Rolling prairies, crawfish farms, sweet potato fields, and pastureland for cattle and horses shape the Zydeco Cajun Prairie Scenic Byway in Acadia Parish. The route also passes through Evangeline and St. Landry, connecting regional cuisine, music, and landscapes. Acadia is in Acadiana in southern Louisiana, along Interstate 10 between Lafayette and Lake Charles. For exploring the Parish’s communities, routes, museums, shops, and landscapes, the travel recommendation is to get around by vehicle.
Prairie, Agriculture, and Regional Cuisine
The Scenic Byway makes the agricultural landscape part of the travel experience: in addition to pastureland, fields and crawfish farms are among the sights described along the route. In this setting, rice and crawfish also offer a tangible glimpse of regional agriculture. Kelly’s Landing offers tours of a working Cajun prairie farm, explaining both crawfish farming and rice cultivation.
The self-guided Acadia Parish Specialty Meats & Cracklin Trail offers another perspective on the culinary scene. Its themes include Cajun boudin, cracklins, and smoked meats, and it also takes visitors to family-owned meat markets. While the farm tours explain agriculture, the trail focuses on specialties and markets. Depending on your interests, you can explore different facets of the regional food culture.
Buildings, Community, and Places of Worship
The Le Vieux Presbytère Museum tells the story of Church Point, a community shaped largely by Cajun culture, and the surrounding rural farming community. The building itself was constructed in 1883 as a rectory, or residence for priests. Its two-story walls made of bousillage—a mixture of Spanish moss and clay—are the reason it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its architecture and exhibition subject bring together two aspects of the town’s history.
Church Point is also known for the mounted French-Canadian “Courier de Mardi Gras,” which takes place on the Sunday before traditional Mardi Gras. In Rayne, the murals of the “Louisiana City of Murals” depict the city’s history and its connection to frogs. St. Joseph Cemetery is another notable place in the city: it is described as the only cemetery in the United States laid out from north to south. The Bernard Bertrand Cultural Center welcomes the public on the first Saturday of every month, unless otherwise noted.
The Acadia Parish Faith Trail connects religious and historic sites, including churches, cemeteries, shrines, and historic landmarks. Istre Cemetery is known for its unique tomb houses and is listed on the Louisiana Historic Preservation list of endangered sites. In the German settlement of Roberts Cove is the Waldfahrtskappelle, a small pilgrimage chapel.
German History and Small Museums
The Roberts Cove German Heritage Museum is dedicated to the German families who settled in Acadia, their culture, and their traditions. It also shows how historical events such as World War II affected life in the Cove. The Roberts Cove Germanfest takes place annually on the first weekend in October. Visitors interested in local art and history from Iota can find both at Le Museé in the Pointe-aux-Loups Cultural District, where art and historical artifacts from Iota are on display.
Crowley and the Festival Calendar
Crowley brings together rice history, culture, and events. The International Rice Festival celebrates Louisiana’s rice economy, supports rice farmers, and promotes the cultural heritage associated with rice growing. It takes place annually on the third full weekend in October. Crowley City Hall and four free museums are housed in the Crowley Motor Co. & Ford Building, a three-story brick building constructed by the Ford Motor Company in 1920: the Rice Interpretive Center, History of Crowley, the J.D. Miller Music Recording Studio, and the Ford Automotive Museum.
The Grand Opera House of the South has been a performing arts venue since 2008; tours are available by appointment. The Historic Rice Theatre also hosts community events and musical and theatrical performances, with tours available by appointment. In Rayne, the annual Frog Festival features music, food and drinks, frog races and jumping contests, arts and crafts, and a grand parade. Other events in the Parish include the annual Cadien Toujours Boucherie in Morse in January and the Estherwood Park Fest in September. If you’re planning to attend a festival, check the specific dates and program in advance.
Discover more destinations: Rayne, Crowley, Orleans, East Baton Rouge Parish, Ouachita, Sabine, St. Tammany Parish and Concordia Parish.
Return to the main travel overview: Louisiana.
