Culture in Lake Charles Louisiana

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. Our past is well-preserved in our architecture, music, food and lifestyles—which include our amazing festivals—and of course in our museums of history and fine arts.

It is not an accident that Louisiana clings to the phrase "Laissez les bons temps rouler," meaning "Let the good times roll". Let yourself get lost in the traditions passed down through generations. Come visit us during Mardi Gras when costumed riders parade and magnificent balls are thrown from New Orleans and Baton Rouge to Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport and beyond. Peek back across the centuries, as you walk under lavish ironwork and through the lush courtyard gardens of a meticulous French Quarter hotel. Touch history with a tour of a plantation where the daily activities of the past are recreated. Let nature's mysteries inspire and awe you via a boat tour through a cypress studded bayou.

Here, in Louisiana, history and lore don't merely live in books on a shelf; they're reflected in our everyday lives.

Lake Charles, Louisiana in the southwest region of the state is a thriving destination that caters to many different tastes from glitzy casinos and the quiet greens of award-winning golf courses to hunting and fishing adventures and over 75 festivals, ranging from the area’s family-friendly Mardi Gras to the Louisiana Pirate Festival!

Performing arts are alive in Lake Charles, LA, with theatre and musical groups, including the Lake Charles Symphony. There are five diverse museums, one of which houses the largest display of Mardi Gras costumes in the world, in addition to charming galleries rich with art.

Taste world-famous Cajun and Creole cuisine or a drive along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road—teeming with wildlife, including alligators, birds and three wildlife refuges! Visitors can also stroll through the Charpentier Historic District with lead crystal glass glittering in the lamplight. Topping it off, nightlife is hot with headlining entertainment and excellent amenities at the area’s casino resorts. Are You Game?