Find some joie de vivre here—and po' boys.
Pick a town or small city in rural USAfor your summer route tripand you ’re bound to get a circumstances of the same . Perhaps a cute independent drag , a Christian church or two , an old - school diner … Do n’t get me wrong , small - Ithiel Town America can be great — but there ’s no place quite like Lafayette , Louisiana .
Calledthe happy metropolis in Americayear after year , plus tastiest Southern townandmusic mecca , this New Orleans - neighboring city and geographic heart of Louisiana is oozing with joie de vivre . That ’s mostly thanks to the resident Creoles ( French - loudspeaker system suffer outside of France ) and Cajuns ( descendent of the Acadians throw out from the Canadian Maritimes in the 18th Century ) who get what it means to have a good sentence .
Sure , there are Mardi Gras traditions unique to Creole and Cajun rural area likechicken chases , but Lafayette ( which is know as Hub City because of the many towns that beleaguer it ) has so much more to offer . You ’ll discover arguably more festivals than any other US city of its size , wild parties every night at dancehall honky tonks , and some of the best food in the country — think New Orleans ’ best cuisine , and then think where most of those dish actually come from .
It’s a swampy Cajun-country heart.|Photo by Stephanie Foden
And Lafayette is only getting better . Over the last few years , passionate local — many of whom have left and come back — have revitalized business district Lafayette with workshop and restaurants you wo n’t see anywhere else .
So if you find yourself , like Paul Simon , " stand on the quoin of Lafayette , state of Louisiana , enquire where a metropolis son could go to get a small conversation , toast a picayune red wine-colored , enchant a small scrap of those Cajun girl dancing to zydeco , ” here ’s your templet .
Lafayette knows how to party
Mardi Gras is done very differently here and absolutely take to go on your pail list , even if you ’ve experiencedcarnival season in New Orleans . On Fat Tuesday in Lafayette , local anaesthetic dress up in colourful masks with magnanimous noses ( like a more colorful large birdie ) , get wasted , and eat thousands of crawfish .
But Lafayette does n’t stop all year ‘ round . In March , there’sFestivals Acadiens et Créolesfor Cajun fiddle and washboard zydeco music . In April you ’ve gotFestival International , which attracts hundreds of chiliad to the city every yr , and a festival forboudin(sausage links or balls stuff with meat and Elmer Leopold Rice ) . The rest of the year , there are festival for everything from New Orleanspo ' boy sandwichestofrogstosweet dough Proto-Indo European .
Any time of the twelvemonth , party while you eat during zydeco breakfasts atBuck and Johnny’sor Cajun fix atTante Mariein Breaux Bridge . fundamentally , they ’re exactly what they sound like : you eat a decadent brunch while listen to traditional music , and everyone is encouraged to get up and boogie . Just know that you ’ll never master the pat moves of the octagenarians you ’re bind to see cutting up the dancefloor .
Lafayette Festival International|Photo courtesy of LafayetteTravel.com
Last but sure as shooting not least , go dance atBlue Moon SaloonandArtmosphere . These two dancehalls encapsulate Lafayette ’s love of life more than any place else .
Get that Cajun and Creole grub
Cajun and Creole food are celebrated the public over , and Lafayette is where it all began . There are literally50 places to eat boudin , so manycrawfish boils during the time of year , gumbo ( a pith stew made with morose roux in Acadiana as oppose to Lycopersicon esculentum - based roux in New Orleans ) , and shrimp étoufée ( seafood stew over Elmer Rice ) . You really ca n’t go faulty with food in Lafayette , but if you want a guide to give you a sampling of the most traditional dish , you may do aCajun Food Tour .
After you ’ve try the classics , downtown Lafayette has some exciting new eating place that are in spades worth insure out . The fine isVestal , where chef Ryan Trahan — a.k.a . The King of Louisiana Seafood — is doing something special with alive ardour cooking techniques . Otherwise , try farm - tonic burgers and protein bowl atScratch Farm Kitchen , Pop ’s Poboys , orPamplona Tapas Bar , which surprisingly function all - out on decor ( i.e. for National Absinthe Day , the staff trim up like unknown and served cocktail in Yoda cup ) .
Drink bookstore wine or drive-thru daiquiris
Beausoleil Books & Whisper Roomis the kind of place that proves Lafayette is on the up and up . The queer - owned bookstall is the only place that has a collection of French book for cut-rate sale in Lafayette these Clarence Day , and it duals as a bar and result space — yes , you could even take your drinkable with you as you peruse .
Wild Child Wineshas the city ’s good choice of raw and traditional wine , which can be sipped in - store . If craft beer ’s what you ’re after , Bayou Teche Brewingin Arnaudville is worth the drive for its heavy selection of intriguing flavors ( king bar beer during carnival season ! ) and does a mean pizza pie . If you ’re presume , try their Boudin Bomb : a cajun stout with bourbon and “ Gatorbite ” chocolate liquor .
Just make certain you do n’t get out Lafayette without getting a drive - thru daiquiri at a situation likeFrankie ’s , because where else in the world can you say you did that ?
Lafayette should be called the heart of po' boy country, really.|Photo courtesy of LafayetteTravel.com
Gander at the ‘gators and get (hot) sauced
Humans and alligators have a complicated relationship . They scare us , but they ’re really nothing to be afraid of . Well , as long as you ’re not a tiny , bite - sized homo or swimming right next to them . From a lovely , floating , safe gravy holder , they ’re somewhat dandy to watch .
After nearly lose all its ‘ gators by the 1950s , asuccessful preservation campaignin the seventies has seen them give back to the Lafayette sphere , and you may see lot in nearby swampland . The best way to do that is withMcGee ’s Swamp and Airboattours , which are also a honest fashion to make hold for Louisiana wetlands .
Another play thing to do is to drive down Avery Island , the home of theTabasco spicy saucefactory . More than a worthwhile museum experience , Avery Island hasjungle gardenswith exotic wildlife , including hundreds of rare egret bird .
Grab a drive-thru daiquiri at Frankie’s|Photo by Stephanie Foden
Where to stay in Lafayette
Lafayette has chain hotel aplenty , but if you ’re looking for a more alone experience , you could remain in a bungalow beside theBlue Moon Saloon . The hotel has a country kitsch vibe with well - designed interiors and hot euphony in the taproom . you may either charter a bungalow , a elbow room in the main sign of the zodiac , or the entire theater for your political party .
Another fantabulous option isT ’ Frere ’s , a endearing bed and breakfast with elegant country / French decor in a Cajun home . There ’s a liberal cocktail upon arriver , which you’re able to bask on the authoritative , wide southerly porch , hopefully wearing a full - brimmed hat .
Don’t worry, this guy has smaller fish to fry.|Photo by Stephanie Foden
With porches made for juleps and hand fans.|T’frere’s House Bed & Breakfast
