Things To Do in Louisiana

Stray Boots is an interactive tour that sets friends and family members loose on an exhilarating, knowledge-fueled undertaking guided by clues, trivia, and riddles. They operate in cities across the country, dividing them into special themed tours that contain the historical sites, local areas of interest, or eccentric child mayors unique to each city. During the explorations, clues point the way to cultural hot spots, which Stray Boots communicates via their official mobile app. At least one player on the team will need an iPhone or Android phone to receive clues, and none of the self-guided tours require previous knowledge of the city. Adventurers play at their own pace—most tours take two to three hours to finish—which allows them to spend more time learning about the city and photographing vibrant fire hydrants for aquacentric scrapbooks.

Baton Rouge Bead Company connects customers with the materials and guidance necessary to discover their inner artisans during small, intimate beading classes. Taught exclusively on Saturday mornings by well-schooled bauble buffs, the Stringing Basics classes include all the materials necessary to construct an original necklace, bracelet, and pair of earrings to take home. Reservations fill each session with a maximum of 10 aspiring adornment makers who gather around a single table for lessons in color theory, clasping, and choosing non-offensive stones. Students may draw from the shop’s bank of designs and combinations or string freely to create jewelry that represents a lifelong struggle to overcome patterns.

During the narrated one-hour jaunt, the Spirit of the Red River Cruise careens aqueous explorers down the Red River and Cross Bayou toward a plethora of sights, ranging from historical bridges to local wildlife. The 35-passenger vessel comes equipped with a bevy of windows and an observation deck ideal for optimal water vistas. Glean fascinating tidbits from Captain Sandy Jackson, a long-time waterway navigator who highlights the area's history from its beginnings as a trading post to its current status as a riverboat casino haven for blackjack-engrossed egrets. The tour encourages participants to revel in up-close glimpses of the Old Railroad Swing Bridge, the Texas Street Bridge, and the Waddle "A" Frame Bridge as they engage in a heated game of bridge. The expedition often alights upon kingfishers, water snakes, turtles, alligators, great blue herons, and other local residents of the estuary that are usually spotted sunning themselves, stalking their prey, or opening up burgeoning lily-pad real-estate businesses.

World Coffee keeps caffeine-consumers running smoothly with a saccharine selection of coffee, tea, espresso, latte, cappuccino, and cider drinks. Avant garde guests can break free of stereotypical brews, adding up to two shots of syrup to concoct such heady mixes as the chocolate-covered-cherries latte, seasoned with Ghiradelli chocolate and cherry flavorings. Earthy options include the trail-mix latte—infused with shots of almond, hazelnut, and chocolate— and the sugar-free zebra steamer pays homage to the world's most confusing-looking equine by muddling sugar-free white and milk-chocolate syrups in warm, frothy milk. The shop's free WiFi allows gulpers to send unlimited apology emails to former gym teachers until closing time.

Property Location
When you stay at L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles in Lake Charles, you'll be on the waterfront and convenient to Prien Lake Park and Lafleur Beach Interstate 210. This 4-star resort is within close proximity of Prien Lake Mall and Imperial Calcasieu Museum.

Rooms
Make yourself at home in one of the 995 air-conditioned rooms featuring flat-screen televisions. Your pillowtop bed comes with cotton sheets. Relax and take in golf course and lake views from the privacy of your room. Cable programming provides entertainment, and wired and wireless Internet access is available for a surcharge. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature makeup/shaving mirrors and complimentary toiletries.

Rec, Spa, Premium Amenities
Relax at the full-service spa, where you can enjoy massages, body treatments, and facials. After practicing your swing on the golf course, you can dip into one of the 2 outdoor swimming pools. Additional features include wireless Internet access (surcharge), a concierge desk, and an arcade/game room.

Dining
Enjoy a meal at one of the resort's dining establishments, which include 6 restaurants and a coffee shop/café. From your room, you can also access 24-hour room service. Thirsty? Quench your thirst at a bar/lounge, a beach bar, or a poolside bar.

Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include high-speed (wired) Internet access (surcharge), a 24-hour business center, and business services. Event facilities at this resort consist of a conference center, conference/meeting rooms, and a ballroom. Free self parking is available onsite.

Led by tattooed frontman Josh Todd, Buckcherry busts out hard-rocking anthems and soaring paeans to partying. After disbanding in the early aughts, the band came back with a vengeance with its album 15, earning a Billboard Top 10 spot for the introspective "Sorry." Black Butterfly in 2008 brought further fame with the ode to hedonistic dissipation and melancholy reflection on empty water bottles, "Too Drunk." Todd's laid-back vocals often slide swiftly into a volcanic yowl, backed by a double helping of power chords and fist-pumping arpeggios courtesy of guitar duo Keith Nelson and Stevie D. After placing fourth on the 10th season of American Idol, up-and-comer James Durbin joins the evening with music that spices his voice's octave-hopping technical mastery with raw, churning guitar and a single bay leaf, hidden somewhere onstage.