The "Cajun Riviera" of the South, Lake Charles is located in Southwest Louisiana in the heart of
Calcasieu Parish. On the road between New Orleans and Houston, between miles of inland waterways,
marshes and natural scenic surroundings, Lake Charles, off route I-10, is a Gulf Coast treasure, an
amazing display of natural wildlife and even viewable 'gators! With the only white-sand inland
beach in the Gulf area, Lake Charles is a natural playground for fishing, hunting, boating or just
exploring the area.
This renowned sportsman's paradise has many state parks and recreational areas that offer full-service marinas, camping and lodging, and plenty of outdoor activities. The 1,068-acre Sam Houston State Park has public boat launches, a multitude of watersports, and several hiking trails. Families can enjoy a surplus of beaches and lakes along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Highway, a 180-mile rugged byway through Louisiana's Outback. The trail is also located on the largest birding region in Louisiana, with over 200 viewable species.
As one of the largest cities in Louisiana and the festival capital of the
state, Lake Charles and Calcasieu Parish host over 75 festivals a year, including their own Mardi
Gras and Jean Lafitte's Contraband Days, the second longest festival in the state. Other
attractions include the historic Charpentier District, the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu,
and premier gaming resorts and casinos. Whether just to relax on the water or take a romp
through the wild, Lake Charles offers an adventure that is truly Cajun-inspired.
Marinas
- Bowtie Marina. Voted "Best Marina" by
The Times of Southwest Louisiana for five years running, the Bowtie Marina is a
full-service marina with 15 sizeable boat slips, gasoline and diesel, boat hook-up, a full ship
store, restrooms and on-site mechanics. The marina also offers 150 dry storage units for monthly
storage. Overnight moorage is $1 per foot/night. 337/478-0130.
- Bridge Point Yacht Center. This dealership/full-service marina located in Westlake offers yacht and boat repairs, floating docks, a fuel dock, ship store, restrooms, laundry mat and showers. Transients welcome, 85 boat slips are available with dockage up to 60 feet. Overnight boat storage is $1 per foot/night. 337/436-0803, www.bridgepointyacht.com.
- Spicer Bait & Tackle. This full-service marina has a total of 51 boat slips for vessels up to 24 feet, one 42-foot boat slip and two overnight slips for moorage. It also has two free public boat launches and a large tackle store on premises with live bait, including eight big vats of fresh shrimp. 337/762-4418, office; 337/762-3170, tackle store.
Restaurants
- Steamboat Bill's on the Lake. The notable Steamboat Bill's on the Lake off Interstate 10
in Lake Charles recently made the top 10 in
The Next Exit, the 2006 guide of worth-the-stop dining options along the interstate, by
contributing writer Mark Watson of
USA Today. Described as "crawfish galore," the menu offers crawfish any which-a-way,
Cajun-style pistolettes, gumbo, po' boys, jumbo shrimp, oysters, catfish, you name it: platter it
up or get it boiled, fried, spicy or hot. 337/ 494-1070,
www.steamboatbills.com.
- Mazen's Mediterranean. Voted "Best of" in four categories by The Times in 2005, Mazen's Mediterranean, a former drive-in turned upscale restaurant, continues to serve a unique blend of Mediterranean and continental cuisine, providing upscale service in a romantic atmosphere. Winning categories include "Best Restaurant in Southwest Louisiana," "Best Service in a Restaurant," "Best Place for a Romantic Dinner," and "Best Chef." 337/477-8207, www.mazens.com.
- Pujo St. Cafe. This former terra cotta-colored lunchtime café on 508 Pujo St. was so popular with the locals that the owner expanded its business to a new address at the historic Gordon's Drugstore (901 Ryan St.). Its new location now offers lunch and dinner, Creole- and Italian-inspired food served in a New Orleans-style atmosphere with a covered courtyard for dining, an upscale wine list, full bar and live music. 337/439-2054, www.pujostreet.com.
Accommodations
- L'Auberge du Lac Hotel & Casino Resort. With the option to dock your boat and sleep in
your vessel or stay in
a luxurious room, this resort keeps you as far away or as close as you want to the casino
action. Located on the Contraband Bayou, this 227-acre, 750-room, 26-story hotel and resort has a
riverboat casino, a Tom Fazio championship golf course, swimming pool, a sandy beach and lazy
river, a full-service spa and six restaurants. One of the largest single-level riverboat casinos in
the world, this glass dome-encased, 30,000-square-foot gaming space has 60 game tables and 1,600
slot machines. 866/580-7444,
www.ldlcasino.com.
- CA's House Bed & Breakfast. Built circa 1900, the original Goss-King House - a
three-story, colonial style home in the Charpentier Historic District - is now an up-to-date bed
and breakfast with luxury suites, bedrooms, an outdoor hot tub and heated swimming pool. The
house's amenities include a southern-style breakfast in The Kings Kitchen, cable TV, DVD player,
and rental bikes and kayaks. 337/439-6672,
www.cas-house.com.
Landmarks
- Creole Nature Trail All-American Road. The first National Scenic Byway in the Gulf South,
this 180-mile-long rustic byway through Louisiana's Outback is filled with beaches, marshes,
bayous, preserved wildlife, streams and lakes, three national wildlife refuges and a bird
sanctuary. This distinctive coastline trail, which runs from Sulphur to Lake Charles, is also a
major area for boating, swimming, saltwater and freshwater fishing, crabbing, and shrimping.
- Charpentier Historic District. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, this historic residential community is comprised of nearly 20 blocks of Victorian-style homes, dating from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. "Charpentier," or French for carpenter, describes Lake Charles' uniquely styled homes and architecture, inspired by the individual carpenters and builders of the time. For information regarding tours, contact the Calcasieu Preservation Society at (800) 456-7952 or the Southwest Louisiana Visitors Bureau at (800) 456-SWLA.
Cultural
- Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu. This six-room display of Mardi Gras memorabilia
from the Imperial Calcasieu features the largest collection of Mardi Gras costumes in the state.
Each room is devoted to the major events of the Mardi Gras season, including preparation/costume
construction, parade day, Mardi Gras 101 (all you need to know about Mardi Gras) and a Walk of
Fame, which highlights the history of the Krewes (organizations that put on a parade or ball for
Mardi Gras) from the region. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3 for
adults and $2 for senior citizens and children. 337/430-0043,
www.visitlakecharles.com.
- Gators on the Geaux. The largest public art exhibition in Southwest Louisiana, the citywide display features more than 70 imaginative, 3-D life-size alligator sculptures by local, regional and national artists. The "quintessential Southwest Louisiana symbol," these unique and colorful gators are viewable on the streets of Lake Charles. The new "outdoor museum" now features 113 larger-than-life fiberglass alligators. 866/439-6672, www.gatorsonthegeaux.com.
Gaming
For "Bettin' on the Bayou," Lake Charles is one of the premiere gaming hot spots in the
South. The casinos and resorts offer horse races, slots, table games and jackpots. Popular gaming
spots include the L'Auberge du Lac Hotel, Delta Downs Racetrack and Casino, and the Isle of Capri
Casino.
www.bettinonthebayou.com.
Outdoor Activities
- Fishing, Shrimping and Crabbing.Many fishing charters offer inshore and offshore fishing
with expert guides to accompany you into the marsh or out on the Gulf. For freshwater fishing, the
Big Burns, Cameron Prairie and Sabine Refuge offer a variety of lakes, bayous, rivers and marshes,
abundant with large-mouth bass, crappie, bream and catfish. Brackish fishing, where salt water
meets fresh water, is a popular inshore activity for catching flounder, redfish, drum, and speckled
trout. Saltwater fishing further off shore is predominantly for snapper, ling, redfish, mackerel,
tuna and amberjack. Surf fishing is excellent along the sandy beaches of the Creole Nature Trail.
Shrimping along the Creole Nature Trail is the perfect family activity and simply requires a bayou,
a bucket and a cast net. From May through September, families can enjoy the time-honored tradition
of crabbing on the byway, where entire families can be seen on the side of the road with their bait
- thick string chicken or turkey necks - a dip net for scooping, and a crab pail.
- Sam Houston Jones State Park. The abundant inland waterways throughout the 1,068-acre park create a natural place for watersports. Located just north of Lake Charles, the park offers nature trails, boat launches, fishing, picnic areas, cabins and boat rentals. Two boat launches are located on the West Fork of the Calcasieu River, with easy access to the Gulf. Three hiking trails allow hikers to explore the banks of the various tributaries of the Calcasieu River. Open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 10 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and days preceding holidays. 888/677-7264, www.crt.state.la.us/parks.
FAST FACTS
POPULATION: Approximately 73,000
WEATHER: Located near the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Charles tends to be hot and humid
with plenty of precipitation. The humidity is fairly constant, and summer can reach well over
ninety degrees. Wintertime temperatures average in the 50- to 60-degree range. The rainiest months
are late May and June.
TRIVIA: The nation's strategic petroleum reserve, which contains underground salt
caverns and holds billions of barrels worth of oil, is located in close proximity to Lake Charles.
HISTORY: Settled in the mid to late 1700s by French colonists, the Parish seat of
Calcasieu was originally known as "Charlie's Lake," and then "Charlestown," before becoming Lake
Charles.
TOURIST INFO: For additional information about Lake Charles or Calcasieu Parish,
visit the Southwest Louisiana Visitors and Convention Bureau's official website at
www.visitlakecharles.com or call
(800) 456-SWLA.