The Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico on the Louisiana coast. Due to the wide river delta, the state has a water area of 21,440 square kilometers, which is why Louisiana is also called “Bayou State”. The official nickname is “Pelican State”, this bird adorns the coat of arms of Louisiana and can be seen in many places.
The biggest cities are New Orleans and the capital Baton Rouge. Unique in North America is that the administrative districts in Louisiana are not called “County” but “Parish”, so the capital is also the administrative seat of East Baton Rouge Parish.
Numerous cultures come together in Louisiana – Spanish, French, German, African, Indian and not least English influences can be felt here. This can be explained from the history of the state.
The colony was first taken over by René Robert Cavalier La Salle for King Louis XIV of France from 1682. The first attempts to conquer failed, so the colony was only founded in 1711. The area west of the Mississippi was given to the Spaniards, leaving the French with only the city of New Orleans, in which the French influence can still be clearly felt today. It was not until 1812 that Louisiana became a member of the Union, and Baton Rouge became the capital in 1849.
Louisiana is extremely versatile: from remarkable plantations and stately mansions along the Great River Road to the largest swamp areas in the USA with numerous alligators. The state’s culinary highlights are the Cajun cuisine and Avery Island, where the famous Tabasco sauce is made.
New Orleans – the city with the famous French Quarter – is located on the Mississippi River. Exceptional villas in the Garden District and architecture from the Spanish and French colonial era characterize the cityscape. “The Big Easy” is not only known for its famous jazz music, but also for Creole cuisine.
The diversity of Louisiana
Louisiana is the stronghold of jazz and the associated way of life. Visit the French Quarter in New Orleans and enjoy the swampy riparian forests on a paddle steamer ride on the Mississippi.
The state of Louisiana is located in the southern United States, at the mouth of the Mississippi in the Gulf of Mexico. The so-called Bayou State is about twice the size of Austria and has about five million inhabitants, who mainly focus on the New Orleans region. It is characterized by unspoilt swamps and the subtropical climate.
Attractions
New Orleans is not only the largest city in Louisiana, but also the main attraction for visitors. The metropolis on the Mississippi estuary is nicknamed The Big Easy, which it received because of the unique lifestyle of the residents. The French Quarter in the city center is particularly charming – it dates back to the time of the French colonial era and is of particular architectural interest. Here, in the heart of New Orleans, are the most popular attractions with St. Louis Cathedral and Bourbon Street. The capital of jazz is also known for its many parties, especially the move to Mardi Gras in February.
Louisiana can also offer its visitors a lot outside of the metropolis. A trip on a steamboat on the Mississippi is recommended. An insider tip is the Poverty Point National Monument in the northeast of the state, an archaeological site of the local Indian culture. In addition to jazz, French and Creole history are also omnipresent. It is therefore interesting to visit the Cane River Creole National Historical Park to get to know the Creole culture.
Arrival and best travel time
The largest airport in Louisiana is the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, which is also served directly from Germany. The southern location of the state ensures a pleasant temperature all year round. In the summer months, the maximum values can reach over 32 ° C and the precipitation is heavy. Therefore, the best time to travel is especially in spring with temperatures around 25 ° C.
List of all zip codes for the state of Louisiana, LA. Sorted by city. For each zip code listed, names of city and county are provided. For specific information of each postal code, please click the following links for Louisiana zip codes.
- ABBREVIATIONFINDER: Find the most commonly used abbreviations about the state of Louisiana. We offer a comprehensive list of major cities, state profile, common acronyms and map of Louisiana.
- COUNTRYAAH: How many airports are there in Louisiana? Here, you will find a full list of all airports in alphabetical order as well as airport abbreviations for Louisiana.
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Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States. According to Wikipedia, During the Middle Archaic period, Louisiana was the site of the earliest mound complex in North America.
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Note: Check COUNTRYAAH for top 10 cities in the state of Louisiana.
Highlights
LIVELY PATCH OF EARTH
New Orleans is known for its lively nightlife, a lively music scene with a lot of jazz and multicultural cuisine.
ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Make yourself comfortable on a paddle steamer ride and admire the picturesque landscape along the Mississippi.
FRENCH QUARTER LOUISIANA
Visit the St. Louis Cathedral and get to know the historically important center of the state.
THE VIOLET, GREEN AND GOLDEN FESTIVAL
At the world-famous Mardi Gras carnival you will find music, party enthusiasts and artfully decorated show cars.
JAZZ MUSIC IN LOUISIANA
Jazz plays a major role in New Orleans, because this genre of music was born around 1900. At least that’s how the locals tell it.
OAK ALLEY – PLANTATION
Admire the famous Oak Alley plantation with the 400m oak alley and learn more about the past.
Lake Charles
Look forward to the exciting history, the delicious cajun cuisine, Creole specialties and lively nightlife
Let yourself be enchanted by the hospitable Lakes Charles, which welcomes you with the charm typical of Louisiana. Since the city was not part of the original Louisiana Purchase, it developed differently than the rest of the US state and this is still reflected in both the culture and the culinary art. Get to know the exceptional taste of Lake Charles by tasting specialties like boudin, cracklings and fresh seafood.
A trip to nature around the city is also a must: drive along the Creole Nature Trail, observe wild animals such as alligators, Roseate Spoonbills or pelicans and collect shells on natural beaches.
Round off your city trip with the diverse cultural offerings and lively nightlife. Whether an interesting visit to the museum, an exuberant atmosphere at the famous Mardi Gras or fun gambling in the casinos – Lake Charles is a lively city!
New Orleans
Rich in culture and history, Mardi Gras and jazz also play a major role in this French-influenced city
New Orleans is considered the most European city in America. It is rich in culture and history and offers many sights, fun and action. New Orleans, popularly known as “The Big Easy”, prides itself on its serenity and long history, in which good music and delicious food play a major role. Due to the excellent location on the Gulf of Mexico, the winter is relatively mild.
La Nouvelle-Orléans was founded and shaped by the Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne in 1718. Ideally located between Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi, the city quickly developed into an important commercial center, after Louisiana.
A few years under the rule of the Spanish, the country fell back to France in 1800, which it finally sold to the United States in 1803 with the largest land sale in US history – the Louisiana Purchase.
Over the years, New Orleans and the surrounding area have been inhabited by people from different nations. The diverse influences and traditions of the French, Spaniards, Germans, British, Irish, residents of the Caribbean and freed former slaves form the basis for a unique cultural mix that is unparalleled and whose rousing attraction no visitor can escape.
DIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS
Shopping on your New Orleans vacation
Shopping in New Orleans is great! Whether in Magazine Street or the French Quarter – a shopping spree is not only versatile, but also worth seeing and experiencing. If you are looking for something special, it makes sense to make a detour to the French Quarter or the different districts. You will be amazed by the variety of small shops selling art objects, antiques, souvenirs and clothing.
The state and sometimes municipal sales tax on property in the amount of 5 to 9 percent is refunded to you if you have bought from one of the more than 1,300 affiliated retailers or in factory shops.
In this case, get a tax free receipt upon presentation of your passport. Upon departure, you will receive your pre-paid taxes at the airport in the LTFS Refund Center upon presentation of your receipt, passport and return flight ticket. This service makes Louisiana a shopping paradise. But please keep in mind the import regulations of German customs.
Sport activities Numerous sporting events take place here all year round. The New Orleans Saints football team regularly turns the city into a gold-black “Who-Dat-Nation”. Golfing and fishing are also very popular sports here. With more than 100 miles of bike trails, New Orleans is growing into a bike city. Be it on your own or with a guided tour, the city and the surrounding area can be explored particularly well with a bike. But kayaking on Bayou St. John, stand-up paddle boarding on Lake Pontchartrain, yoga together are just a few of the different sports that visitors can try out here. Not to forget the fascinating nature around New Orleans is an absolute must not only among outdoor fans.
Nightlife
New Orleans offers a varied nightlife. From the famous Bourbon Street or trendy music venues on Frenchmen Street to the many bars with live music from the trendy hotels, New Orleans has something to offer for everyone. The pulsating metropolis is known by connoisseurs as the city that never sleeps.
Try your luck at Harrah’s Casino or go to one of the many famous restaurants, bars or music venues. A visit to the Orpheum, the Mahalia Jackson Theater or the wonderfully restored Saenger Theater should not be missing during your visit.
ATTRACTIONS IN NEW ORLEANS
French Quarter in New Orleans
The heart of New Orleans is undoubtedly the historic French Quarter. The Creole district invites you with its old streets, beautiful houses with wrought iron balconies and interesting shops, antique shops, art galleries and first-class restaurants and bars. French charm and Spanish architecture can be found on every corner, a must for every visitor. But be careful, New Orleans is not just the French Quarter, so be sure to check out more.
French Market and Cafe du Monde
Every visitor will find a souvenir for loved ones at home in the 165-year-old French Market at the southern end of the French Quarter. Typical delicacies, spices, Mardi Gras necklaces and masks, handicrafts and postcards can be purchased here. Those who are exhausted from the many impressions can take a breath at Café au Lait and Beignets in the world-famous Café du Monde opposite Jackson Square. This delicious lard and the chicory coffee that goes with it are part of every New Orleans stay.
Fauxbourg Marigny
The “neighborhood” Marigny and the adjoining Bywater are the currently trendy neighborhoods in New Orleans. Frenchmen Street is a magnet for visitors when it comes to live music. Here one music bar follows the next and the musical diversity cannot be discovered in one evening alone. The weekly Frenchmen Street Art Market is also a gem in the hustle and bustle of the city. Try one of the trendy restaurants in Bywater and stroll through the small streets and let the colorful life take its toll on you.
Mississippi steamers
The ride on one of the legendary Mississippi steamers should not be missing during your vacation in New Orleans. The steam-powered paddle steamer Natchez is located on Toulouse Street Warf, opposite Jackson Square.
The smaller Creole Queen is in front of the Riverside Collection Outlet Mall a few hundred meters down the river. In addition to classic excursions that take place several times a day, these ships also offer dinner cruises with live music.
New Orleans Streetcars
New Orleans has a very well developed public transport network. Buses or streetcars are the best way to explore the city. These red or green trams connect downtown New Orleans to the surrounding neighborhoods such as Uptown / Riverbend, Riverfront, Canal Street / Cemetaries, City Park or, as of autumn 2016, along North Rampart Street. A one-way ticket costs just $ 1.25, a day ticket called the Jazzy Pass costs $ 3.
Museums in New Orleans
There are many museums worth seeing in The Big Easy. The biggest crowd puller and one of the top 10 museums in the United States is the Word War II Museum near Lee Circle in the Warehouse Arts District. This “art district” also houses the Contemporary Arts Museum, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and many small galleries and museums. The Louisiana Children’s Museum, the Audubon Aquarium on the Mississippi with its various themed areas, the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium with a cockroach live cam on Canal Street or the Audubon Zoo with its great water features in Uptown are suitable for children. The Louisiana State Museums include the Presbytère and the Cabildo, located next to St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square, Madam John’s Legacy and the New Orleans Jazz Museum in the US Mint.
Plantation Country
Along the Great River Road between New Orleans and the capital Baton Rouge, just under a dozen plantations with guided tours and accommodation are waiting for interested visitors. One more beautiful than the other, all with different stories and tours. Oak Alley, Nottoway Plantation and Houmas House offer customers the opportunity to stay. Their cottages are inviting and offer all the amenities of a plantation stay, tour and breakfast included. A little further north is the romantic town of St. Francisville, with inviting bed and breakfasts and another selection of southern plantations. For example Greenwood Plantation, known for the television series “Torches in the Storm”, or Myrtle’s Plantation, the so-called “haunted plantation, to name just a few.
Food and drink
The culinary diversity in New Orleans is hardly surpassed by any other city in the USA. The traditional dishes such as Jambalaya, Gumbo or Etouffé are prepared with passion and local ingredients. Fish, oysters and shellfish are often on the menu – naturally fresh due to the proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. Butt boys and muffullettas are ideal as a snack in between. The cocktail has its origins in New Orleans and many famous mixed drinks such as the Sazerac, Milk Punch, Ramos Gin Fizz or the Hurricane Cocktail can still be found in the numerous bars in New Orleans and the surrounding area.
Garden District
What the French Quarter is for the Creoles, the Garden District is for the Americans. Here an opulent southern villa is lined up next to the other – and one is more beautiful than the other. A neighborhood that’s great for exploring on foot along Magazine Street or the historic green tram along St. Charles Avenue. Incidentally, one of the city’s most famous restaurants can be found here in the Garden District: Commander’s Palace – highly recommended here is not just the jazz brunch. Don’t miss the Lafayette Cemetery on Washington Avenue – one of the city’s still publicly accessible above-ground cemeteries.
