Years on the Open Road ROUTE 100 80 Travel US Route 80, a scenic way to soak up the state’s culture and charm. Start out in Shreveport to explore Native American artifacts and also dioramas depicting life in 1940s-era Louisiana at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum . Traveling east, stop for an afternoon of antique shopping in Minden. Continue east to Ruston to learn about the area’s post-Civil War reconstruction and railroad history at Lincoln Parish Museum . Head over to D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge in Farmerville (north of West Monroe) to fish for largemouth bass or catch sight of waterfowl, then explore both flora and fauna at Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo in Monroe. Take a detour to Poverty Point UNESCO World Heritage Site in Pioneer, a 3,400-year-old Native American trade and cultural complex. ROUTE EXPLORE TOP SITES (AND SIGHTS!) ON US ROUTES 80, 90 & 190, CELEBRATING 100 YEARS IN 2026 90 US Route 90 is a history-rich journey through coastal enclaves and welcoming communities brimming with Cajun and Creole culture. Wander New Orleans’ French Quarter , where well-preserved architecture reflects the city’s French and Spanish colonial past. Head east to Marrero to watch turtles and alligators sun along Barataria Preserve ’s bayou. Gear up for a fishing or swamp tour in Des Allemands, the “Catfish Capital of the Universe.” In Thibodaux, view exhibits on how Acadian exiles helped shape Louisiana’s Cajun culture at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center . Turn up the heat at the TABASCO ® Factory and Museum on Avery Island, also home to the lush Jungle Gardens . In Lafayette, explore Vermilionville Living History Museum & Folklife Park to see how Native American, Acadian, African and Creole communities once lived in southern Louisiana. ROUTE 190 Drive through the heart of Louisiana on US Route 190, an east-west highway connecting piney woodlands, historic towns and marshland. In Mandeville, count sailboats on Lake Pontchartrain from Fontainebleau State Park , a top locale for hiking, biking and camping. Delve into the Bayou State’s pre-industrial past at LSU Rural Life Museum ’s 27-building complex, then visit Port Hudson State Historic Site , a Civil War battlefield. Devour pecan-crusted catfish and other Southern specialties at a waterfront restaurant on the False River. Test your luck on the 990-plus slot machines at Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino in Opelousas, then spot black bears and hawks at Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge in Lottie before zipping over to DeRidder’s Gothic Jail , an early 20th-century cellhouse rumored to be haunted. 52 #OnlyLouisiana @ExploreLouisiana Top right: Tim Mueller Photography
Louisiana Travel Guide 2026: Page 52
