Retire in Lafayette

Lafayette is at the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole Country, an area known for letting the good times roll, or as we say “laissez les bons temps rouler,” and people are starting to notice. The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch.com named Lafayette as the “Happiest City in America,” which came as no surprise to locals. With our distinctive blend of food, music and culture, it’s no wonder people from all over are heading down south with a smile on their face.

Attractions in Lafayette

Lafayette is a foodie paradise with homegrown chefs putting a fresh spin on time-honored recipes. Lafayette’s distinct culinary identity honors the traditions that have shaped us while merging with modern palates, making it an incredibly satisfying place to eat. A large number of locally-owned restaurants can be found on EatLafayette.com and fresh local produce, meats and food products can be found at weekly farmers’ markets. It’s no wonder why Lafayette has also been named Best Food City by Rand McNally/USA Today, Southern Living’s Tastiest Town of the South, and a Top 10 Foodie City by Livability.com. So come see what the fuss is all about.

Besides the food, why do people love Lafayette? Festivals, music and dancing for starters. Many people across the country love Cajun and Zydeco music and this has spawned an interest in the cultures of South Louisiana. For some, it has become an addiction that brings them here where they can be immersed in all that makes Lafayette special. From Festival International de Louisiane in the spring and Festivals Acadiens et Créoles in the fall, to Bach Lunch, Downtown Alive!, ArtWalk, Rhythms on the River, free festivals and events are offered year-round to satisfy our city’s culture lovers.

Whether you enjoy fast-paced urban living or a quieter country setting, Lafayette is a great place to live. Relocate America named Lafayette one of the Top 100 Places to Live for two years in a row and Bloomberg BusinessWeek ranked Lafayette as the ninth most affordable county to live in the country.

Lafayette is home to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the second largest university in Louisiana. Among the offerings at UL are a wide variety of spectator sports, a Performing Arts department featuring music, dance and theater performances, and a variety of continuing education courses.

For the arts patron, the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra and Conservatory, Acadiana Center for the Arts, Hilliard University Art Museum, and various theater, dance and music organizations feature performances and events throughout the year. There is never a lack of events on the schedule.

If you are the outdoors type, you will find easy access to golfing, fishing, hunting, paddling, cycling and camping throughout the parish and beyond. Lafayette is home to parks and recreation centers that offer tennis courts, disk golf, hiking and biking trails, swimming pools, and active sports leagues for all ages.

Lafayette also serves as a retail hub for the area. From the Acadiana Mall to a variety of shopping experiences in Downtown Lafayette, Oil Center, River Ranch and other shopping centers around the city, many eclectic shops as well as many of the major retail outlets will satisfy all your shopping needs.

Lafayette is conveniently located at the intersection of I-10 and I-49 and is only a two-hour drive from New Orleans. The Lafayette Regional Airport hosts daily flights connecting to Houston, Dallas and Atlanta.

Go to LafayetteTravel.com to whet your appetite for Lafayette, a city with a vibe all its own. Come for a visit. We think you’ll decide to stay a while.