Louisiana is known for its deep rooted history and culture all throughout the state, not just in New Orleans. Here we will share some experiences from my visit back in October. Some links provided on How We Find Happy may be affiliate links.
This means we may earn a small portion of income for our recommendations. Rest assured, this does not increase the price you pay for products or services. Happy Traveling! About 70 miles long, this historic road winds through small towns , plantations, cypress swamps, and is located on both sides of the river between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. I made the drive south on my way from Lafayette to LaPlace, where I spent a couple nights. I did stop to take a picture of this cute old church.
To my surprise, when I got to the Great River Road Museum, I recognized it in a photo, and learned the name and history of the church. St Garbiel is the site where the first Acadians settled in Louisiana , so it was a nice suprise to see this historic site. Uniquely laid out, as if walking along the banks of the Mississippi River, you learn what life was like along the river over the past couple hundred years.
You can read in depth histories of the plantations that used to line the Mississippi River, like Evergreen Plantation. Not to mention, you can enjoy lunch at one of the three restaurants, walk the beautiful grounds, and grab a cocktail at The Turtle Bar. Destrehan Plantation is closest to New Orleans, and also the oldest plantation in lower Mississippi Valley.
She is a descendant of Jean Baptiste Destrehan, the father of the original owner of Destrehan Plantation, and an enslaved African woman named Genevieve Bienville. This tour also includes some interactive music demonstrations, which our group enjoyed. Laura Plantation is the oldest plantation in Louisiana, and my favorite. Full of so much detail and history. Our group all agreed, if you can do one plantation, this is the one to visit.
