--this 5-part article began in Montgomery Alabama-
Clarksdale to Natchez or Vicksburg -- Cajun Country
Continue down Highway 61... you can take a break from music by catching up on some Civil War action in Vicksburg or strolling the charming town of Natchez (where hotels are particularly cheap and plentiful.) A tour of one of the plantation homes in the area may provide quite a cultural contrast if you just stayed in the Shack Up Inn.
Natchez Trace
For a chance to see a bit of this ancient trail, now a paved National Scenic Byway (and a National Park) jump off of Highway 61 and pick up the Trace at Port Gibson. Remember that the Park speed limit is 50 mph. You can keep driving south from there, towards Natchez.
However, if you go NORTH on the Trace, just a few miles up from Port Gibson, you and the kids can hop out of the car at the Sunken Trace, an almost spooky tree-covered section of the original ancient Native American footpath used for travel and trade. Talk about some atmosphere... but bring the bug spray if you visit in summer.
Natchez to Louisiana Cajun Country
And now for something completely different – take a quick look at the distinctive music of Louisiana with visits to Cajun country and then New Orleans. For an overview of the wide variety of music to be found in this part of the country, see www.louisianamusic.org.
For this trip, you’ll want to “laissez les bon temps roulez” (let the good times roll) with the Cajuns, so continue south on Highway 61 until you get to the state capitol city of Baton Rouge. If your family needs a bite to eat, fortify them with a po’ boy sandwich or veggie omelet at Louie’s Café (209 West State Street, 225-346-8221) near the Louisiana State University campus.
Pick up Interstate 10 in Baton Rouge and head west towards Lafayette. You’ll cross over the Atchafalaya swamp basin and the Bayou Teche as you head toward the home of the Acadians, or Cajuns.
Cajun Country
All around Lafayette is the home of the Cajuns, the largest French-speaking minority in the U.S., displaced from Nova Scotia in the late 1700’s. Stop in at the Atchafalaya Welcome Center, Interstate 10 exit 121, for a good introduction to the area. Tune into Radio Acadie, station KRVS at FM 88.7, or if it’s a Saturday night listen to “Rendezvous des Cajuns” broadcast live from the Liberty Center Theater in Eunice LA.
A good place to stay is the nearby town of Breaux Bridge, right on the Bayou Teche, at Rocky and Lisa Sonnier’s Bayou Cabins (www.bayoucabins.com ) At check-in you’ll get a sampler of boudin (the local sausage) and some other delicacies like fresh pork skin “cracklins,” all washed down with homemade root beer. Try the beignets (the local version of doughnuts) at breakfast. Warning: it may be hard to get everyone up in the morning if you spent the night before up the street from the Cabins, having dinner and doing a little Cajun two-step to the live music at Mulate’s (MOO-lotz.)
If you prefer to stay in Lafayette, both Prejean’s (www.prejeans.com ) and Randol’s (www.randols.com ) restaurants offer live music and plenty of good food. You will see families everywhere enjoying the musical offerings, especially during the many music and food festivals throughout the year.
Options abound for swamp tours. Many local guides, born and raised on the bayou, will take you out in their boats to see not only alligators but also all sorts of wildlife, birds and plants unique to this area. Kids will love it. We enjoyed Champagne’s Swamp Tours, given by a local guide from Breaux Bridge.
Cajun Country to New Orleans
It’s time to shift gears a bit, and drive back towards the mighty Mississippi and the Great River Road that hugs its banks. The simplest way to get there is to take Interstate 10 from the Lafayette area back towards Baton Rouge and New Orleans, but get off of the Interstate about halfway to New Orleans. Look for exits to Burnside or the Sunshine Bridge.
You can travel on either side of the Mississippi on the River Road, both sides have well-preserved plantations offering guided tours, but some say that the east side of the river has more interesting terrain. There are bridges and ferries to get back and forth (again, a good detailed map is invaluable here.)
You won’t actually see the river because it’s behind the massive levees that were built to prevent flooding, but periodically park your car and climb up the levee to get a good view of the Big Muddy. If you’re lucky enough to be there during the Christmas season, you may see levee bonfires at night from Gramercy to Convent.
