Recently I traveled with Louisiana Lt. Governor Jay Dardene and heard him speak on what attracts visitors to our state.. The Lt Governor said our state’s attraction was it’s “authenticity.” People from all over the world travel to experience our zest for life. It was echoed in by the St. Landry Parish President at a stop in Opelousas where he told the crowd “people come to Louisiana to see you.” Visitors come here to “get real!” Pick Your Passion! From north to south Louisiana has many things to offer. So“laissez les bons temps rouler“ 

Stay at home (or close to home) vacations. What a great idea – especially if you live in Louisiana. There are so many interesting things to do, places to go, sites to see, foods to sample! 64 Parishes, from rural to cosmopolitan. History, culture, current events, futuristic, food, sports, wildlife, friends, festivals and famous folks – Louisiana has enough to keep you busy for many years.

Getting There:

In a Riverside Limousines Mini-Bus getting there can be part of the fun! In the past “getting there” was a challenge. As the story goes there was a man and his family driving from St. Martinsville to Monroe. They were a little lost and stopped to ask Boudreaux directions to Alexandria. Boudreaux rub his chin and say “let me tink – ok you go tree mile to the levee and turn left – no dat won’t work, no, go north to Cecilia and get on … no dat won’t work, go to the gaz station down dis way .. no dat won’t work. Mes cher I don’t tink you can get der from here” North and South, East and West – in the past it did seem that you couldn’t get from one area of the state to another. Over the past decade new bridges and road projects have made the trip between areas much easier.

Planning:

There are many ways to plan for a staycation. One approach is “just do it!” Put the family in the car and take off. Another option is to plan a visit to family or old friends in another town. You could use the internet or follow the calendar festivals. There is a lot to choose from.

 

A good way to start a staycation is to visit the Visitors Center in the area you want to explore or the Parish Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website. Many of these centers are destinations in of themselves. Outside of the center they are landscaped with plants native to the area. It’s likely you will see birds and other local wildlife. Inside there are brochures, presentations and helpful local residents that can help you plan and even put you in touch with the sites you are interested and perhaps even save you some money.

Groups: 

How big is your group? Who do you want to share the experience with your extended family or several families together? A club or group of friends with similar interests? Family and friends in town for a destination wedding? Business associates or international visitors? Or travel with your spouse for some well deserved downtime.

Small groups frequently use our Sprinter Van or Mini Buses for groups of 10 to 24 passengers. Trips ranging from dinner out of town and plays at the Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts to trips lasting several days exploring the state.

Benefits of Using a Chauffeur:

When someone else does the driving you have time to visit, enjoy refreshments, prepare for the next stop or take a short nap. Our vehicles have plenty of space for luggage, overhead storage for packages and coats, counters and ice chests for refreshments on board.

Your professional chauffeur can pick up requested refreshments, resupply inside coolers and fulfill special requests while you enjoy the stop. When at events like fairs and festivals having someone that can drop you at the entrance, come to pick up purchases and pick you up when you want to leave is a wonderful way to travel.

In some areas on board local tour guides can be arranged to provide color commentary. Several years ago I went with my daughter.’s history class on a field trip to Shiloh National Battlefield. Her teacher had arranged for Civil War reenactors to be on each bus. Their stories, period clothing and detailed descriptions of events made history come to life.

With planning and preparation your staycation will be a vacation to remember. As Dorothy said, “there’s no place like home!”