Lafayette was a dump

[Tom Lennox 70]

I wouldn't say Evangeline Thruway is "ghetto", simply working class. You have to go to New Orleans or North Baton Rouge to find true ghetto, and even Baton Rouge's ghetto is nothing compared to major cities out of state. I did live near Baltimore for almost 20 years. That place wrote the book on ghetto.

[CookieSkoon]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

I wouldn't say Evangeline Thruway is "ghetto", simply working class. You have to go to New Orleans or North Baton Rouge to find true ghetto, and even Baton Rouge's ghetto is nothing compared to major cities out of state. I did live near Baltimore for almost 20 years. That place wrote the book on ghetto.

Baton Rouge may not look bad compared to Baltimore, Camden(NJ) or Detroit, but it's still really bad. The crime forced my friends and I out of the city all under a year.

Baton Rouge has also dipped in and out of murder capitals over time.

Granted, I haven't lived in the red stick now for nearly ten years (time flies) but I do not have fond memories of it. Most cities its size are nowhere near as dangerous.

[sluggermatt15]

Originally Posted by CookieSkoon

Baton Rouge may not look bad compared to Baltimore, Camden(NJ) or Detroit, but it's still really bad. The crime forced my friends and I out of the city all under a year.

Baton Rouge has also dipped in and out of murder capitals over time.

Granted, I haven't lived in the red stick now for nearly ten years (time flies) but I do not have fond memories of it. Most cities its size are nowhere near as dangerous.

I think the crime in (at least) the top 5 cities in Louisiana is bad - New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Alexandria.

[Guinness17A]

Thanks to all for the comments and reality checks. They are all valuable to me. I will absolutely plan to spend some "soak time" in normal, routine, day-to-day time--away from festivals or special events. As a first and short term visit (and maybe our only visit), I'd love to catch Festival Internationale at the same time.

There are so many communities that I'd like to sample -- Lafayette, Breaux Bridge, Broussard, Thibadeaux...

[Lizap]

Have lived in south LA for over 30 years. I have to agree with OP. Lafayette looks run down and has a strange layout to it. The Northshore is by far the nicest area in LA.

[Innotech]

Originally Posted by Lizap

Have lived in south LA for over 30 years. I have to agree with OP. Lafayette looks run down and has a strange layout to it. The Northshore is by far the nicest area in LA.

Lafayette isnt run down at all.

[CookieSkoon]

Originally Posted by Innotech

Lafayette isnt run down at all.

Yeeeeeeees it is.

It's not a nightmare scenario by any measure, but it's definitely got a chipping paint job. I don't agree that it's a dump, but I can't agree that it isn't showing its cracks either. Parts of the town are in fairly rough shape, at least that was the case when I was there years ago.

It's to be expected in any city in such a hard climate.

[Innotech]

Originally Posted by CookieSkoon

Yeeeeeeees it is.

It's not a nightmare scenario by any measure, but it's definitely got a chipping paint job. I don't agree that it's a dump, but I can't agree that it isn't showing its cracks either. Parts of the town are in fairly rough shape, at least that was the case when I was there years ago.

It's to be expected in any city in such a hard climate.

A few buildings maybe but a lot has been torn down and renovated even on the northside. The four corners university area is scheduled for a complete remodel.