Bayou-wrapped and draped in Spanish moss, Lafayette is the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole country—and has plenty of culture to match. Zydeco music still rings out at dance halls and festivals, while crawfish, gumbo, and po’boys are on the menu at city eateries. Things to do in Lafayette run the gamut from wild nature to vivid culture, whether you’re bird-watching at Lake Martin Rookery, following the gumbo trail, or diving into living history at the recreated village of Vermilionville.
Festivals showcase the best of Lafayette, with many events falling in the relatively mild spring and fall seasons. Spring festivals kick off in February or March, when the city’s version of Mardi Gras features parades, balls, dancing, and plenty of elaborate costumes. In April, the Festival International de Louisiane brings a French-speaking crowd. Zydeco players from all over come for September’s Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Festival, the largest such event in the world.
Many travelers get around Lafayette by car—there are a handful of big-name rental agencies at the Lafayette Regional Airport. Or, try public transit: The Lafayette Transit System runs buses throughout the city, though service can be unreliable. There’s also an Amtrak station in Lafayette, served by the Sunset Limited train that links Louisiana to California via Texas and New Mexico.
If gourmet visitors know Louisiana for its po’boys and beignets, locals rave about traditional “plate lunch” meals that feature cooked comfort foods with hearty sides such as fried okra and dirty rice. You can try the specialty in Lafayette at Gary’s, Laura’s II, and Dwight’s Restaurant; look for fried catfish, chicken stew, smothered steak, oxtails with gravy, and other regional treats.
