Backpacking Louisiana: Louisiana TravelGuide

Louisiana Travel Guide for Backpackers

Quick Tips

Get around: Without a car, I recommend using Greyhound Buses. With a car, Louisiana is quite navigable (But watch out for the mid-afternoon traffic in Baton Rouge). Driving between New Orleans – Baton Rouge – Lafayette is roughly an hour each leg.

Where to stay: In New Orleans and Lafayette, you can find hostels. In the other cities your cheapest option is a motel or hotel. Hotels in New Orleans will be more expensive around the French Quarter.

What to see and do in Louisiana: New Orleans, Lafayette, Avery Island (outside of New Iberia), Atchafalaya Swamp, and much more. Louisiana is full of diverse culture and history. Nearly ever city and small town in the south of the state has at least some historical significance. I have an article here for 70+ things to do in Louisiana.

When to visit Louisiana: Spring is nice between March – May. Summer is quite hot with heat indexes 100 and beyond. Mardi Gras is usually the second to last Tuesday in February. Festival International is in late April. Voodoo Festival is in October and Jazz Festival is always the last weekend in April and first weekend of May.

If you are interested in Louisiana, I have written an article about 5 good reasons to visit Louisiana. This will get you started and give you some inspiration for visiting Louisiana. After that, I recommend reading my specific articles below based on what you want to do or where you plan to go in Louisiana. I know Louisiana quite well so feel free to contact me with questions. I hope you decide to visit Louisiana, it’s a great state with a lot to offer to any visitor.