Louisiana is a state steeped in history and mystery—the plantations speak of a life built on the backs of slaves, and the cemeteries cite ravages of a fever everyone feared but no one understood. There's New Orleans, of course, one of the country's most distinctive cities and the home of extravagant Carnival traditions, transcendent restaurants and exceptional music. And there's Cajun Country, another place unto itself where food and dancing are a way of life as much as they are sustenance and entertainment. Practically anywhere you go in the state, Louisiana's heritage figures prominently—it's visible in the architecture, arts, ambience and, of course, the people.
