Welcome to Lafayette, Louisiana's Travel and Vacation Guide

“Merci” (thanks) and “Ça va” (that's enough) are just a few words that spew out of the mouths of Lafayette's voyagers before they depart this area of Louisiana. Obscure to outsiders at first, both terms conveniently roll off of visitors’ tongues the more they relax, bite into original Cajun and Creole cuisine, and settle into this colorful community billed the Cajun Country. Settling in isn't hard to do in this city. Lafayette's lodging and resident Cajuns douse visitors with so much hospitality that the area's pleasure-seeking spirit is no longer something for tourists to envy; it becomes their way of life – at least during the stint of their vacations. Lafayette springs from Lafayette Parish in a region branded Acadiana – a unique sector that makes Louisiana the only other U.S. state, besides Alaska, that is divided into parishes instead of counties. Lafayette city, about 52 miles from Baton Rouge, is an alluring vacation spot in the heart of Acadiana's eight parishes (Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion). These unique parishes and the community's preservation of the migrating, 18th-century French culture contribute to the area's appeal. Mouthwatering meals, intriguing folklore, and a buzzing nightlife charged by infectious Cajun music keep guests gabbing about their daily activities as they take up lodging at a Lafayette accommodation.

Visiting Lafayette

Knee-slapping Cajun and Zydeco tunes, finger-licking jambalaya and barbecued alligator, and relaxing sails along beautiful bayous are on the menu of items that visitors enjoy during Acadian-style vacations. Promising to spend a worry-free week or weekend full of fun in Lafayette is about the only prerequisite for vacationing in Acadiana – an area that touts “Laissez les bons temps rouler!” or “Let the good times roll!” Visitors definitely get their share of good times in the Heart of the French Louisiana, which gets approximately 214 days of sunshine yearly. This region's inviting weather puts tourists in the mood for outdoor action, which could range from freshwater or saltwater fishing to sightseeing or patronizing any of its annual events – including Festival International and Lafayette's own Mardi Gras. Never mind the city's events calendar, Lafayette's usual community fixtures draw enough attention. Tourists like to treat their taste buds to fine Cajun or Creole dining at its award-winning restaurants or feast on knowledge at cultural spots such as Acadiana Village or Vermilionville.