Family Travel
Louisiana’s endless roster of attractions and activities encourages multigenerational groups to unplug from their devices and connect with one another instead—all while exploring museums, encountering wildlife and more.
In Shreveport, situated in northern Louisiana near the Arkansas and Texas borders, get acquainted with the history of the Bayou State at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum. The free attraction has an impressive collection of dioramas portraying life in Louisiana’s oil fields, swamps, plantations and factories. Or tour underwater wonders such as kaleidoscopic coral reefs and shipwrecks at the Shreveport Aquarium. It is home to sharks, stingrays, jellyfish and other creatures and the state’s only indoor mining experience, enabling visitors to hunt for gems, fossils and gold.
If you have budding scientists or engineers in tow, spend the day at the Sci-Port Discovery Center, which encompasses the PoP Children’s Museum, Gallery of Intrigue and Sawyer Space Dome Planetarium. At PoP, little ones can explore hands-on exhibits in kid-size replicas of a grocery store, veterinary office, bank and other city features. Meanwhile, the Gallery of Intrigue is a history-based, open-air escape room made up of relics and replicas from Shreveport’s past. The Shreveport Aquarium and Sci-Port Discovery Center are both in downtown’s Red River entertainment district, which has two casinos and many shops and restaurants.
At Baton Rouge’s Old State Capitol Museum, housed in an eye-catching castle-like building, learn about events and landmarks, such as the 1984 Louisiana World Exhibition, that influenced Baton Rouge’s evolution. Or see engrossing exhibits on ancient Egypt, the solar system and other topics at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, which has thousands of inspiring artifacts and works of art. If you visit Louisiana’s capital city in September, October or November, dress your crew in purple and yellow to cheer on the Fighting Tigers at Louisiana State University’s stadium, which attracts some of college football’s most spirited crowds. Also: Be sure to say hello to Mike the Tiger (LSU’s beloved mascot) at his lush, 15,000-square-foot habitat.
There’s no better place to experience Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole heritage than in Lafayette—the heart of Louisiana’s Acadiana country. To learn more about the area's history and the state’s earliest settlers, tour Acadian Village, a collection of buildings reconstructed along a bayou. Lafayette is the place to taste Louisiana culinary staples such as jambalaya, gumbo and boudin (a local specialty featuring cayenne-seasoned pork, rice, veggies and sometimes liver stuffed into a casing like sausage).
To sample a little of everything, take a Cajun Food Tour, which will whisk your crew to five locally owned eateries to sample fried seafood, etouffee and other bites. Craving something sweet? Don’t miss the macarons at Bonne Vie, which has more than a dozen flavors of the French pastry, or the old-fashioned scoops at Borden’s Ice Cream Shoppe, a stop for floats, banana splits and malts since 1940.
After enjoying Lafayette’s sights, spend a night or two in Broussard. Located in Lafayette Parish (only about 8 miles from the city of Lafayette), the Southern gem has a charming downtown lined with turn-of-the-century buildings. Pint-size travelers love seeing the more than 125 species of animals at Zoosiana, which also has a train and playground, and burning energy at the Elevation Station trampoline park.
Lake Charles, tucked in southwest Louisiana, is an ideal destination for families seeking outdoors fun. In the city, look for alligators and tons of bird species along the Creole Nature Trail, go kayaking or pontoon boating or set up a picnic on the sand at Rutherford Beach. Check the calendar for collegiate sporting events at McNeese State University and other exciting happenings, such as fishing tournaments and mud runs.
Where to Stay in Louisiana
Best Western Hotels & Resorts has properties in Florida to accommodate families of all sizes, from groups of four to 12. The chain also has many pet-friendly properties, so you don’t have to leave your four-legged members at home. Budget-friendly rates also make booking multiple rooms more affordable, so everyone can have their own space.