Louisiana
6 Most Idyllic Small Towns In Louisiana
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
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!
Louisiana
Louisiana Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for March 2, 2026
The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 2, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing
02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing
3-9-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 2 drawing
4-1-1-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing
0-5-2-9-5
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.
By mail, follow these instructions:
- Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
- Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
- Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
- Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.
Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:
Louisiana Lottery Headquarters
555 Laurel Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:
555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.
When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
- Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
- Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Louisiana
National Guard deployment in New Orleans extended for six months
NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana National Guard announced Monday that 120 troops will remain deployed in New Orleans through August.
The six-month extension comes after 350 Guard members deployed to New Orleans in late December, in the run-up to New Year’s and other high-profile events like the Sugar Bowl. The troops, which had mainly clustered in the city’s historic French Quarter, had been scheduled to depart in the aftermath of Mardi Gras.
New Orleans is one of several Democrat-run cities, such as Washington and Memphis, Tennessee, where the federal government deployed armed troops under the administration of President Donald Trump. Hundreds of federal agents also converged on Louisiana in December as part of a separate immigration crackdown in and around New Orleans.
During his State of the Union address last week, Trump touted the deployment in New Orleans as a “big success.” In January, Trump credited the troops with reducing the city’s violent crime within a week of their deployment. City police data shows violent crime rates have significantly declined over the past three years in parallel with national trends.
According to a press statement from the Louisiana National Guard, the remaining guard members will serve as a “visible presence to deter criminal activity in New Orleans.”
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, a Democrat who initially opposed the deployment, said that the troops would benefit the city in the coming weeks. She pointed out that National Guard troops had assisted the city during last year’s Mardi Gras in the aftermath of a vehicle-ramming attack in the French Quarter that killed 14 people on New Year’s Day.
“I continue to support the partnership with the LA National Guard to assist in our major events and there are several coming up in the next few weeks,” Moreno said in a statement.
While Moreno did not address which events she referred to, visitors flock to New Orleans in the spring for events like the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican and staunch Trump ally, requested the deployment of the National Guard last September, citing rising violent crime rates in New Orleans despite the data showing crime was down.
“This continued deployment will help us combat violence in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana,” Landry wrote on the social platform X on Monday, noting Louisiana had also sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., last year.
Kate Kelly, a spokesperson for Landry, said the federal government would cover the cost of the extended deployment. She did not respond to a question about whether Guard members would be deployed outside New Orleans.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, said in a statement the troops had already worked closely with other city, state and federal agencies to improve public safety during a stretch of high-profile events in the city, including the flood of visitors over Mardi Gras and the city’s carnival season.
“We remain committed to those partnerships as we continue supporting efforts to keep the City of New Orleans safe for residents and visitors,” Friloux said.
Louisiana
Jury selection begins Monday in one of Louisiana’s largest auto insurance fraud cases
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Jury selection begins Monday in what prosecutors describe as one of the largest auto insurance fraud cases in Louisiana history, with two local attorneys set to stand trial on charges that include fraud and obstruction of justice.
Attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles are accused in an alleged scheme in which drivers — referred to as “slammers” — were paid to intentionally crash into 18-wheelers, file injury lawsuits and allow attorneys to collect the settlements. Both have pleaded not guilty.
63 people have been charged in the case. Many have already pleaded guilty. Motta and Giles are being tried together.
Criminal defense attorney Craig Mordock, who is not directly involved in the case but has been following it closely, said the scope of the litigation is significant.
“You have 10 years of personal injury cases and almost… almost a billion dollars in recovery. That’s all at issue,” Mordock said. “So yeah, this could go two to three weeks.”
Motta’s defense team has advanced a narrative that she was manipulated by a co-defendant.
“There is a compelling narrative that’s been advanced by Vanessa Motta’s lawyer in terms of her being manipulated by one of the co-defendants… about being manipulated by him and him having a prior federal conviction for fraud,” Mordock said.
Motta’s team originally claimed she did not know the crashes were staged. In 2024, her team told FOX 8 she is the victim.
Mordock said Giles faces a more difficult defense.
“I don’t see a favorable juror for one of the other lawyer defendants, Jason Giles. There’s not a clear theory of innocence. This is basically a standard white-collar prosecution where knowledge and intent are going to be the issue,” Mordock said.
The case carries what Mordock described as a shadow. In September 2020, key witness Cornelious Garrison was killed in New Orleans four days after his name appeared in an indictment. Garrison’s admitted killer, Ryan Harris, is expected to testify.
The judge in the case is also allowing the slain witness’s recorded descriptions of the alleged scheme to be admitted at trial.
Mordock said Louisiana drivers have a direct stake in the outcome.
“As your average Louisianan, the idea would be you would save… because the people committing this fraud have been wrapped up. The insurance companies are going to know how to look for this,” Mordock said.
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