2017-01-16 22:33:15
© Laura Plantation Flamingos at Baton Rouge Zoo ©Maggie Bowles Galatoire’s patio – courtesy of Visit Baton Rouge Nowhere else can you see the Old and New South come together so dramatically than in Plantation Country. Great River Road plantations tell the story of sugar fortunes won and lost, while the capital city of Baton Rouge is a thriving modern city with a robust restaurant scene and some of the most passionate college football fans on Earth. Wildlife photographer C.C. Lockwood is your guide to this diverse region. ©San Francisco Plantation Picking strawberries ©Liuzza Produce Farm GREAT RIVER ROAD AREA Former sugar plantations line the highways along the Mississippi River south of Baton Rouge, and many are open today as history museums. “Oak Alley Plantation has probably the most photographed entrance,” Lockwood says of the opulent house, built in 1837 and famous for its magnificent alley of 300-yearold live oak trees. “Laura Plantation is another one you should see. I stopped there once when I was boating the entire length of the Mississippi River.” Other notable plantations along River Road include St. Joseph Plantation, San Francisco Plantation, Whitney Plantation and the South’s largest antebellum mansion, Nottoway Plantation & Resort. Between plantation tours, stop for a bite at B&C Seafood & Cajun Restaurant in Vacherie or The Cabin Restaurant in Burnside. IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME… Shop at Tanger Outlet Center in Gonzales Dine at one of Houmas House Plantation & Gardens’ four restaurants Tour Liuzza Produce Farm in Amite, which invites visitors to pick their own produce and tour its replica pioneer village. Louisiana State Capitol ©Maggie Bowles ©The Cabin Restaurant, Fish Amandine at Galatoire’s ©Eugenia Uhl Capitol gardens in Baton Rouge ©David Gallent Oysters at Mike Anderson’s Seafood ©Maggie Bowles BATON ROUGE AREA Considering the time Lockwood has spent exploring the Mississippi River, it’s no surprise he has many recommendations that are near the water’s edge. “You can see the river from the rooftop at Tsunami,” he says of the renowned sushi restaurant, located atop the Shaw Center for the Arts in downtown Baton Rouge. Another one of his local faves is DiGiulio Brothers Italian Café, located on Perkins Road near other culinary standouts Galatoire’s, Parrain’s Seafood and City Pork. Downtown Baton Rouge has an endless list of must-sees. “The Old State Capitol is a beautiful building,” Lockwood says. Tour the capitol for free, and while you’re downtown, see the LSU Museum of Art and Louisiana Art & Science Museum. To explore the region’s natural side, try the Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area in West Feliciana Parish, and the backroads that lead to charming, historical towns such as Amite, Independence and Ponchatoula. ©Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area Red Stick Farmer’s Market ©Visit Baton Rouge crawfish boil ©Visit Baton Rouge Paddle Boarding ©Visit Baton Rouge IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME… Dine at Hot Tails Restaurant and Morel’s Restaurant & Antiques in New Roads Stay at the historic St. Francisville Inn Tour Feliciana Cellars Winery INSTAGRAM.COM/LOUISIANATRAVEL #downtownbatonrouge #louisianaoldstatecapitol #louisiana #batonrouge. – jodileighster © Laura Plantation For 47 years, C.C. Lockwood has been advocating for Louisiana’s environment through a camera lens. He’s authored or coauthored books Marsh Mission, Atchafalaya and Discovering Louisiana. His latest, Louisiana Wild, documents lands protected by The Nature Conservancy. Lockwood knew little about the importance of conservation when he moved to Baton Rouge decades ago, but caught on quick. “I came down here to attend LSU [Louisiana State University] and fell in love with the food and the people,” he says. When he began photographing professionally, he discovered the Atchafalaya Swamp and quickly realized how important it is. He hasn’t stopped exploring and supporting the region since.
©Louisiana. View All Articles.