Retire in Houma and Terrebonne Parish

Choose your adventure in Houma, Louisiana’s Bayou Country.

Only 55 miles from New Orleans, Houma offers access to big city living while maintaining small town charm. Spend a day with jazz music and beignets in the French Quarter, and then settle in to the country lifestyle of Houma.

Activities in Houma

With more than 2,500 square miles of swamps, marshes and wetlands, Houma is the dream location for outdoor enthusiasts. Spend a day fishing and casually casting into our lakes and bayous to enjoy the beautiful scenery and catch bass. Travel a short distance south to our coastal marshes where the redfish are abundant and make for an adventurous day of fishing. Catch a charter boat from the coastal town of Cocodrie, where the Gulf of Mexico’s waters plunge very deep, very quickly, and allow an expert to guide you to amberjack, cobia and tuna that you’ll have to brag about. 

The unique environment of the Houma area lends itself to all sorts of outdoor activities. Spend a day exploring the Mandalay Wildlife Refuge and LUMCON boardwalks, where moss-draped cypress trees surround you as you watch migratory birds nest and feed. Step aboard a swamp tour to see wildlife in action. Play a round of golf amongst our southern oaks at the Ellendale Country Club.

Take in our unique culture with food, music and celebrations. There is a certain joie de vivre, or joy for life, that is evident in our ways and you can taste it in our rich gumbos, hear it in local zydeco music and experience it in our year long festival season, with a new adventure happening every weekend. Our people have a passion for culture and you can truly take it in on the Wetlands Cultural Byway. On this beautiful scenic drive throughout the Houma area, you will experience antebellum plantations, historic downtowns, museums and cultural centers, national heritage areas, Native American heritage sites, bayou overlooks, sculpture gardens and more.

What truly sets Houma apart are the people who live here. There is a deep-rooted sense of hospitality amongst the Cajun, Creole and Native people who make up the beautiful diversity of our home. They say there are no strangers in Houma, only friends we haven’t met yet, and you can certainly see this as a new friend invites you to dance at the Jolly Inn Cajun Dancehall or shares a centuries old recipe with you at a creole café.

Visit Louisiana’s Bayou Country and you’ll know why we say “There’s no place like Houma.”  Learn more about Houma.