Family Ties
“How’s Your Mom-and-Dem”? As the greeting goes, and with Thanksgiving the fourth week in November, thoughts turn this time of year to family. Family is very important on the Cajun Coast where generations have made their living along its waterways. And we have everything you need to plan the perfect family reunion!
Not only do we have accommodations to suit just about every family – from camp and RV parks to family-friendly hotels with group rates and ample meeting space, we have enough activities to keep the relations happily relating!
Uncle Matt, the Civil War buff, can walk the historic grounds of monumental battles of the War Between the States, and he and Aunt June can stroll hand-in-hand under tree-lined oaks and be sobered by the tales of hardship endured by the people who lived and worked in the historic buildings that survived the test of time. Franklin boasts more than 400 sites on the Register of Historic Places.
Take the kids to climb 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. Next travel to the International Petroleum Museum & Exposition, the “Mr. Charlie.” Everyone will enjoy learning about the oil industry on this retired oil rig and the many ways oil is used.
Your sister, Gloria, who fancies herself a movie critic, will recognize scenes from many movies along the Cajun Coast, including the Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Easy Rider, and All the King’s Men.
And, everyone will enjoy the tales of racing in Patterson at the Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum, a Louisiana State Museum, chronicling early pioneers and community efforts in flight and in lumbering. There’s even a Steamboat Exhibit on display through next summer.
Then visit the Sovereign Nation of the Chitimacha and the Chitimacha Museum in Charenton. The Chitimacha were the first settlers to the area and lived in and around the Atchafalaya Basin. The museum documents their history, culture and their efforts in preservation.
Grandma can marvel at the stained glass and beautiful altars prevalent throughout St. Mary Parish’s churches. Tour Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Trinity Episcopal Church, Pharr Chapel Methodist, Church of the Assumption, St. Mary’s Episcopal in Franklin or Asbury United Methodist Church.
Your cousins who are so outdoorsy can lead the birding tour that won’t even take you off-the-beaten path. Morgan City’s Brownell Carillon Bell Tower features a designated bird sanctuary and has walking paths throughout the swamp, enhanced by the music of the carillon bells that ring every 15 minutes.Then charter a boat (or bring your own) and set out on the fishing trip of a lifetime! When the littlest makes the biggest catch, it will become an even bigger story!
Yes, it’s cliché, but let the ladies shop ‘til they drop in quaint Main Street boutiques, and send the guys to try their luck against water hazards and challenges of the Atchafalaya Golf Course at Idlewild or other local courses.
And, speaking of luck, there’s grown-up adventure to be had at Cypress Bayou Casino or Amelia Belle Casino!
So, find fun for the entire family and get pats on the back for planning the perfect family reunion on the Cajun Coast!
Top 5 Things to Do on the Cajun Coast This Fall
From Harvests to Historic Exploration – there’s plenty to do on the Cajun Coast this fall!
1) Fall, like in many parts of the country, means harvest festivals.
At the end of October, both Franklin and Patterson have fall festivals.
And Arlington Plantation has added a Ghost Tour!
- Franklin Merchant’s Association Harvest Moon Festival – Oct. 28
- 2nd Annual Patterson Historic Walking Tour & Fall Fest – Oct. 28
- Arlington Plantation Ghost Tour – Oct. 28 & 31
But fall also means cooler temps and a lot of opportunities to play, on and off the water on the Cajun Coast.
2) Horseshoes aren’t just for horses.
At the beginning of October, the Louisiana State Horseshoe Tournament takes place at Kemper Williams Park with additional tournaments mid- and end-month. And Kemper Williams Park is available for a game of horseshoes just about any time.
3) Get your Paddle in the Water.
With increasing popularity of kayaking and canoeing, it wasn’t long before paddle races increased in popularity as well.
Throughout the fall, kayak and canoe races, such as the Tour du Teche Oct. 6-8, take place along the Bayou Teche and Atchafalaya Basin. You can do on-your-own exploring, with a group, or on a swamp tour.
4) Interesting history.
Some places have museum buildings, and we have quite a few cool, preserved buildings housing even cooler stuff, but we also have lighthouses (with the Lighthouse Festival at the finish line of the Tour du Teche in Berwick Oct. 8), and entire oil rigs to show off our history. A demonstration of the Chitimacha Tribe culture will be open to the public at the Pow-Wow on Oct. 28.
5) And let’s not forget golf, on the beautiful Atchafalaya Golf Course at Idlewild, as well as Country Clubs in Franklin and Berwick.
So, come this fall to the Cajun Coast – and explore to your heart’s content.
Craving Paddling Weather
As summer slowly begins to give way to fall, everyone wants to be outside, including the animals along the Cajun Coast. Alligator spotting becomes more frequent on swamp tours and birds traveling along our flyway to warmer climates fill the skies and skim along the water’s edge.
People long to be skimming along the water as well. September begins and ends with kayak and canoe events; check out Tour du Teche specifics for the Lower Atchafalaya River Sprint and 410 de Louisiane. But you don’t need an event to set out into peaceful waters along the Atchafalaya Basin and many offshoots leading out into the Gulf waters. In fact, we have created paddling trails to make it as easy as possible to explore our unique waterways.
There are multiple paddling trails along the Cajun Coast, marked for the novice to more experienced paddler. And even if you haven’t traveled with your canoe, there are nearby outfitters that can supply you for the excursion. Check our Paddling Trails site for more information.
Bayou Teche Paddling Trail – Begins in Jeanerette and ends near Calumet. Six boat docks are located along the trail which travels the slow-moving waters of Bayou Teche.
Bayou Teche/Lower Atchafalaya Paddling Trail – begins at the Calumet Cut and takes you through Patterson to the mouth of the Bayou Teche at the Atchafalaya River. Bayou Teche National Wildlife Paddling Trail – the refuge’s waterways set aside for paddling offer a unique area of tranquility for wildlife and visitors alike.
Franklin Paddling Trails – There is a loop tour and linear tour, both are for beginners. There are several boat launches along the trail, and Franklin’s historic district is a must-see.
Grand Avoille Cove Paddling Trail – Lake Fausse Point is a great spot for birding! Canoeists can paddle under and around large moss-draped cypress trees which line the lake. Cotton Canal, a small canal located just east of Cotton Point, is a great place for wildlife watching. Once you reach the lake, paddle between the cypress trees for the best view. There are several access points, but a shuttle service may be necessary.
Cypremort Point Paddling Trail. The trails feature moss-draped cypress trees, majestic oaks and abundant wildlife, and they are easily accessible from several points of departure along the coast. While secluded spots and scenic beauty are all around you, you are not far from rustic to elegant accommodations and abundant dining along the Cajun Coast.
If you’re not the paddling sort, swamp tours and fishing charters also provide opportunities for getting out on the water. Blu Rebel Charters or other nearby captains can take you inland or further out into the deeper waters of the Gulf. Our State Parks and Wildlife Refuges are also along waterways for additional opportunities. You can even rent a houseboat to stay along the water’s edge!
Paddle or charter your way into another world along the Cajun Coast!
Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival
Shrimp & Petroleum – (and Other Unique Things on the Cajun Coast!)
Shrimp and petroleum are generally not uttered in the same sentence, but the Cajuns of South Louisiana are used to doing things a little differently than the rest of the world. Beginning more than 80 years ago as a blessing of the shrimp harvest and a celebration of the many who labored in the deep Gulf waters, it is considered the oldest harvest festival in the state. The addition of the petroleum industry in 1967, to also honor this important industry, made it the huge celebration it has become today. The 82nd Annual Shrimp & Petroleum Festival, Labor Day weekend, will be a 5-day extravaganza paying tribute to both of these time-honored industries, shrimp and petroleum. It will feature great food, continuous, free live music, arts & crafts, children’s activities, and traditional events, such as the blessing of the fleet and boat parade.
In addition to the unique name, the unique Cajun culture on the Cajun Coast is celebrated at the festival. The Annual Cajun Culinary Classic showcases local “home style” cooking featuring delicious Cajun and Creole dishes as well as a variety of desserts and other cuisines. Artists and crafters from south Louisiana will showcase their unique merchandise and artistic masterpieces. And a street parade, water parade with blessing of the fleet, and fireworks on the Atchafalaya River, truly mark the joie de vivre, joy of living, so prominent in the Cajun way of life.
And no festival in Louisiana is complete without good music! The music line-up is long-anticipated, featuring local headliners such as Krossfyre, Waylon Thibodeaux, Jus Cuz, Cliff Hillebran, TK Hulin, South 70 and this year’s local winner of the KQKI Country Showdown, Mamie Winters. The Gospel Stage also heats up the crowd on Saturday and Sunday!
The blessing of the fleet is a special part of the festival, and giving thanks for the harvest begins with Mass in the Park under the oaks in Lawrence Park on Sunday. After the water blessings from the Morgan City docks and celebrations on the Atchafalaya River, a Certificate of Blessing and a prayer card of St. Brendan the Navigator, patron Saint of Seafarers is presented to each participant.
The Shrimp & Petroleum Festival has been honored as a Div III Festival of the Year for the past ten years by the Louisiana Fairs & Festivals Association, a Top 100 American Bus Association event and a top 20 Southeast Tourism Society event. It was even noted by Time magazine as “…the best, the most unusual, the most down-home, the most moving and the most fun that the country has to offer
Dining on the Cajun Coast
Laid back foodies, you have found your vacation paradise on the Cajun Coast!
Louisiana is known far and wide for its cuisine, and for those who have a food obsession, or at least let their tastebuds choose the next travel destination, the Cajun Coast should be on your list. Some areas are known for their upscale, haute cuisine, and we do have a few white linen places in our midst, but the Cajun Coast is more known for unpretentious fare, specializing in the freshest seafood, straight from the Gulf and mouth-watering ways to serve it up – in étouffée, sauce piquant, blackened or just grilled to perfection with fresh herbs grown on-site. Even our upscale locales serve comfort food like a gumbo perfected in mama’s cast iron pot.
Several of our festivals even celebrate food! The upcoming Bayou BBQ Bash is the perfect example. While July 4 is a pretty big deal and backyard barbecues are alight all over the country, combining Louisiana’s love of cooking and BBQ, equals some fires a couple weeks after the 4th that are pretty spectacular! The 6th Annual Bayou BBQ Bash will be held July 14-15, rain or shine, under the U.S. 90 Bridge in downtown Morgan City. The event is a Barbecue Competitor Alliance competition along with a Corporate Cooking Team throw down as well.
There is not only much barbecue available for the tasting, but other festival fare, as well live music (and Country Music Showdown), and arts & crafts. Check out the events section of Cajun Coast.com for more information, and you can sign up to compete until July 5 or judge for yourself who you think should bring home the bling as the BBQ Champion. Registration is open until June 30 for the Country Music Showdown as well in America’s #1 Country Music Talent Search!
Continue to satisfy your barbecue cravings or switch gears for different offerings. Our cuisine runs the gamut from Cajun to Asian, Steak to Soul Food, and Barbecue to Pizza Perfection. Check out the dining options and plan the menu for your visit. As the saying goes, in most places, you eat to live, in Louisiana, we live to eat!
Great Outdoors & Mama (Gator)
Some mamas love the outdoors – especially Mama Cayenne. With approximately as much waterways as land, the Cajun Coast is home to remarkable eco-systems not found in any other state. With 14 paddling trails, 3 designated wildlife areas, birding trails, biking routes, swamp tours, and several parks and campgrounds, it is easy to be at home with nature here. Even our Visitor Center in Morgan City is located on a swampland where visitors can visit fierce Mama Gator Cayenne and Paprika. And even download a Mother’s Day Card from Our Mama to Yours!
A Basin in Your Backyard
The Cajun Coast is in the gateway to the Atchafalaya (ah-CHA-fa-LIE-ah) Basin, the largest wetland and swamp in the country with 800,000 acres of pristine beauty. The Atchafalaya National Heritage Area was designated by Congress as an area of significant, natural, scenic, cultural, historical and recreational resources, and this untainted treasure beckons to be traveled.
Paddle Like a Pro 
With all of our waterways, we developed paddling trails for kayaks and canoes to help you navigate like a pro. Many of these trails traverse the Bayou Teche, named to the National Water Trails System as an exemplary waterway. The trails are noted in terms of difficulty, so even the novice paddler can explore.
Wildlife Watching
The Attakapas Wildlife Management Area features nearly 30,000 acres of swamp and bottomland forest. Accessible only by boat, primitive camping is available.
The Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge and Boardwalk allows you to stroll into the refuge, noted as a habitat for the Louisiana Black Bear and other Louisiana coastal wildlife. Fishing, hiking, boating, canoeing, and kayaking are other options on the refuge.
The Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area is an active delta and freshwater marsh habitat. Accessible only by boat, boating, fishing, hunting and birding are available.
Scenic Beauty 
Even driving takes you close to nature in the Cajun Coast. The Bayou Teche Scenic Byway winds its way through the area, around Bayou Teche, making its way to the Gulf of Mexico. Aside from the sheer beauty of the land, you’ll see moss-draped live oak trees along the banks of the Bayou Teche to more than 100 historic properties, many on the National Register of Historic Places.
With so many options to get outside on the Cajun Coast, grab your gear and get on the road!