Louisiana Road Trip (Need Some Advice) (New Orleans, Baton Rouge: fit in, homes, construction)

[Bluesmama]

We returned after the first weekend of New Orleans Jazz Festival, and I've been thinking about doing a road trip through Lousiana in a couple of years. We would end the trip there, so I assume that the best way to start is in Shreveport.

Is there a particular route or itinerary that you recommend for the most scenic/points of interest? ('Don't mind a little off-the-road venturing as long as we could find our way back out. )

Thank you.

[MetroBTR]

Well, if you start at Shreveport, you could follow Louisiana Highway 1 for all the way to Thibodaux, then swing up to New Orleans. There's a pretty fair amount of things to see along that route. Natchitoches, Alexandria, the huge Paragon Casino in Marksville, False River and plantation homes. Then there's Plaquemine and Donaldsonville and Thibodaux and numerous plantations close to the route including Nottaway and Madewood.

[tarponblock]

I would go LA 171 from Shreveport to DeRidder...pretty scenery..Head east on LA 26 to Oberlin then south on LA 165 to Kinder and go to Coushatta Casino Resort...good food and gambling. Take 165 south to Iowa and west on LA 90 to Chloe and Hwy 397 south to LA 14. Take LA 14 to Hwy 27/14 to Creole..Head east on Hwy 82 on the Creole Nature Trail to Abbeville...East on LA 14 to New Iberia and Hwy 90 to New Orleans...This would be the most scenic...

[Orestes]

I'll add a few stretches that are worth driving. If you're building a route, you might consider incorporating any of these...

-Hwy 70 from Morgan City to Pierre Part
-Interstate 10 across the Atchafalaya Basin
-The Causeway Bridge between Metairie and Mandeville (across Lake Ponchartrain)
-Intersate 10 between Laplace and Kenner

There are many, many, many more. However, these would fit into an overall trip most easily. I'd recommend you post your chosen route (a general summary) as you develop it. That way, we could recommend stuff along the route. It seems you're beginning with Shreveport to New Orleans, correct? If so, tarponblock offered some good stuff for a starting point.

[aab7855]

All of these tips are good. But whatever you do, you absolutely positively HAVE to drive across the Atchafalaya Basin on I-10 between Lafayette and Baton Rouge. It's best when the sun is rising or setting, but it's one of the most beautiful drives in America regardless. I can't tell you how many people from out ot state have called me during that stretch because they're in disbelief. There's no way to desribe it, you've just got to see it. PS, if you're looking for a detour go to Turtle's Bar in Henderson and have a drink with the locals on the water.

[stillkit]

Originally Posted by aab7855

All of these tips are good. But whatever you do, you absolutely positively HAVE to drive across the Atchafalaya Basin on I-10 between Lafayette and Baton Rouge. It's best when the sun is rising or setting, but it's one of the most beautiful drives in America regardless. I can't tell you how many people from out ot state have called me during that stretch because they're in disbelief. There's no way to desribe it, you've just got to see it. PS, if you're looking for a detour go to Turtle's Bar in Henderson and have a drink with the locals on the water.

Yeah, it's an unusual route alright, but try not to think of this: That bridge is self-supporting on what's called a floating foundation. Since there is no bedrock there, the piers "float" and each section supports the others. In other words, if one section collapses, the whole thing goes down. It is so unstable that the state built cross-over connectors a few years ago to strengthen it (most people think it was just so the cops could cross over and get you).

Oh...one more thing....it was at least partially built by a construction company owned by Carlos Marcello, who used to be the Mafia don in south Louisiana. I'm sure that news ought to make you feel good about the materials used and the quality of workmanship.

[Orestes]

Originally Posted by stillkit

Yeah, it's an unusual route alright, but try not to think of this: That bridge is self-supporting on what's called a floating foundation. Since there is no bedrock there, the piers "float" and each section supports the others. In other words, if one section collapses, the whole thing goes down. It is so unstable that the state built cross-over connectors a few years ago to strengthen it (most people think it was just so the cops could cross over and get you).

Oh...one more thing....it was at least partially built by a construction company owned by Carlos Marcello, who used to be the Mafia don in south Louisiana. I'm sure that news ought to make you feel good about the materials used and the quality of workmanship.

I guess that makes it [God-father voice] "a drive, you can't refuse."

badabing

[pandorafan5687]

Originally Posted by aab7855

All of these tips are good. But whatever you do, you absolutely positively HAVE to drive across the Atchafalaya Basin on I-10 between Lafayette and Baton Rouge. It's best when the sun is rising or setting, but it's one of the most beautiful drives in America regardless. I can't tell you how many people from out ot state have called me during that stretch because they're in disbelief. There's no way to desribe it, you've just got to see it. PS, if you're looking for a detour go to Turtle's Bar in Henderson and have a drink with the locals on the water.

I did that w/ the fam yesterday coming from baton rouge!

[aab7855]

You know how poor infrastructure is in this country? These types of "shocking" things are all over the place. I make that drive all the time and I'm not going to stop now. Why don't I stop going outside at all, you never know when a meteorite is going to come down and kill someone...!

[MetroBTR]

Originally Posted by stillkit

Yeah, it's an unusual route alright, but try not to think of this: That bridge is self-supporting on what's called a floating foundation. Since there is no bedrock there, the piers "float" and each section supports the others. In other words, if one section collapses, the whole thing goes down. It is so unstable that the state built cross-over connectors a few years ago to strengthen it (most people think it was just so the cops could cross over and get you).

Oh...one more thing....it was at least partially built by a construction company owned by Carlos Marcello, who used to be the Mafia don in south Louisiana. I'm sure that news ought to make you feel good about the materials used and the quality of workmanship.

It's still here nearly 40 years later, ain't it?