7. LSU TIGER HABITAT Where: LSU Campus, Baton Rouge Price: Free
Forget everything you think a “nature tour” is, because these airboats will take you 50 mph through cypress trees surrounded by gators. The Atchafalaya Basin is the largest swamp in America, and the only way to really see it is on an airboat. 12. USS KIDD MUSEUM AND PORT Where: 305 South River Rd., Baton Rouge Price: Adults: $14+; Children ages 6–12: $10+; Military ID: $12+; Seniors: $12+ A real WWII Fletcher-class destroyer is per- manently docked on the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge. Kids get free reign of the engine room, gun turrets, torpedo tubes, and crew quarters of a ship that actual- ly saw combat in the Pacific.
is packed wall to wall with taxidermy hybrids, arcade machines, oddities, and a half-dog half-alligator named Darrell. There’s also a barn made entirely of pottery and mirror shards out back. Afterwards, head right down the road to Abita Brewery for tours and tastings.
Most college campuses have a mascot, but LSU has a living, breathing Bengal tiger in a state-of-the-art on-campus habitat you can visit for free. Mike the Tiger is one of the most iconic sights in all of Louisiana. A fascinat- ing bonus on campus are the LSU Campus Mounds—among the oldest human-made edifices in the Americas—found a short walk from Mike’s habitat. 8. FOUNTAINBLEAU STATE PARK Where: 62883 Hwy. 1089, Mandeville Price: $3; Free for seniors and children 3 & under Right on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain sit the ruins of an 1800s sugar mill-turned park. The 2,800-acre park has a splash pad, beach access, hiking trails, and some of the most beautiful live oak canopies in the state. While you’re in St. Tammany, hop on the Tammany Trace—a scenic 31-mile biking and walking trail that winds through the heart of the Northshore. 9. POVERTY POINT WORLD HERITAGE SIGHT Where: 6859 LA Hwy. 577, Pioneer Price: $4; Free for seniors and children 3 & under Around the same time ancient Egyptians were building the pyramids, an indigenous civilization in Northeast Louisiana construct- ed one of the most sophisticated complexes in the ancient world. Several massive earthen mounds were planned with elaborate geo- metric precision, turning it into the UNESCO World Heritage Site today. Experience guided tours, demonstrations and programs, hiking, picnicking, and more.
17. GOODMAN IMAX DOME Where: Sci-Port Discovery Center, Shreveport Price: Adults: $16+; Children: $14+
There is only one IMAX dome in the entire state, and it’s hiding inside this riverfront science center in Shreveport. Sci-Port has a children’s museum, 200+ hands-on science exhibits, a planetarium, and a 4K laser IMAX dome all under one roof. The dome itself is a 60-foot screen that wraps completely around you with laser-sharp visuals and sound so immersive you’ll forget you’re in Louisiana.
13. HOLLY BEACH Where: Cameron Parish Price: Free access
Most Louisianians don’t even know the state has a real Gulf beach worth visiting, but the beaches along the Gulf in Southwest Lou- isiana have been named one of the top 15 places in the world to collect seashells. Pack a bucket, leave your shoes in the car, and let the kids go wild hunting for treasures along the shoreline labeled as the “Cajun Riviera.”
18. WHITNEY PLANTATION Where: Wallace
Price: Adults: $25+; Children: $11+; Residents of St. John and St. James Parish & Children ages 6 & under: Free This is the only plantation museum in Louisiana dedicated entirely to the story of the enslaved people who built it. It’s a deeply moving, beautifully curated experience that tells an honest story most plantations skip entirely, and it’s best for families with kids ages 10 and up who are ready for a meaningful conversation. 19. MUSIC BOX VILLAGE Where: 4557 N. Rampart St., New Orleans Price: Adults: $12; Children ages 5–18: $5; Ages 5 & under: Free This one-of-a-kind outdoor sonic sculpture garden is made up of 16+ artist-built musical houses that visitors can walk into and actually play. Every house is inspired by the unique musical and architectural culture of New Orleans. Family concerts happen regularly, but the whole place is open to explore and make noise in.
14. LIGO OBSERVATORY Where: Livingston Price: Free with registration
Hidden in the pine forests of Livingston Par- ish is one of the more extraordinary scientific instruments—a facility that detects ripples in spacetime from colliding black holes billions of light years away. On the first Saturday of most months, they open for free Science Saturdays with 40+ interactive exhibits and guided tours of the actual control rooms. 15. PREHISTORIC PARK Where: 1145 North Barn Rd., Breaux Bridge, Henderson Price: Adults: $14; Seniors: $12; Children: $10; Group Rates offered Louisiana’s only dinosaur park sits at the edge of the Atchafalaya Swamp, and the setting alone makes it feel like Jurassic Park came to life in Cajun Country. Walk a shaded 12-acre trail past life-sized animatronic dinosaurs that actually move and roar, then dig for fossils, mine for gems, and stuff your own plush dino to take home. 16. ABITA MYSTERY HOUSE Where: 22275 Hwy. 36, Abita Springs Price: $5 for ages 5 and up Part funhouse and part art gallery, the house
10. MARDI GRAS WORLD Where: 1380 Port of New Orleans Place, New Orleans
Price: Adults: $29.95, Seniors, Active Duty/ Veterans, and Students: $24.95; Children ages 2–12: $24.95 Ever wonder how those massive Mardi Gras floats actually get made? Get up close to the grandest floats and sculptures to see for yourself at Mardi Gras World. It’s as New Orleans of an experience as you can get, and runs year-round so you don’t have to wait for carnival season to view the spectacles.
20. LANDRY VINEYARDS Where: West Monroe Price: Tasting: $10; Tours: $25
North Louisiana’s only vineyard sits on 50 acres of rolling hills, producing over 20 different wines made on site. Tours take you through the vineyards, cellar, winery, tank room, and bottling facility. Harvest festivals are hosted in the summer where visitors can pick grapes and stomp them, and their outdoor concert series draws in locals.
11. AIRBOAT SWAMP TOUR Where: Atchafalaya Basin Price: Varies by operator
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