Spring has officially sprung into full bloom and perhaps you're not interested in the Jazz Fest line-up or you want to get-away from the increase in tourism, or maybe you just want an outdoor adventure. Everyone knows about Baton Rouge, Pensacola and Biloxi but here's a list of some other options to break from the norm. Whatever your reason, these are some of the best and lesser-known trips out of the New Orleans area.
Lafayette, LA
Spend a day in the heart of Cajun Country, only a 2.25-hour drive from the city you can find all the traditional smoked meats, fried cracklins, and boudin.
Avery Island, LA
In just 2.25 hours you can beat the heat by exploring the hot sauce factory tour in the heartland of Tabasco. You can explore the Jungle Gardens, bayous, wildlife including gators and egrets and the pepper fields. You'll have to venture to New Iberia to find a place to eat and sleep, but from there you will find quaint B&Bs and classic Cajun cuisine.
Cypremont Point State Park, LA
The only locality near the Gulf of Mexico that can be reached by car, provides a delightful area for relaxing, picnicking and enjoying the water. With an abundance of leisure activities including fishing, crabbing, water skiing, windsurfing and of course sailing, this 185-acre park located in the heart of the Lousiana marsh will allow you to explore an abundance of wildlife in the same trip.
Fairhope, AL
Fairhope is an uber-quaint shore town that is about 2.5 hours from the city. This is the perfect relaxing getaway, nearby to the picture-perfect beach of Gulf Shores, it has great food and art to enjoy during your stay.
Tickfaw State Park, LA
At Tickfaw State Park you can discover four types of ecosystems on over a mile of boardwalks. Visitors can explore, the sights and sounds of the cypress/tupelo swamp, a bottomland hardwood forest, a mixed pine/hardwood forest and the Tickfaw river.
Port St. Joe, FL
Just over 5 hours you can find an oasis of shoreline. Port St. Joe is relatively open and not overbuilt and you can enjoy excellent seafood as fresh as it comes in this quaint peninsula wedged between St. Joseph's Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
