A dash of history, a cup of natural beauty, seasoned generously with the spice of new things to see and do—you’ll sample all this and more in St. Mary Parish, a place National Geographic Traveler called, “hauntingly beautiful land.”

We’re lucky enough to enjoy life on the Cajun Coast every day. That’s why we love to welcome visitors to share in the fun. Whether you stay a week or a weekend, you’ll find we’re the perfect place to enjoy part of any trip to Louisiana.

On the Cajun Coast you can wake up to coffee on the bayou as the sun rises over the cypress and moss-draped live oaks. Celebrate our culture and traditions with food, fun and music at 16 festivals, some cited as among the best in the nation including Eagle Expo and Mardi Gras every February, Cypress Sawmill Festival and the Bayou Teche Black Bear & Birding Festival every spring and the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival held every Labor Day Weekend.

Stroll a 19th century boulevard of cast iron street lamps and moss-covered oaks in the heart of a community with over 400 buildings on the National Register including Grevemberg House Museum or Oaklawn Manor, two beautifully restored antebellum homes open to the public.  Kick back and relax after you’ve kicked up your heels on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, only 90 minutes away by driving along the Bayou Teche Scenic Byway through the Atchafalaya Trace National Heritage Area.

Meander through Morgan City’s Riverfront area that includes a 21-foot seawall, built by the US Corps of Engineers, an art gallery, unique shops and restaurants.

The Cajun Coast is a sampler of everything Louisiana offers; in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere that’s the heart of Cajun hospitality. Explore the exotic beauty of the Atchafalaya Swamp Basin, the largest overflow swamp in the US and home to a myriad of wildlife including several endangered and threatened species on a swamp tour.  Wildlife abounds and easy to view along the St. Mary Loop of the America’s Wetland’s Birding Trail or by paddling on one of the Cajun Coast’s paddling trails.

The Atchafalaya at Idlewild an Audubon Golf Trail course is rated a top course by Golfer’s Digest and Golfweek.  Eighteen holes of great golf and spectacular beauty make this a must play course.

Explore our unique museums including the Louisiana State Museum that includes the Wedell Williams Aviation Collection and the Cypress Sawmill Collection, the Chitimacha Native Museum and the Young Sander’s Center for the War Between the States, a must for civil war aficionados.

Enjoy America’s number one activity:  gaming at the Amelia Belle Casino or Cypress Bayou Casino – Louisiana’s first land based casino. 

The perfect place to start your Louisiana adventure is right here in St. Mary Parish. We’re 90 minutes or less from New Orleans, Baton Rouge or Lafayette. Come to the Cajun Coast and immerse yourself in what National Geographic called this “hauntingly beautiful land” for a taste of the real Louisiana.