This is a different kind of guest post—featuring my mom! My love of traveling (and my complete inability to stay in one place for too long) definitely comes from my parents, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Here’s a peek into one of their recent adventures, as told by Anu Day, my mother.

The Setup

First things first: my husband and I are seniors (as in 65 plus, not dewy-eyed teens getting ready for college). And we adventure in a 19 foot conversion van, so we travel in relative comfort. 

Throughout our trip, we stayed at Louisiana State Parks and were truly impressed. As proud as we are of our Texas park system, we must admit Louisiana does it better. 

We traversed many winding two-lane “corduroy” roads (my version of “passive aerobics”) since the parks were pretty remote. 

The Alligator (or Alligators?)

At pretty much every park, we saw the same sign cautioning us about the “alligator.” This made us wonder—was it a solitary creature following us from park to park, or did each park have its own proprietary alligator? At Sam Houston Jones State Park, there was a low boardwalk across a small lake.

Halfway across, we saw the cautionary alligator sign. This led to a discussion about what we would do if we did encounter the creature. Run in opposite directions so one of us would survive (probably me, since I run faster)? Or swim across the lake (in which case I didn’t stand a chance because I can barely stay afloat in the best of conditions)? Fortunately our survival skills were not put to the test that day. 

Another remote (no exaggeration…it was in the middle of nowhere) park was Palmetto Island State Park. We have never seen such an impressive collection of palmettos. They were everywhere!!!

Of course, the bayou nearby warned us about the “alligator,” but once again our lives were spared.

The Food

One of the best things about visiting Louisiana is, of course, the food. There are no fancy restaurants on back roads; just good old-fashioned “home cooking.” While we were refueling at a gas station, I looked up restaurants on my phone. To my surprise, the highest recommended food in the area was at the gas station where we were! So we got in line and had some of the tastiest beef tips with mac-n-cheese and collards.

Another great culinary stop was Rabideaux’s. If you ever find yourself in Iowa, the city in Louisiana (not Iowa, the state), you must pop in. Their claim of “best boudin balls in the world” is no exaggeration. 

And no report on backroad travel in LA is complete without mentioning the incredible Cajun music; just regular folks and impromptu music in local gathering places. The free music we were able to catch rivals many paid concerts that we have attended. 

The Takeaway

If you’ve ever considered spending a few weeks off the beaten path in Louisiana, our advice is, simply DO IT!