Tourist needs ideas :) (Shreveport, Lafayette, Natchitoches: condos, homes, beach)

[angelagardner]

Hello all locals. Next summer we are relocating to the East Coast and will be driving through the state on our way and would like to see some great attractions among our country. Of course, there is Yellowstone but please help us out and give me some ideas of places and things to see that are not to be missed on our journey. What do locals love in the state, as a tourist what are some things that we should put on our list. I will also have a 13 year old with me so some family ideas are great also.
Thank you all for your ideas.

[LSU Tiger Z71]

I-20 or I-10?

[darylwi]

Where at on the east coast? If you're coming from Washington and heading to New York, Louisiana is quite out of the way. If you're going to Florida or Georgia, then we should be able to help you out greatly.

[angelagardner]

We aren't sure which route we are taking but we are coming from washington state (northern) stopping at Yellowstone and ending up in western florida. Depending on what there is to see and do we will determine which route to take so right now I am gathing ideas on what to see and do across most of the areas that we could possibly be passing through. We are taking a month at least to get there so we are not opposed to stopping a few hours out of the way working our way down. I can google major attractions and tourist sites but I know locals have a better idea of memerable things to see. Also ideas for any other areas that others have seen and done that should not be missed.

[darylwi]

Sounds like you'd probably come through the plains and into North Texas (DFW) or Arkansas and then into TN, MS, AL.
If you come through Dallas, then I'd probably suggest coming over to Shreveport and then down I-49 to Lafayette then across to Florida. I-49 is pretty boring for the most part, although Natchitoches makes for a good stop. Between LAF and BTR you'd be driving over the Atchafalaya Swamp. Great places to eat in Henderson, on the west side of the basin.
BTR you cross the Mississippi River on one of the highest bridges to cross it. There's also the tallest state capital in the country, but I recently heard that the observation tower is closed for renovations. LSU has a beautiful campus.
For driving cross country I usually suggest people just take I-12 and bypass NOLA, but if you're taking your time, then you've got to drive down there, maybe spend the night.
Along the MS Coast, Highway 90 follows the beach between Bay St Louis and Ocean Springs and it's not like Florida where there are condos between the road and the ocean. In Mississippi, it's homes and condos, then road, then ocean, so the view is pretty much unobstructed. It's pretty unique.
The drive across the basin here in Louisiana is pretty unique as well, likewise driving in and out of NOLA. Or come across the Causeway. You'll see the NOLA skyline pretty quick, but you'll get to a point where you won't see any land in any direction half way across.

[Rosinante]

If I were making that drive, I'd stay north and visit Mt. Rushmore, then over to Minneapolis, and head south on the old national highway 61 (Bob Dylan even had an album called Highway 61 revisited, which was homage paid to Mark Twain, whose travels on the Mississippi River parallel that famous highway). You can stop along the way in the Hannibal-Quincy area to see the Mark Twain museum and to eat a world famous Maid-Rite sandwich -- thanks to Alton Brown. Next stop could be Memphis for the best barbecue in the country, then head east on I-40 to visit the Great Smoky Mountains, then south thru NC, SC, and Georgia, stopping to see Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga along the way.