This byway crisscrosses through the heart of central Acadian aand has so many points of interest that you could easily spend aweek on it and not see everything there is to see. So, your bestbet is to cover the trail in segments over a period of time,possibly on a two- or three-day trip.

A Trip Thru the Marshland: Walking on the Wild Side

From Abbeville, the southern leg of the Jean Laffite ScenicByway begins on Hwy. 82 South. Also known as the Hug-the-CoastHighway, this scenic roadway eventually travels through some of themost extensive marshlands in North America. But between the town ofPerry and the Intracoastal Waterway, the drive winds throughpicturesque scenes of cultivated crawfish ponds and verdant riceand sugarcane fields, with farmers on tractors working their cropsand old red barns that are still in operation. The marsh isspectacular, especially in the spring when the marsh flowers are infull bloom, including water hyacinths, Lousiana iris and othernative species you won't find in a typical nursery. On Hwy. 82there are also nice spots for crabbing and fishing, one of thembeing Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge. You will know that you areapproaching the Refuge, when you begin to see massive live oaksalongside the road. It is the best known wildlife refuge inLousiana, and one of the best known in the world. The refuge playshost to hundreds of thousands of ducks, geese, coots, and manywading birds each year, in addition to serving as a resting areafor migratory birds.

From Rice Fields to Fine Art

Again starting in Abbeville, take Hwy. 14 west to Kaplan, aFrench-Acadian rice-farming community home of the country superstarSammy Kershaw. Vincent Refuge, a 640-acre tract of land for birds,is located north of Kaplan. Then you'll come to Gueydan, home ofthe annual Duck Festival. Westward from Gueydan, is "Lousiana'sBeauty Spot," Lake Arthur. To the north, is Jennings, a town thathas beautiful Victorian homes, the W.H. Tupper General MerchandiseMuseum, the Louisina Telephone Museum, and the Zigler Museum. TheLacassine National Wildlife Refuge is your next stop on the JeanLafitte Scenic Byway, whose 33,000 acres are mostly comprised offreshwater marsh.

Fresh Shrimp, Victorian Homes and Wild Animals From Africa

If you drive eastward from Abbeville on Hwy. 14, you will gothrough the towns of Erath and Delcambre, home of the AcadianMuseum and Shrimp Festival each August. Jefferson Island, "a placeof peace and beauty," is located just off Hwy. 14 between Delcambreand New Iberia. The "island" features 25 acres of landscapedgardens. Just outside of New Iberia, continuing on Hwy. 90, headnorth toward Lafayette, but visit the Zoo of Acadiana and the townof Broussard's Historic District first.

Lafayette: Metropolis of the Cajun Country

From stately plantation homes to world-class restaurants and thehip-swaying of tempos of a Cajun or Zydeco, Lafayette is one of themost distinctive cities in the South. It is the home of two of thefinest festivals in the country- Festival Acadiens, and FestivalInternational. In addition, the city also hosts the second-largestMardi Gras celebration in the country. Vermilionville and the JeanLafitte National Historical Park and Acadian Cultural center aretwo important cultural attractions in the city which a thrivingarts community. Among the art places to visit are the USLUniversity Art Museum, the Artists Alliance Gallery, and theLafayette Museum. For a little older art, visit the St. JohnCathedral, a mixture of Dutch Romanesque and Byzantinearchitecture.

The Last Leg

North of Lafayette, the village of Maurice is one to visit forthe world-famous Maurice City Bar. Leaving Maurice and continuingsouthward on Hwy. 167, is Abbeville, the finishing or startingpoint of the Jean Lafitte Scenic Byway, depending on how you see it.

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