Stay Louisiana Rentals, Vacation Rentals in Louisiana

Louisiana has an interesting history. Thomas Jefferson bought the area that makes up the state from France in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. See the influence of early French and Spanish settlers and taste spicy Cajun and Creole food throughout the state. Creole is what descendants of early French or Spanish settlers in Louisiana are called. The influence of early French settlers can also be seen in the state's name. Louisiana was named after French King Louis XIV. Louisiana is nicknamed the "Pelican State" because of the many pelicans that used to inhabit the state's Gulf coast. The state has also been called the "Bayou State" because of its many slow-moving, marshy waterways. The abbreviation for Louisiana is LA.

Louisiana is a West South Central state bordered by Arkansas to the north, Mississippi to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Texas to the west. The state is shaped like the capital letter "L" or a boot. Most of Louisiana has a hot, humid, subtropical climate; it is one of the wettest states. The state's location at the mouth of the Mississippi River on the Gulf of Mexico is very favorable and has played an important role in the state's development.

Louisiana is a state steeped in a variety of traditions, but is also pulled toward the cultural economic mainstream. Louisiana people are increasingly aware of the complex mixture of tradition and change found in a state that is part Sunbelt-suburban just as surely as it is still part pioneer, frontier, plantation, farmstead, fisherman's camp, and New Orleans neighborhood. Predominately Catholic French southern Louisiana has been described as "South of the South" due to the Mediterranean-African roots and plantation past of the region, that make it and New Orleans more akin to societies in the Spanish and French West Indies than the American South. The rural part of South Louisiana is dominated by the Acadians, or Cajuns, who came from what is now Nova Scotia as petit habitants in the late eighteenth century. However, over time the Cajuns have absorbed and been affected by a wide array of cultures in the area: Spanish, German, Italian, Anglo, Native American, and Slavonian.

The summers here are very hot and humid, with daytime highs ranging between 96 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit, but it does go even higher than that at times, and the night time temps are in the mid 70's. Fall is usually quite mild, with temperatures usually ranging between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and between 48 and 55 degrees at night. Winters, while usually fairly mild, can range anywhere between 30 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, with the night time temperatures dropping about 20 degrees from the daytime temps. Springtime temperatures are about the same as our fall temperatures.

Baton Rouge: The capital of Louisiana is Baton Rouge which sits on a high bluff on the Mississippi River in the southeastern part of the state. The city is an important port city in the United States as well, with a number of products being shipped into and out of its waterfront district daily. The city offers a great many historical sites that are well worth visiting including monuments, landmarks, and of course restored southern plantations. History is important to the city and much of the history of Louisiana, and the south in general, can be found on display there.

New Orleans: Undoubtedly the most popular destination in Louisiana is the city of New Orleans. New Orleans is a popular destination for a number of reasons, but chief among them is the fact that it is an incredibly exciting city that offers something for everyone and an incredible amount of things to do. New Orleans is the largest city in the state and has a number of important industries including tourism, shipping, media, transportation, and more.

Shreveport: Shreveport is another popular destination city thanks to the many strengths that not only the city offers, but also offered by the surrounding area. Shreveport was originally founded as an important stop for those traveling the famed Texas Trail into what is now the neighboring state of Texas. Since its early days, the city has remained an important regional hub for transportation and distribution through the area.

Lafayette: Located right on the shores of the Vermilion River, the city of Lafayette offers a great deal for both the residents and the visitors that travel to and through there. The city plays a strong role in the state of Louisiana’s agriculture and natural gas industries. When it comes to finding a place in Louisiana to really sink into and get the feel of the real Cajun culture, there isn’t a better place to go than to the city of Lafayette.

Lake Charles: Another popular destination in the state of Louisiana is the community of Lake Charles. Lake Charles is known as the Festival Capital of Louisiana and offers more than 75 local festivals and celebrations each and every year. These are great events where visitors can socialize with locals and learn a little bit about Louisiana culture while having a really good time.

Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum Gibsland, Louisiana: Where the doomed road trippers bought their last snack.

Zam's Swamp Tours Thibodaux, Louisiana: Lots of local gossip from the local characters who show you the swamp.

Voodoo Museum New Orleans, Louisiana: See a zombie whip, the top hat of America's first voodoo promoter.

In March 2011, Louisiana ranked as the second bottom "Worst" state (next to number 50 Kentucky), in the American State Litter Scorecard. The Pelican State suffers from an overall poor effectiveness and quality of its statewide public space cleanliness (primarily from roadway and adjacent litter/debris) in state and related eradication standards. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is the state government organization in charge of maintaining public transportation, roadways, bridges, canals, select levees, floodplain management, port facilities, commercial vehicles, and aviation which includes 69 airports. The Intracoastal Waterway is an important means of transporting commercial goods such as petroleum and petroleum products, agricultural produce, building materials and manufactured goods.