Enjoy nature in all seasons
With the Gulf of Mexico bordering the southern part of the state, not to mention the majestic Mississippi River, numerous lakes and about 8,000 km of waterways (rivers, bayous, creeks and canals), water sports activities benefit from an exceptional playground here. Kayaking and canoeing are very popular activities and there is no lack of good spots, especially in the bayous and swamps. Another popular activity is tubing, or tubing as it is called here. The Northshore region of Greater New Orleans is famous for tubing.
For those who prefer to put on their boots, the state is full of hiking trails. Biking is also popular, whether it's on a road course or in the mountains. For a nice ride near New Orleans, we recommend the Tammany Trace, which stretches for about 50 kilometers between Covington and Slidell (tammanytrace.org).
Louisiana is also known for its superb golf courses, which are counted by the dozens here, including Louisiana's Audubon Golf Trail, where the most exclusive of them are located (audubongolf.com). Established in 2001, the trail includes golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer, David Toms and Pete Dye. In 2004, Pete Dye presented one of his other magnificent creations: the TPC Louisiana, where the Zurich Classic of New Orleans is held every year. To preserve the beauty of the landscape and the wildlife, each course is a member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program.
Of course, a host of other activities are available in Louisiana, such as rock climbing (indoor centers), aerial courses and zip lines, skydiving, horseback riding...
Teasing fish or game
Hunting and fishing are popular activities in Louisiana. The famous lodges exploit a territory while offering their services. They offer packages for expeditions that must be reserved, but they take care of everything: lodging, equipment and accompaniment with qualified guides. You can also choose a hunting or fishing trip of a few hours, but in any case, you must be in possession of a permit (usually included when booking an expedition with a lodge or outfitter). Hunting and fishing licenses can be obtained online at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries website (wlf.louisiana.gov), at Walmart stores, and at many authorized retailers. Note that under an agreement between Louisiana and Texas, it is possible to fish in border waters with a Louisiana license. This includes Caddo Lake, Toledo Bend Reservoir, and Sabine Lake, River and Pass.
Here are three typical Louisiana experiences:
Sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico promises great catches: barracuda, cobia, mahi-mahi, king mackerel, blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, etc. Severalfishing charters
are located south of New Orleans, including Buras, Venice, Grand Isle and Cocodrie, not to mention the Calcasieu River estuary area near the Texas border.Crayfish fishing. In Kaplan, Cajun country, Barry Toups, manager of Crawfish Haven Mrs. Rose's B&B
, offers this unique experience. Of course, you will be able to taste your catch on the spot and they will teach you the right way to shuck the critter without losing a crumb. Although there are many crawfishermen in Louisiana, Barry is the only one to offer this type of excursion to visitors during the season (winter and spring).Alligator hunting. Although alligator hunting is legal in Louisiana, it is very restricted. Hunters must not only have a specific alligator hunting license, but also own a certain amount of wetlands (or have permission to hunt on someone else's property). If they meet these requirements, they can register with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (wlf.louisiana.gov/subhome/alligator) and receive their tags, which they must affix to each alligator killed.
The
On the professional sports side
The National Football League (NFL) is a religion for Louisianans and Americans in general. It's worth noting that attending a Saints game at Caesars Superdome, one of the largest domed structures in the world, is impressive The team has been elevated to iconic status since winning the Super Bowl in 2009, showing all of America that Katrina had not taken away the city's vitality. It was the only time the team won the NFL championship.
Don't miss the tailgate party at Champions Square during a game. All the lawns around the stadium are covered with tents that fans come and pitch to mark out the area where they will spend the evening. Some bring their sofas with their TVs, others the barbecue and sometimes even the fridge!
The regular season runs from early September to early January, followed by the championship games in early February. Louisiana will host the Super Bowl in 2025 at Caesars Superdome. College soccer is also very popular with the local team LSU Tigers, a member of the NCAA network that includes all teams in the country (ncaa.com/sports/football/fbs).
Alongside this well-followed sport, there is also basketball (with the New Orleans Pelicans team, a member in good standing of the NBA and domiciled at the Smoothie King Center), as well as non-professional sports teams such as the Crescent City FC and the New Orleans Jesters in soccer, and the NOLA Gold Rugby in rugby.
