Get up close and personal with wild animals at this picnic-friendly nature center. Take a guided tour through Barn Hill Preserve and view dromedary camels, Eurasian lynx, free-flying macaws and more. Book an Otter Swim Encounter and float with a lively bunch of Asian Small-Clawed Otters.
11342 LA-955, Ethel, LA 70730The Candy Bank
A century ago, this space used to be a bank, but today it’s nirvana for the sweet tooth set. At the Candy Bank, fall into a treasure trove of nostalgic and trendy candies, a jellybean station, homemade fudge and an ice cream parlor selling scoops, splits and floats.
201 Carroll St., Mandeville, LA 70448Downtown Alive!
Every spring and fall, the City of Lafayette hosts Downtown Alive!, a free, family-friendly concert series at Local restaurants sell food and drinks to keep you energized. Chairs and blankets welcome.
200 Garfield St, Lafayette, LA 70501
All aboard! Located in the historic 1923 Kansas City Southern Depot, the DeQuincy Railroad Museum preserves history and artifacts related to the American railroad industry. Tour a 1913 steam locomotive and 1947 Pullman passenger car, see model trains and old time passenger waiting areas and a ticket office and baggage claim.
400 Lake Charles Ave., DeQuincy, LA 70633The Pizza Man
For more than four decades, The Pizza Man has been pleasing palates with homemade pizza pies and a live display of chefs tossing dough high in the air. Old school, meat lovers pizza are the rage here, but you can also order the delicate “Wow!” pie with olive oil, crabmeat and artichoke hearts.
1248 N Collins Blvd., Covington, LA 70433Knock Knock Children’s Museum
The Knock Knock Children's Museum invites moving, playing and critical thinking through a series of super fun exhibits called Learning Zones. Build a bridge, care for pets in the veterinary clinic and scale the two-story Storybook Tree, designed by world-renowned climber architect Spencer Luckey.
1900 Dalrymple Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70808