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News • Louisiana • United States • 2011-07-18

Louisianna's top 10 attractions

Casino Gaming:

Southwest Louisiana is a major casino gaming destination with Delta Downs Racetrack, Casino & Hotel, the Isle of Capri Casino Hotel and L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort. In addition to horseracing, slots and table games, casinos bring in top name entertainment and have comfortable amenities such as dining, shopping, poolside areas as well as a spa and golf. Mojito Pointe Casino Resort will be the fourth casino soon to be added to the area.

Creole Nature Trail All-American Road:

Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana is the home of the 180 mile Creole Nature Trail All-American Road which begins and ends in Calcasieu Parish with the majority of the road running through Cameron Parish. An All-American Road is a destination unto itself, having intrinsic qualities that are unique.

Along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road, you’ll see 4 wildlife refuges, walking trails and overlooks, wildlife such as alligators in their natural habitat, and birds. There have been over 400 species of birds sighted as the area is the convergence of the Mississippi and Central Flyways for migratory birds.

You can enjoy 26 miles of natural sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico in Cameron Parish along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road.

There is a GPS video tour of the Creole Nature Trail available at the Visitors’ Bureau, which is virtually like having your own tour guide with you in

the car – pointing out attractions and giving historical backgrounds along the way! There are also apps available of the tour, by searching for

“Creole.” It’s available in English, French, German, Spanish and Closed Captioning.

Mardi Gras Festivities

Over 75 festivals pack the calendar year round in Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana with family-friendly Mardi Gras and the Contraband Days Pirate

Festival being the largest festivals in the area. www.swlamardigras.com

Golf:

Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana boasts seven public golf courses, with Gray Plantation being on Louisiana’s Audubon Golf Trail, famed Tom Fazio designed Contraband Bayou Golf Course and the award winning National Golf Club of Louisiana in Westlake and Frasch Park Golf Course in Sulphur. You can play year round!

Southwest Louisiana Boudin Trail:

For the best places in Calcasieu Parish to taste boudin, check out the “Southwest Louisiana Boudin Trail” where you can get a variety of boudin flavors straight from the boudin masters. The boudin trail can be found at www.visitlakecharles.org/boudintrail - 29 stops!

Sam Houston Jones State Park

Sam Houston Jones State Park has camping, cabins, walking and biking trails and interpretive signage for a deeper understanding of nature. The park also has playground areas and various opportunities for kids to feed geese.

Charpentier Historic District and Carriage Rides

The Charpentier, French for carpenter, Historic District is comprised of 40 blocks of Victorian style homes, reminiscent of the turn of the 20th Century lumber boom. Mansions owned by lumber barons are located in this district.

Contraband Days Pirate Festival

Over 75 festivals pack the calendar year round in Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana with family-friendly Mardi Gras and the Contraband Days Pirate

Festival being the largest festivals in the area. www.contrabanddays.com

Area Museums: Mardi Gras Museum, DeQuincy Railroad Museum, Imperial Calcasieu Museum, Children’s Museum, Brimstone Museum and DeQuincy Town Hall Museum, USS Orleck

The area has 7 museums, one being the USS Orleck Naval Museum. The others are the Mardi Gras Museum, housing the largest display of Mardi Gras costumes in the world; the Imperial Calcasieu Museum; the DeQuincy Railroad Museum and Town Hall Museum; the Brimstone Museum Complex in Sulphur; and the Children’s Museum in Lake Charles. Galleries in town also host major traveling exhibits.

1911 Historic City Hall

www.cityoflakecharles.com

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