Culture in Louisiana

When you make a list of all the things Louisiana has to offer visitors, you quickly see the long-lasting influences of our French, Spanish and African ancestry. Our past is well-preserved in our architecture, music, food and lifestyles—which include our festivals—and, of course, in our museums of history and fine arts.

It isn't an accident that Louisiana clings to the phrase "Laissez les bons temps rouler," meaning "Let the good times roll." Let yourself get lost in the traditions passed down through generations. Come visit us during Mardi Gras, when elaborately costumed riders parade and magnificent balls are thrown from New Orleans and Baton Rouge to Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport and beyond. Peek back through the centuries, as you walk under lavish ironwork and through the lush courtyard gardens of a meticulous French Quarter hotel. Revisit history on a tour of a historic home, where the daily activities of the past are recreated. Let nature's mysteries inspire and awe you via a boat tour through a cypress-studded bayou.

Here, history and lore don't live in books on a shelf; they're part of our everyday lives.