Many people have visited New Orleans over the years, but what about the parishes surrounding The Big Easy? This magical part of Louisiana is now known as the Southeast Louisiana Gumbo Trail. While this title might make you think of just delicious places to eat gumbo, it is so much more.  

In this article, we will cover visiting some of the 11 parishes making up this roadtripping trail.  Louisiana parishes are akin to counties in Texas. These parishes are covered by 9 convention and visitor bureaus and are in the elbow of where the Mississippi River meets Louisiana.

Baton Rouge: The Red Stick

Starting in the town that most will already be familiar with, Baton Rouge is the Louisiana state capitol and has the history to prove it.  The translation of this city’s French name is “red stick.”

In this city found in East Baton Rough Parish, a top recommendation for lodging is Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, a swanky downtown location within a stone’s throw of the mighty Mississippi River. Enjoy unusual wines in the lobby bar while waiting for friends to go out on the town. If you are visiting Thursday through Saturday nights, there is a speakeasy hidden below the main floor. As with all the hidden bars during prohibition, you will need to figure out exactly where to go to gain access to this secret. Reservations are required and beverages will be served from antique glasses that are sure to send you on a hunt for these upon returning home for your own bar. There is also a tunnel under the hotel that, rumor has it, was used to transport the Governor’s mistress to and from his home in secret.  

When you are ready to adventure around town, start with a walk to the Mississippi River and take an Instagram-worthy photo with the silver structure titled “Sing the River”. It will remind you of “The Bean” in Chicago and is connected to the river level to create various songs depending on the river depth.  

If you like being outside, you can walk or bike along the 13-mile Mississippi River Levee Trail.  From there, you can hop in your car for a drive out to the LSU Burden Gardens and Rural Life Museum. Special events are happening throughout the year and one you don’t want to miss is Louisiana Lights for the holidays November through January. Not your daddy’s holiday light show, you will experience “a journey through illuminated garden rooms, past enchanted forests, a sparkling lake and a shimmering tunnel of light.”

Mike the Tiger (Mike VII) lives on the campus of Louisiana State University and would enjoy meeting you. In a habitat built for a king, Mike is cared for by his own personal veterinarian. 

Restaurants you should not miss are The Vintage for brunch and Elsie’s Plate & Pie for dinner.  At The Vintage, enjoy beignets (sweet) and the Vintage breakfast (savory) for breakfast or an Apple Brie French Bread along with simple arugula for lunch. Coffee drinks are served all day hot or cold, depending on your mood.  

Elsie’s was recently featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.” The red stick hummus (possibly the best hummus ever tasted) and boudin cakes are a must for appetizers.  The recommendation for the main dish is one of their savory pies — it is in the name after all.  The Crawfish Hand Pie has Louisiana crawfish corn and sausage from the boil, fried in a handmade crust, served with cajun cream. Always try the local fare: You can have a hamburger at home.

If you have time before heading out of town, swing by the Louisiana Old State Capitol for a tour.  Like no other state capitol you have ever seen, this one looks like a castle. To be specific, it is one of only two gothic revival state capitol buildings built before the Civil War. Look straight up from the rotunda for the most amazing colored glass ceiling. The museum is filled with Louisiana history to include an interactive voting machine from the 1900s, a lot of information on Governor Huey Long and how the old capitol was retired for the new capitol. Free admission but closed on Sunday and Monday.

Pointe Coupee Parish

The Parish of Point Coupee is a collection of several towns with the jewel of the area being False River. Along the banks of what is actually a lake, you will find camps, otherwise known as a lake house in Texas. This lake was once part of the Mississippi River in the 1700s. Fun fact about this area: their number one agricultural crop is sugar, followed by pecans. Home stays can be rented for a fun family weekend and, if you are lucky, you can rent a pontoon boat that will be docked at the house when you arrive. Order at least one meal from Crawfish Hole where everything fried is delicious. Cajun eats such as the crawfish pi-yahs (fried pie), Natchitoches meat pies (also fried) and swamp pop shrimp (you guessed it…fried) make for an amazing spread to share with friends and family.

West Faliciana Parish

The Parish of West Faliciana is where you will find the delightful town of St. Francisville. One of the most beautiful inns you will have the good fortune to visit is the St. Francisville Inn. Their Saint Restaurant and Bar are decorated in bold green, red and blue, making the ambiance candy for the eyes. Some of the walls are hand-painted so perfectly you will first think they are covered with wallpaper. The bar is the town’s only craft cocktail bar. The restaurant has been awarded the distinguished “Top 100 Restaurants in the U.S.” by OpenTable twice. The farmstyle family home was built in 1880 with a spa upstairs, plus 19 guest rooms. Guests have access to bikes and golf carts to get around this quaint little town. Even if you are just cruising through town, stop here for a cocktail on the front porch.  

Another historic place to check out is The Myrtles. Stay the night, dine in the restaurant or book a tour of what was once a cotton and indigo plantation. At a minimum, cruise around the property and enjoy a coffee from the Elta Coffee shop.

Tangipahoa Parish

Stay the night in Hammond at the newly built Home2 Suites which is within easy driving distance of Gnarly Barley Brewery and Lighthouse Coastal Brasserie. Gnarly Barley Brewery is a locally owned brewery where you can have a Catahoula Common or Irish Goodbye on tap.  Buy a six pack to go in cans that will just make you happy looking at their cartoonish designs. What began as an experiment in home brewing in a garage is now a cool place to hang out with friends in a 14,000 square foot brewery. 

While Hammond is not on the coast, you will think it is when you have dinner at Lighthouse Coastal Brasserie. The front opens to a vibrant area where you can feel the breeze coming off the street. On the menu, you will find coastal fare such as grilled oysters and ceviche made with fresh gulf fish, steaks cooked to your liking and if you time it right, cocktails on happy hour. After dinner, mozy next door to their super eclectic Eclipse Lounge. The lounge has the opportunity to reserve various intimate seating areas called the Moon Room, Saturn Room, Venus Room and La Familia Room.  

Fun fact about Hammond: They have 45 locally owned restaurants so you are sure to find something to your liking while still eating local.

Also found in this Parish is the “Strawberry Capitol of the World”, y’all! Ponchatoula is one of the cutest towns with strawberries aplenty. Have fun taking photos in front of the 10-foot strawberry art installation across the street from City Hall. April is the height of the growing season for these bright berries which is why the annual Strawberry Festival happens in town during April of each year. This is a free, family-friendly, outdoor festival that’s held each year and celebrates Louisiana’s state fruit, the strawberry.  

If you have time to cruise through town, be sure to stop at Paul’s Cafe for breakfast with real strawberry preserves and order a real strawberry daiquiri to go. Known to some as “Mayberry of the South,” you will meet friendly locals that won’t be too shy to ask you where you are from and then tell you a little about themselves.

Ascension Parish

Houmas House Estate and Gardens is located right on the Mississippi River in Ascension Parish and is 1 of 12 plantations left standing (and open to the public) in an area that once had 489 plantations between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The house is named after a Native American Indian tribe. The museum onsite depicts life on the Mississippi River in the 1800s and tells the stories of many plantations no longer standing. The original intent of the museum was to chronicle the steamboats on the Mississippi. The museum opened on March 8, 2020, a week before the pandemic, and Jim Blanchard is the painter, curator and historian featured in the museum. Visitors can see the Baton Rouge Symphony play a concert around Christmas time, a collection of 6,500 pipes, and coming soon to the museum is a display of Patricia Breen Christmas ornaments. The museum also tells the sad and complicated history of how slavery existed at all plantations.

Travelers may choose to stay at the Inn at Houmas House in one of its 21 rooms. Guests can visit Turtle Bar on property which features a $10,000 shot of scotch, as well as many less expensive brands.

The Carriage House Restaurant features the owner’s grandma‘s seafood gumbo recipe, and possibly the best dessert ever tasted — the Pistachio Decadence.

Houmas House Mansion and Gardens Tour is of the home which was originally built in 1774.  The house is surrounded by southern live oak trees, the oldest of which is said to be 600 years old!  The alley of oaks ensconces the entrance leading up to the home. It is on 38 beautiful acres.  

And that’s a wrap on this tourism trail that will educate, inspire and entertain! See more about the SELA trail in our recent TV segments on Great Day Houston and Studio 512!

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Cover photo Marika Flatt

Marika Flatt, Outstanding Austin Communicator 2021, is the Travel Editor of Texas Lifestyle Magazine. She began her travel writing career in 2002, and can be seen as a contributor on TV shows across Texas, such as KVUE, Daytime (FOX), San Antonio Living, Good Morning Texas, and KXAN!  Marika spent five years as the voice of the “Weekend Trip Tip” on NPR’s Texas Standard pre-Covid. She loves exploring our Louisiana neighbors to the east!

Selena Swartzfager is a travel writer, nonprofit president, an amateur photographer, lover of adventures and life. Her favorite type of travel allows her to learn about history while enjoying things for the first time.  Follow her on Instagram.