Louisiana Road Trip Ideas for Every Interest

Louisiana offers tons of fun road trip ideas that are only a tank away.

Cabildo

The Cabildo, Louisiana State Museum

Rip Van Winkle Gardens

Rip Van Winkle Gardens

Abita Mystery House

Abita Mystery House

Chennault Aviation Museum

Chennault Aviation Museum in Monroe

If you're considering a Louisiana road trip, you likely already know that between our gas station fare and Michelin star-rated restaurants, you'll enjoy some of the most memorable meals of your lifetime. But how will you fill the time when you aren't noshing? We've put together some interesting places and activities to round our your Louisiana road trip itinerary.

Great Outdoors

St. Bernard State Park, Braithwaite - Reintroduce yourself to Mother Nature as you hike, picnic or camp in this 350-acre park along the Mississippi River.   

Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area, St. Francisville - Find inspiration, just like naturalist John James Audubon did, among these rolling hills. Biking, kayaking, birding and hiking opportunities are plentiful.  

Rip Van Winkle Gardens, New Iberia - Stroll through lush gardens and beneath ancient live oaks, where legend says pirate Jean Lafitte buried treasure.  

Alligator Park, Natchitoches - Get to know the gators—go ahead, it’s safe—at Bayou Pierre Alligator Park. Feeling brave? Help with a feeding. 

Poverty Point World Heritage Site, Delhi - Tour one of North America’s largest prehistoric earthworks, dating back to around 1750 B.C., and learn about the state’s innovative early inhabitants.  

Rich History

The Cabildo, New Orleans - Explore the state’s varied history in this 18th-century building, which was the site of the Louisiana Purchase transfer in 1803. 

USS KIDD, Baton Rouge - Walk the decks of the “Pirate of the Pacific” and discover what life was like aboard a World War II destroyer.  

Note: The USS KIDD Veterans Museum is temporarily moving to Houma for repairs projected to last through 2025. The museum will remain open throughout repairs. Patrons are invited to visit the museum's website for virtual tours, too.  

Laurel Valley Village & Sugar Plantation, Thibodaux - Sweeten your trip with a stop at this sprawling 19th-century sugar plantation. Dozens of original structures still dot the complex.  

Chennault Aviation and Military Museum, Monroe - Learn the story of General Claire Lee Chennault, World War II military aviation hero and leader of the famed “Flying Tigers.”  

Charpentier Historic District, Lake Charles - The Charpentier (French for “carpenter”) Historic District features 40 blocks of buildings, including extravagant mansions and the Central School Arts & Humanities Center. The Historic District is a reflection of the carpenter architects' unique process and designs.

Music

Martin Accordions, Scott - See how traditional Cajun music instruments are made and enjoy live demonstrations.

Savoy Music Center, Eunice - Join in a jam session with the Savoy family, known for playing Cajun music and making fine accordions, on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.  

Delta Music Museum, Ferriday - Travel to the Louisiana Delta, whose fertile soil influenced Southern music and produced noted artists Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley.

Preservation Hall, New Orleans - Experience a New Orleans jazz club in a kid-friendly environment. There's no better way to hear the sounds of jazz in the city where the genre first began.

Shreveport Municipal Auditorium, Shreveport - See where Elvis shook it up before he was king. Many other icons graced this stage during “Louisiana Hayride” performances. 

Arts & Culture

Abita Mystery House, Abita Springs - Mingle among the odd, intriguing and plain bizarre (We mean you, Darrell the dogigator!) at this attraction by folk artist John Preble.  

River Road African American Museum, Donaldsonville - Discover the many contributions by African Americans along the Mississippi River to the region’s cuisine, music, art and agriculture. 

Hilliard Art Museum, Lafayette - View works from the 18th through 21st centuries in a modern setting that contrasts with the adjacent plantation home built by A. Hays Town.  

Alexandria Museum of Art, Alexandria - Appreciate the arts as you take in top-notch traveling exhibitions and tour the state’s largest collection of North Louisiana folk art.  

Louisiana Film Trail - Head to Hollywood—Hollywood South, that is—with this self-guided tour to where some of the industry’s biggest stars filmed.  

 

Hopefully, you're inspired with a few ideas, but we've got plenty more road trip ideas here!