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Bayous take the place of streets in much of Terrebonne Parish, and Houma sits at the center of this watery maze about an hour southwest of New Orleans. Named for the Houma people, the town grew as a trading center for sugarcane planters, trappers and shrimpers, and today it is one of the heartlands of Cajun culture, with French surnames, boudin and zydeco to match.
Bayou Terrebonne runs through the historic downtown, where restored storefronts, St. Francis de Sales Cathedral and a waterlife museum line the water. On the edge of town, the 1850s Southdown Plantation House holds the Terrebonne Museum, and a regional military museum honors local veterans.
Most visitors come to get onto the water. Swamp tours glide past alligators, egrets and cypress trees, Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge protects marsh and swamp just outside town, and the drive south along the bayous ends at Cocodrie, a fishing outpost on the edge of the Gulf. Houma also stages one of Louisiana's largest Mardi Gras celebrations outside New Orleans.
A two-story plantation house dating from the late 1850s, once the center of a large sugar estate and later expanded in Queen Anne style. It now houses the Terrebonne Museum, with exhibits on sugarcane, local Mardi Gras, Cajun life and the region's history. Guided tours run on set days; call ahead.
A downtown museum on the banks of Bayou Terrebonne devoted to the people who make a living from the water, from shrimpers and oystermen to trappers and boat builders. Displays include boats, decoys, nets and a large aquarium. It is small, so combine it with a walk along the bayou and the footbridge.
A volunteer-run museum honoring veterans from Terrebonne and the surrounding parishes, with uniforms, weapons, letters and personal stories from the Civil War through recent conflicts. Outside are military vehicles, a helicopter and aircraft displays. Many guides are veterans themselves, so ask questions.
A long-running family swamp tour started by Annie Miller, famous for calling alligators by name, and now run by her son. Boats cruise through cypress swamp and marsh while the guide points out alligators, herons, egrets and Cajun history. Tours last about two hours; book ahead and bring bug spray.
A refuge of freshwater marsh and cypress-tupelo swamp just west of Houma, managed for wintering waterfowl and wading birds. A short boardwalk nature trail gives a dry-footed look at the swamp, while most of the refuge is reached by boat. Visit in winter for ducks and in spring for nesting birds.
The Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, a brick church in the center of downtown with a tall steeple, stained-glass windows and an old cemetery beside it. The parish dates back to the 1840s. Visitors are welcome outside service times; dress respectfully and keep quiet during prayer.
In the two weeks before Fat Tuesday, Houma hosts more than a dozen parades with elaborate floats, marching bands and krewes tossing beads and trinkets along the downtown route. It is one of the biggest Mardi Gras celebrations in Louisiana outside New Orleans. Hotels fill fast, so book well ahead.
The historic core of Houma along Bayou Terrebonne, with brick storefronts, the parish courthouse square, small parks and a footbridge across the water. Local restaurants serve gumbo, boudin and po-boys, and the district hosts outdoor concerts and festivals. Park once and explore on foot along the bayou.
Louisiana Highway 56 follows Bayou Little Caillou south from Houma for about 30 miles through fishing villages, shrimp docks and open marsh to Cocodrie, a sportfishing outpost near the Gulf of Mexico. Watch for shrimp boats and pelicans. Fuel up in Houma, as services thin out quickly to the south.
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Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
