Culinary Trails in Opelousas Louisiana

The abundance of fantastic food to be found throughout Louisiana can be a little overwhelming for some visitors, particularly if they haven’t sampled our fabulous indigenous cuisine before. How will you decide where to go and what to eat? To help you manage the choices, we suggest using Louisiana's Culinary Trails as guideposts. The Louisiana Office of Tourism and the makers of TABASCO® hot pepper sauce have laid out seven regional “trails” that traverse byways, prairies, marshlands and waterways that are great sources of some of the finest food you’ll ever enjoy. Discover some of the chefs and restaurants who are keeping the tradition of great food alive and thriving in Louisiana.

Opelousas is a great place to use your feet, whether strolling over the 19th-century brick sidewalks lining its historic district or participating in the city's deep Zydeco music tradition by dancing at a local club or festival. Opelousas is Louisiana's third-oldest city and is part of the state's Main Street Program with its downtown cluster of antique shops, boutiques and restaurants serving Cajun cuisine. Visitors can see antebellum, Victorian and early 20th-century buildings on a walk through town, including the "Hidden Capital of Louisiana," which served as the governor's mansion during the Civil War. A trip to the historic Le Vieux Village, with its 19th-century cottages, Orphan Train exhibit and Jim Bowie display about the famous one-time Opelousas resident, adds historical context to the Cajun and Creole folkways still in such vibrant evidence around the city today, while the Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino is among the city's newest attractions.