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Louisiana knows how to have a good time and you will not have a problem finding entertainment in Louisiana. 

Experience live jazz where the genre was born, in New Orleans, at jazz clubs like The Jazz Playhouse and Preservation Hall. Or get on your feet at Cajun dancehalls like the Blue Moon Saloon or Fred’s Lounge.
 
And nothing tops Louisiana’s year-round rotation of 400-plus fairs and festivals, happening in every corner of the state. From the world-famous New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival to quirky fests like the Rougarou Fest in Houma and the sweet Louisiana Peach Festival in Ruston. From music, to food, to culture and everything in-between - there’s a festival for every interest!

Entertainment in Louisiana

With year-round opportunities for outdoor recreation, it is easy to see why Louisiana's nickname is "Sportsman's Paradise.”

Visit the beautiful state parks where there are plenty of options for paddling, hiking and biking trails.

Choose from dozens of National Wildlife Refuges that are perfect for nature viewing, hike through the sprawling Kisatchie National Forest, hop aboard an airboat swamp tour or set sail for charter fishing in the Gulf. Plus, Louisiana’s prime location and vast expanse of coastal wetlands make our state a hot spot for spotting rare and endangered bird species. Louisiana is the ultimate playground for all outdoorsmen.

Outdoors in Louisiana

One facet of Louisiana that makes it such an appealing visitor destination is its deep and colorful history. 

Louisiana offers many ways to explore the region’s rich history, in hundreds of museums, historic structures, landmarks, artifacts and works of art. Careful preservation and restoration has created many rare opportunities for visitors to gain insight into the diverse cultures that continue to influence the state today.
 
See where ancient peoples left their mark on the area thousands of years ago at the Poverty Point UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll find several historic homes, like Oak Alley Plantation, Laura Plantation: Louisiana's Creole Heritage Site, and Whitney Plantation in Louisiana’s River Parishes. And it’s worth stopping by the state’s state museums that each display different chapters of the state’s story – from the Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge or the Cabildo and Presbytere in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter, to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest Louisiana History Museum in Natchitoches (the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase).

History & Heritage in Louisiana

Dive into marine life at the Aquarium of the Americas or go eye to eye with a jaguar at Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. See history brought to life at plantation homes along the Mississippi River. Take the controls of the 'International Space Station' at the Sci-Port Discovery Center in Shreveport, where interactive exhibits bring natural and physical science to life.
 
Kids can learn about the Cajun way of life at Vermilionville in Lafayette, and they can hold a baby alligator at the Alligator Park in Natchitoches. The whole family will have a ball at any of the hundreds of festivals held each year throughout the state.
 
Find family attractions and things to do in Louisiana that will keep everyone entertained.

Family Fun

Louisiana's roots run deep inside a culinary wonderland drawn from French, Spanish, African, Sicilian, Caribbean, Irish, German and Native American cultures. Add a dash of country comfort and a pinch of sophistication, and you’ve got a recipe for the best food on the planet.
 
Louisiana locals plan their lives around the culinary seasons. Just days after the New Year, Mardi Gras season ushers in the arrival of king cakes, followed by months of crawfish boils in the spring, slurping snoballs and cracking crabs in the summer, with football tailgating in the fall and warm gumbo as the weather turns cold.
 
Each region of the state has their own culinary accent, with signature dishes like the Natchitoches meat pie and Shreveport stuffed shrimp. Explore the regional culinary scenes along local food trails like the Bayou Country Crawfish Trail in the Houma-Thibodaux area, Southwest Louisiana Boudin Trail in the Lake Charles area, Louisiana Oyster Trail in Jefferson Parish and the Louisiana River Parishes Andouille Trail. Louisiana is waiting for your clients with open arms and aprons on.

Cuisine in Louisiana