Foodie Itinerary: Seafood Sensation Trail

Spend a three-day weekend along our Seafood Sensation Trail

Friday: Vermilion Parish
Work up an appetite: Start your trip in Vermilion Parish, known as the “most Cajun place on Earth”. Abbeville is the parish seat, and its downtown is a great place to stretch your legs once you arrive in town. Shop the local boutiques and stop by The Depot at Magdalen Place, home to a railroad museum and gift shop. For the perfect Vermilion Parish souvenir, pick up a can of locally made Steen’s Pure Cane Syrup.

Lunch: Make the short drive to Kaplan to Suire’s Grocery and Restaurant. This country spot is a favorite of sportsmen for its hearty breakfasts and plate lunches. They’re especially known for their turtle sauce picante, a Cajun specialty.

Work up an appetite: It’s now time to experience the natural beauty of Vermilion Parish, and there are plenty of opportunities. Birdwatchers will enjoy touring the Vermilion Loop of the America’s Wetland Birding Trail, where you can spy herons, egrets and ibises year-round. Or head to Palmetto Island State Park, located on the Vermilion River. Enjoy a canoe or kayak trip, or simply let the kids splash around in the water playground. 

Dinner: You can’t leave Vermilion Parish without enjoying their seafood specialty: oysters! Try the oysters on the half-shell at Dupuy’s Oyster Shop, an Abbeville mainstay for 130 years. Or dine at Shucks! and order the charbroiled oyster sampler, which features their traditional oysters, oysters Rockefeller, oysters Shuck-a-fella and candied oysters.

Saturday: Jefferson Davis Parish and Lake Charles
Breakfast: Boudin—the Cajun sausage stuffed with pork and rice—is one of those all-occasion foods, as in it’s equally as tasty for breakfast as it is for lunch, dinner or an on-the-go snack. Why not start off the day with a link or two from the Boudin King in Jennings.

Work up an appetite: Up your art smarts with a morning at the Zigler Museum in Jennings. The museum features works by European and American artists, and it displays rotating exhibits in addition to its permanent collection.

Lunch: This is the Seafood Sensation Trail, and it’s time for your daily dose. We suggest Frey’s Crawfish House, where everything is made from scratch. If it’s available, be sure to start with a cup of the crawfish bisque.

Work up an appetite: Drive west to Lake Charles to spend the afternoon. Consider playing a round at one of the area golf courses. Traveling with kids? Check out The Children’s Museum, full of hands-on exhibits so fun they won’t realize they are actually learning something. If your boudin breakfast only whetted your appetite for the Cajun specialty, spend the afternoon exploring the Southwest Louisiana Boudin Trail. You’ll find guides at the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Dinner: Deciding on a dinner destination can be a bit tough, but only because there are so many good options. Hungry for a steak? Try The Harlequin. Craving another helping of Louisiana seafood? Grab a table at Seafood Palace. Got a sweet tooth? Try Pujo St. Café and their delicious bread pudding.

Nighttime fun: The place to be is L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort. Enjoy the action of their 30,000 square feet of gaming, check out the weekend’s live entertainment, or have a drink in the Globar. The resort is also a great home base for your trip.

Sunday: Lake Charles
Breakfast/Brunch: Grab a bite at The Fat Cat Café. Their daily breakfast offerings include biscuit sandwiches and omelets, but on Sundays they offer brunch specialties, such as shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy, and pancake casserole, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Work up an appetite:  Explore Louisiana’s Outback as you drive along the Creole Nature Trail. This “All-American Road” leads you through the beautiful marshlands and wildlife refuges of Louisiana’s Gulf Coast. Stretch your legs while you enjoy a nature walk. Keep track of the many different species of birds you spy along the route, or practice your shutterbug skills and capture photos of the gators. There are also opportunities for shelling, crabbing and fishing along the route.

Late Lunch: Before wrapping up your Seafood Sensation tour, stop by Steamboat Bill’s, a local favorite for crawfish, poboys, pistolettes and more.