Louisiana

6 Most Idyllic Small Towns In Louisiana

Published

2 years ago

May 6, 2024

Louisiana is best known for its rollicking big city, New Orleans, but hundreds of small towns dot its varied landscape of prairies, hills, forests, Mississippi River delta, and bayous along the Gulf of Mexico. Due to the state’s unique mix of French, Spanish, English, African, Caribbean, Native American, and other cultural influences, seemingly every small town in Louisiana has a distinctive look and feel. Check out our list of six of Louisiana’s most idyllic small towns to get you started on your tour of the “Pelican State.”

Natchitoches

Cane River waterfront scene, including the Roque house in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Editorial credit: Rosemarie Mosteller / Shutterstock.com.

Natchitoches (pronounced Nack-a-tish) claims the dual titles of oldest city in Louisiana and oldest European settlement in the huge territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Beautifully perched along the Red River, this parish (county) seat of about 18,000 residents has a famous Historic District that spans 33 blocks of architectural gems that now house antique shops, eateries, bed-and-breakfasts, private homes, and more. After a postcard-pretty walking tour of downtown, head downriver to Magnolia Plantation and Oakland Plantation, which explore life in both the stately plantation houses and the ramshackle slave quarters.

New Iberia

New Iberia, a town of 28,000 along Bayou Teche, is a good representation of Louisiana’s diverse cultural influences. Founded by Spaniards in 1779, New Iberia has been shaped by generations of French Acadian (Cajun), African American, Native American, and Anglo-American residents. Check out the Bayou Teche Museum to get a primer on New Iberia’s distinctive history and culture. From there, do some shopping and sightseeing in a downtown that was named a “Great American Main Street” in 2005. If you enjoy lively community festivals, come in late spring for New Iberia’s Mardi Gras celebration or in October for the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff.

St. Francisville

St. Francisville overlooks the Mississippi River from a long, narrow ridge, earning its reputation as “the town that is two miles long and two yards wide.” Along with offering fantastic vistas of the mighty river, this town of about 1,600 residents has a lovely downtown with numerous Victorian-era and earlier buildings. Historic highlights include the old Julius Freyhan High School and Temple Sinai, the latter representing St. Francisville’s long history of Jewish settlement. After shopping at hotspots like District Mercantile and Backwoods Gallery, enjoy a meal at Audubon Cafe or Restaurant 1796 before checking out the replica vintage steamboats docked along the river.

Abita Springs

Legend says that the name Abita Springs derives from a Choctaw word for the mineral springs in this part of modern-day St. Tammany Parish, now part of the greater New Orleans metro area. Abita Springs was a popular spa resort in the late 1800s for city residents seeking fresh air and healing waters, and several of the Victorian-era health resorts and vacation homes remain to this day. Visitors still flock to this town of 2,500 to escape city life for a day or two, but now come to enjoy local craft beers, eclectic shops like the Abita Mystery House, and fun community events like the Abita Springs Opry and the weekly art and farmer’s markets.

Breaux Bridge

Breaux Bridge, a town of 7,500 in St. Martin Parish near the city of Lafayette, proudly proclaims itself as the “Crawfish Capital of the World.” It is said that crawfish first appeared on restaurant menus here and that Breaux Bridge is the birthplace of crawfish etouffee. The annual Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival brings thousands of visitors to town each May, but there are plenty of reasons to visit, even if you are not a crawfish aficionado. For instance, Breaux Bridge is also famous for its lively music scene, particularly traditional Cajun and Zydeco musical styles. The walkable downtown is lined with shops and boutiques, and Bayou Teche offers boating, fishing, and sightseeing galore.

Grand Isle

Grand Isle is the name of a Gulf Coast barrier island at the mouth of Barataria Bay as well as the town that sits on it—making it the only inhabited barrier island in the state. This exposed location means that Grand Isle gets pummeled by tropical storms and hurricanes, but the town and its 1,000 hardy residents rebuild and rejuvenate each time. So, while you will not see much historic architecture, you will find fine waterfront vacation homes and plenty of dining and shopping options. Grand Isle is renowned for its beautiful public beaches, as well as for being one of the best spots in Louisiana for birdwatching and butterfly-watching.

You are guaranteed to have a good time no matter where you visit in Louisiana—great music, fantastic food, welcoming locals, and natural wonders abound in every corner of the state. While no trip to Louisiana is complete without a stop in New Orleans, be sure to make time to get off the beaten path and explore some of the state’s many great small towns. Your own personal list of must-visit towns will grow with each return trip to the Pelican State!

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Louisiana

Louisiana bill would impose tougher penalties for operating unlicensed gambling websites

Published

10 hours ago

February 27, 2026

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Louisiana bill would impose tougher penalties for operating unlicensed gambling websites

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New legislation in Baton Rouge would reclassify some illegal gaming-related offenses as racketeering law violations, elevating potential consequences.

Louisiana has already stepped up its enforcement of its gaming laws related to potential illegal gaming but a new bill in the state legislature would give prosecutors’ actions more teeth. The proposal would elevate certain crimes involving unlicensed gaming in the state to a racketeering charge with more severe penalties linked to convictions.

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Louisiana bill changes classification of gaming-related charges

Louisiana Rep. Bryan Fontenot has pre-filed HB 53, which could rewrite the state code as it pertains to unlicensed gaming sites. The legislation has been provisionally assigned to the House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice, as the 2026 session does not begin until March 9.

Under the proposal, the state’s definition of racketeering would expand to include “gambling, gambling by computer, gambling on cockfights, gambling by electronic sweepstakes, unlawful wagering, and bribery of sports participants.” Under current statutes, racketeering convictions carry penalties of fines of “not more than one million dollars, or imprisoned at hard labor for not more than 50 years, or both.”

Additionally, racketeering convictions that result in sentences of fines of at least $10,000 revoke recipients’ eligibility for parole. The enactment of this bill as currently composed could have a significant impact on the operation of sweepstakes-based online casino sites for real money in Louisiana.

At the same time, many of the companies in that space have already ceased potentially infringing actions within Louisiana.

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Louisiana has already been off-limits for sweepstakes casinos

In 2025, Louisiana gaming regulators and law enforcement took multiple actions to restrict residents’ access to unlicensed platforms for playing casino games online. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill shared a public notice about the illegality of sweepstakes-based online gaming sites, in addition to issuing cease-and-desist orders to the companies affiliated with those sites. As a result, many of the operators of those sites geofenced Louisiana out of their service areas.

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board supplemented that action with its additional cease-and-desist letters. Fontenot’s bill could add additional weight to these demands if it becomes law.

There is currently no legal framework for playing online casino games or redeeming casino bonus codes in Louisiana. While online sports wagering is legal in most of the state, officials in Baton Rouge have not yet tackled the issue of iGaming.

Even if voters in Louisiana someday do clear the way for the utilization of Fanatics Casino promo codes, that would involve licensed gaming and not affect the implementation of Fontenot’s bill. However, such deliberations do not seem imminent.

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If HB 53 becomes law, Louisiana could levy some of the toughest penalties for illegal gaming activity in the United States. Many potential targets of prosecution have already pulled out of the state.

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Louisiana

Governor’s Office of Strategic Community Initiatives | Office of Governor Jeff Landry

Published

22 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Governor’s Office of Strategic Community Initiatives | Office of Governor Jeff Landry

Driving Louisiana Forward Program

Commerical Driver’s License (CDL) Training

In partnership with the Louisiana Workforce Commission and South Louisiana Community College, this program aims to provide African American males with financial assistance to obtain Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training, strengthening the resilience and contributions of this key demographic and improving equitable access to workforce opportunities. This initiative aims to reduce high unemployment rates within this community but also focuses on ensuring participants come from rural and economically disadvantaged areas.

Earn your CDL Class A license with this comprehensive classroom and behind-the-wheel program to drive tractor[1]trailers, dump trucks, tow trucks, delivery trucks, tanker trucks, and flatbed trucks.

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Louisiana

Landry asks Louisiana’s Washington delegation to redraw federal judicial districts

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Landry asks Louisiana’s Washington delegation to redraw federal judicial districts

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Gov. Jeff Landry is asking Louisiana’s congressional leaders to amend the state’s federal judicial districts, citing caseload growth and public safety concerns.

Landry sent letters to Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. John Kennedy, Congressman Cleo Fields, and Congresswoman Julia Letlow requesting the change.

The request

Louisiana is currently divided into three federal judicial districts: Eastern, Middle, and Western. Landry is asking that West Feliciana Parish be moved from the Middle District to the Western District.

In the letters, Landry cited significant growth in the Middle District and an increased caseload for its judges. He said a major driver of the Middle District docket is Louisiana State Penitentiary.

Public safety argument

Landry said moving West Feliciana Parish into the Western District would improve judicial efficiency and better address public safety needs in East Baton Rouge Parish and the state.

He said East Baton Rouge Parish continues to battle violent crime. According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, recent numbers show violent crime in the parish has decreased.

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