Fall is finally upon us. A combination of beautiful weather, one-of-a-kind festivals and high school, college and professional football makes fall stand above the rest of the seasons. It brings relief from our hot summer, hosting comfortable temperatures ideal for enjoying Louisiana’s great outdoors.
Louisiana offers veritable outdoor experiences that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Boasting about 6.5 million acres of wetlands, more than any other state in the nation, Louisiana’s water activities are seemingly endless.
Paddling — canoes, kayaks, stand up paddle boards — is one of Louisiana’s most popular outdoor activities. The Bayou Teche Paddling Trail offers beautiful scenery while exploring Cajun Country, Louisiana’s most culturally diverse region. The Teche is a 135-mile-long waterway beginning in Port Barre and flowing to meet the Atchafalaya River at Berwick. For more information about paddling Bayou Teche or other waterways throughout the state and for tips from Louisiana’s paddling community, visit www.LouisianaPaddle.com.
Paddling is not the only outdoor water activity to enjoy during the fall. Many charter captains will tell you the fall is the best time to enjoy Louisiana’s offshore fishing. Just off Louisiana’s coast, fishermen can find red snapper, grouper, amberjack, trout, redfish and many other popular saltwater species.
Staying inland will produce quite a catch as well. Rivers, lakes, bayous and swamps throughout the state offer first-class fishing year round. Visit www.LouisianaTravel.com/fishing to find out more about fishing throughout Louisiana, including the state’s regulations and how to purchase a fishing license.
There are plenty of outdoor activities beyond the water. Do you enjoy biking? Louisiana has great trails for the mountain bike enthusiast. Head to Ruston in North Louisiana for a ride on the Lincoln Parish Park trails. Bikers have ranked the 10-mile trail among the top 25 trails in the nation. Twisting and winding up and down steep inclines, the course was designed by James Ramsaur in 1992 and lies inside a 260-acre forested park. Although the park offers technical terrain, it features signage that shows the degree of difficulty and helps you know exactly where you are headed.
If you prefer the open road when riding upright on two wheels, check out the Tammany Trace on Louisiana’s Northshore. The trace features 28 miles of paved road and is the first Louisiana trail to be part of the National Rail-Trail Network. The trail, closed to motorized traffic, runs from Covington to Slidell and includes easy access to historic Mandeville, Fontainebleau State Park and Abita Springs in between. For more information on adventure, exercise or leisure biking and cycling throughout Louisiana, visit www.BikeLouisiana.com.
And of course if none of those outdoor activities interest you there is always football. From Friday night lights to Saturday nights in Tiger Stadium to Sundays in the Dome, football is available throughout the state from August through the end of the year.
Embrace Louisiana’s incredible outdoor assets this fall and invite your friends and family to enjoy them with you.
For more information on fall festivals and other fall travel ideas throughout the state, visit www.LouisianaTravel.com or call (800) 99 GUMBO [48626].
