It’s almost impossible to eat badly in Cajun Country (unless you’re a vegetarian – then you’re up the bayou without a paddle). Throw a rock and you’ll likely hit a gas station or corner store with boudin balls, po-boys or plate lunches. But a little planning will elevate your Cajun roadtrip from a good adventure to glorious, multisensory experience. 

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Start your day on highway 10. Skip breakfast, leave hungry, and mark your GPS for Poche’s Market & Restaurant in Grosse Tete. You can’t go wrong with whatever’s on the menu (it varies by the day), but locals are particularly fond of the pork backbone stew served on Mondays and Saturdays. 

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Make sure to marvel at the majestic Cypress trees as you drive through the Atchafalaya Basin, which contains the largest swamp in North America, and the Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge, established to improve plant communities for endangered and declining species of wildlife, waterfowl, migratory birds and alligators.

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Pull over in Lafayette, New Orleans’ country cousin, known for its seafood, smoked meats, eccentric Mardi Gras traditions and distinctive mix of Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music. Dance the night away at La Poussiere Cajun Dance Hall, which has been open since 1955, or enjoy some Zydeco or Swamp Rock at The Hideaway on Lee. Crash in luxury at Maison Mouton Bed & Breakfast, a restored Creole house nestled in Lafayette’s Sterling Grove Historic District. Antique touches – from old-world Acadian decor from the early 1800s to deep cast iron tubs and balconies – bring the charm.

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Enjoy a homemade breakfast and make way deeper into Louisiana’s coastal wetlands. You’re going to Avery Island, best known as the Tabasco HQ. It’s not an island at all, but a Salt Dome, and calling it a hot sauce factory barely scratches the surface of the history and natural wonders of the estate. Take a stroll through the Jungle Gardens, where you’ll have a once-in-a-lifetime moment of observing a 800-year-old Buddha statue crawling with Alligators. Learn the story of how Tabasco sauce heir and conservationist Edward Avery McIlhenny almost singlehandedly brought back the Snowy Egret population by creating a bird sanctuary that exists to this day. 

 

Before heading back to New Orleans on highway 90, stop in New Iberia for Bon Creole Seafood, a no-frills, counter-serve neighborhood joint. Their fried seafood plates, gumbo and po-boys are all legendary, and don’t forget to nab some of their famous bread pudding for dessert. Leave cajun country the way you’re supposed to – fat, happy, and with a head full of accordion, washboard, and fiddle playing.