region, the opportunities for fun with family and friends are plentiful across the coming months.
Celebrating music, culture, arts, and dance, Louisiana towns and parishes play host to a variety of sights, sounds, and flavors sure to get your heart pumping, your feet moving, and your stomach growling. Gather your crew this spring and head off the beaten path to one of the many hidden—or not so hidden—gems that delight visitors; Louisiana’s unique festivals, museums, restaurants, outdoor recreation, and educational points of interest will expand the mind and inspire smiles and laughs as you create lasting memories with your loved ones.
Kites will fill the skies of West Baton Rouge Parish on April 30 and May 1, when the 18th Annual Kite Fest Louisiane takes over the West Baton Rouge Soccer Complex in Port Allen, Louisiana, located just off I-10.
“We encourage the whole family to come out to this award-winning festival,” says Kathy Gautreau, Executive Director for the West Baton Rouge CVB. “Bring a blanket or lawn chair, relax in the sun, and have fun flying kites, watching kite performances, taking part in the kite design contest or making a free kite and learning to fly it. There will be great food and music.”
The Go Big or Go Home kite team will display huge kites while the Austin End of the Line flying teams will perform ballets in the sky using two-line kites. The Northeast Rev Riders will amaze crowds with four-line kites. Kite Fest Louisiane is free and open to the public, and Saturday’s festivities will conclude with a special firework display at dusk.
For more information, sponsorship levels, or volunteer opportunities call 225-344-2920 or visit westbatonrouge.net.
Lafayette is at the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun & Creole Country, an area that’s worth a visit any time of year. With their distinctive blend of food, music and culture, it’s no wonder people from all over are heading down south with a smile on their face.
One annual event bringing together all the elements that make Lafayette so unique is Festival International de Louisiane. The largest non-ticketed outdoor Francophone event in the US, Festival International highlights the connections between Acadiana and the Francophone world. Held Wednesday – Sunday, April 27 – May 1 throughout Lafayette’s Downtown, Festival International hosts 500 performing and visual artists from 17 countries including Europe, Africa, Canada, the Caribbean and the Americas to share their talents across six stages with Lafayette’s artists, residents and visitors.
Visit LafayetteTravel.com/FestivalInternational for performance schedule, lodging and travel information.
Discover your hidden treasure in Tangipahoa Parish. This Northshore oasis is located just 45 minutes north of New Orleans and 30 minutes east of Baton Rouge.
Get your hands dirty while learning about the farming industry at Miss Heather’s Pumpkin Patch. Turn back the hands of time at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival. Wiggle a camel’s hump at Global Wildlife Refuge. Test your skills and nerves at the Escape Warehouse. Wet your whistle on the Tangipahoa Brewery Trail. Get up close and personal with monster-sized alligators at Kliebert’s. Seek out spirits at the Rise Haunted House. Or spend a leisurely day strolling down the sidewalks of Tangipahoa’s quaint downtowns.
Plan your trip accordingly to enjoy festival fun at the Strawberry, Oyster, Sicilian Heritage, Pirate, or Italian Festivals. Whether you are looking for family fun, girlfriend getaways, outdoor adventure, or cultural experiences, let Tangipahoa Parish show you why “off the beaten path” is often where the greatest adventures begin. For more information, call 800-617-4501 or visit tangitourism.com.
Your next outdoor adventure is closer than you think—in Alexandria/Pineville, a robust sportsman’s culture is nurtured by outdoor opportunities in the area including two beautiful and challenging golf courses and scenic Lake Buhlow in Pineville.
Explore the forested piney hills and hardwood bottoms of Kisatchie National Forest, one of the largest pieces of natural landscape in Louisiana and the only national forest in the state, filled with vital longleaf pine and flatwoods vegetation supporting rare plant and animal species. Located within Kisatchie National Forest are scenic areas ideal for bird watching, photography, backpacking, canoeing, all-terrain vehicle trails, boating, camping, cycling, fishing, picnicking and swimming. The forest has more than 40 developed recreation sites such as Kincaid Lake Campground, a modern, forested paradise, complete with a fishing pier, swimming area, and boat launch.
Plan your outdoor adventure today at alexandriapinevillela.com.
