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Lafayette is the unofficial capital of Acadiana, the region of south Louisiana shaped by French-speaking Acadians who arrived after their expulsion from Canada in the eighteenth century, along with Creole, African and Native American influences. It is a working city rather than a tourist town, which is much of its appeal: Cajun and Creole food, zydeco and Cajun music, and French still heard in older families.
Vermilionville, a living history village of restored and reproduction buildings, introduces early Acadian, Creole and Native life, while the Acadian Cultural Center, part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, tells the story of the exile and resettlement. Acadian Village offers another collection of historic houses. Downtown, the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist stands beside the sprawling Cathedral Oak, and Jefferson Street holds bars, restaurants and murals near the Lafayette Science Museum. On the University of Louisiana campus, Cypress Lake is a small swamp with resident alligators, and the Hilliard Art Museum sits close by. Moncus Park and Girard Park provide green space, and just outside the city, Lake Martin's cypress swamp and bird rookery are excellent for spotting herons, egrets and gators.
Food and music lovers find the most to enjoy. Dance halls and festivals, especially Festival International de Louisiane in spring, are high points. Breaux Bridge and the Atchafalaya Basin are nearby.
WiserMap travel guideLafayette Louisiana Cajun Swamp Tours Boudin and ZydecoExplore Lafayette, Louisiana: Vermilionville, the Cathedral Oak, Cypress Lake, swamp tours at Lake Martin, boudin and zydeco, plus when to go and where to stay.Read the guide
A living history museum and folklife park on the Bayou Vermilion that recreates Acadian, Creole and Native American life from 1765 to 1890, with restored homes, craftspeople and a chapel. Live Cajun and zydeco music is held on some weekends. Allow two hours and check the events calendar.
A unit of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park next to Vermilionville, with exhibits and a film on the exile of the Acadians from Nova Scotia and the growth of Cajun culture in Louisiana. Entry is free. Check the opening hours before visiting, and pair it with a walk through Vermilionville.
A folk village of historic Acadian houses moved from around the region and set around a bayou with footbridges, showing 19th-century Cajun home life, tools and crafts. It is especially popular in December, when it hosts a Christmas lights festival. Check the hours, as they vary by season.
A red brick Romanesque cathedral downtown with striped arches and stained glass, next to the St. John Cathedral Oak, a live oak several centuries old with huge sprawling limbs. The cemetery beside the church has historic tombs. Visitors are welcome outside Mass times.
The main street of downtown Lafayette, with restaurants, bars, galleries and music venues in restored buildings, plus Parc Sans Souci and Parc International nearby for outdoor concerts. Downtown Alive concerts are held on spring and fall Friday evenings. Park in the public garage and walk.
A downtown science museum with exhibits on natural history, geology, space and Louisiana wildlife, plus a planetarium. It is good for families and rainy days. The planetarium shows run on a schedule, so check times at the entrance, and plan about an hour and a half for the exhibits.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette's art museum, in a modern glass building linked to an older classical one, with rotating exhibitions and a permanent collection of Louisiana and American art. It is compact and quiet. Check for free admission days and evening talks.
A small cypress swamp in the middle of the university campus, home to alligators, turtles, herons and egrets beneath moss-draped trees. It is a quick and easy place to see a gator in the wild. Walk around the edge after visiting the Hilliard Art Museum next door.
A large park on the former university horse farm along Johnston Street, with live oaks, open meadows, walking paths, a lake, a big playground and a dog park. It hosts concerts and food events. It is free and busy in the evenings, so come early for parking on weekends.
A cypress-tupelo swamp lake about 15 miles east of Lafayette, part of a Nature Conservancy preserve with a large rookery of egrets, herons and spoonbills and plenty of alligators. Small-boat swamp tours explore the backwaters. Spring nesting season is the best time to visit, and bring repellent.
A small music venue and bar on the back porch of a guesthouse near downtown, known for live Cajun, zydeco and roots bands, with dancing most nights it is open. It is casual and welcoming to beginners. Check the calendar for the weekly Cajun jam and arrive early for a spot on the porch.
A free outdoor festival held downtown every April, with musicians from French-speaking countries and Louisiana on several stages, plus food, crafts and dancing in the streets. It draws large crowds over five days. Book lodging early and bring a chair or blanket for the main stage.
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