Socially Distant
As we head into fall, and the heat abates, thoughts turn to the outdoors. What better place to enjoy the cool, refreshing weather than Louisiana’s…
Author: Cheré Coen
Travel: Park Place
With its endless strip shopping centers, freeways and urban sprawl, Houston may appear to most as just another concrete jungle. What may surprise many is that the nation’s fourth largest city is home to 580 parks, including two of the…
Travel: Lookout Mountain
If you plant a finger on a map of the U.S., aiming for the heart of the South, you’ll likely hit Lookout Mountain. Rising up from the Cumberland Plateau in Georgia and Alabama and stretching into Tennessee where it overlooks…
In Play
When casinos reopened in May, they followed many other Louisiana businesses by limiting their offerings — in this case gaming positions — and decreasing the facility’s capacity to allow for social distancing. Safety precautions were put in place, including requiring…
Hike and Bike Y'all
Tammany Trace Abandoned train corridors can be reincarnated into excellent biking and hiking paths, and such was the case in St. Tammany Parish. The parish government purchased land once owned by the Illinois Central Railroad and created the Tammany Trace,…
Best $3 Ever Spent
You would think that an introvert who works at home would perform ok in this pandemic. At first, I did fine, although having family members constantly at home proved challenging at times. But last week hit me hard. I…
The Great Lakes of Acadiana
Thank goodness for the endless outdoor opportunities located throughout South Louisiana. Take lakes, for instance, great bodies of water that provide excellent fishing, boating, swimming and birding. Not to mention they’re cool and refreshing should you wish to dive in.…
Grace Episcopal Church and Cemetery, St. Francisville
We all know that war is hell but sometimes there’s a brief pause in the suffering when the light shines through and we remember our humanity. U.S. Lt. Cmdr. John Elliott Hart happened to be commanding the Union gunboat…
A Trip to Natchitoches and a Few Historic State Parks
Folks travel to Louisiana from around the world hoping to find French culture and language. After all, Louisiana as a European settlement was founded by the French. What tourists discover is that Louisiana’s unique heritage expands beyond its French…
Fishing is Hot at Cool Toledo Bend
I’m not into fishing, although I won’t pass up a chance to get out on a lake, especially during the Dog Days of summer. So, when tourism officials invited me out on a guided fishing excursion on Toledo Bend,…
Bayou Teche Museum Celebrates Milestone
The first time I discovered the unique Bayou Teche Museum in New Iberia was in advance of the inaugural El Festival Espanol de Nueva Iberia or Spanish Festival in 2012. I was so impressed with this small museum and…
Lorrain Bridge and Park
It’s a lovely, although circuitous drive to Lorrain Parish Park, heading south from Welch and Interstate 10 and then west on rural West Niblett Road. You’ll pass bayous, cows and rows of ancient live oak trees until you reach…
Beach Vibes
Summer’s here and the beaches are calling. Coastal Alabama is not only open for business but offers plenty of ways to get outside and stay at least six feet away from others. There are 60 miles of Gulf beaches and…
Nature Heals
Mark Elliott had spent 70 straight days working in his kayak outfitter warehouse after having to send five of his employees home due to COVID-19. Spring was usually a time when interest in paddling surged, but the phones weren’t ringing…
Staycationing in the Atchafalaya
Summer adventure awaits in one of Louisiana’s most impressive and diverse outdoor spaces Chalk it up to the impressive statistics, the 200 species of birds and incredible sports fishing and hunting. The massive Atchafalaya River Basin tops all U.S. wetlands,…
A Monroe Getaway
I’m still skittish about moving into society — and with good reason, of course. But, a recent getaway to Monroe-West Monroe for rest and relaxation, plus a little antique shopping and good eating, allowed me a road trip fix without…
Historic Fiske Was First
For those of you who grew up attending movie theaters that projected one film, sold popcorn so fresh you shoveled it into your mouth before the film began and lounged in chairs plush and soft, you’ll love the Fiske…
Look to the Skies
This month, Louisiana skies will be ablaze with energy. The fifth annual CenterPoint Energy Red River Balloon Rally, presented by the Louisiana Office of Tourism, will take place June 12-14, sending local and regional balloons over various neighborhoods in…
A Historic Walk Through Lafayette
Normally this time of year, downtown Lafayette is bursting with live music and the Downtown Alive concert series, in addition to festivals, Second Saturday ArtWalk and incredible scents of cuisine emanating from popular eateries. Galleries and restaurants are beginning…
On The Trail Of Our Elders
Dr. Edwin Lewis Stephens, the first president of the University of Southwestern Louisiana Institute, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, was inspired by a Walt Whitman poem and started possibly the first organization for live oak trees. As…
In The Footsteps of Bonnie & Clyde
During their crime spree in the early 1930s, the law despised Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow, known as the outlaw gang, Bonnie & Clyde. The couple murdered at least nine police officers and four civilians as they…
Get Off The Beaten Path
As one of the oldest states in the union, founded in 1699 by French colonists and attracting numerous nationalities over its 300-plus history, not to mention an exemplary Native American heritage, Louisiana offers countless unique places to visit. It’s a…
Stately Travel
This week marks the annual National Travel and Tourism Week, and while travel may be stymied due to the coronavirus, Louisiana tourist commissions are hard at work, ready to roll when the state officially opens. Until that wonderful day…
Farther Flung: Mountain Escape
Located in the northwest corner of Arkansas, Bentonville used to be a sleepy little town. Then Sam Walton got the great idea of helping people save money and live better, opening a five-and-dime called Walton’s on the square and beginning…
African America Historic Sites, Opelousas, Louisiana
Digging into Louisiana genealogy led to me to understand an interesting history of Opelousas, the third oldest city in Louisiana following Natchitoches and New Orleans. The “poste” was established by the French colony’s government in 1720 for the French…
What’s Brewing
Despite the recent economic turndown due to COVID-19, Louisiana craft breweries are staying online, producing new products — even creating hand sanitizers! Take Urban South Brewery of New Orleans. This month the company has released more than 20 unique…
Where the Buffalo Roamed
In the heart of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette lies a swamp, complete with alligators, turtles, fish and blooming Louisiana irises. It’s a sight representative of South Louisiana’s swampy terrain. According to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette…
Who Visited Louisiana? – A Trivia Game
Louisiana birthed many famous native sons and daughters, but other famous people traveled through our state, leaving an indelible mark. Since we’re stuck in our homes and unable to travel our beautiful region, here’s a trivia test to jog…
Sing the River in Baton Rouge
When I worked for The Advocate newspaper around the turn of the 21st century, I parked in an undeveloped lot overlooking the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge. Many of my colleagues would park in the non-descript gravel spaces…
Trailblazers
Acadiana is a region steeped in history, culture and tradition and its people are known for their irrepressible and entrepreneurial spirit. It is with this idea in mind that we created the Acadiana Profile Trailblazers. Some of the honorees are…
