Lafayette Louisiana Travel and Tourism
Lafayette is located in the heart of Cajun Country and Acadiana, on the banks of the Vermilion River, and at the junction of Interstate Highway I-10 and I-49.
Lafayette's first settlers were French Acadians ("Cajuns") who came to the area in the 1700s.
Originally founded in 1821 as Vermilionville, the settlement was renamed Lafayette in 1884.
Lafayette Area Events and Attractions
 Acadian Village, Lafayette, Louisiana |
Today a popular tourist attraction called "Vermilionville" recreates the Cajun lifestyle and folklore in a series of restored buildings.
The Festival International De Louisiane is held in the spring in Lafayette, and the Festival Acadiens Et Creoles in October.
Other attractions include:
- Acadian Cultural Center
- Acadian Village
- Acadiana Center for the Arts
- Cathedral of St. John
- Evangeline State Park
- Children's Museum of Acadiana
- University Art Museum
- Alexandre Mouton House
- Lafayette Science Museum
- Cajundome and Convention Center
Where to See Mardi Gras Parades Around Lafayette
We recommend you check with individual parade sponsors/krewes to determine the latest parade schedules, routes, times and other information. Due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, many parades and events have been postponed, rescheduled or cancelled.
| Acadiana & Southwest Louisiana |
| Lafayette Parish Mardi Gras: Lafayette, Scott, Youngsville, Carencro |
| St Landry Parish Mardi Gras |
| Iberia Parish Mardi Gras: New Iberia, Jeanerette, Coteau, Loreauville |
| Acadia Parish Mardi Gras: Rayne, Morse, Crowley, Iota, Church Pointe |
| Iota Tee Mamou Mardi Gras Festival |
| Vermilion Parish Mardi Gras: Kaplan and Gueydan |
| Eunice Mardi Gras |
| Church Point Mardi Gras |
For a detailed calendar of Lafayette area Mardi Gras parades and events, visit the website of Lafayette travel.
Swamp Tours in the Lafayette Area
One of the most popular things to do in Louisiana is touring the swamps! Most tours are concentrated in South Louisiana.
The area between Lafayette and Baton Rouge offers a number of swamp tours, operating from communities such as Breaux Bridge, Henderson, St. Martinvile and Plaquemine.
Learn more about Swamp Tours in the Atchafalaya Basin.
Lafayette Louisiana Hotels, Motels, and Lodging
| Traveling to Lafayette or Acadiana? Click here to find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about hotels in Lafayette |
Vermilionville Video ... from Louisiana Travel
Lafayette Cuisine and Restaurants
Lafayette is known for its Cajun and Creole culture, and its legendary Cajun cooking.
Dining establishments featuring outstanding cuisine are widely known in Acadiana and nationwide, such as:
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And we can't count the number of times we've had great crawfish at Pat's Fisherman's Wharf Restaurant in nearby Henderson in the Atchafalaya River Basin!
Lafayette Economy
Lafayette serves a large, regional retail and tourism industry. Its economy today is diverse, including large onshore and offshore drilling, production and support services for the oil and gas industry.
 Campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette |
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Lafayette is also the home of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) and its Ragin Cajuns sports program. ULL is the second largest university in Louisiana, with an enrollment of approximately 16,000.
The university has been located in Lafayette since 1900, and was previously known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana, and also Southwestern Louisiana Institute. It is one of the top-ranked universities in the south, and has nationally-ranked nursing, architecture, biology and computer sciences programs.
Cajun Music from Lafayette resident Cedric Watson:
A Mini-Documentary from Louisiana Travel
Lafayette's Location and Population
Lafayette is located midway between Houston and New Orleans and 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, at the intersection of I-10 and I-49.
The parish seat of Lafayette Parish, the City of Lafayette is located near St. Martinville, Abbeville, Breaux Bridge, Henderson, Scott, Crowley, Rayne and Kaplan. We know the famous streets of Lafayette well, including Evangeline Thruway, Kaliste Saloom, Congress Street, Ambassador Caffery Boulevard, and Johnston Street downtown.
The population of Lafayette was 120,623 in the 2010 census, while the Lafayette-Acadiana area has a population of over half-million residents.
Lafayette Zip Codes include 70501-9, 70593, 70596, 70598, and the Area Code is 337.
Lafayette Transportation
Lafayette Regional Airport
Lafayette Regional Airport is a public use, primary commercial service, and short-haul airport as designated by the Federal Aviation Administration's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.
The airport's International Air Transport Association (IATA) code is "LFT". It is located just off Evangeline Thruway, at 200 Terminal Drive.
The facility was originally known as Lafayette Municipal Airport, dedicated on November 29, 1930. Since that time, the airport has increased in size to approximately 1,116 acres at present.
Commercial flights are offered by Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines. Lafayette Regional Airport offers flights to major domestic destinations and connecting service to points around the globe. More than 400,000 thousand travelers utilize LFT annually and that number continues to grow.
Amtrak in Lafayette
Amtrak's station is located at 100 Lee Avenue, and provides service to New Orleans and California via the Sunset Limited.
Commercial Bus Service
Greyhound Bus Lines operates a local station at 315 Lee Avenue in Lafayette.
Map of Lafayette Louisiana (courtesy of Google Maps)
Photographs of Lafayette Louisiana
Acadian Village Lafayette, Louisiana |
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Acadian Village, Lafayette, Louisiana |
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Acadian Cultural Center, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Lafayette, Louisiana |
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Vermilionville in Lafayette, Louisiana ... A Cajun/Creole Heritage and Folklife Park |
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Vermilionville entrance, Lafayette, Louisiana |
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Immaculata Minor Seminary Lafayette, Louisiana |
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Images of Lafayette of the Past
Gordon Hotel, Lafayette, Louisiana |
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Evangeline Hotel, Lafayette, Louisiana |
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Rail travel at the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, Lafayette, Louisiana |
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U.S. Post Office, Lafayette, Louisiana |
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Evangeline Courts, U.S. Highway 90 East, in Lafayette, Louisiana |
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Lafayette Parish Court House, Lafayette, Louisiana |
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St. John's Catholic Cathedral, Lafayette, Louisiana, circa 1960s |
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Stephen's Memorial Library, Lafayette, Louisiana |
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Earlier days of travel and tourism in Lafayette, Louisiana ... Plantation Court ... "On the Old Spanish Trail" |
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Howard Johnsons Motor Lodge, Lafayette, Louisiana |
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De Rousselle's Restaurant in Lafayette, Louisiana |
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Popular Travel Destinations in Louisiana
Bayou Country |
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