Closest place to New Orleans to visit Cajun country and cuisine

Going to NOLA next month for a few days. Been to NOLA many times. But, would really like to drive out from NOLA for the day to experience Cajun country and its cuisine, etc. I know Lafayette area is prime for that, but it is 135 miles from NOLA,and that’s a bit far for a day trip (esp. as we are supposed to be back to go with friends to August that night).

Does anyone have experience with areas that might be good for similar interests/Cajun without the long ride? If so, I’m all ears.
(I’ve been on a couple of “swamp tours”. This is not what I’m looking for, though.)

Baton Rouge and Biloxi are both within an hour and 15 minutes.

Houma is more old school, more quaint, more Cajun and closer:

Funny story: a friend of mine in NOLA once stumbled out of a three day wedding party and asked with a slurred voice to have a taxi take him “home”. He woke up on a bench in the middle of Houma!


Plus you’ve gotta love that the Swamp Thing comics are set there!

Definitely would say Houma… It’s not the prettiest drive there, but it’s Cajun and much closer. All that being said, you are coming in the hottest month possible, I would suggest just staying in a bar/resturant and enjoy libations and AC.

Thanks for the suggestions…everyone.

Timing is not my choice…a friend is turning 60…enticed us with free dinner at August for me and my wife. But…instead…am taking our son…and then driving him back to college in Atlanta after…so…will definitely stop in Biloxi (didn’t realize it was en route; always wanted to see it.)

Re: Houma…beside eating/drinking…and we would have a Sat lunch…heading back to NOLA for 8:00 reservation at August; leaving for Atlanta next am…what is there to see/do that would give us an idea of Cajun culture? Specifics are welcome/would be great, including place to experience the cuisine mid-day.maybe some music…sounds like a really good suggestion…just want to get a plan together so we are efficient given the timing (renting car early am…back in Nola that evening).

Thanks.

If you can make the drive, I suggest going directly to Breaux Bridge, have lunch at Glenda’s Creole Kitchen, poke around Breaux Bridge a bit, then head back.

If you can get there early enough, Cafe des Amis often has a Cajun breakfast with Cajun music. Otherwise, I don’t know any place to hear Cajun Music until the evening. Unless there is a festival going on - check the listings because Southwest LA has tons of Cajun festivals so there’s a chance you may find something.

My best suggestion would be to experience Cajun cuisine in New Orleans and save Cajun Country for another visit when you have more time. I don’t think you’re going to get much out of “Cajun Country” with such a short window.

That link to Houma I posted has a good bit of info about museums and other cultural outlets.

It is a long trip but we did it in one day…Avery Island for Tabasco tour, through New Iberia and Konriko rice factory then dinner in Breaux Bridge and back to New Orleans. Breaux Bridge is considered the “crawfish capital” of Louisiana.

Cheers!
Marshall

Thanks, Roberto…everyone. (I went to that link yesterday; it doesn’t really provide any tips, but…I’ll look elsewhere.)

I think Houma is the right distance, etc. Hopefully, before we go someone will post some specific recomendations about what to see/eat there.

I know Lafayette/Breaux Bridge is the best place…but…this is my 6th trip to NOLA…and…I have no expectations of going back (my wife, said she’d been enough)…so…this trip is the window to see what we can “out” there.

Reporting back. Had some great meals in NOLA: Dooky Chase lunch buffet; Jacques Imo; Cochon butcher (for lunch); Galatoire’s (IMO, the best meal of the trip); August.

The trip to Houma, though, was a bust. I rented a car ($80) and took my son and friends out early last Saturday. Had researched two Cajun farmers’ markets that we visited. Both were busts: lots of people selling pork rinds and Saints’ trinkets, but…not much in the way of fresh veggies/farm products or food to eat while we were at either.

Houma was dead. The “cultural center” was closed; other than the farmer’s market, the town was asleep. Crawfish season was over in early August. It was hot. My friends asked if we could just drive back and explore the Garden District in NO instead, and I couldn’t argue, as I found nothing to “experience” Cajun-wise, though it was interesting to see another town. (Mobile, AL…on the way to take my son back to school in Atlanta Sunday, on the other hand, was really interesting: great shrimp boil place; local history museum and wonderful homes to look at, etc. )

So…to anyone tuning in…forget Houma …for this purpose.

Biloxi, also on the way to Atlanta , was worth a stop, if only to see the Gulf and the shrimp boat fleet…with Vietnamese people who dominate the fleet, selling their catch at the docks. However, on a Sunday late am, we couldn’t find any place open to experience freshly caught boiled shrimp and a beer. So, we headed to Mobile. (Jefferson Davis’ homestead in the last 15? years of his life was open that afternoon and tempting, but not tempting enough, I think.)

But that shrimp boil in Mobile. “Cajun Mudbugs at the Loop” .http://www.yelp.com/biz/mudbugs-mobile-2 …prompted me to buy the local sausage to try to imitate it in Philadelphia this weekend. Comparable shrimp could be a big problem here, though.