USA STATES

LOUISIANA. Louisiana is a state in the southeastern United States in the Gulf of Mexico. Its history, as a melting pot of French, African, American and French Canadian cultures, is reflected in its Creole and Cajun cultures. The largest city, New Orleans, is known for its colonial-era French Quarter, bustling Mardi Gras festival, jazz music, Renaissance-style St. Louis Cathedral, and war exhibits at the massive National Museum of the WWII.

ACTIVITIES TO DO IN SUMMER

1. World Heritage Poverty Point Poverty Point is part of a network of World Heritage Sites that includes the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon, Stonehenge, the Egyptian pyramids and the Roman Coliseum. At Poverty Point is a former Native American embankment built almost 3,400 years ago. The network of mounds, semi-elliptical concentric bluffs, and a central plaza was the largest and most elaborate of those days in North America.

2. Fishing The Louisiana Gulf Coast is one of the richest fishing areas in the world, and fishing boats operate year-round in Louisiana's coastal parishes collecting spotted trout, redfish, cobia, grouper, tilapia, greens and many more species. The coast is also a family shoreline destination, and the most famous places are Grand Isle, Rutherford Beach, and Holly Beach.

3. Kayak and canoe rides One of the best ways to get around Louisiana is paddling and kayaking and canoeing through its bayous (slow currents), swamps, and coastal swamps. They are picturesque places full of wildlife that cannot be seen by car or on foot. Among the most popular rowing destinations are Louisiana state parks. Almost all the parks are in a bayou, river, lake, reserve or swamp adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico. Several parks offer fairly affordable boat and equipment rentals, and camp or cabin accommodation for overnight stays within their facilities.

4. Camps and hiking Kisatchie, the only national forest in Louisiana, extends its roots through the areas of seven parishes located in northern and central Louisiana. Kisatchie offers 571 kilometers of trails for hiking and mountain biking, horseback riding, ATV driving, and camping. There is also a strong commitment to management activities in this forest that focus on the restoration and conservation of natural resources, including two national wildlife reserves.

5. Guided tours of the swamps This river and swamp ecosystem that runs through the Atchafalaya River can be found in 14 parishes in south-central Louisiana. It is considered as one of the last virgin territories of America. Among the main activities are boat tours to observe crocodiles and birds.

6. Picturesque cycling The Tammany Trace (Trazo Tammany) is a 50-kilometer trail built where a railroad used to pass through low-lying noble pine forests. This road was paved and will become a path enabled both for cycling and hiking. The trail is located in the region called New Orleans Northshore, north of Lake Pontchartain, and some segments of the trail connect the small towns of Covington, Abita Springs, Mandeville, Lacombe and Slidell. The five villages connected by the trail have charming centers that can be easily moved on foot and are full of art galleries, local shops and restaurants.

7. Tours of the gardens Louisiana's subtropical location in the Gulf of Mexico provides the state with an extended period of warm climates and moderate winters, creating a perfect garden setting. Popular spots include the 250-oak Afton Villa Gardens, located in St. Francisville and close to the Rosedown Plantation, the 15 separate areas that make up the Windrush Gardens in Baton. Rouge and the 14 zones that make up the Longue Vue House and Gardens in New Orleans. There are also the Jungle Gardens and Rip Van Winkle Gardens, which are located near New Iberia and offer a wide variety of Louisiana flora.