- New Orleans is one of the USA's most distinctive cities for food and music
- Cajun country around Lafayette has zydeco, crawfish and a French-speaking heritage
- Swamp tours are an easy day trip from New Orleans
- Summers are hot and humid, and hurricane season runs June to November
- Airports
- New Orleans Louis Armstrong (MSY), direct from Heathrow with British Airways (check the current schedule) or via a US hub
- Best time to go
- February-May and October-November; Mardi Gras usually falls in February or early March
- Type
- State
Louisiana is unlike anywhere else in the USA. Its French, Spanish, African and Caribbean roots show in everything from the architecture of the French Quarter to the gumbo on your plate and the music spilling out of bars. New Orleans is the star, but beyond it lie the cypress swamps and bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin, the Cajun heartland around Lafayette, and the grand and troubling plantations of the River Road.
It's a fantastic destination for food lovers and music fans. For the wider picture, see our USA guide.
Things to do
- New Orleans – the French Quarter, Frenchmen Street's jazz clubs, the Garden District and beignets at dawn. See our New Orleans guide.
- Mardi Gras – parades, costumes and parties in the weeks before Lent, peaking on Fat Tuesday.
- Swamp tours – boat trips through bayous to see alligators, herons and Spanish moss-draped cypress trees.
- Cajun Country – Lafayette, Breaux Bridge and the prairie towns, for zydeco and Cajun dance halls, boudin and crawfish.
- River Road plantations – Whitney Plantation focuses on the lives of the enslaved people who worked the land; Oak Alley is famous for its avenue of oaks.
- Baton Rouge – the state capital, with its art deco State Capitol tower and the USS Kidd.
- Avery Island – home of Tabasco sauce, with a factory tour and gardens.
- Natchitoches – the oldest permanent European settlement in Louisiana, with a pretty riverfront.
Where to stay
- French Quarter, New Orleans – atmospheric, central and lively; it can be noisy around Bourbon Street.
- Garden District and Uptown – quieter, with grand houses and the St Charles streetcar.
- Marigny and Bywater – arty neighbourhoods near Frenchmen Street.
- Lafayette and Breaux Bridge – B&Bs and hotels for Cajun country.
Getting there
British Airways has flown direct from Heathrow to New Orleans (MSY); check the current schedule. Otherwise connect via Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas or another US hub. New Orleans is walkable, with streetcars, so you won't need a car in the city; hire one for Cajun country and the plantations. UK visitors need an ESTA.
Best time to visit
Late winter and spring are the best times, with Mardi Gras, the French Quarter Festival in April and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in late April and early May. Autumn is also pleasant. Summer is hot, humid and stormy, while hurricane season runs from June to November, peaking from August to October. Winters are generally mild.
Book accommodation for Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest many months ahead, as prices rise sharply and the best hotels sell out.
Top attractions in Louisiana
NatureCentral Park
Manhattan's 843-acre green heart, with lakes, meadows, bridges and woodland stretching for 51 blocks between Midtown…
LandmarkStatue of Liberty
The copper colossus in New York Harbor, a gift from France in 1886, visited by ferry with Ellis Island on the same trip.
Louisiana on the map
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Louisiana?
Three or four days in New Orleans, plus two or three for Cajun country and the River Road.
Is New Orleans safe?
Most visits are trouble-free, but take normal big-city precautions: stick to busy areas at night and use taxis or rideshares after dark.
What food should I try in Louisiana?
Gumbo, jambalaya, po'boys, crawfish, red beans and rice and beignets with chicory coffee.
What is the difference between Cajun and Creole?
Cajuns descend from French settlers expelled from Canada; Creole culture blends French, Spanish, African and Caribbean roots, centred on New Orleans.
Written by
Anna Beach, family & practical travel editor
Anna knows which beach has shade at 3pm and which car hire excess is a rip-off. She covers sun, islands, family trips and practical travel tips.
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