Guide holding a baby alligator on the Cajun Pride Swamp Tours.
Ponchatoula strawberries are a highlight of spring in Louisiana.
Cajun Village Shops are historic Acadian buildings, restored to house boutique shops.
Eat lunch at Middendorf's Restaurant.
Go shopping in downtown Ponchatoula.
Visit the Louisiana Treasures Museum.
Southern Swamp Byway
For generations, the people of southeast Louisiana have lived off the waters that surround them. A drive along the Southern Swamp Byway gives visitors a look at the natural beauty inherent in the state’s bayous, marshes and wetlands. Along the way are small towns full of wildlife, history and good places to eat.
Start your drive in Sorrento, where the Ascension Parish Visitors Center can provide maps and other tourist information. The town’s Cajun Village, a collection of restored Acadian buildings now used as boutique shops and accommodations, also features an alligator pond plus hot café au lait and beignets at the onsite coffee house. North on the byway, are small communities where fishing, hunting and trapping are still a way of life. Several restaurants serve fresh seafood, and small roadside stands offer homemade preserves for sale. At Tickfaw State Park, trails and boardwalks wind through cypress and tupelo swamps and bottomland hardwood forests. Look for snowy egrets, blue herons and other wildlife, or rent a canoe and enjoy the Tickfaw River. Nearby in Springfield, Carter Plantation Golf Course features an 18-hole public golf course and onsite restaurant.
As you make your way from Springfield to the towns of Hammond and Ponchatoula, you will also climb to higher ground. Hammond has a variety of parks, several historic buildings, Southeastern Louisiana University, and the Tangipahoa African American Heritage Museum and Black Veterans Archives. About five miles to the south is Joyce Wildlife Management Area.* An elevated boardwalk gives visitors here a chance to see swamp vegetation and wildlife.
In Ponchatoula, often called the “Strawberry Capital of the World,” the town celebrates its crop at the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival each April. Ponchatoula is a great spot for antiquing; at the Ponchatoula Country Market, vendors sell quilts, handmade crafts, and jams and jellies.
As the byway turns south on Interstate 51, you’ll come to the town of Manchac, located on Lake Maurepas. Here you can see the ruins of one of the five lighthouses erected to guide ships on Lake Pontchartrain. Folks come from all around to eat catfish at Middendorf’s Restaurant. The byway continues for about 17 miles, ending at the intersection with Interstate 10 in the town of LaPlace - well-known for its andouille, a spicy Cajun sausage often served in gumbo.
* To visit any of Louisiana’s Wildlife Management Areas, you must have either a valid Louisiana fishing or hunting license OR a Wild Louisiana Stamp. You can buy these online at www.wlf.louisiana.gov or by calling 1-888-765-2602 or at any vendor that sells hunting and fishing licenses, such as Bass Pro Shops, Walmart and Academy Sports. If you are buying a license or stamp for short-term use, you will be given an authorization number; that, plus a valid I.D., allows you to visit the WMA and hunt or fish. Prices vary for hunting and fishing licenses. The Wild Louisiana Stamps costs $2 for a one-day stamp.
FIND MORE INFORMATION:
Tangipahoa Parish
Ascension Parish Tourism Commission
Livingston Parish CVB
Southern Swamp Byway Attractions
Ascension Parish Tourist Commission
Head to "Louisiana's Sweet Spot" — Ascension Parish — to discover centuries of rich history, sugarcane fields with stories to tell, and the picturesque Mississippi River at its heart. At the visitor center, you'll find info about all of the attractions in this vibrant region of southeast Louisiana.
Sorrento, LA 70778
Livingston Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau
Discover hundreds of miles of waterways, an antique district, golfing and hospitality galore in Livingston Parish. Start your journey at the CVB's headquarters, to discover all of its attractions.
Hammond, LA 70403
Tangipahoa Parish Convention and Visitor Bureau
Rolling hills, unique festivals, an exotic animal sanctuary and quite possibly the world's tastiest strawberries await you in Tangipahoa Parish. Stop by the visitor center to plan your trip through the Parish.
Hammond, LA 70401
Cajun Village Shops
Cajun Village Shops are historic Acadian buildings, restored to house boutique shops, a coffee house and bed n' breakfast accommodations.
Sorrento, LA 70778
Bayou Francois
Bayou Francois in Sorrento is ideal for the boating enthusiast wanting to take a leisurely drift along the scenic bayou. There is an open boat launch located near Airline Highway off LA 22. Types of fish include largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bream and bluegill.
The Creole House Museum
The Creole House was built in 1898 and on the National Register of Historic Places. The house is made of cypress and is typical of the dwellings built by the Creoles in the late 1800s. Many antiques from the period are on display including a wedding dress, furniture, vintage radio, sewing machine, and many photos. Currently closed due to renovations.
French Settlement, LA 70733
Tickfaw State Park
Experience the sights and sounds of a cypress/tupelo swamp, a bottomland hardwood forest, a mixed pine/hardwood forest and the Tickfaw River all in one area. Go birdwatching or hiking and reserve your stay at the vacation cabins or campsites.
Springfield, LA 70462
Carter Plantation Villas & Golf Course
Carter Plantation offers an exciting 18-hole golf course surrounded by natural beauty of moss-draped oak, pine and cypress. Enjoy the on-site amenities, pro shop and restaurant.
Springfield, LA 70462
Louisiana Treasures Museum
Louisiana Treasures Museum features artifacts collected through years of painstaking diving expeditions in the Manchac swamps and surrounding waterways. Ghosts of years past tell visitors their stories through the glassware, arrowheads, relics, and legends described by Wayne Norwood.
Ponchatoula, LA 70454
Louisiana Quilt Trail
The Quilt Trail is the exhibit of artistic interpretations (painted and mixed media) of quilt blocks outdoors on homes, businesses, sheds, fences, and barns, or on posts in the yard, fields, pastures or flower beds.
Ponchatoula, LA 70454
Ponchatoula: America's Antique City
Ponchatoula, America’s Antique City, is a perfectly preserved historic district with storefronts offering a bounty of artifacts, collectables, furnishings, and more. After shopping, enjoy the restaurants featuring authentic Louisiana cuisine.
Collinswood School Museum
The Collinswood School began around 1876 when it was built as a one room school house. Mr. Collins constructed the school house on his estate, and grades one through six were taught in the single room until 1908. In 1975, the school became the museum.
Ponchatoula, LA 70454
Joyce Wildlife Management Area
Wildlife management area located at the south end of Tangipahoa Parish. The area includes 27,000-plus acres and is home to numerous native animals. Bird watching, hunting, fishing, and trapping are popular activities for visitors.
Ponchatoula, LA 70454
Manchac Wildlife Management Area
The Manchac Wildlife Management Area consists of 8,000 acres of cypress trees and freshwater marshes. The ancient Bayou Manchac can be accessed by canoe, and is particularly scenic in the moonlight! Bayou Manchac was once a heavily used trade route and is considered one of Louisiana’s historic waterways. Recreation includes fishing and birdwatching.
Middendorf's Restaurant
Middendorf’s is famous for thin fried catfish, and features indoor and outdoor dining options and views of beautiful Pass Manchac. The restaurant offers fresh seafood, big burgers, and cold cocktails.
Akers, LA 70421
Manchac Greenway
The collection of public boat launches, wildlife management areas, seafood serving restaurants, and walking trails along the twenty-mile stretch of historic Hwy. 51 from northern St. John the Baptist Parish to southern Tangipahoa Parish is known as the Manchac Greenway. Bordered to the east by Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas on the west, the Greenway is split and earns it name by the Manchac Pass.
Frenier Landing Restaurant and Oyster Bar
This restaurant offers a tempting variety of fresh seafood dishes, salads, steaks and poboy sandwiches. Come for lunch or dinner and enjoy the view of Lake Pontchartrain.
Laplace, LA 70068
Cajun Pride Swamp Tours
Cajun Pride is a privately-owned wildlife refuge just 25 miles from New Orleans. Authentic Louisiana swamp eco-tours are offered, as well as plantation tours, city tours and combination tours. Transportation is available for all tours.
LaPlace, LA 70068
Wild Louisiana Tours
Explore the ecosystems out here and truly immerse yourself in the heart of the River Parishes while hearing about the abundant wildlife on a guided kayak tour. Launch from one of the public boat launches in the area and get up close and personal with the residents of the swamps in South Louisiana.
LaPlace, LA 70068
Tangipahoa African American Heritage Museum and Black Veterans Archives
Eight galleries, more than 20 murals, original artwork and artifacts — all related to the African American experience — make up this hidden cultural gem in Hammond. Its collections are among the largest of their kind in the South.
Hammond, LA 70403