Good times keep rollin'
Mardi Gras is just the beginning of the best time to explore Louisiana. Come the end of April,
hundreds of thousands of people will descend on New Orleans for the city's annual Jazz and
Heritage Festival. Out in Cajun country, Lafayette will host the Festival International de
Louisiane -- which draws French-speaking tourists from around the world -- and Breaux Bridge
will hold its famous Crawfish Festival.
All three events are world-class music festivals with plenty of great food thrown in. And while
the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival continues to serve only Miller Brewing Co. products,
Abita Brewing Co. beer is available at Festival International.
The drive on Interstate 10 from New Orleans to Lafayette is always extraordinary, for much of
the highway runs right through Atchafalaya Swamp, but it is particularly delightful as spring
arrives with bold swatches of green.
Here are some stops in Louisiana not listed in every tourist book, but equal to or better than
most that are:
Joe's Dreyfus Store Restaurant, Route 77, Livonia. Set in an old general store, Joe's offers
New Orleans-quality food for a fraction of the cost. Phone 504-637-2525.
Johnson's Grocery, 700 E. Maple, Eunice. Great hot boudin (rice-and-meat sausage) to go.
Just the proper mix of liver and spices.
Fred's Lounge, downtown Mamou. The time to be at Fred's is 9 o'clock on a Saturday morning,
when the tiny dance floor is packed with locals and tourists doing the two-step to a Cajun band.
The show is broadcast in Cajun French by a local radio station.
Johnny's Po-Boys, 511 St. Louis St., right in the French Quarter. "Just" a sandwich shop, where
you stand in line, put in your order and get a number, then salivate while you watch others collect
their sandwiches. Whether you go with the oyster po-boy, a sausage po-boy, a muffuletta or
something else, you'll be happy. Try to leave room for bread pudding.
Mid-City Lanes, 4133 S. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, just down the street from Acadian
Brewing Co. The "Home of Rock 'n Bowl," a second-story bowling emporium with 18 lanes, a bar
on one side and a stage for music on another. It's become New Orleans' premier zydeco venue,
and you'll experience a feeling akin to an earthquake when the bands get rolling. Bowling
and music occur simultaneously, with bowlers stopping to dance. Abita Amber on tap, Turbodog
in the bottle. Phone 504-482-3133.
Dupuy's, 108 S. Main St., Abbeville. Dupuy's and neighboring Black's Oyster Bar are both
famous for their fresh oysters. The oysters are tasty and may be as big as your hand. Closed
May-August. Phone 318-893-2336.
For more information: Lafayette Convention & Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 52066, Lafayette, LA
70505. Phone 800-346-1958. Or Louisiana Office of Tourism, P.O. Box 94291, Baton Rouge, LA 70804. Phone 800-33-GUMBO.
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