Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:New Orleans, Louisiana
Tel:
(504) 589-3882
The rich cultural history of the Mississippi delights the senses with food, dance and music at the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in New Orleans, Louisiana, that commemorates and preserves six culturally and historically significant sites in the Lower Mississippi River Delta. The Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, officially established in 1907, offers visitors an astounding variety of ways to learn about the history and meaning of the sites.
William Faulkner once wrote, "The past is never dead. It's not even past." This is certainly true of the areas covered by the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Nearly every country, ethnic group, language and religion has contributed to the history and culture of the Lower Mississippi River Delta. In southern Louisiana, and especially in the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, the places where history happened are literally around every corner and down every bayou.
The Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve offers walking and boat tours, cooking demonstrations, music sessions, and more. The Acadian Cultural Center in Lafayette offers boat tours of the bayou, craft demonstrations, and historical talks on the Acadian (Cajun) people of southeastern Louisiana. The Prairie Acadian Cultural Center, based in Eunice and part of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, holds cooking demonstrations, musical performances, and talks to explain the history of the Cajun people who lived in the Louisiana prairies. The Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center, part of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Thibodaux, offers walking tours of town, boat tours of the bayou, and the history of the people who settled Louisiana's bayou country. The French Quarter Visitor Center offers walking tours of the French Quarter, as well as craft and cooking demonstrations.
The Barataria Preserve at the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve contains 20,000 acres of beautiful scenery, with opportunities to explore the walking trails, go bird watching, or explore the waterways in a kayak or a canoe. The Chalmette Battlefield preserves the site of the Battle of New Orleans, the last battle of the War of 1812, as well as the adjacent Chalmette National Cemetery, the final resting place of 15,000 soldiers from the War of 1812 through the Vietnam War. After a day at the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, visitors can find plenty of restaurants throughout New Orleans, ranging from deli to authentic Cajun cuisine.
To access the Acadian Cultural Center: Take I-10, then turn south onto US Route 167, then turn east onto Surrey Street. To access the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center: Take I-10 north, then take I-510 south, then turn west onto St. Claude Avenue and continue until the intersection with Canal Street. To access the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center: Take Route 20 south, and turn west onto Route 1. To access the French Quarter Visitor Center: Take I-10 north, then I-510 south, then turn west onto St. Claude Avenue, left on St. Phillip Street and right on Decatur Street. To access the Barataria Preserve: Take US Route 90, then turn south onto Route 45. To access the Chalmette Battlefield: Take I-10 north, then turn south onto I-510, then west onto St. Claude Avenue.