Parishes
Like a huge family, the twelve parishes that comprise the Southeast Louisiana Gumbo Group each have a distinct personality. From big city street parties to rural back roads to historical sites and sounds, Southeast Louisiana is ready to make you feel welcome and appreciated. Come visit our unique and vibrant downtowns, eat at local restaurants and be part of the crowd for some of the best festivals and cultural events in the world. We are the Southeast Louisiana Gumbo Group and we welcome you to our world.
ASCENSION PARISH
6967 Highway 22
Sorrento, LA 70778
225-675-6550
Toll Free: 1-888-775-7990
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Almost directly between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, not far off Interstate 10, lies a cluster of communities which make up Ascension Parish, LA. These communities are so deeply rooted in their own unique culinary traditions you may be able to smell the rich scent of roux and onions as you pass through.
Family-owned restaurants like Mike Anderson’s Seafood, The Cabin Restaurant and Sno’s Seafood and Steakhouse have been here for more then 40 years, providing the area with new twists on authentic cuisine for generation after generation. In the Historic District of Downtown Donaldsonville, set in the casual atmosphere of a beautifully restored 1920s building that hosts rotating collections of colorful works of area artists and the sounds of local musicians, lies The Grapevine Café and Gallery. Its authentic South Louisiana cuisine has earned rave reviews from visitors, food writers and the ever-important locals.
Houmas House Plantation, one of the South’s oldest and most beautiful plantation estates, is the home of Latil’s Landing Restaurant, The Carriage House Restaurant, and Café Burnside, each providing guests with a culinary experience of a lifetime all on its own. Their Chef masterfully creates wonderful dishes using the freshest local ingredients that Louisiana has to offer, giving his guests an unforgettable experience in one of Louisiana’s most beautiful settings.
So what’s this “unique and authentic fravor” you’ve been hearing so much about? You’ll just have to come visit and taste for yourself!
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH
359 Third Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
225-383-1825
Toll Free: 1-800-527-6843
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Welcome to the Crossroads of the South, where amazing local food isn’t just an occasional topic of conversation, it’s a daily obsession. From up-and-coming culinary innovators to hidden down-home gems, there’s plenty to savor, see and do, with an authenticity and culture that run as deep as the South.
An exciting array of new dining options has created a buzz among visitors and locals alike in Baton Rouge. Whether you’re pulling up a chair at one of the newest dining options like Southfin Southern Poké or enjoying a classic restaurant such as Parrain’s Seafood Restaurant, you know you’re always in for a treat! Is cooking your thing? Take a class at Louisiana Culinary Institute or Red Stick Spice and after, take a rest and wash it down with our local craft beer at Tin Roof Brewery or a rum cocktail from Three Roll Estate Distillery.
After you’ve filled up on southern cuisine, set your sights on our colorful political history, dance the night away on Third Street, soak up the splendor of our art scene and kick your feet up at one of our many hotels. Come to Baton Rouge to be charmed with our southern hospitality.
Start cooking up your experience today with a taste of what’s on the menu at visitbatonrouge.com.
LIVINGSTON PARISH
30340 Catholic Hall Road
P.O. Box 1057
Albany, LA 70711
225-567-7899
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Shopping, Sports, Science, Waterways and Cuisine! We have it all here in Livingston Parish. We are home to the largest rural Hungarian Settlement in the United States and our Bass Pro Shop is one of the top 3 stores in America. Throughout the year we have numerous festivals and events that take place around the parish, including in our Award-Winning Antique District and along our 400 miles of waterways. Livingston Parish has the LARGEST Sturgis Poker Run in the United States, and the Memorial Day Music Festival showcases big name music artists.
Convenient to I-12, I-10 and I-55, Livingston Parish is 10 minutes from Baton Rouge and less than an hour from New Orleans.
You’ll find great hotels and RV Parks coupled with friendly people and a down-home atmosphere. Come see why everyone is so Proud to call Livingston Parish their home.
LOUISIANA’S RIVER PARISHES
St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and St. James
671 Belle Terre Blvd.
LaPlace, LA 70068
985-359-2562
Toll Free: 1-866-204-7782
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Where History, Flavor, and Adventure Collide | Five Ways to Experience Out Here
New Orleans Plantation Country
Out Here, New Orleans Plantation Country presents the history of the past plantation cultures of Louisiana’s River Parishes. Laura Plantation: Louisiana’s Creole Heritage Site introduces the elite Creole history, and Destrehan Plantation emphasizes the marginalized people on its Unheard Voices of the German Coast tour. The voices of enslaved Creoles are heard at Whitney Plantation, and St. Joseph Plantation offers a living history tour that illustrates how widows were required to mourn during periods of bereavement. Oak Alley Plantation is home to the beautiful Alley of ancient Oaks and two lovely formal gardens on the east and west side of the Oak Alley mansion.
1811 Slave Revolt Trail
Out Here in Louisiana’s River Parishes, the 1811 Slave Revolt Trail replicates the actual procession of enslaved revolutionaries who rebelled against their slave owners in 1811. The revolt is noted as America’s first Freedom March, and the stops on the trail are the 1811/Kid Ory Historic House, Destrehan Plantation, Whitney Plantation, and Historic Riverlands. Each attraction has an 1811 Slave Revolt Trail kiosk with a QR code, and there is also an 1811 Slave Revolt digital passport that can be downloaded on mobile devices.
Andouille Trail
Out Here in Louisiana’s River Parishes, the Andouille Trail features a group of local restaurants offering tasty Andouille meals and signature Andouille dishes created by local chefs and cooks. The culinary byway offers a map of the trail and an Andouille Trail digital passport that can be downloaded on mobile devices. Ways to enjoy Andouille on the trail: Buy It | Make It | Taste It | Eat It | Ship It.
Bonfire Country
Out Here in Louisiana’s River Parishes, the holiday season begins with the Festival of Bonfires and ends with the Lighting of the Bonfires. The festival offers Andouille sausage links, Gumbo cook offs, live local entertainment, and beautiful fireworks displays. On Christmas Eve at midnight, hundreds of bonfires displayed on the Mississippi River levee are set ablaze to light the way for Papa Noel, and all year, Selfies can be taken with Saint, the fifty-foot wooden alligator Bonfire Country mascot.
New Orleans Swamp Country
Out Here, New Orleans Swamp Country offers an abundance of outdoor experiences in Louisiana’s River Parishes. The Mississippi River Trail is ideal for biking, and the Bonnet Carre Spillway is a Birder’s paradise. The swamps in the Manchac Greenway are perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and ziplining, and Lake Des Allemends is a fishing haven. Swamp tours and airboat tours offer narratives about nature and wildlife, and golfers can tee off on all five of the golf courses.
POINTE COUPEE PARISH
500 W. Main St.
New Roads, LA 70760
225-638-3998
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An easy drive from anywhere in the state, Pointe Coupée Parish offers a tucked-away escape and illuminating window into Louisiana’s rich history along the Mississippi River. Celebrating 300 years of history, the parish’s tricentennial offers tribute to the arrival of those who permanently settled Pointe Coupée, but its attractions and legacy date much farther back—Pointe Coupée is home to 10 earthen American Indian mounds built between 700 and 1200 AD.
Take a drive down beautiful country roads lined with sugarcane and enjoy Pointe Coupée’s historical charm and open-air offerings. A live oak tree walking tour, bike tour, kayaking, SUP boarding, weekly fishing tournaments, hunting, and camping are activities that draw outdoors enthusiasts to the area, while 30 historical homes and the Old River Controls Structure offer a glimpse into the past.
ST. HELENA PARISH
8140 Highway 10
Greensburg, LA 70441
225-222-7000
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St. Helena’s appeal as a tourist attraction centers around the quaint rural beauty and the proximity to Interstate 55, Interstate 12, and the Zachary Taylor Parkway.
Sportsmen activities include hunting, fishing, and canoeing on the local streams. Cycling is a sport that winds through the parish on the highways and back roads.
Historical locations in Greensburg include the Courthouse, Old Jail Circa 1855, and Land Office Circa 1820, that was used for the clearing house for Spanish Land Grants. Businesses that call St. Helena home are Cal-Maine Foods, Kleinpeter Dairy, Dow Chemical, Louisiana Technical College Region Nine, Southland Steel, and Williams Gas.
Rolling hills, pasture land, and a forest of pines make St. Helena a rural retreat as you visit the region. St. Helena boasts of NO red lights in the parish and only four caution lights. Escape from the hustle and bustle of today’s life. Visit St. Helena.
TANGIPAHOA PARISH
13143 Wardline Rd.
Hammond, LA 70401
985-542-7520
Toll Free: 1-800-542-0715
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Located in the heart of everything great and fun about Louisiana, Tangipahoa Parish is your “must-visit” stop when visiting Louisiana. Tangipahoa Parish is easy to get here, but hard to leave.
Tangipahoa Parish has more activities, restaurants, festivals, shopping, museums and sporting events per square mile than any other location in the state. Each year, the major festivals feature strawberries, Sicilian heritage, oysters, Italian culture and the Renaissance. Our food competitions put local and visiting chefs to the test. Leading the competition is the nationally-acclaimed Hammond BBQ Challenge followed by year-round local competitions for best gumbo, jambalaya, chili and dessert.
When talking about food, the talk of the region is Tangipahoa, with over 200 restaurants offering cuisine ranging from local seafood to fine dining and everything in between.
There is always something to do in Tangipahoa Parish. Walk on the wild side at Global Wildlife Center, Kliebert & Sons Gator Tours, or Sandy Bottom Tubing on the Tangipahoa River. Interested in spirits? We have two kinds: scary spirits at the RISE Haunted House and smooth spirits at our local breweries along the Tangipahoa Brewery Trail. Finally, Tangipahoa has a trove of local shopping boutiques. Explore antique stores, local gift shops and national retail stores all within easy driving distance.
Whether you’re looking for family fun, girlfriend getaways, outdoor adventures or cultural experiences, it’s all here in Tangipahoa Parish. Located on the crossroads of I-55 and I-12, it’s easy to get here and with so much to see, eat and experience, it’s hard to leave!
WASHINGTON PARISH
1950 Washington Street
Franklinton, LA 70438
985-839-5228
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Welcome to Washington Parish, Louisiana, one of the most scenic rural parishes in the state—softly rolling hills, piney woods, farms, small towns, and waterways!
We invite you to fish, hunt, canoe, “tube,” and drive our byways and backways. Good food, festivals, local heritage, and the nation’s largest free fair are just some of the offerings in our little corner of the state.
Thriving watermelon patches, U-pick blueberry farms, dairy farms, home-grown produce—we have them. Anytime, any season is a great time to be on our scenic rivers, the Pearl and Bogue Chitto. One of Louisiana’s premier properties, Bogue Chitto State Park is located just 6 miles from Franklinton.
In October, enthusiastic crowds come to enjoy the Washington Parish Free Fair. They enjoy frower, homemaking, livestock and agricultural exhibits; midway rides; stage entertainment; Pro rodeo; and experience many pioneer activities typical of the 1800s Louisiana piney woods at Mile Branch Settlement.
Experience the cultural heritage of small-town America in a century-old general store, the Varnado Store Museum. The Museums of Cassidy Park, the Pioneer Museum, and the Museum of Indian Culture refrect history in the heart of Bogalusa. All feature permanent and changing exhibits, lectures and demonstrations, and are open each weekend.
WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH
2750 North Westport Drive
Port Allen, LA 70767
225-344-2920
Toll Free: 1-800-654-9701
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West Baton Rouge is “On the River, On the Way” to fun and adventure in Southeast Louisiana. The smallest parish in the state is part of the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, with big surprises in store for visitors.
Experience our history at the award-winning West Baton Rouge Museum, on the State African American Heritage Trail. Visitors enjoy guided tours of the museum’s six acres with six historic buildings and barn that help describe sugar plantation life from the Antebellum Period through the Civil Rights Era. The main museum galleries display changing and permanent exhibits including a 22' sugar mill model and gift shop.
View the Mighty Mississippi up close and personal at the Old Ferry Landing Overlook in downtown Port Allen. See the skyline of the Capital City, or just enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and watch the ships and barges as they maneuver the giant waterway.
Festivals, Food and Fun are on tap at our four major events of the year. Kite Fest Louisiane, the only Kite Festival in the state of Louisiana, is held in April. The Oldies But Goodies Fest and Championship BBQ Contest take place in mid September, Sugar Fest in October, and the Westside Christmas Fest in the month of December. Take the I-10 Exit #151 and visit our Tourist Information Center. We can help you find great accommodations convenient to all that the region has to offer and help you create a plan for your great adventure in Southeast Louisiana.
WEST FELICIANA PARISH
P.O. Box 1548
St. Francisville, LA 70775
225-635-4224
Toll Free: 1-800-789-4221
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Nestled in rolling hills on the mighty Mississippi River just 30 minutes north of Baton Rouge, St. Francisville in beautiful West Feliciana, provides a glimpse of a unique area we call Louisiana’s Hill Country.
Here the plantation homes and breathtaking gardens are monuments of the adventuresome and creative English who settled here and built a southern empire quite different from the rest of Louisiana.
St. Francisville is the quintessential small town, with a gazebo in the town park perfect for bands and summer plays. Sandy-bottomed creeks meander through the area where winding country roads will lead you to nature preserves, a cypress swamp, antebellum homes, or to a bluff overlooking the mighty Mississippi River. Whether you are birding, canoeing or riding bikes through the lush countryside, you’ll soon discover that there’s no place quite like West Feliciana…where imagination becomes reality.