There are hundreds of lists of things to do in the USA or individual states like Louisiana, but we’ve come up with one thing in every state plus D.C. in 21 different categories. Truly something for everyone, from historic places to foods you have to try, from the downright quirky to amazing museums, and from weird places to stay to fun things to do. Our primary criteria were we have or want to see them, and they are things you can physically visit or try.
A map showing the location of everything on our bucket list for the pelican state can be found at the end of the post.
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HISTORIC PLACE: PLAQUEMINE LOCK STATE HISTORIC SITE
Photo reproduced with kind permission of ap0013
Designed by Colonel George Washington Goethals of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Plaquemine Lock now preserves this early example of hydraulic engineering. The lock connected Southwest Louisiana and the Mississippi River via the Atchafalaya Basin. Opened in 1909 it was at the time the highest freshwater lift in the world and served its purpose for 52 years.
Read Reviews for Plaquemine Lock | 57730 Main St, Plaquemine, Louisiana 70764
FAMOUS PERSON: MARIE LAVEAU
Marie Catherin Laveau was a Creole practitioner of Voodoo in the 19th century. As many as 12,000 people watched her performing rites on the banks of Lake Pontchartrain on Saint John’s Eve in 1874. You can still visit her tomb by guided tour, though is she actually buried in it? Public access had to be revoked due to ongoing problems with vandalism.
1201-1253 Conti St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
NATURAL WONDER: MISSISSIPPI RIVER
The mighty Mississippi cuts through the USA for 2,320 miles (3,730km) making it the fourth-longest river in the world. So why did we put in Louisiana instead of the state that takes its name from the river? Well, Louisiana is the only state that the Mississippi flows through – it forms the boundary of all the other states along it.
Read Reviews for Mississippi River
FOOD & DRINK: GUMBO & DELAWARE PUNCH
Photos by stu_spivack | CC BY-SA 2.0 & Schuyler Erle | CC BY 2.0
Likely named after the names of one of its two main ingredients in the Niger-Congo languages, Gumbo is a stew made with shellfish or fowl, with sausages and ham added, alongside tomatoes, a dark roux or filé and vegetables, cooked for several hours. Try it with Delaware Punch, which despite its name is not from Delaware; it’s named for the grape variety that gives it its flavour.
FACTORY TOUR: CONRAD RICE MILL
Photo reproduced with kind permission of Tom Blok
Conrad Rice Mill is the oldest independently owned rice mill in the US and produces Konriko brand rice. Their factory tour can show you the process of making rice, from harvesting to selling the end product.
Read Reviews for Conrad Rice Mill | 307 Ann St, New Iberia, Louisiana 70560
MAN-MADE: LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN CAUSEWAY
Stretching for almost 24 miles (39km) across Lake Pontchartrain, the causeway is not something you’ll drive across for fun as it is arrow straight for mile after mile, with only water and oncoming traffic on the other carriageway! But as a man-made feat of engineering, it is worthy of our list. Supported by 9,500 concrete pilings it is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest continuous bridge over water.
Read Reviews for Lake Pontchartrain | Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, New Orleans, Louisiana 70124
RECORD-BREAKING: BAYOU BARTHOLOMEW
Meandering for about 364 miles (586km), Bayou Bartholomew is the longest bayou in the world. It contains over 100 species of aquatic life and its water eventually arrives at Ouachita River near Sterlington, Louisiana.
READ MORE: See what we found in the rest of the USA
QUIRKY RECORD: WORLD’S LARGEST RONALD REAGAN STATUE
Covington may seem a strange place to house the world’s largest Ronald Reagan Statue… he never visited and the town was a democratic stronghold whilst he was president! But once Covington became Republican, a series of events lead to the building of the 10ft (3m) statue of the late president.
249 E Lockwood St, Covington, Louisiana 70433
ACTIVITY: RIDE A STREETCAR
You can’t visit New Orleans and not ride a streetcar – one of only two moving national monuments in the USA. The other, if you haven’t guessed, is the cable cars of San Francisco.
2331 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118 – 738 Canal St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
ATLAS OBSCURA: NEW ORLEANS TRAIN GARDEN
Photo reproduced with kind permission of buy_aapl
This hidden gem tucked away in the Botanical Garden is well worth seeking out. Featuring typical New Orleans architecture, replicas of streetcars and plenty of trains, visitors can admire the work that has gone into making this excellent model railway.
Read Reviews for Botanical Gardens | 5 Victory Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana 70119
MOST VISITED: FRENCH QUARTER, NEW ORLEANS
If you can visit around Mardi Gras, buildings throughout New Orleans will be decorated in the beautiful purple, green and gold as seen in the picture. But any time of year is good for wandering through the famous French Quarter and enjoying its uniquely New Orleans atmosphere.
Read Reviews for French Quarter | New Orleans, Louisiana
STATE/NATIONAL PARK: JEAN LAFITTE NATIONAL PARK
Photo by dconvertini | CC BY-SA 2.0
With so much to explore you might have trouble deciding what to do first? You can see alligators in the preserve, check out the Battlefield of Chalmette, visit the Acadian Cultural Center, prairie or wetland or take a look at the French Quarter Visitor Centre.
Read Reviews for Jean Lafitte National Historic Park | Marrero, Louisiana 70072
EVENT: MARDI GRAS
Mardi Gras is one huge colourful event that goes on for days. Multiple parades everywhere decked out in the traditional gold, green and purple, floats of extravagant design and a general party atmosphere to enjoy. Shouldn’t everyone go to at least one Mardi Gras?
Read Reviews of Mardi Gras | New Orleans, Louisiana
DIFFERENT PLACE TO STAY: THE BANK HOTEL
L’Banca Albergo is a hotel that used to be a bank but is now a boutique hotel. The wine “vault” is in the old vault of the bank and, in keeping with the boutique nature, the rooms are all named; numbers are so passé aren’t they? With touches from the building’s original purpose kept in place, you could be sleeping in a room with an original teller’s window if you stay in the Bank Room.
Read Reviews for L’Banca Albergo The Bank Hotel | 233 Arthur Ave, Lake Arthur, Louisiana 70549
READ MORE: See what we found in the rest of the USA
DIFFERENT PLACE TO EAT: CRAWFISH TOWN USA
No prizes for guessing what this restaurant is famous for serving! But if you don’t want crawfish, they offer plenty of other Cajun or Creole classics. And if you want to make something similar at home, there is a shop next door selling seafood and seasoning.
Read Reviews for Crawfish town USA | 2815 Grand Point Highway, Henderson, Louisiana 70517
HAVE SOME FUN: MARDI GRAS WORLD
Photo by ScubaBear68 | CC BY 2.0
For a behind-the-scenes look at some of what goes on to put on Mardi Gras floats, or if you aren’t there at the right time of year and want to get a glimpse of what you missed, Mardi Gras World has you covered. Their tour will show you how they make those amazing floats and let you see some of their past creations; they’ve been at it since 1947!
Read Reviews for Mardi Gras World | 1380 Port of New Orleans Pl, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
FILM LOCATION: EVERGREEN PLANTATION
Photo by Michael McCarthy | CC BY-ND 2.0
Showcasing plantation culture in Louisiana, Evergreen Plantation offers tours that give you a feel of what life would have been like, for the lucky ones living in the main house, and the less lucky slaves that made that life what it was. The plantation was the setting for movies including Django Unchained.
Read Reviews of Evergreen Plantation | 4677 LA-18, Edgard, Louisiana 70049
FUN FACT
Louisiana boasts the tallest capitol building in the United States, measuring a whopping 450 feet (137m) tall. Its nearest competitor is in Nebraska which falls 50 feet (15m) short of the building in Baton Rouge.
Read Reviews for Louisiana State Capitol | 900 N 3rd St, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802
SOMETHING DIFFERENT: NICHOLAS CAGE’S TOMB
Photo by Britt Reints | CC BY 2.0
This really is Nicholas Cage’s tomb, reserved only at the time of writing. What attracted him to a pyramid-shaped tomb in a New Orleans cemetery is I guess his business! He’ll be spending long enough there.
300 N Claiborne Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
MUSEUM: THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM
Detailing the history of the Second World War and its impact on the world, this museum does an excellent job of describing this period of history. From the start of the conflict, through the dark days in Europe and beyond, to D-Day and the eventual victory over the Nazis.
Read Reviews for National WWII Museum | 945 Magazine St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
SCENIC DRIVE: CREOLE NATURE TRAIL
Photo by Louisiana Travel | CC BY-ND 2.0
Following the coast, as well as spurs heading inland, the Creole Nature Trail offers abundant variety. Found here are alligators, 400 bird species, marshlands, and gulf beaches all mixed with Cajun culture.
Read Reviews for Creole Nature Trail
READ MORE: See what we found in the rest of the USA
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RESOURCES | PLAN YOUR TRIP TO LOUISIANA
To book flights, rental cars, accommodations, and activities for your trip, please check out our recommended travel providers, favourite apps and websites.
These are a few tours we would recommend for your trip to Louisiana, USA.
Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission but this does not affect the price to you. Please read our full disclosure policy here.
