Southern Living Names Acadiana Attraction to Top 25 Unforgettable Road Trips

(KMDL-FM) When it's summertime in the South, there are usually two schools of thought. The first, which is commonplace when the heat index reaches triple-digits in cities such as Lafayette, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans, is to find air conditioning and drinks on ice.

The second school of thought involves a lot more activity. It's for those folks that Southern Living has created "25 Unforgettable Road Trip Stops Every Southerner Should See This Summer". The list includes some familiar places many of us have been as well as a couple of stops that I have to admit, I "was today years old" when I first learned about them.

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The stops on the Southern Living list range from quirky, like Bamahenge, a replica of the iconic Stonehenge that you can visit in Elberta, Alabama, to the laid-back vibe of Margaritaville, personified also known as Duval Street in Key West, Florida. 

The list also included such well-known treasures as Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, and the Alamo. Y'all remembered that was in San Antonio, right? In Louisiana, two "attractions" were included in Southern Living's list, and one of those two is just down the road from where a lot of you are reading this now.

That attraction is Avery Island. The home of the world-renowned and truly beloved Tabasco brand pepper sauce. The Southern Living article suggests that, in addition to the tour of the McIlhenny Company's production facility and museum, visitors would enjoy a cool walk in the shade through the island's lush Jungle Gardens.

If you do make that jaunt, I would suggest you put on your insect and mosquito repellent before you get out of the car. On my last visit, you could literally see clouds of mosquitoes on the horizon, and once they see you, it's not a pretty sight. 

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The other attraction that made the Top 25 for Southern Living's list was St Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. I have to admit, I've walked by it hundreds of times and have never been inside. 

The list has some great ideas for those who are truly planning a "road trip" this summer. It's possible you could hit more than a few of these on your journey if you plan ahead. And since you've got to eat while you're traveling, why not hit some of the high points of that industry too?