Many Americans’ impressions of Louisiana are inextricably linked with a 2005 hurricane and a 2010 oil spill.
But there’s a big silver lining to those events: They gave Louisianans—already world-class experts at enjoying life through both good times and bad—even more resilience than before.
So with the post-Katrina rebuilding period mostly over and last summer’s BP spill doing much less damage than many feared, the Bayou State has returned to its former status of preserving one of America’s most unique cultural mixes and making sure visitors have a good time.
New Orleans
Located at the mouth of the Mississippi River, New Orleans has been a cultural crossroads since the 18th century—a French and Spanish colony, U.S. Civil War fortress, manufacturing and shipping center, and major tourism destination.
One New Orleans nickname, the "Big Easy," hints at the different ways the city welcomes visitors, says Jennifer Day, director of communications and public relations at the New Orleans Metropolitan CVB.
"Zagat actually just rated New Orleans the most affordable dining city in the country, which is pretty amazing considering the quality of the food," Day says. "New Orleans can be very accommodating to all budgets, and you’re not going to sacrifice quality."
New Orleans has a highly walkable street grid and the famed French Quarter features plentiful hotels and proximity to major New Orleans cultural attractions. The Quarter becomes an open-air party at night as visitors stroll among densely packed restaurants and music venues.
During the day, socially minded groups can participate in "voluntourism" by helping restore or improve parts of New Orleans through organizations such as St. Bernard Project, Beacon of Hope, Bayou Rebirth and Habitat for Humanity. Roughly 2 million volunteers have swung a hammer, restored wetlands, planted trees or otherwise helped the city out.
Being slightly inland of the Gulf of Mexico, New Orleans was almost completely unaffected by the BP oil spill, although some seafood distributors (and their livelihoods) were temporarily hit. But the seafood couldn’t be safer, according to Day.
"We turned to the third-party experts [and now ours] is the most tested seafood in the world," she says. "Five different agencies test it, and it is meticulously tracked from where it is harvested."
In addition, New Orleans experienced record-breaking attendance at two shows last summer—partly thanks to $5 million the city received from BP to help market itself.
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center offers 1.1 million square feet of continually updated event space—but visitors with overflow needs can also rent out the Superdome stadium.
New Orleans hotels have spent about $500 million since 2005 on renovations, and meetings-friendly choices include the Sheraton New Orleans, Hotel Le Marais, W New Orleans, Holiday Inn Downtown Superdome, New Orleans Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, Hotel Monteleone and Roosevelt Hotel, among others.
Adjacent to New Orleans, Jefferson Parish shares the Big Easy’s affinity for celebrations, holding both annual Mardi Gras festivities and a Family Gras celebration in Metairie. The Audubon Zoo and Aquarium is a popular draw, as is Destrehan Plantation, which is available for events.
Also flanking New Orleans is St. Tammany Parish, which markets itself as "Louisiana’s Northshore." Like Jefferson Parish, St. Tammany is a great hub-and-spoke location relative to Baton Rouge, New Orleans and the Gulf, and there are several meetings-ready properties available. St. Tammany also features unique excursion and off-site venue options, including Pontchartrain Vineyards and Abita Brewery. Visiting groups frequently aid Habitat for Humanity by building or rebuilding homes, or get involved in coastal restoration by planting fast-growing cypress and other seedlings.
Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge is Louisiana’s capital and America’s ninth-largest seaport, and its unique culture makes it popular with association and SMERF groups, says Renee Areng, executive vice president of sales and marketing at the Baton Rouge Area CVB.
"Part of it has to do with both French and Spanish rule, and the Native Americans that were here," Areng says. "Certainly jambalaya is a direct local descendant of paella. And we have the Napoleonic Code [of law], and parishes instead of counties."
Baton Rouge has about 10,000 guest rooms in its Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), including two full-service hotels—the Belle of Baton Rouge and Baton Rouge Marriott—with two more hotels set to open by 2012.
Meetings-friendly cultural attractions include the destroyer USS Kidd, which is anchored as a museum, plus the Shaw Center for the Arts, Louisiana Art and Science Museum, and Williams Now and Then Museum of African-American History. The old State Capitol and old governor’s mansion are also museums.
Baton Rouge’s entertainment district includes blues, jazz and rock venues, as well as restaurants ranging from to Italian to high-end sushi to Cajun establishments such as Boutin’s.
Nearby West Baton Rouge goes by the motto "On the river, on the way" to emphasize that it’s simultaneously next to the state capital, on the Mississippi and an hour from New Orleans. Its West Baton Rouge Museum recreates life on a sugar plantation from pre-Civil War days up through the 1960s civil rights era, and the city offers a view of the Port Allen Lock that connects the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.
Lafayette
Lafayette is the center of Louisiana’s Cajun culture, which developed as French Canadian immigrants combined with Louisiana’s Spanish, French, Native American and African populations. The most visible results for visitors are a highly recognizable cuisine and musical style, says Kelly Strenge, public relations manager at the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission.
"Everybody has convention centers, everybody has hotels, but the difference here is the experience we can offer with interesting off-site venues," Strenge says. "If you want a little twist in the entertainment you want to provide, this is the birthplace of Cajun and zydeco music."
That includes numerous live music venues that are also restaurants, Strenge says, naming Randol’s, Prejean’s and Mulate’s, all of which welcome groups.
Meetings-friendly hotels here include the Crowne Plaza Lafayette-Airport, Days Inn Lafayette-University, Hilton Lafayette, Holiday Inn Lafayette, Ramada Lafayette and several limited-service properties. The largest venue is the Cajundome Convention Center, which easily seats 2,000 for dinner.
Lake Charles
About halfway between Houston and Baton Rouge is Lake Charles, a bastion of traditional Cajun life that’s also home to several busy casino resort complexes. Popular meeting venues here include the Charleston Hotel’s Charleston Ballroom, the historic Calcasieu Marine Bank building, and the Brick House for weddings and receptions.
Visitors seeking a quieter time can try the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road’s 180 miles of bayous, marshland and beaches on foot or by car. In Lake Charles proper, visitors can take in the Mardi Gras Museum or the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, both of which capture the energy that flows into each year’s Mardi Gras celebration. Groups can take part in the unique regional fun of king-cake decorating by contacting the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana CVB.
Shreveport/Bossier City
Because Shreveport and Bossier City are so close to both Texas and Arkansas, they’re a place where Louisiana’s Cajun and creole cultures meet old-fashioned Southern hospitality and Texas-style bravado and barbecue. It’s the site of the annual Louisiana State Fair, and Elvis Presley made his radio debut here at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium.
Hotel options include DiamondJacks Casino and Resort, Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino, Clarion Hotel of Shreveport, Holiday Inn Shreveport West and Courtyard by Marriott, while the area’s largest meetings-friendly properties are the Shreveport Convention Center (with an attached 313-room Hilton) and Bossier Civic Center.
Shreveport-Bossier City also features alternative meeting sites such as Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center, Robinson Film Centerti and the Gardens of the American Rose Center Klima Rose Hall, where attendees can meet among over 30,000 roses each spring.
Monroe/West Monroe
At the northern edge of bayou country, Monroe and West Monroe combine to create northeast Louisiana’s largest urban area. The city has three notable attractions: First, it’s the birthplace of Delta Airlines, which began commercial flights here in 1929.
Second, it features the home of Joseph Biedenharn, the first bottler of Coca-Cola, which is now the Biedenharn Museum & Gardens, commemorating the world-famous soft drink and daughter Emy-Lou’s collection of bibles from her world tour as a prewar opera singer. This property has a meeting room for 50 in addition to beautiful terraced gardens.
Finally, the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum of Louisiana commemorates Claire Chennault, who commanded World War II’s Flying Tigers. Its artifacts include period aircraft and vehicles, Delta Airlines memorabilia and other items associated with Chennault.
Nature lovers will enjoy Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge, a 4,500-acre swamp filled with hardwoods and mixed pines and an interactive visitors center located in a restored Acadian house.
Meetings-friendly hotel properties here include the Atrium Hotel-Conference Center, Comfort Suites, Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn, Jameson Inn and Ramada Limited.
Alexandria/Pineville
Nearly at the center of Louisiana are Alexandria and Pineville, which market themselves as both family- and sportsman-friendly, a position that’s enhanced by the Kisatchie National Forest, which offers wildlife, hiking tours, geological sites and horseback riding and biking trails.
The area also has four public and private golf courses, and the Rapides Parish Coliseum and Johnny Downs Sports Complex allow groups to meet, play or be spectators. Meeting venues include the Alexander Fulton Hotel and Convention Center and the boutique Parc England.
Paul D. Kretkowski writes frequently about travel, food and sports. He is also the founder of Beacon (www.softpowerbeacon.blogspot.com), a blog about foreign policy.
