//
French Louisiana region in the US
Photo: Kingfish27, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Acadiana is a region of Louisiana, in the south and south west of the state. It is sometimes called "Cajun Country", noted for its distinctive culture. This is the birthplace of Cajun cuisine, Cajun music, and Zydeco music.
Also known as "Southwest Acadiana," the "Heel of the Boot," or "Imperial Calcasieu." Home to Lake Charles and the Creole Nature Trail, this area comprises the 3 southwesternmost parishes in Louisiana: Calcasieu Parish, Cameron Parish, and Jefferson Davis Parish.
The prairie region, between the rivers and bayous to the east and the marshes to southwest, forms a unique geographic component in an area covered largely by watery regions. Comprised of Acadia, Evangeline, and St. Landry Parishes.
The center of the Cajun Country and the heartland of the Cajun people, the descendants of the "Acadiens" exiled from Canada. The region centers around Lafayette, the fourth largest city in Louisiana. Comprised of Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, and Vermilion Parishes.
Parishes that line the Mississippi River, home to the River Road and historical plantation houses. The more southern parishes form an area known as the "Acadian Coast." Comprised of Ascension, Avoyelles, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, and West Baton Rouge Parishes.
The parishes in southeastern Acadiana that are closest to the coast and have a largely wetlands environment. The city of Houma is often called the "Venice of America," due to the amount of canals and wetlands surroundings. Culture here largely revolves around fishing and water subsistence, and has a strong economy based on offshore petroleum drilling. Comprised of Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, and Terrebonne Parishes.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
30 acres of preserved swamp, where you can walk around a nature trail on shady paths. Apart from the natural wildlife there are ostriches, bobcats, nutria and alligators on display in cages and paddocks and peacocks roam the grounds. Bed and breakfast accommodation is available in four small 'trapper's cabins', adjacent to a small swamp. Each has its own front porch overlooking the water and ideal for gator watching. Staying overnight is a unique experience that kids will love.
The main airport in Acadiana is located in Lafayette (LFT), which serves flights to Houston, Dallas and Atlanta.
Read in the guideIf you want to travel at your own pace, you should bring your own vehicle or rental car. Tour bus companies are great, but you sign up for a specific itinerary.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Lafayette · Regional · LFT
Loading places around the airport…
On the Louisiana coast, in the far southwestern corner of the state, lies the small port town of Cameron. Sparsely populated, this city is the parish seat for Cameron Parish, which has been designated by the parish tourism commission as the "Louisiana Outback." When driving into this area from Lake Charles or the Texas coastal city of Port Arthur, such a moniker seems well founded, as the feeling of isolation quickly washes over a person and the sense of being in a wetlands-filled wilderness spreads.
Donaldsonville is a town of about 7000 in the south of Louisiana, along the Mississippi River. Its historic old town is considered to be one of the best kept examples of its kind, and home to a number of pre-Civil War monuments.
Houma is a small city (about 33,000 people in 2019, not including suburbs) in south central Louisiana. It is the seat and largest city in Terrebonne Parish, and the center of the Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Jennings is in Southwest Louisiana.
largest city
Lake Charles is the second-largest city in the Acadiana region of Louisiana, with 87,000 residents in 2022. It is well known for gaming and the great outdoors, culinary delights and rhythm and blues.
New Roads is a small community and county seat of Pointe Coupee Parish in the Acadiana region of Louisiana. Home to only about 5,000 people, the town offers great opportunities to tourists while preserving the small town feel that is missing from places like New Orleans.
Opelousas is the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, and is one of the former capitals of Louisiana.
Often considered the "mother city" of the Cajun settlements in Louisiana, St. Martinville is the parish seat of St.
Avery Island is in Louisiana. A few miles southwest of New Iberia is Avery Island, home of the McIlhenny Tabasco factory and a wildlife sanctuary.
enormous swamp around the Atchafalaya River
Articles and travel topics about Acadiana and United States.
Travel tipsFind the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind the best time to visit Hawaii in 2026. Compare whale seasons, big-wave surf, dry shoulder months, hotel rates, and island microclimates.
8 min read
InspirationDiscover the best places to visit in April. Compare Dutch tulip fields, Thailand's Songkran water festival, Roman spring gardens, and cherry blossoms.
6 min read
Travel tipsA practical guide to travelling with medication and refrigerated drugs like insulin and GLP-1s. Learn airline rules, customs papers, and cooling tips.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.