Author: Cheré Coen

Horsin' Around

1 | Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino Racing In addition to its dining options, hotel, live concerts and slot machines, Evangeline Downs offers a one-mile oval racing track with thoroughbred racing April through August and quarter horse racing October to…

25 Fun Things To Do This Summer

Summer’s here, the kids are underfoot and everyone’s demanding what to do. In Acadiana, the summer fun is endless, from swamp tours and other exciting outdoors activities to learning Cajun dance and speaking French. So, get out your calendar and…

Down the Bayou

1 Bayou Country Crawfish Trail Dine on Crustacean No, it’s not a trek through the woods, but a culinary trail that honors our favorite spring crustacean. In Houma and Thibodaux, there are more than 30 places to pause for crawfish…

Shop 'Til You Drop

1 | Lagniappe Antiques Shopping Start the shopping stroll through quaint downtown Breaux Bridge with a stop at one of its largest establishments at 17,000 square feet. Lagniappe Antiques contains rows and rows of antique dealers, as well as items…

Happy Holidays Acadiana

How lucky we are in Louisiana to enjoy the year-concluding holidays, ring in the New Year of 2023 and then roll right into Mardi Gras. Acadiana has more than its share of these celebratory events. We’ve assembled a few…

Fall Fun

Check into the Hotel Bentley in the heart of downtown Alexandria with its dramatic lobby, then put on your walking shoes and discover the hidden gems of the city. The Historic Downtown Walking Tour, with a handy map available on…

25 Fun Things to do this SUMMER

Acadiana is bursting with fun things to do. There are so many attractions to enjoy in Acadiana, including outdoors activities, historical sites and museums. Then, of course, there’s the food! If you’re looking to get out and about this summer,…

Trailblazers

Conservation Anne Darrah had rarely volunteered in New Iberia until she got the idea of improving her neighborhood by planting trees. She is a retired designer and art director who won numerous awards for her work at The Times of…

Food and Fall Fun

You'll find all of the cool kids at The Virgin hotel in New Orleans' Warehouse District this fall and beyond. Playful design and see-and-be-seen bars, eateries and other spaces round out the signature experience people have…

25 Fun Things to do This Summer

Photos by Joseph Vidrine, Romero & Romero, Haylei Smith and Denny Culbert Summertime means fun time in Acadiana, and there’s plenty of jollification to go around. While many of Acadiana’s attractions are indoors, even more exists in the great outdoors,…

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.…

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.…

Best of Cracklins

The Cajun boucherie dates back centuries, a communal hog butchering where careful attempts were made to use every inch of the animal to adequately feed the coterie. Usually held in cold weather months, the boucherie produced items for backbone stew,…

Voyages: Natural State

The art world was turned on its head when Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art opened in Bentonville, Arkansas, an architectural masterpiece designed by Moshe Safdie that celebrates both art and nature. Since Crystal Bridges opened in 2005, the small…

Détails: Honeymoon / Northern Exposure

In Alaska, honeymoon options are as diverse as the state. For a relaxing, quiet getaway, cruises up the Inside Passage may be in order. A flight to Anchorage with a ride on the Alaska Railroad to Denali National Park may…

Best Bars

It’s the perfect time to spotlight the exquisite watering holes throughout Acadiana, everything from beer taprooms and live music venues to ethnic experiences and high-end restaurants where signature cocktails are served. ¶ Here are our picks for the best bars…

Eating Our Way Through Shreveport

  Go ahead, twist our arm! The 318 Restaurant Week, a citywide promotion of local restaurants organized by the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau and its partners, returns March 18 through 23 at more than 50 participating restaurants. Lunch and…

Louisiana's Best Retirement Cities

Moderate climate, great food, the great outdoors, Mardi Gras — Louisiana has a lot to offer. With seniors about to become the largest demographics in the nation, Louisiana is primed to attract those who want to spend their glory years in…

Farther Flung: Southern Hospitality

Atlanta may be the most-visited but rarely-seen city in America — its international airport calls itself the world’s busiest in terms of passenger traffic. But if you’re like many travelers and only visit Atlanta to change planes, it’s time to…

Chasing Eagles

  Years ago, on a visit to Toledo Bend I spotted a bald eagle’s nest in a remote spot of South Toledo Bend State Park. When January rolled around this year and I was in bad need of a nature…

Hangin' in the Hub

Two hours from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, takes you to Jackson, New Orleans and the Coast, which is why it’s known as the Hub City. Shopping, craft breweries and art galleries dot the historic downtown and at the city’s heart lies the…

King Cakes

Twin’s Burgers & Sweet’s boudin king cake consists of a savory dough and boudin marriage, drizzled with Steen’s syrup on top and cracklin’ bits Carnival’s Gateau des Rois may have its beginnings in France but today’s Louisiana king cakes have…

Breakaway largest ship to sail from New Orleans

This past week Norwegian Cruise Line brought its Norwegian Breakaway ship to the New Orleans port and now offers five- to 11-days cruises to the Caribbean. The Breakaway, named Best Cruise Ship for Families by USA Today, is now the…

Get Lost In A Corn Maze

Fall comes slowly to Louisiana, with temperatures taking their sweet time to drop and trees turning colors closer to Thanksgiving than Halloween. If you’re eager for something that smells and tastes like autumn, besides the pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks,…