If you have never had the pleasure of seeking out places to visit in Louisiana, you will want to see some of the local landscape – in particular – swamps. Since this area is known for the many swamps and creatures that live here, you can take the Cajun Critters Swamp Tour and ride aboard the Swamp Queen with a guide that knows the area. The boat is completely Coast Guard approved so there are no worries. The tour begins in the back waters of the area in Louisiana once home to only the critters, Indians and pirates who roamed the land. Discovering the beauty of the area – the numerous wildlife, the bayous and water lilies and the Spanish moss draped cypress trees – will be one trip you will always remember.

Take a trip to Vacherie and tour one of the most historic places to visit in Louisiana. The Laura Plantation is a Creole sugarcane farm that is chronicled through the Memories of the Old Plantation Home by Laura Locoul Gore. Starting with the home, Maison Principale, constructed in 1805, the tour will take you on to the grounds of the plantation where 12 buildings are located. The buildings are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A visit to a slave cabin concludes the tour. It is said one of these cabins is where the legend of Br’er Rabbit was documented.

Take a voodoo cemetery tour when finding places to visit in Louisiana. The Saint Louis Cemetery is the home of Marie Laveau. Have you heard the legend of the voodoo queen? When touring you can find a guide if you choose. There are many that are quite knowledgeable about the history of the area. There are other cemetery and voodoo tours in New Orleans as well. Avery Island is one of the interesting places to visit in Louisiana. The island is actually a huge salt dome. Located in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, the island has a small number of people who live there. In addition to the odd make-up of the island, it is also the home of Tabasco Sauce and has been since the late 1800s when Edmund McIlhenny received a patent for his sauce.

The State Fair of Louisiana will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this late October of 2006. Every year visitors from all around Louisiana drop in for some Cajun Concession food and a chance to visit the State Fair Zoo. This may be one of the few state fairs that operates a free daily zoo, with Elephants, Tigers and Giraffes.

For those of you more interested in the food you can grab just about anything on a stick at the Concession, Shrimp-on-a-stick, and Pork butt-on-a-stick and even Pizza-on-a-stick. Don’t forget about the delicious Cajun food available. Stands cook up Crawfish Etoufee, Red Beans and Rice with Sausage and even Gator Wings. Speaking of Gators this wouldn’t be a Louisiana State Fair without the Reptile Shows and Alligator Exhibits that have the run of the fair. Though if you are a bit squeamish you can always stick to the Carnival Midway and have fun on one of the many, many rides available.

If the heat gets to be too much for you, head indoors and check out the seller’s exhibits. All manner and variety of items are for sale or exhibited in a marketplace environment. You are guaranteed to find beef sticks and cheese for sale next to aromatherapy candles and pewter figurines. For the kids there is a coloring contest held regularly, along with animal rides and face painting and even the occasional picture on a pony. Of course most of the stuff at the fair is going to be fun for the kids.

The Hirsch Coliseum will have some form of entertainment during every evening of the state fair. Each year the State Fair Queen’s Pageant is held in there to decide who will be the Queen of that year’s fair. Also the Mexican Rodeo is held there on State Fair Hispanic Heritage Day. Most events held in the Coliseum cost extra, but there are plenty of other free stage attractions throughout the fair.