Louisiana
Defining Louisiana is no easy task. In fact, for a state that
can easily be driven end-to-end in less than a day, we offer an
amazing spectrum of diverse landscapes and cultures.
Louisiana has the most colorful history of any state and of many
countries. Beginning long before the Louisiana Purchase, our state
took shape in prehistoric times. We have had a past of many battles,
on the battlefield and in the political arena. Our architecture
is a lasting impression of French and Spanish rule. Today, there
are many reminders of the past in our museums, plantations, historic
sites and attractions.
When the state’s nickname happens to “Sportsman’s
Paradise,” there’s a lot to live up to. With books
written on the subject and much buzz about our wildlife and wetlands,
it’s easy to see how certain expectations are set in visitors’ minds.
Take hunting season. It’s not exactly a season -- it’s
eight months out of the year, with our back woods and bayous full
of fowl and four-legged critters. And with one of the largest game
preserves in the U.S. our state is also a natural habitat for many
rare and endangered species, making Louisiana a “Bird Watcher’s
Paradise” as well. Year round fishing. Year round golf. Year
round camping. Year round…well you get the picture. With
literally thousands of hiking and biking trails and the largest
expanse of coastal wetlands in North America, you’ll never
be lost for ways to enjoy the great outdoors.
If you prefer the rod and reel to the rifle, there are as many
ways to catch fish in Louisiana as there are to cook them. You
can go deep-sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico or cast a line in
one of our moss-draped cypress swamps or sparkling lakes. Whether
you set out to hook a blue marlin or a trophy-size bass, you'll
find they practically jump in the boat by themselves.
When you make a list of all the unique things Louisiana has to
offer visitors, you quickly see the long-lasting influences of
our French, Spanish and African ancestry. In fact, there’s
not another state, save Hawaii, that has preserved its past with
a living history that can be experienced each and every day through
the lives of its local population. Our own style of architecture
- wrought iron balconies and port coheres of the French Quarter
in New Orleans, plantation homes along the Mississippi River and
raised cottages found through out Cajun Country are being built
and rebuilt to this very day. Walk into any fourth or fifth generation
Louisiana home and you’re sure to find gumbo on the stove,
pecan pie in the fridge, home-grown tomatoes on a window sill,
or some variation of uniquely Cajun and Creole foods that date
back to the days of Evangeline.
Louisiana – The Spicy South.
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