Published Aug 1, 2015

11 Epic Spots To Get Married In Louisiana

Louisiana offers a variety of unique and picturesque wedding venues, from historic plantations to beautiful gardens.

Published Aug 1, 2015

Written by

Kezia Kamenetz

Experiences|Activities

Published Sep 29, 2024

The Audubon Center in Louisiana Where You’ll See More Than 20 Penguins in a Single Afternoon

Published Sep 29, 2024

Written by

Jackie Sutherlin

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.

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:

alt — 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.

alt — 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.

alt — 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.

Experiences

Published Aug 8, 2024

The One Louisiana Rest Stop Where You Can Hold Baby Gators

Published Aug 8, 2024

Written by

Jackie Sutherlin

Some critters are so ugly they become cute again. Baby alligators fall into that category. While you may not want to boop the snoot of a six-foot gator, baby gators are extremely boopable (with supervision). Gator Chateau is one of the few places where you can hold baby gators in Louisiana, and it’s the perfect roadside stop.

Gator Chateau is one of those hidden gems in Louisiana that most locals don’t even know about.

You’ll find it in Jennings, Louisiana conveniently located right off of I-10. It’s equidistant to both Lafayette and Lake Charles and makes for an excellent roadside stop if you’re driving between either city.

The space is home to alligators of all sizes plus plenty of other critters.

Snapping turtles, geese, ducks, and even one cat—Maggie. Maggie runs the show here.

There are specialists to welcome you when you arrive, and you’ll learn all about the facility, how they care for the animals, and more.

Gator Chateau raises the alligators until they are old enough to be released into the wild.

Until they’re old enough to be released, these baby gators are living their best lives.

They get walkies, all the good snacks, and even get to play dress up!

Loving this zydeco band photo.

Visitors have the opportunity to hold a baby gator, which is truly a rite of passage for Louisianians.

Have your cameras ready!

These little guys are harmless, and they've been handled many times, so they are used to it.

Contrary to popular belief, they are not slimy! They're reptiles, and they feel more leathery than anything.

Before you leave, be sure to get some food and head out to feed the ducks!

A perfect day for animal lovers, don't you think?

Be sure to follow Gator Chateau on Facebook. They're always posting adorable photos of these baby alligators, so brighten up your feed with a follow so you never miss out on any baby gators in Louisiana.

If you enjoy Gator Chateau, you'll love taking a swamp tour. Read on to learn about one of our favorite swamp tours in Louisiana:

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/louisiana/night-swamp-tour-la/

All Stories

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11 Epic Spots To Get Married In Louisiana

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The Audubon Center in Louisiana Where You’ll See More Than 20 Penguins in a Single Afternoon

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The One Louisiana Rest Stop Where You Can Hold Baby Gators

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All Stories

The off-the-Beaten-Path Restaurant in Maryland That Is Worth the Day Trip

This Massive Antique Mall in Missouri Has Its Very Own Cafe

The 18 Best Travel Gifts You Can Get From Walmart

Hike This Trail in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park for an Unforgettable Adventure

The Amazing Campground in Idaho We Want to Visit All-Year Round