Half a dozen flags have flown over one of the greatest real estate coups in American history, and the French, Spanish and British influences are still evident throughout Louisiana — in its architecture, cuisine, government and people. Louisiana’s lush, often haunting landscape is both romantic and mysterious. The southern part of the state is a broad alluvial region shaped by the Mississippi River, with extensive marshes, wetlands and bayous, while the northern region is higher and hillier.
New Orleans is the state’s primary draw, but rewarding day trips include the capital of Baton Rouge and historic plantation homes along the Mississippi River such as Oak Alley and the Whitney, which has a museum dedicated to slavery. Summers are hot and humid, and autumn can bring hurricanes.