Discover Calcasieu Parish: Nature, Culture and Excursions

Calcasieu Parish combines aquatic landscapes, regional history and a variety of excursions. Between lakes, bayous, parks, museums and the Creole Nature Trail, you can shape your trip in many different ways: with nature experiences, cultural programs, family outings or a leisurely culinary discovery tour. When choosing your vacation rental or vacation home, it helps to first define your personal priorities.

Water and Nature as a Travel Experience

At Sam Houston Jones State Park on the West Fork of the Calcasieu River, two boat launches provide access to Calcasieu Lake, about 20 miles away. The parks of Calcasieu Parish also offer camping beneath pine trees, as well as fishing opportunities at lakes and bayous. Prien Lake Park has large boat launches and a kayak launch with access to Prien Lake.

Tuten Park also creates its own distinctive landscape. The 24-acre wooded park is intended as a sanctuary for birds, native flowers and trees. In addition, there are 4.8 acres of legally protected wetlands that serve as a habitat for native plants and animals.

History, Art and Regional Traditions

In DeQuincy, the Kansas City Southern Railroad Depot from 1923 recalls the region's railroad history. The building is considered an outstanding example of Mission Revival architecture. The DeQuincy Railroad Museum displays an extensive and diverse collection of railroad memorabilia. The Louisiana Railroad Days Festival is held annually on the second weekend in April on the museum grounds.

The Regional History Gallery of the Imperial Calcasieu Museum and the Gibson-Barham Gallery offer further cultural impressions. The permanent collection of the Regional History Gallery spans the everyday lives of the Attakapas and other Indigenous groups through the world wars and the period that followed. At the Gibson-Barham Gallery, exhibitions of visual art and cultural works by artists from the region, the United States and abroad change regularly.

The Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu presents the local history of Mardi Gras—from traditional Mardi Gras and Cajun Mardi Gras to Courir de Mardi Gras and Washington, D.C. Mardi Gras. Tours there are self-guided and can be completed at your own pace. The Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center is a public gallery for art and history, presents numerous traveling exhibitions from around the world and has three floors of gallery space. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; admission to all exhibitions is free.

Outings with Children and Different Daily Itineraries

If children are part of your travel group, the Children's Museum is another option for shared discoveries. The museum accepts group visits and field trips for all age groups by appointment. Opening hours are Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. General admission is available on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.; only members have access from noon to 1 p.m. Port Wonder is a 32,000-square-foot complex that houses the Children's Museum of Southwest Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries' Nature & Science Center.

The Imperial Calcasieu Museum offers Historic Walking Tours through Downtown Lake Charles led by knowledgeable guides throughout the year. This allows you to combine a guided cultural appointment with self-guided museum visits, nature excursions or days by the water. This makes it possible to choose accommodation in Calcasieu Parish to suit your preferred travel pace.

Road Trip and Regional Cuisine

The Creole Nature Trail All-American Road is a nationally recognized Scenic Byway near Lake Charles. It leads through Louisiana's coastal wetlands and provides access to pristine Gulf beaches. Along the Creole Nature Trail, crabbing is an activity for all age groups. The Southwest Louisiana Boudin Trail includes 28 stops and runs through Calcasieu Parish and Cameron Parish. This allows you to combine a scenic drive with regional culinary culture.

For further orientation, you can also find the direct locations Sulphur, Lake Charles, Iowa and DeQuincy here. Other destinations at the same navigation level are Lafayette County, St. Tammany Parish, Terrebonne Parish and De Soto.

For the higher-level travel overview: Louisiana.