The Audubon Nature Institute is a fan favorite for locals and tourists alike. From sloths to scorpions and everything in between, Audubon is one of the top-ranked zoos in the country for a reason.
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For aquatic enthusiasts, the Audubon Center in Louisiana offers a special treat where you can have an animal encounter with penguins! If your social media feed is anything like mine, you’ve likely seen that jumbo King penguin, Pesto, that was recently born at the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium in Australia. I can’t get enough of this absolute unit of a bird, and since I can’t hop a flight to Australia, I’ve found the next best thing—a penguin party at the Audubon Aquarium.
Let’s learn a little about the African Penguin and what the animal encounter experience is like:
Betty’s Bay, South Africa -African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), also known as the jackass penguin and black-footed penguin at Stony Point penguin colony.
There are 18 species of penguins in the world. Most of them prefer a snowy climate surrounded by glaciers and icebergs, but not the African Penguin. This fella is a unique species of penguin that has acclimated to warmer climates.
Fun fact: all penguins are naturally found in the southern hemisphere. There are no penguins living naturally in the northern hemisphere.
A pair of African penguins on Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town. | Location: Near Simon’s Town, South Africa.
African Penguins live in colonies on the coast of Southern Africa. They have distinctive pink patches above their eyes, but another signature calling card for these flightless birds is the sound they make. African Penguins tend to make a noise that sounds like a donkey, which is how they earned their nickname, the jackass penguin.
The Audubon Aquarium hosts a penguin party every week where visitors can get up close and personal with these endangered beauties. These animal encounters are kept to small numbers both for the safety of the animals and guests, so I’d recommend buying your tickets a few weeks in advance.
Penguin swimming in water with bubbles. African penguin. Spheniscus demersus. Cape penguin or South African penguin. Copy space.
Groups of eight will be led to the encounter area where the experience will last about 45 minutes. Visitors will need closed-toe shoes to participate, so plan accordingly!
The majority of an African Penguin’s diet consists of sardines, shellfish, and anchovies. If you have shellfish allergies, this may not be the animal encounter for you.
The Audubon Aquarium hosts penguin parties every Friday and Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. Participants are asked to arrive at the Information Booth at least 15 minutes beforehand.
This is an awesome experience for families, as long as everyone is six years old or older. How often do you get the opportunity to pet a penguin?!
If you've ever been to one of the Audubon Aquarium's penguin parties, let us know! If you love this, then you absolutely need to check out Barn Hill Animal Preserve. They have even more animal encounters, including sloths and otters! It's about a two-hour drive from New Orleans, but I promise you it's worth a road trip.
It might not feel like it, but fall in Louisiana is on its way to us. This is my favorite time of the year, and I couldn’t be more excited to share some of the best pumpkin patches in Louisiana with y’all. Even though we still may be experiencing some summer temperatures, these pumpkin patches will soon start opening their gates and letting you come through with your crew to pick up some pumpkins to decorate for the season. I know there are dozens and dozens of pumpkin patches around the state, but these pumpkin patches in Louisiana go the extra mile with endless activities and photo opportunities to enjoy.
Mrs. Heather’s is one of the best pumpkin patches near New Orleans, and it’s worth a road trip. The pumpkin patch is open from September 25 - November 8, 2024, and you’ll want to plan to spend the entire afternoon here. Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch offers a lengthy list of activities for the family to enjoy, including face painting, a corn maze, a hay maze, seesaws, a jumping pillow, and so much more. Special cartoon characters often make an appearance, so be sure to follow Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch on Facebook so you never miss out on any announcements.
This pumpkin patch near Monroe is perfect for a fall afternoon. The pumpkin patch opens on September 28 and runs until November 3, 2024, and admission is $15 per person. Curry Farms boasts nearly 20 activities to enjoy including a tractor tire carousel, sluice mining, a corn maze, hay rides, and so much more. After the season is over Curry Farms transforms into a Christmas tree farm, so you can come back after pumpkin season and snag your perfect tree!
One of the best pumpkin patches near Shreveport, you’ll find yourself visiting DixieMaze Farms a lot this season. Opening September 28, 2024, Dixie Maze Farms will have a wide range of pumpkins to choose from, as well as all your favorite farm activities. The corn maze at DixieMaze Farms is one of the best in Louisiana, and every year it’s something different. The entire Fall Fest at DixieMaze Farms is memorable. They host movie nights on the weekends, and closer to Halloween the corn maze gets a haunted upgrade on select nights.
Folks living in Cajun Country will have a blast picking the perfect pumpkin at Poche’s Patch & Maze. As one of the best pumpkin patches near Lafayette, the whole family will love an autumn day spent here. The pumpkin patch opens at the end of September, and runs until Halloween. They haven't announced a specific opening date for 2024 yet, but it's coming! Poche’s has awesome events planned for each weekend, so be sure to check the schedule beforehand!
Did your favorite Louisiana pumpkin patch make the list? Let us know in the comments below! Of course, fall is so much more than just pumpkins. Check out our guide to fall in Louisiana where we highlight some of our favorite hiking trails, festivals, and upcoming events.
After a sweltering summer, we welcome fall in Louisiana with open arms. Although we don’t see the vibrant fall foliage our northern friends do, there are plenty of things to do in Louisiana in the fall. Here are some of our favorite fall activities we will be adding to our bucket list this year!
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Louisiana Fall Foliage: Where To Go In Louisiana For Fall Foliage
Maples, aspens, and red oaks are the major trees that turn colors in the fall. Louisiana doesn’t see too many of these types of trees, so our fall colors are a bit different. Don’t worry, there are still a few places you can check out to see fall foliage in Louisiana. Northern Louisiana is the place to be for fall in Louisiana, just keep in mind that we tend to see our colors change much later than other states.
Wow Factor: The park is centered around the Caney Creek Lake, a massive, 5,000-acre reservoir
Need To Know: Louisiana State Parks all have a $3 per person entrance fee
Sitting pretty on Caney Lake, renting a canoe, and paddling around the water is the best way to experience the fall foliage at Jimmie Davis State Park. There are plenty of cabins and campsites available to rent, too.
Wow Factor: Lake Claiborne is one of the best freshwater fishing spots in Northern Louisiana
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Need To Know: Louisiana State Parks all have a $3 per person entrance fee
Lake Claiborne State Park is dreamy year-round, but fall is extra special. The 6,400-acre lake is a popular fishing, swimming, and boating spot and there’s even a little stretch of beach to enjoy. There are over 10 miles of hiking trails within the park, including a top-tier bike trail.
Wow Factor: This is one of the most equestrian-friendly state parks in Louisiana!
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Need To Know: Louisiana State Parks all have a $3 per person entrance fee
Chemin-A-Haut sits in the shadows of the Louisiana/Arkansas border. If you can time it right, this park is incredible in the fall. I’d recommend renting a canoe and doing a little leaf-peeping from the water here. You can paddle up Bayou Bartholomew to check out the Castle Tree, one of the oldest trees in the country!
Best Pumpkin Patches In Louisiana
Picking the perfect pumpkin is a quintessential fall activity! Check out these awesome pumpkin patches in Louisiana this year:
Wow Factor: There are a ton of activities (in addition to the pumpkins) that the kids will love. Plan to spend a few hours here!
Need To Know: The season runs from September 25 to November 8, 2024. $10 per child, cash only.
If you live anywhere near Hammond, you need to make your way to Mrs. Heather’s this fall. Trust me—it’s worth the drive. This incredible farm in Hammond spends the spring/summer season as a strawberry patch and then transforms into a pumpkin patch in the fall. There’s a hay maze, jumping pillows, a nature trail, and plenty of educational opportunities to learn about life on a farm. Cartoon characters, face painting, and pumpkin painting make an appearance on the weekends. Follow Mrs. Heather’s on Facebook to stay up to date on any special events as we get closer to the opening season.
Wow Factor: DixieMaze Farms has a Pumpkin Express that takes you on a scenic ride through the farm over to the pumpkin patch
Need To Know: The season runs from September 28 to November 2, 2024
There’s a lot to love about DixieMaze Farms. We will chat about the Fall Fest later in this article, but the pumpkin patch alone is enough reason to visit. A ride on the Pumpkin Express is one your kids won’t stop talking about! Be sure to visit early in the season, these pumpkins go quickly!
Wow Factor: Pumpkins, hayrides, live music, and more
Need To Know: Dates for the 2024 season have yet to be announced. Follow the Houma Pumpkin Patchon Facebook to stay up to date
Head down to Houma to pick the perfect pumpkin from the Houma Pumpkin Patch. Living Word Church hosts the annual event and is full of family-friendly activities including a petting zoo, a corn maze, hayrides, and more.
Best Fall Festivals in Louisiana
Fall is one of the best times of the year for festivals in Louisiana. The weather is cooler, the humidity is slightly at bay, and it just feels great to be outdoors. These are some of the best fall festivals in Louisiana to check out this year:
Wow Factor: The legendary corn maze turns into a haunted maze on Friday and Saturday nights
Need To Know: Fall Fest takes place from September 28 to November 2, 2024
Fall Fest is easily one of the best fall festivals in Louisiana. It’s so popular that they sell season passes! The seasonal festival is chock full of attractions that all ages will enjoy, including everything from jumping pillows to pony rides. Saturday nights are the best: kick off the evening with a spooky story and a s’more around the campfire and then pull up a hay bale to watch an outdoor movie!
Need To Know: The annual festival takes place the second weekend of October every year. October 12-13, 2024 are this year’s dates.
While the rest of the country kicks back with some apple cider, Louisianians get to kick back with a bowl of gumbo. There are several gumbo festivals in Louisiana, and each one of them is worthy of a visit. New Iberia’s World Championship Gumbo Cookoff, also known as the Superbowl of Gumbo, features dozens of chefs (75+ teams) competing for the gold. There will be live music and plenty of gumbo to go around. Admission is free, you only pay for any food/drinks you want.
Wow Factor: Find the perfect costume and head out to enjoy a weekend of spooky fun!
Need To Know: Rougarou Fest takes place October 18-20, 2024
The Rougagou is one of Louisiana’s most iconic mythical beasts. Naturally, we’d dedicate a festival to it! This three-day festival pulls out all the stops with live music, a parade, local artisans, food vendors, carnival rides, and an epic costume contest. Rougarou Fest is known to be one of the best costume parties in the country, so make sure to put some thought into your costume if you want to compete!
Free & Cheap Louisiana Fall Activities
It’s easy to find some Louisiana fall activities that won’t break the bank. Outside of gas, the following options are either completely free or pretty cheap.
Wow Factor: The Kisatchie is HUGE (600,000+ acres) and it’s filled with hundreds of hiking trails
Need To Know: Many of these trails are in very remote areas. Cell service and water sources can be sparse. Be prepared.
Fall is a great time to tackle the trails, and the Kisatchie National Forest is overflowing with them! Our favorite trails in the Kisatchie hover around Valentine Lake but if you’re looking to challenge yourself, check out the Wild Azalea Trail. It’s the longest primitive trail in Louisiana and it will take you through a challenging terrain throughout the forest. The trail is 24 miles long, so make sure you’re prepared for the journey. Camping is allowed in the forest, just make sure you’re off the trail.
Wow Factor: This 180-mile All-American Road is one of the most scenic drives in Louisiana
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Need To Know: Many of the scenic spots are marshes and prairies, which are known for their lack of shade. Bring a hat and some sunscreen!
The Creole Nature Trail is one of my favorite road trips in Louisiana. Beginning near Lake Charles, this scenic road trip will take you on a 180-mile ride down to the Gulf Coast with plenty of scenic spots to stretch your legs. We’d recommend starting your adventure at Adventure Point, which serves as the visitor center for the ride.
Wow Factor: Fishing ponds, dog parks, tennis courts… there’s a lot packed into this park!
Need To Know: Kiroli Park is open every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $1 per person
Controversial opinion, but I think Kiroli Park can stand up to New Orleans City Park—it’s that amazing. The 150-acre park boasts endless activities, including plenty of nature trails, a conservatory, numerous gardens, and so much more. We love that most of the park is ADA- accessible, especially the playgrounds. Since admission is only $1 per person, it’s a perfect place to spend an afternoon without breaking the bank.
Whether it's hitting the hiking trails or the festivals, what are you looking forward to the most this fall? Let us know in the comments below. Happy fall, y'all.
