16 Greatest Issues to Do in Lake Charles Louisiana in 2023

Lake Charles is an incredible vacation spot and an important various to visiting New Orleans with simply as a lot power, pleasure, and journey as Crescent Metropolis. If you’re making your strategy to the Southern United States, be certain to go to Lake Charles or add it to your highway journey itinerary. Right here is our checklist of the highest issues to do when visiting Lake Charles.

High Issues To Do In Lake Charles, La

Whereas many individuals solely consider New Orleans to rejoice Mardi Gras, Lake Charles has its personal. Along with experiencing the festivities, my spouse Bran & I made a Louisiana bucket checklist of one of the best issues to do in Lake Charles. On the prime of my checklist was to feast on an genuine Southwest Louisiana Crawfish Boil and on the prime of Bran’s want checklist was to see an alligator in its pure habitat. So we set off with our bucket lists in hand to discover the highest sights in Lake Charles, LA.

1. Discover Downtown Lake Charles

Downtown Lake Charles has so many sights for guests to take pleasure in. Apart from the Charpentier Historic District, guests can absorb its stunning Victorian structure and go to The Historic Metropolis Corridor Arts and Cultural Heart. This historic constructing homes artwork exhibitions and cultural occasions all year long. Verify the schedule to see what’s on show throughout your go to.

If you’re searching for issues to do in Lake Charles at night time, the Rosa Hart Theatre provides dwell performances, together with performs, musicals, and concert events. It’s an important place to catch a present and expertise a few of the native cultures.

Downtown Lake Charles can also be identified for its scrumptious Cajun and Creole delicacies. Guests can pattern native specialties like gumbo, po’boys, boudin, and crawfish étouffée at one of many many eating places within the space.

Downtown Lake Charles can also be residence to quite a lot of festivals and occasions all year long, together with the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Pageant, the Louisiana Pirate Pageant, and the Downtown at Sunset live performance collection.

For out of doors lovers, the Lakefront Promenade is a good place to stroll or bike alongside the lakefront and take within the stunning views. The promenade additionally options benches and picnic tables for individuals who wish to cease and chill out.

2. Take the Charpentier Historic District Tour

The Charpentier Historic District Tour is a good way to see the gorgeous structure of Lake Charles and get the historic significance of the buildings and houses. A.C. Bourdier, a lifetime resident, is the right information and an ideal southern gentleman on this horse-drawn carriage journey with J and R Carriage by means of the ole’ south.

Make sure that to have A.C. level out the haunted homes and to present you their backstory within the Charpentier Historic District. A.C. is the Chairman of the Landmarks Register for the Calcasieu Historic Preservation Society.

Historically all through the south, the underside of porch roofs and awnings are painted pale blue. Initially, this was carried out in order that haints or spirits wouldn’t be trapped and will move on to the past.

Nevertheless, a bonus aspect impact of getting these buildings resemble the sky in coloration is that spiders and birds wouldn’t nest below them. It’s like they’re fooled by the blue paint into pondering that there isn’t any roof or awning there.

3. Hit The Creole Nature Path and Journey Level

Nature lovers will take pleasure in this scenic drive alongside the Creole Nature Path, which winds by means of the marshes, swamps, and seashores of Louisiana. The path provides breathtaking views of the native wildlife and landscapes and may be accessed from Downtown Lake Charles. An excellent place to start out is Journey Level the place you’ll immersive in Lousiana tradition and revel in interactive and hands-on experiences. This can be a nice strategy to respect the wildlife

There are a lot of nice photograph alternatives as you traverse this scenic byway. The Creole Nature Path is comprised of a number of wildlife refuges and is linked by many highways spanning 180 miles all through Louisiana’s outback. The birdlife is so ample and diverse that I couldn’t assist however hearth off a couple of dozen photos. I simply wandered freely by means of the wildlife refuges, however there are bird-watching excursions and even blinds arrange for the extra devoted fowl photographers.

To see the Creole Nature Path correctly, we advise a tour. It’s the easiest way to see the abundance of wildlife. Regardless that it was very chilly (uncommon) we have been nonetheless fortunate sufficient to see loads of wildlife together with an American alligator! Bran was over the moon! Bran had been hoping to see an alligator. Verify!

I feel that once we return to the Creole Nature Path I’ll deliver my fishing rod together with my digicam. It’s not solely an important vacation spot for nature photographers it additionally has nice fishing – two of my favourite issues. For extra data on the Creole Nature Path go to the Lake Charles Web site for particulars.

• Location: 1205 N. Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles, la

4. The Imperial Calcasieu Museum

The Imperial Calcasieu Museum is a cultural middle that’s housed within the historic Central Faculty constructing, which was constructed in 1912 and served as a college till 1979.

One of many most important figures related to the museum is Charles Sallier, who was an early settler of the Lake Charles space and a distinguished businessman. Sallier was instrumental within the growth of the area, and his legacy is well known within the museum’s everlasting exhibition, which is known as in his honor. The Charles Sallier exhibit tells the story of the early settlers of Southwest Louisiana, together with the Native American tribes who lived within the space earlier than European settlement.

The Imperial Calcasieu area consists of 5 parishes in Southwest Louisiana, Calcasieu, Cameron, Beauregard, Allen, and Jeff Davis.

• Positioned at: 204 W. Sallier Road, Lake Charles, Louisiana

5. Go to the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu Museum

The Mardi Gras Museum is one other common Lake Charles attraction. Guests can study concerning the historical past and traditions of Mardi Gras in Lake Charles by means of reveals that embody Mardi Gras costumes, floats, and different memorabilia from previous parades.

We witnessed some extravagant costumes right here and at The Royal Gala. Previous to the gala occasion, the backstage is bustling with Krewes on the point of show the extravagant costumes that they’ve been diligently engaged on all 12 months.

The Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu boasts the biggest costume show on the earth. Our tour information Adley Cormier relayed to us the historical past of the pageant with an endearing ardour.

These costumes are spectacular, bursting with coloration and Ostrich feathers. At a value of 10+ {dollars} per feather, the costumes can grow to be fairly dear.

Proper now the museum is closed because it searches for a brand new location with an estimated re-opening for Mardi Gras 2024.

6. Attend Mardi Gras

Some of the enjoyable issues to do in Lake Charles is to attend Mardi Gras. No go to publish can be full with out mentioning the festive celebrations. It’s the second largest Mardi Gras in Louisiana and never solely does it have lots of the similar celebrations because the New Orleans pageant, but it surely has different occasions that set it aside from New Orleans together with the annual hen run and a full-day devoted to kids. Try extra about New Orleans at A Tour of the New Orleans Backyard District.

7. Festivals and Particular Occasions

Don’t fear, for those who don’t go to Lake Charles throughout Mardi Gras, there are nonetheless loads of festivals all year long. and particular occasions to attend. Lake Charles is the pageant capital of Louisiana after internet hosting 75 festivals and occasions annually, so there may be certain to be a celebration occurring throughout your go to.

Some distinctive festivals and particular occasions to take a look at are the Cajun French Music and Meals Pageant, The Black Heritage Pageant, and the downtown Lake Charles Crawfish Pageant. For a full checklist of festivals in Lake Charles la go to the metropolis’s web site.

8. Go to the USS Orleck Naval Museum

Out of all of the Lake Charles museums, The USS Orleck Naval Museum is likely one of the extra distinctive. This floating museum takes guests on a tour of the USS Orleck DD 886 WWII destroyer. It was in service throughout WWII, Vietnam, and The Korean warfare. It has been absolutely restored and guests can tour the ship to see what life for army troopers. Historical past buffs will love taking a tour of this ship to study of its warring historical past. Try particulars at their web site  

• The USS Orleck Naval Museum is situated at: 604 N. Enterprise Blvd., Lake Charles, LA

9. Sam Houston Jones State Park

One other out of doors attraction in Lake Charles, la is to benefit from the solitude of the Sam Houston Jones State Park. Named after the Texas people right here, Sam Houston Jones State Park is an effective place for birders with 200 species of birds migrating and nesting within the space. There are quite a few mountaineering trails and waterways to benefit from the nice open air. There are alligators and even bobcats that reside within the park. It was right here that Bran had her want of seeing alligators within the wild.

• Location: 107 Sutherland Rd, Lake Charles, LA

10. Benefit from the Outdoor of Prien Lake Park

Prien Lake is a well-liked out of doors vacation spot in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and there are many issues to do within the space. You possibly can take pleasure in its strolling paths, go kayaking, have a picnic, or lease a paddle boat. There may be some hopping on the Prien Lake Mall or you possibly can attempt your hand on the Capri On line casino.

The Prien Lake Park Golf Course provides classes for all ability ranges. Whether or not you’re a newbie or an skilled golfer it’s a enjoyable afternoon open air.

If you’re searching for issues to do with the entire household, The Youngsters’s Museum is a good place to take children for a enjoyable and academic expertise. The museum options interactive reveals that educate kids about science, artwork, and historical past.

The Creole Nature Path is a scenic drive that winds by means of the marshes, swamps, and seashores of Southwest Louisiana. Guests can absorb breathtaking views of the native wildlife and landscapes.

Attend a live performance or occasion on the Lake Charles Civic Heart: This venue hosts quite a lot of occasions all year long, together with concert events, commerce exhibits, and conventions.

Lake Space Adventures provides kayak leases at Prien Lake Park the place you are able to do full or half-day leases on the water.

11. Benefit from the White Sand Seaside North Seaside

North Seaside is an exquisite public white sandy seashore situated on the northern shore of Lake Charles. It is likely one of the few pure seashores within the state. Take a stroll alongside the Lake Charles boardwalk or you possibly can take pleasure in kayak leases and paddleboards or just chill out to soak up the solar.

And one other cool truth is that North Seaside is a part of the Lake Charles Historic District and has been designated as a Louisiana Historic Landmark. The seashore has additionally been acknowledged for its efforts to protect and shield the native setting.

12. Bord Du Lac Park (Millennium Park)

If you’re searching for issues to do in Lake Charles for households, the resorts actually cater to the little ones with lazy rivers and indoor swimming pools. However if you wish to head open air, make your strategy to Millennium Park the place there is a wonderful playground created to entertain the children. This lakeside park has a splash park and a pirate ship, trains and tunnels children will let off plenty of steam taking part in right here. They’ve even made positive that there’s a rubberized floor to assist hold everybody protected.

• Positioned at: 1100 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles, Louisiana

13. Spend a while at Lake Charles Casinos

There are a couple of Lake Charles casinos to attempt your luck at. L’auberge On line casino Resort is located proper on the lake, as a result of, effectively the on line casino is definitely a ship. Sure, I mentioned a ship. It’s cleverly engineered to dock inside L’Auberge Lodge.

The L’Auberge On line casino Resort itself is on land, however by means of the usage of a lock-like construction, the on line casino is floated into the lodge and secured so effectively that we have been shocked to seek out out we have been on a floating boat within the lodge! That is carried out to fulfill state regulation. Years in the past, in Louisiana, riverboats can be the one playing choice, however now by means of ingenious engineering patrons can depart the boat once they select as an alternative of ready for the boat to dock.

We had a fully great eating expertise with the lodge restaurant Ember Grille & Wine Bar. Distinctive service, fantastic wines, scrumptious cocktails, and unimaginable delicacies!  If you’d like extra slots and enjoyable in Lake Charles, the Golden Nugget is situated subsequent door to the L’Auberge.

These searching for a bit of pleasure can attempt their luck on the Golden Nugget On line casino, which provides all kinds of gaming choices, in addition to eating and leisure.

• Positioned at – 777 Avenue L’Auberge, Lake Charles, Louisiana

14. Get pleasure from Homestyle Southern Cooking

One of many extra distinctive issues to do in Lake Charles is to pattern its distinctive southern meals. Jambalaya, gumbo, frog legs, gator, boudin balls, po’ boys, Cajun catfish, king cake, we had all of it! And we washed all of it down with nice beer from an area brewery, Abita.

Some attention-grabbing meals we sampled in Lake Charles was alligator and Boudin. Gator is form of like a cross between hen and calamari. Boudin can be akin to taking a spicy cabbage roll stuffing and balling it up after which deep-frying it. Scrumptious!

Go to the McNeese State College campus: This stunning campus options quite a lot of sights, together with the Historic Burton Coliseum, the W.H. Tupper Basic Merchandise Museum, and the Harold and Pearl Dripps Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.

After consuming all that I nonetheless had larger fish to fry, or on this case boil. I’m speaking about an genuine Crawfish boil. My curiosity of this native delicacy had my curiosity peaking.

All through Louisiana, there are a lot of rice farms. These rice farms usually double as swampish crawfish farms. Crawfish, crayfish, crawdads, mudbugs. Mudbugs certainly.

They get this nickname for the best way they destroy folks’s entrance lawns with their mud-pile properties.

15. Effective Eating in Lake Charles

Whereas the crawfish, PO boys, gator, and gumbo is perhaps on the menu, there are many fantastic eating institutions in Lake Charles as effectively. Because of the cooks on the L’Auberge On line casino Resort and Ember Grille & Wine Bar we ate like kings!

The number of meals was paying homage to a fantastic French Restaurant in Paris.

Mediterranean-Dusted Lamb Lollichops (love the title), roasted rabbit loin to truffled mac’n’cheese, a trio of scrumptious salads we couldn’t get sufficient of our meals.

A stand out was the seared foie gras w/savory stuffed French Toast topped with Bourbon Barrel aged maple syrup. Nevertheless, the present stealer of our eating adventures in Lake Charles was the Ember Prime “Tomahawk”, a 40oz rib eye carved desk aspect.

End your meals with Crème Brule, chocolate brownie a la mode, and a fruit medley with a sculptured pastry dish.

Try extra on Eating in Lake Charles

16. Drive-through a Daiquiri Drive-By means of

Driving as much as the take-out window and ordering two hurricane daiquiris to go IS the best way to go whereas in Louisiana. I’m not suggesting anybody drink and drive, that’s unlawful even there. Nevertheless, there’s something novel about getting an alcoholic drink to go…to a celebration the place one can then take pleasure in it, after which take a cab residence.

“Pour me one thing tall and powerful;
Make it a Hurricane
Earlier than I’m going insane.”

If you wish to pattern some real Louisiana spirits e-book a distillery tour to the award-winning Bayou Rum Distillery Louisiana Spirits. Positioned a couple of miles exterior of Lake Charles, the Bayou Rum Distillery provide distillery excursions to see how their top-rated spirits are made.

The place to Keep in Lake Charles

L’auberge On line casino Resort – We stayed at this four-diamond lodge in Louisiana. With 70 Vegas-style gaming and 1600 slot machines, we have been proper within the coronary heart of all of the motion. It has full facilities with a lazy river, indoor pool, championship golf course, and a full service Spa du Lac.

Golden Nugget – The Golden Nugget Lake Charles is one other four-diamond resort in Louisiana that has a pool, lazy river, personal seashore, and marina on the bottom of this on line casino resort with 77 recreation tables and 1600 slot machines.

The place Is Lake Charles

Lake Charles, Louisiana is situated banks of Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River that feed into the gulf coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s the fifth largest metropolis in Louisiana and is situated 206 miles (331 kilometers) west of New Orleans, 127 Miles from Baton Rouge, and 59 miles from Beaumont Texas.

To get to Lake Charles we advocate renting a automobile or taking a highway journey. You possibly can examine automobile rental costs at RentalCars.com There you could have it, one of the best issues to do in Lake Charles, Louisiana whilst you’re ready for the following Mardi Gras Parade!