Ideas for Family Summer Vacations in Louisiana with your Kids
� Hurricane Katrina caused unspeakable damage to New Orleans and the state of Louisiana, but things are getting picked back up there and the state now has even more to offer its family travelers than ever before. Perhaps you want to visit the revitalized city to show your kids about perseverance, community and the rich culture that can still be found there. Or maybe there’s some other spot in Louisiana that your family can visit this summer to do your part to contribute to the economy of the state.
New Orleans
It’s now safe for you and your kids to go back to New Orleans to see this rich, interesting, vibrant city. Sure, it’s thought of as a Spring Break destination for wild college kids, but if you’ve ever been there, you know that it’s got activities for folks of all ages. And that a trip to this city is one that is memorable enough to never be forgotten by anyone in your family. Take a mule-drawn buggy ride or ride the steam-powered riverboat to see some of New Orleans from a new perspective. Visit the Aquarium of the Americas and the Audobon Zoo to see animals of all kinds. Or go to Mardi Gras World, where your kids can see the fun and exciting parts of Mardi Gras without all the bad-influence adult activity that fills the real event.
Baton Rouge
If the sights and sounds of New Orleans seem a bit too overwhelming for your family but you want to stick to a mostly urban environment, think about Baton Rouge as a summer vacation destination. You can check out the exhibits at the Enchanted Mansion Doll Museum, the plantation life of the West Baton Rouge Museum and the civil war history of the Old Arsenal Museum. See the swamplands of Louisiana at the Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center. The Baton Rouge Zoo and Dixie Landin’ Theme Park are other family favorites.
Lakes and Nature
If you’d rather get away from the cities, maybe your family would enjoy camping at or lodging near one of Louisiana’s lakes or other nature spots. Some of the state favorites include Cypremort Point State Park, Indian Creek Reservoir Lake, and Lake Bistineau. Lake Pontchartrain is home to several different state parks and recreational areas, including Fontainbleau State Park which has playgrounds and other amenities just for kids.
Festivals
Louisiana has over four hundred festivals throughout the year, plenty of which happen during the summer months. So, if your family likes fair food and unique experiences, perhaps you should plan your summer vacation in Louisiana around one of these events. There is a corn festival in Bunkie, a Cajun Music Festival in Mamou, a Smoke Meats Festival in Ville Platte, just to name a few of the ones that you might enjoy with your kids.
Crossroads
If all of these decisions are too much for you, you might want to head towards Crossroads, so named because it’s located at the center of the state. This puts you in close to proximity to anything in Louisiana that you might decide you want to see, giving you some more flexibility in your summer travel planning. Bayou Pierre Alligator Park is located here, giving you a chance to see some Louisiana gators and share some real Cajun food with your kids. The Alexandria Zoological Park, Tunica-Biloxi Indian Museum and Lois Loftin Doll Museum are just a few of the other attractions in the immediate area. From there, you can just branch out.
Here are more ideas for Family Vacations in Louisiana!
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