Chicot State Park

Cajun Country


A wonderful place to access the natural beauty of Cajun country. The excellent arboretum is fun for kids and informative for adults, and deserves enormous accolades for its open, airy design. Miles of trails extend into the nearby forests, cypress swamps and wetlands. If you can, stay for early evening – the sunsets over the Spanish-moss-draped trees that fringe Lake Chicot are superb.

There are boat rentals ($20 to $35 per day), campsites ($25 to $28 per night), beautiful cabins ($150 to $175) and 14-person lodges ($175 to $225) available.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Cajun Country attractions

1. Opelousas Museum & Interpretive Center

21.15 MILES

Squatting sleepily alongside Hwy 49, Opelousas' historic downtown is home to this grandma's attic of exhibits, artifacts and esoterica related to the town…

2. KBON

22.14 MILES

Visitors are welcome all day at KBON, 101.1FM, home of Cajun music, zydeco, swamp pop and all the other sounds of Acadiana. Browse the capacious Wall of…

3. Cajun Music Hall of Fame & Museum

22.19 MILES

This small collection of instruments and cultural ephemera feels a little cluttered, but you're witnessing a pretty fascinating trove of material Cajun…

4. Prairie Acadian Cultural Center

22.25 MILES

This NPS-run museum has exhibits on rural life and Cajun culture, and shows a variety of documentaries explaining the history of the area. It's the…