Tag: Louisiana

Lexington and Concord, Boston and Philadelphia, the Delaware River and Valley Forge. When we reflect on the birth of the nation, these are the places that naturally come to mind. But as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and America’s beginning, we want to give the South its due. Travelers will find America’s Revolutionary history preserved in four cities that played crucial roles in the early development of our nation: Williamsburg, Virginia; Charleston, South Carolina; Salem, North Carolina; and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Situated inside Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter, the Carousel Bar has lured thirsty passersby to its 25-seat rotating bar since 1929. Marvin Allen joined the party in 2002, quickly learning how to hop over the bar top to start his evening shift (there’s no door or entryway) while patrons clapped and cheered.

The creative Cajun has called Lafayette, Louisiana, home since birth and finds inspiration in “the very weird, very diverse” culture of the city; so much so that she opened her brick-and-mortar gift shop, Cocodrie Collective, downtown in 2023. “There’s a big mashup of backgrounds and customs,” she says. “We like to joke that we’re all a bunch of mutts.” Here are her recommendations for exploring Lafayette like a local.

High yield and hardy, okra thrives in the unrelenting heat of the South’s summer months. Thought to have been introduced to Louisiana from West Africa during the early 18th century by enslaved Africans, the plant’s resilience and diverse uses made it integral to the region’s foodways.

The 70-mile stretch of the Great River Road running alongside the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is one of the most storied sections on the 3,000-mile course of America’s longest national scenic byway. The area (sometimes called the German Coast, as it was settled by German immigrants in the 1700s) is more widely known as the Sugar Coast, a nod to the extensive sugar industry that flourished along the shores of the river in the 1800s (and remains an important part of Louisiana’s economy today).

Moss-draped bald cypress and water tupelo trees emerge from the mirror-like water, casting ethereal shadows on its surface. Considered one of Louisiana’s most photogenic natural wonders, Lake Martin is the focal point of Cypress Island Preserve, a Nature Conservancy holding in St. Martin Parish.

Mardi Gras is only the beginning of many lively celebrations dished up in the Big Easy. Don’t be surprised to see a colorful second line parade saunter by on a Sunday afternoon, with its requisite dancing, joyful horn tunes, and trademark parasols. Get ready to immerse yourself in all aspects of the city’s unique history as you feast on food that’ll nourish your body and your soul and raise a glass to round-the-clock fun.

Perhaps it was, as Jonathan Swift once wrote, a bold man who first ate an oyster, but it wasn’t a hard sell for me to join Four Seasons New Orleans’s new Oysters Take Flight experience. On this bright, balmy morning, I set out from the 34-story hotel overlooking the Mississippi River for Southern Seaplane airport in nearby Belle Chasse.