Welcome to Louisiana

Everyone knows New Orleans, with its French Quarter, jazz, and Mardi Gras — and it lives up to every bit of the hype. But Louisiana is a whole other world once you leave the city. Drive west into Cajun country and you will find towns where people still speak French, dance to zydeco, and boil crawfish by the pot. The Atchafalaya Basin here is the largest river swamp in America, bigger than the Everglades, and Louisiana is home to more than a million wild alligators. You can even cross Lake Pontchartrain on the longest bridge over water in the world, nearly 24 miles across. Come hungry, because gumbo, jambalaya, and po-boys are a way of life. Below you will find every Louisiana map, trip, guide, and hidden gem we have.

• Nickname: The Pelican State
• State bird: Brown pelican
• State reptile: American alligator
• State crustacean: Crawfish
• State tree: Bald cypress
• State dog: Catahoula leopard dog