Road Trip: Baton Rouge to ChackbayExplore authentic Louisiana on this magical 3-day road trip! Discover hidden gems in Baton Rouge, soak up the history at iconic sites like Houmas House and Oak Alley Plantation, savor traditional Cajun cuisine in Chackbay, and cruise the bayou in Thibodaux. ✨ AuthorsLouisianaTravel
DestinationsLouisianaItinerary

Baton Rouge

The Pink Elephant Antiques
Lace up your walkin' shoes and shop 7,000 square-feet of vintage and antique furniture and clothing. You could spend the whole day here!
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Mosaic Garden
This enchanting shop is truly a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. It's also a great way to support local artists.
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The Hope Shop by Hands Producing Hope
You can make a global impact with a visit to The Hope Shop. Products are made using local and sustainable materials by artists around the world.
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Pelican to Mars
Is your fur baby coming along? Make time to check out this dog-friendly bar. Enjoy a cocktail or mocktail, craft beer, or a glass of wine. They also host food trucks and pop-ups, as well as regular events, including yoga on Mondays, trivia on Tuesdays, and a silent book club every third Wednesday!
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TAP 65 Bar & Grill
This popular restaurant serves up Indian-inspired comfort food, plus has 65 whiskies to try, as well as 65 beers, seltzers and wines available on their self-service tap wall! They also have a hand-crafted cocktail/mocktail menu featuring innovative recipes with an Indian flair. And don't forget bottomless mimosas for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 🥂
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Brasserie Byronz
Make sure you stop in at this popular family-owned restaurant that has a Creole pot roast that people rave about.
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Travel Day

West Baton Rouge Museum
Step back in time at this museum and trace the history of sugar in Louisiana from the colonial period to present day. Featured in a 19th-century sugar plantation on six oak-studded acres, you can explore an array of rotating exhibits, monthly musical jams, historical happy hour, art workshops, and more.
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River Road African American Museum
This museum, founded in 1994, was one of the first to tell the story of both enslaved and free Africans and African Americans. Exhibits and tours highlight what African American life was like, as well as shed light on enslaved Africans and their local and global contributions. There are also cooking demonstrations, a botanical experience, and several tours to choose from, including a guided bike tour.
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Houmas House Estate and Gardens
The Houmas House Estate allows visitors to see what the life of a wealthy plantation owner was like in the 1800s. The guided mansion tour walks through the 250-year history, showing how it started as a small cottage and became a grand estate. You can also explore 38 acres of some of the most beautiful gardens in the South! There are multiple tickets and tours here. Book a combo ticket that includes the Houmas House and the Great River Road Museum (but plan for four hours to see it all). There are also several restaurants at the estate serving up traditional Louisiana cuisine, as well as a bed-and-breakfast.
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The Great River Road Museum
This steamboat museum will give you an understanding of what life along the lower Mississippi River was like. Explore the culture, commerce, folklore, and music. Save some time to walk across the bridge located in the parking lot so you can enjoy sweeping views of the Mississippi River and the surrounding landscape. If you're doing this and the Houmas House, allow at least four hours for to see both!
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The Inn at Houmas House
Want to stay the night? You can stay in this charming bed-and-breakfast on the Houmas House estate!
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Book
B&C Seafood Riverside & Cajun Restaurant
Make a lunchtime pit-stop here for some truly authentic Cajun food before heading to Oak Alley Plantation. B&C is well-known for its gumbo and jambalaya in Vacherie!
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Oak Alley Plantation
Do not miss this National Historic Landmark! Oak Alley Plantation is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of its inhabitants with an emphasis on its time as a sugar plantation. Walk the gardens as you sip on a mint julep, stroll the iconic alley under 28 arching oak trees, and explore the exhibits, including Slavery at Oak Alley, the "Big House," Sugarcane Theater, "People of Oak Alley," and the Blacksmith Shop. You'll leave with a better understanding of this plantation’s complex history. Plan at least two hours to explore everything, purchase your tickets beforehand, and arrive early so you can fully enjoy the property.
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Nobile's Restaurant & Bar
Enjoy authentic River Road cuisine in this historic restaurant and bar that was established in 1895! Inside, you'll be greeted by an incredible Victorian mahogany bar. People rave about the crawfish pies here! 🦐
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Chackbay/Thibodeaux

Louisiana Gumbo Festival
This famous Gumbo Festival in Chackbay is held in October and draws over 15,000 visitors every year! For more than 50 years, people have been coming to the "Gumbo Capitol of Louisiana" for Cajun food, music, rides, a parade, and lots more, including over 500 gallons of gumbo!
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Bayouside D&D
Don't let the outside appearance fool you...tucked inside this gas station is Bayouside Donuts & Deli. Stop in for some of the best down-home cooking and donuts Thibodaux has to offer.
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Laurel Valley Village Store
This is a popular place to stop for photos or, if you have kids, feed the farm animals and play on the trains. Inside, you can buy locally-made jams, jellies, and honey! The Laurel Valley Store & Museum also holds two festivals each year, one in the spring and one in the fall (always held the last Sunday in April and the second to last Sunday in October). The festival features live Cajun music, local foods and homemade baked goods, and a vast assortment of locally handmade craft items, art, jewelry, and lots more.
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Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center
Explore the Atchafalaya and the history of the Acadian people who migrated there at this center that is part of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Take a historic Thibodaux walking tour and cruise the magical Bayou Lafourche on Fridays and Saturdays (except June-September). Check out Music on the Bayou every Tuesday evening to hear zydeco, gospel, blues, jazz, Cajun, and more! You can even learn to speak Cajun French on Tuesdays at Cercel Francophone. Closed Sundays, Mondays, federal holidays, and on Mardi Gras.
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