St. Landry Parish

While writing this article I became aware that I’ve been driving past some of Louisiana’s amazing treasures on the way to North Louisiana. Several communities in these parishes are notorious as “speed traps.” Maybe I’ve been too distracted looking for radar guns to “see the flowers and smell the boudin.” On this tour we’re gonna s l o w down and “pass a good time”.

Bring danc’n shoes and your squeezebox.  Riverside Limousine Service will be your designated driver because with all the adventure you’re gonna be tired “chere”. And we’ll put an ice chest in the luggage closet ’cause you’re gonna want to bring some food home.

While this parish is close enough to visit for a day, there is so much to see, do, eat, drink and hear – you really need to make it an overnight(s) road trip. To personalize your tour and see as much as possible we’ll sit down with you and help plan your group’s itinerary. We’ll join the Boudin Trail in St Landry Parish – Krotz Springs. This is gonna be a Cajun immersion! 

From Baton Rouge we’re going to take Hwy 190 and cross into St. Landry Parish at Krotz Springs – our first stop. We’ll get boudin for breakfast. The boudin at Kartchner’s Grocery rates an “A+.” Several sausage makers in St. Landry Parish have this high distinction in common.

Our next stop will be Bourque’s Superstore on Saizan Ave in Port Barre – another “A+” Boudin maker. We can get some and also pick up Jalapeno Sausage Cheese Bread for our picnic lunch later in Arnaudville. Before we get back on the road we’ll drive by the mouth of Bayou Teche.

In route to Bayou Teche Brewery we’ll swing through Grand Coteau. It’s known for it’s spiritual retreat center. It also hosts the annual Sweet Dough Pie Festival. 2ooo years ago this long ridge was the western bank of the Mississippi River. Perhaps we can find some of those pies before we leave!

From there we’ll go to Arnaudville for a beer from Bayou Teche. With the refreshments collected earlier we’ll have a picnic lunch and visit local shops like Tom’s Fiddle and Bow, Little BIG Cup and museums like the NUNU Collective. This is one of the oldest towns in the state.

Monkey Flower – Louisiana

Tired yet? In Washington we’ll check into the Country House Bed and Breakfast where we’ll spend the night – relax, refresh and get ready for the evening in town. 

Once this tiny town was the second busiest port in the state. 80% of the town is on the National Historic Registry. For our evening a trolley is available and perhaps the local tourism director will give us a tour. For supper we can choose from places like the Steamboat Warehouse and Cafe Opera.

The next morning we’ll travel on part of the Zydeco Cajun Prairie Scenic By-Way to Melville and Cannatella’s Grocery & Hardware built in 1924. This was a river port town built where the railroad crossed the Atchafalaya River.

Or we can drift over to Eunice to see the Cajun Prairie Habitat. This project seeks to restore wildflowers and plants native to the area. The original prairie once covered 2.5 million acres. The 10 acre site can be explored on pathways and guided tours can be arranged.

Next we’ll go into town to visit the Liberty Theatre home of “Lesse Le Bon Temps Rouler” Cajun & Zydeco radio show. Close by is the Cajun Music Hall of Fame.

It’s time for lunch – Billy’s Boudin and Cracklin’. Billy’s recipe was graded “A+.” I’m sure there will be a lot of lip smacking and “smack talk” as we talk about the one’s we’ve tried on this trip.

There are so many more things to see here; how much time do you have. When we have to head home – relax, “we drive … you have fun!”