Author Archives: Cody Gray

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism Awards $67,500 to Support
Festivals and Events Recovery in Lafourche Parish

Raceland, Louisiana (April 12, 2021) – Tourism is an economic force that benefits the entire parish, and today Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism awarded $67,500 in grant funds to support the return and sustainability of festivals and events in Lafourche Parish.

The tourism office’s 2021 Festivals and Events Support Grant through the Tourism Investment Program (TIP) was created for this year to provide vital assistance to the Lafourche Parish festivals and events industry as it continues to recover from the hardships faced from the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s special program was designed to provide funds to be used by organizations as they market, advertise and otherwise promote visitation to their festivals and stimulate growth of those events, which are held up and down Bayou Lafourche. Festivals and events are a top tourism draw for Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, as they showcase the region’s history, culture, food and music to out-of-town guests, who will stay in the parish and help the local economy as part of the process.

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism Welcomes New Sales and Marketing Manager

Raceland, Louisiana (April 6, 2021) – Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, Lafourche Parish’s destination marketing organization, this week welcomed its new sales and marketing manager, Ian Wallis.

Wallis fills a position that had been vacant since last fall, when Cody Gray was promoted from that role to serve as the tourism office’s President and CEO.

With 14,500 people populating French Quarter-style streets, Thibodaux is sure to charm you with the feel of New Orleans but all the hospitality and personality of a small town. Shops and restaurants throughout downtown mimic the style of the Big Easy, located just 35 miles away, but business owners here instantly make visitors feel like family. And those visitors are especially lucky at this time of year because they’re treated to all sorts of holiday cheer, festive décor and special deals.

HIT THE STREETS
It’s easy to navigate downtown Thibodaux. The streets are numbered, there’s on-street parking near whatever shop or restaurant you’d like to visit, and everything is quite walkable once you decide where to leave your car. If the weather is cooperating, you should take a walking tour of the downtown area so you can explore the rich history and architecture of Thibodaux while supporting local shops and eateries each step of the way.

November 9 is National Louisiana Day, and November 1-14 is when Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou celebrates Lafourche Heritage Days, a time to reflect on the parish’s distinctive culture. That makes November the perfect opportunity to offer some pointers about where you might interact with a few of Louisiana’s famous state symbols, those things that truly set our state and parish apart from all the rest.
 

State Bird: Brown Pelican
You’ll find these big waterbirds – you can’t miss their distinctive bills and seven-foot wingspan as they swoop over the water – pretty much anywhere that anglers are hauling in their catch. Pelicans are expert fishermen themselves, but they’re not above taking the easy way out and hoping for some scraps to be tossed in their direction. A great place to look for them is Port Fourchon, which recently installed viewfinders to assist the many birdwatchers who head here to check species off their birding life list.

Bayou Feast Offers Delectable Deals on Memorable Meals

Throughout October, Lafourche Parish will host its first-ever “restaurant month.” Dubbed Bayou Feast and coordinated by Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, the program is aimed at supporting local businesses while encouraging diners to celebrate the area’s one-of-a-kind culinary and cultural heritage.

Parish Tourism Leader to Depart Organization after More Than Five Years; Interim President and CEO Named

(October 1, 2020)– The Board of Directors of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, Lafourche Parish’s destination marketing organization, announced today that Timothy Bush, who has served as president and CEO since March 2015, will leave his role on October 15.  Bush will be relocating to Spartanburg, South Carolina to join OneSpartanburg, Inc., South Carolina’s first consolidated business, economic and tourism development organization as Chief Tourism Development Officer.

“I am truly humbled to have had the opportunity to serve the Lafourche Parish community, tourism partners and stakeholders over the last five-plus years,” Bush said. “It has been a tremendous honor to promote tourism to one of Louisiana’s truly unique and distinctive destinations. I am so appreciative to our incredible board of directors and for the faith they put in me daily to lead this organization.”

Lafourche Parish Offers Delectable Deals on Memorable Meals

First-Ever “Bayou Feast” Aims at Returning Diners to Local Restaurants

Raceland, Louisiana (September 24, 2020) – Throughout October, Lafourche Parish will host its first-ever “restaurant month.” Dubbed Bayou Feast and coordinated by Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, the goal of this new marketing campaign is to increase traffic at local restaurants all around the parish, by residents and visitors alike. The program is aimed at supporting local businesses while encouraging diners to celebrate the area’s one-of-a-kind culinary and cultural heritage.

We’ve all heard that road trips are “in” right now. It’s just you and the open road … and your kids asking, “Are we there yet?” every three minutes. As summer starts to simmer down and the crispness of fall starts to creep in, what better time for a family road trip? Located less than an hour from New Orleans, Lafourche Parish – also known as Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou – is the perfect destination for a trip with a truly personal feel.
 

"UP" AND "DOWN" THE BAYOU

In Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, there’s no north or south; all directions are given as “up” or “down” the Bayou – as in Bayou Lafourche, the body of water that nearly bisects the parish. Highway 1 and Highway 308 traverse this waterway, and this road trip allows you to follow one of those roads for dozens of miles. (Or both – you can criss-cross over bridges along the way.)

It’s summer in Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou and that means things are heating up! But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of sweet treats and refreshing drinks to help keep you cool on the bayou. Our safe and social distancing friendly options are here to help you make the most of your summer road trip, staycation or day-trip.

SWEET TREAT STOPS
Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou is in the heart of sugar country -- Louisiana produces 13.5 million tons of the sweet stuff each year. So of course, there’s plenty of tasty (and cold) treats on just about every bend of the bayou. When you are driving along Highway 1, stop at the Goal Post in Raceland for some of their rich and thick ice cream that’s hand dipped onto the cone and sure to make a satisfying mess.
And you can’t come to Cajun without trying a snowball. Maggie D’s Snowballs in Thibodaux is just the place! They have the perfect combination of shaved ice and plenty of flavors to choose from. For a little “lagniappe” add condensed milk to top it off. Visit Places to Dine to discover more treats in Lafourche Parish.

Just 35 miles south of New Orleans you’ll find Lafourche Parish, better known as Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou. If you are a traveler that values memories as part of your travel experience then Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou is a must-visit for you!

SWAMP TOURS
With the amount of time you have spent inside lately, we think you could use some fresh air. Jump on board and ride out on one of our swamp tours! Listen to the sound of bald eagles overhead, while alligators are sunning in the distance, all while you are transported through the lush marshland and cypress swamps that make this area so naturally beautiful. What sets our swamp tours apart? Your native Cajun guide. They love what they do and it shows in the stories they tell and the connection they bridge between you and our rustic bayous. Don’t be surprised when your guide stops and explains to you that Spanish moss isn’t just pretty to look at, but back in the old days it was used in Ford cars to stuff their seat cushions. This is just one of the many colorful facts you may learn.