Spotlight: Lafayette, Louisiana


Jamie

My Take

Louisiana is packed full of history and rich in culture, and I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to experience both the northern and southern regions; however, it seems as though my heart has led me back south to the Cajun Heartland of Louisiana. It is definitely the one place that I can be myself, eat some of the best food there is, and do what the Cajuns do: “Laissez les bons temps rouler!” (Let the good times roll!). Living here is quite entertaining and lots of fun, especially being able to access the majority of festivals and events. Unfortunately, transportation is not great in the Lafayette area, but if you are able to get to where you want to, access is available.

Skinny on the City

Lafayette is the fourth largest city and home to the second largest university in Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette. It is known for many things, but has been nicknamed “Cajun Heartland” for its French heritage and Cajun traditions. It is known worldwide for its mouth-watering food, upbeat French music, outstanding festivals, and enthusiastic, fun-loving people.

Lafayette

Places to Go

Due to the almost year-round warm climate in Louisiana, if you are into outdoor sports, you can definitely find yourself fishing, boating, or taking advantage of an exciting swamp tour on the beautiful Atchafalaya Swamp, only 15 miles from Lafayette. Make sure that you call in advance to schedule your tour to assure availability of an accessible tour boat. If the weather is nice and you would like to learn a little more about the Cajun people and what living was once like, you should visit Vermilionville for a tour of an Acadian-style village and a nice relaxing time listening to a local band. Everything here, including the historic homes, is accessible.

Only 135 miles away is New Orleans, an experience one must have at least once in a lifetime. Begin your day with a visit to Café du Monde for some delicious beignets (fried French donuts) and a delightful cup of café au lait (coffee with milk), but make sure you have your walking shoes on as you stroll through the French Quarter browsing through shops and enjoying the artful atmosphere. Enjoy the Audubon Experience when you visit the Audubon Zoo, the Aquarium of the Americas, the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, and finally the IMAX theater. There are several different options of tours that are available in the New Orleans area: more swamp tours, plantation tours, and even cemetery and ghost tours.

Available Health Care

Louisiana is home to LSU Health Sciences Center’s hospitals and clinics. There is one located in Shreveport and one in New Orleans. I have personally utilized the Shreveport facility whenever I lived there and received great care. The clinics, as well as the hospital, are awesome. If I am in need of hospital care here in Lafayette, I utilize the Lafayette General Health system.

Getting Around

Transportation here in Lafayette may be a bit difficult if you are traveling as a wheelchair user without your own vehicle. Most of the streets here are accessible, especially the downtown area, where most festivals take place. Most of the city buses are also accessible. However, they run on a schedule and are not always available. There are several paratransit systems here, but, unfortunately, they are not so “wheelchair friendly” — unless you are elderly and only plan on visiting the doctor or doing some type of grocery shopping at the local grocery store or Walmart.

Must See, Must Do

Avery Island: Only 30 miles from Lafayette, you can enjoy a delightful and accessible tour of the Tabasco plant to learn how the famous Louisiana hot sauce is created. After the tour, you can either have a meal at the restaurant or a packed picnic lunch across at Jungle Gardens, a 170-acre botanical garden and bird sanctuary where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful wonders of Louisiana wildlife. The gardens are quite accessible — you can drive through in your car. You can get out whenever it is convenient and take advantage of the chance to see many birds native to Louisiana, alligators, and maybe even deer.

Learn about the Louisiana Chapter here.


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