Hunt for Love & Loot on the Cajun Coast!
Hunt for Love & Loot on the Cajun Coast – February is for lovebirds on the Cajun Coast! While Eagle Expo is officially cancelled, you can still book a boat tour for your bird lover to venture into our waterways and spot these majestic birds! (You know eagles mate for life, right?!) Plan your lovebird weekend on the Cajun Coast! (Image: Helenea Reynolds, Eagle Expo photo contest)
Tour operators are standing by to book your tour into the swamps to see eagles and other birds as well as fascinating creatures, like alligators You can also find more awe-inspiring birdwatching opportunities for this area National Geographic calls “hauntingly beautiful land.” See our birding page for information. You can walk boardwalks, hike or paddle trails into the waterways, or even camp amid the beauty of nature, including a houseboat to literally stay on the water! Romantic bed & breakfasts are also an option for your getaway weekend!
The Hunt is on for Mardi Gras!
February 16 is Mardi Gras Day, and while we won’t be hunting for specialty beads at parades, we have planned a fun, Mardi Gras Scavenger Hunt for this season. From Feb. 5 to Feb. 16, you can download the app from Google Play or the App Store, find the Mardi Gras on the Cajun Coast game, get your team together and get hunting!
So, come celebrate Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day (or just a new day) on the Cajun Coast!
New Year New Adventures
This new year needs a new lease on life! Don’t put off experiencing new adventures and making new memories! Come on down to the Cajun Coast, and paddle the Atchafalaya, taste foods you can’t pronounce, and find a new path!
There are so many ways to find a new adventure on the Cajun Coast! And, we’ve made paddling the Atchafalaya Basin easy to navigate. The Atchafalaya Basin Swamp is the largest overflow swamp in the U.S., containing almost one million acres of the nation’s most significant bottomland hardwoods, swamps and bayous. But, we’ve set up specific Paddling Trails with maps and difficulty levels, so you’ll know where to put your oar in the water!
And, if you want to find out more about this national treasure, the Atchafalaya Water Heritage Trail features 9 sites within the Cajun Coast including areas only available by boat, rich historic landmarks, and the beauty National Geographic Traveler noted as “hauntingly beautiful land.”
In addition to The Atchafalaya Water Heritage Trail, you can drive along the Bayou Teche Scenic Byway, meandering along this beautiful bayou waterway, taking in more than 100 historic properties along the way as well. You can bike along this byway as well, or Hwy. 182, known as the Old Spanish Trail.
You can blaze a trail along the 170,000 acres of designated wildlife management areas, spotting an abundance of bird and animal life! We are also part of the Atchafalaya Basin Geotrail, with 24 geocaches around the area! Get more info on the trails.
Local swamp tour operators, like Captain Caviar, provide entertaining and educational tours of the beauty and mystery of the Atchafalaya waters. Depending on the time of year, a variety of wildlife and plant life, and yes, alligators, will likely be spotted.
After all that paddling and waterway exploration, you’re bound to be hungry! You will not leave that way! Louisiana’s food is world-famous, and you’ll want to try everything, especially dishes you’re not sure how to pronounce – étouffée, jambalaya, gumbo, sauce piquant, and seafood so fresh it was probably swimming in the Gulf this morning! It’s all worth a try, and save room for dessert! The Cajun Coast is also sugar country, so sweets, from pralines to bread pudding are worth the calories! See our dining page and plan to eat your way throughout the region.
There are also plenty of parks and trails to work off those calories. Take in the beauty of the outdoors – with our mild temperatures, you can hike or bike many days, even in winter! Of course, check the weather before you head out, and remember we do get our fair share of winter showers, so pack appropriately.
Or, if you’d prefer your exercise in jumping up and down over your winnings, Amelia Belle Casino or Cypress Bayou Casino-Hotel, Louisiana’s first land-based casino has plenty of opportunities. In addition to slots and table games, you’ll find amazing dining at Cypress Bayou
We have a lot of learning adventures as well. You can take in area fine culture or learn more about our heritage at sites and museums, including the many cultures who settled this area, such as the Chitimacha, the first settlers of the region. Their basket-weaving skills are legendary, and you can see their work on display at the Chitimacha Museum in Charenton. We have plenty of itineraries on different topics as well, so your history buff , movie buff , birder or ghost hunter can travel their passion on the Cajun Coast
So, come find a new, adventurous you in the near year on the Cajun Coast!
Top 10 Reasons to Christmas on the Coast
Banish your 2020 Grinch-side and Come Christmas on the Cajun Coast!
We’ve made it easy, compiling the Top 10 Holiday Happenings on the Cajun Coast!
Find the complete list on our Christmas page and see the Holiday Hotel Deals and a few more coupons on our specials page.
TOP 10 HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS ON THE CAJUN COAST
- Take Advantage of Shopping (and Dining!) Events – The Tinsel Trail Shopping & Eating Incentive Trail is November 23-28 where you can shop & eat, and get your card punched to drop off at Mistletoe and Moss Holiday Market for a special gift!
- There are several options to welcome Papa Noel (Santa Claus) to the holiday season, with Christmas Tree lightings and special visits from the jolly old elf on November 26 in Berwick and Morgan City, and Patterson November 29.
- Come see beautiful homes arrayed in holiday splendor with Victorian Christmas tours daily (closed Christmas Eve and day) at the Grevemberg House and Shadowlawn through December.
- Twinkling lights usher in the magic of Christmas! Take the Idlewild Plantation Christmas Lighting driving tour, now through the end of December or the see the lights along Bayou Teche, magically aligned to the music on 93.5FM, December 7 through January 6!
- Book an RV or Campground spot and plan for s’more’s and holiday stories!
- The Franklin Lamplighter Ceremony begins with a Christmas Golf Cart Parade on December 5, come spend the evening in Franklin!
- If you need to renew your Christmas spirit, make sure you take in the A Thrill of Hope event at Arlington Historic Home & Gardens on December 11, Bernice Street Christmas by Candlelight & Christmas Spectacular, December 12 and Crossing Place’s Christmas in the Swamp or Plugged in to Christmas in Lawrence Park, December 13. There’s even a holiday movie at Park Street Park on December 12!
- Don’t leave your 4-legged friends out of the holiday action! Enter them in the morning parade December 13 in Patterson, just before the Annual Street Parade on Main Street and then Shopping in Morey Park!
- Shop ‘til You Drop – With charming Main Street shopping and other local merchants, you’ll find just the gifts you need for everyone on your list (and a little lagniappe for yourself)! There are also a couple more shopping events with Mistletoe Market December 11 in Berwick and Shop Patterson on December 13 in Morey Park.
- Even our birding friends get some holiday love with the Audubon’s Christmas Birding Count on December 19.
So take in the Top 10 and make some holiday magic for yourself – Come Christmas on the Cajun Coast!
Distance Together on the Cajun Coast
The holidays are for getting together, but you’ll need some space this season! Not only do we have Friends & Family deals for lodging, there are so many staycation itineraries that no matter your favorite way to getaway, we’ve got you covered.
Plan for social distancing (and maybe even sanity), by getting your family members a great rate for a hotel on the Cajun Coast! Take the stress out of Thanksgiving and find your folks a Friends & Family Holiday Hotel rate!
Cajuns love to celebrate with food, so there is no shortage of dining options for your celebrations this season! Our mouth-watering choices cover Mom-and-Pop spots to four-star and everything in between. Check out the Eat pages for info.
We have entire itineraries with the kids in mind! Check out the high-flying fun at the Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum. Speed records and sky soaring will rev up their imaginations – Just don’t tell them it’s educational! Let them burn off some steam climbing up the “Great Wall,” a 21-foot seawall built for flood protection, where you can get a bird’s eye view of the traffic in the Atchafalaya River, one of the busiest rivers in the state. Find more water action along the he Atchafalaya Basin, home to the alligators every tourist is dying to see! While some November days may prove a little cool for spotting our swamp friends, tour operators, like Captain Caviar, provide entertaining and educational tours of the beauty and mystery of the Atchafalaya waters.
The Cajun Coast also features nine sites on the Atchafalaya Water Heritage Trail, including areas only available by boat. Take the family on a nature trek! Or, if you’d prefer to take in the scenery from the comfort of your vehicle, check out the Bayou Teche Scenic Byway and plan your route through this beautiful corridor.
And, your golf enthusiasts will get to experience the beauty of the Cajun Coast as well. Check out our Golf Tour that begins at the Atchafalaya Golf Course at Idlewild, surrounded by the rich wildlife and incredible beauty found only in the heart of the Atchafalaya Basin. Designed by von Hagge, Smelek and Baril, the 7,533-yard course contains five lakes and ten native wetland areas!
History buffs in your crowd can take their pick from grand properties and humble dwellings as well as Civil War sites and awe-inspiring churches, with 400 spots on the National Register of Historic Places in the City of Franklin alone! Even the non-history buffs in your crowd will be inspired by the ingenuity as they walk aboard the only oil rig open to the public – the “Mr. Charlie” Oil Rig Museum.
You can take in the history of those caught in time with a ghost tour! Tours may be a little less crowded post-Halloween, so take advantage of cooler temps and explore the afterlife on a Ghost Walk of Franklin with Tours by Steven or Captain Caviar’s History & Mystery Haunted Plantation Tour in his Vintage Cadillac Limo. See our Ghosts page for more info and book early!
Grown-ups need a night out as well, and while we can’t always promise a winning hand, we can promise an exciting night of casino-action at Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel and Amelia Belle Casino.
Hopefully, you can take your winnings and go on a Main Street shopping spree! You’ll be delighted with one-of-a kind buys, eclectic finds, and tastes of Louisiana cuisine or cookbooks, and other mementos to bring home. Get your holiday shopping knocked out in one, fun-filled excursion!
If you want to get away and escape into nature, we have plenty of camping and RV recommendations in our bevvy of itineraries, one specifically planned for getting away from it all!
Regardless, of how you choose to distance and stay close to those you love during this season of thankfulness and celebration, we can make your stay special on the Cajun Coast!
Enjoy Spirit of the Fest
Drive, Bike & Enjoy Spirit of the Fest
The Spirit of the Fest Driving Tour provides an opportunity not only to support attractions throughout the area, but also to connect with the petroleum and shrimping industries. From the “Mr. Charlie” Oil Rig Museum, the only place in the world where the public can walk aboard an authentic offshore drilling rig, and Remote Operated Vehicle/Dive Museum to the Spirit of Morgan City Shrimp Boat, a trawler standing in monument to Morgan City, dubbed the “Jumbo Shrimp Capital of the World,” and the Southwest Reef Lighthouse which once guided mariners on the Atchafalaya Bay.
Additional tours and exhibits, also part of the Spirt of the Fest Driving Tour, include spots such as the Berwick Bay to Étouffée exhibit at the Louisiana State Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum as well as special exhibit documenting the history of the area displayed throughout festival weekend at the Brown House – Berwick’s Cultural Museum.
Trip Down Memory Lane
The Shrimp & Petroleum Festival goes back more than 80 years to its humble beginnings in 1936. Those 80-plus years provide for a lot of festival memories. From boat parades to the blessing of the fleet, to festival food and fireworks, people are sharing their memories even if they can’t share this year’s festival together. Here are just a few shares on our social media about the Favorite Memories of the Festival:
- Rosey Bottoms – “Being on the blessing boat, seeing great bands, and watching the fireworks with family and friends. Of course all the food and community love.”
- James Sharp – “Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau arts & crafts. Watching the grandkids ride the rides.”
- Mary Leonard Romero – “Riding my dad’s tug every year & decorating it.”
Tag #CajunCoast in your social media posts to let us know your favorite memories of the Shrimp & Petroleum Festival through the years!
Unity in the Community
There is also a Unity in the Community, evening bike ride on September 25 to support the Cajun Coast. The Unity in the Community Bike Ride a slow and easy bike ride from Greenwood and Second Street in Morgan City to Lake End Park. It is a free event, but you must register. Download the form to register.
Deric Anslum will be entertaining at Lake End Park. Groups may set up tents, blankets, chairs with food and drinks prior to the ride, keeping social distancing in mind and may also leave a vehicle to return home with bicycles. Food and drinks will not be available for sale at Lake End Park, so make sure you plan accordingly.
Some come celebrate the Spirit of the Fest this fall on the Cajun Coast!
Staycation Off-the-Beaten Path
You can staycation (or vacation) off-the-beaten-path on the Cajun Coast. We’ve provided several itineraries to make the planning easy for your getaway! While we have itineraries for everything from golf to ghost tours, these itineraries will provide you with some seclusion for socially distancing the world!
Off-the-Beaten-Path Outdoor Vacation Staycation
Featuring stays at Cypremort Point State Park or Burns Point Park, the itinerary provides details on fishing guides, paddling trails, and birdwatching excursions. And being a Louisiana State Park, there are even extra discounts during the fall.
In addition to military and badge discounts for active/retired military and first responders, visitors staying Monday-Thursday, Sept 1-Jan 31 will receive a 15% discount on overnight cabin stays with the code GETOUTSIDE, and customers aged 62 and over are not only eligible for 50%-off campsites year-round with the code 62PLUS, but also if they book 4 consecutive campsite nights, they will receive the next 3 nights free with code SNEAUX, Oct 1-Jan 31. Get the details and book now!
Situated on Lake Palourde, Lake End Park offers bank or pier fishing, a boat launch and a marina with 47 slips (monthly and yearly rental rates are available). 147 RV Sites, 20 Tent Sites, and 4 Pavilions are also available. A sand beach alongside beautiful Lake Palourde with access to amazing bass fishing or paddling, as well as oak-shaded walking trails will provide a lot to do on-site. Additional paddling options are available on the Cajun Coast’s paddling trails. Nearby you can climb aboard the Mr. Charlie Oil Rig and Diving ROV Historical Preservation Room, delighting the kids and grown-ups alike with its engineering marvels. The Great Wall provides an amazing view of the Atchafalaya River and Atchafalaya National Heritage Trail Kiosks will help you learn more about the largest wetlands system in the country. There are plenty of options for dining on Louisiana’s famous cuisine, and strolls along the historic districts and even Main Street shopping will provide options for everyone. Casinos and nightlife options are available for adult recreation, and swamp tours or even ghost tours can add in a little more excitement as well!
Kemper Williams Park in Patterson features traditional RV and tent spots as well as nearby tennis courts, ball fields, nature trails and a sanctioned horseshoe facility. It is also adjacent to the Atchafalaya Golf Course at Idlewild and the Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum, noting speed records of Louisiana’s aviation history and documenting the cypress industry of the area.
The newly renovated Nineteen 06 Bed & Breakfast will provide elegant surroundings, and Wax Lake Lodging has “out-the-back-door” hunting and fishing, so take your pick and relax.
And while the campgrounds themselves may provide you enough amenities that you don’t want to leave, the Cajun Coast has plenty of other outdoor activities to keep you entertained! The Atchafalaya Basin is our playground, and its many inlets provide opportunities for boating and fishing, swimming, and other water sports.
So check out the rest of the itineraries on your Staycations page, and make your reservations to relax today!