I’m back from an “off the beaten path” whirlwind tour of northern and central Louisiana. I’ll say this about Louisiana. That state can eat. And another thing about the Pelican State: It’s home to some wonderfully interesting, not to mention hospitable, folks. Whether it’s on the main roads or back roads, this state will welcome you with open arms and great tales.
We started off in Monroe – six writers (many of whom are more focused on traveling than I have been in my coverage) in a van, along with our tour guides and a few other travel officials who joined us. We visited the picturesque Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge and then heading east nearly to the Mississippi River to see a gem of an archaeological site, Poverty Point State Historical Site.
From there, we traveled back west in the direction of Shreveport, hitting up Ruston, Arcadia, and the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum where the gruesome tale of the ambush was pictured. We visited Minden and learned about its success in the film industry. Back in Shreveport, it was the Robinson Film Center, where the view from the restaurant’s 2nd floor balcony was a fine environment to talk movies and decompress from the day’s sights.
After a night in Shreveport, we visited the Soumas Heritage Creole Gallery, a small but fascinating homage to Creole culture and one woman’s love for it within her own family. Then we gathered some insights about local bees at Hummer and Son Honey Farm. From there we hit the true back roads to find the Briarwood/Caroline Dorman Nature Preserve, my personal favorite spot and an idyllic place of preservation.
And our next stop (where we stayed in a bed and breakfast right on the Cane River downtown) was Natchitoches, perhaps the most relaxing of all destinations. It’s a gem of a place to kick back and relax or hit the streets to shop. At Mariner’s Seafood & Steakhouse, I ate the best crawfish etouffee ever while hearing about work to revitalize and recognize the Creole culture. The next day heading out of Natchitoches (where “Steel Magnolias” was filmed) we drove along the bayou and saw palatial plantations.
On the way to Alexandria, we stopped at Mr. Lea’s Lunchroom, home to famous pies. I chose peach. The Louisiana Nursery Festival is held in Forest Hill, where hundreds of nurseries thrive. I met a couple from Hope among the many vendors. And the Southern Forest Heritage Museum in Long Leaf brought us up close to the historical remnants of that great industry here in the South. Our final destination? Lloyd Hall Plantation, where it’s said ghosts still roam. I think I heard some in the middle of the night while staying at this working farm and B&B. It was a magnificent place to wake up in the morning.
You can expect some upcoming Sunday Accent pages to detail many (if not all) of these destinations – great places and great tales to tell.
- Aaron Brand
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03 27th, 2009| 
