Louisiana is a state unlike any other in the United States — a vibrant gumbo of French, Spanish, African, and Native American cultures simmering along the Gulf Coast. Home to New Orleans' legendary French Quarter, Cajun country's cypress swamps, and world-class cuisine ranging from crawfish étouffée to beignets, Louisiana captivates visitors with jazz-drenched streets, extravagant Mardi Gras celebrations, and antebellum plantation grandeur set against a backdrop of moss-draped live oaks.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Louisiana Hot Sauce and Creole Spice Blends
Price: $5–$25 (≈USD)
Where: French Market, Rouse's Supermarket, Cajun Grocer online (cajungrocer.com)
Mardi Gras Beads and Doubloons
Price: $3–$15 (≈USD)
Where: French Market, souvenir shops on Decatur St
Pralines (pecan candy)
Price: $2–$4 each (≈USD)
Where: Aunt Sally's Pralines (810 Decatur St), French Market
NOLA Brass Band Music (vinyl and CD)
Price: $15–$30 (≈USD)
Where: Louisiana Music Factory (421 Frenchmen St)
Antique Jewelry and Silverware
Price: $50–$5,000+ (≈USD)
Where: Royal Street antique shops (M.S. Rau Antiques, etc.)
Cajun Cookbook or Louisiana Cookbook
Price: $20–$45 (≈USD)
Where: Faulkner House Books (624 Pirates Alley), Octavia Books (513 Octavia St Uptown)
Voodoo Doll and Spiritual Items
Price: $8–$30 (≈USD)
Where: Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo (739 Bourbon St)
Tabasco Sauce and Accessories
Price: $5–$30 (≈USD)
Where: Avery Island Tabasco factory shop, airport gift shops
Jazz Musician Art Prints
Price: $15–$80 (≈USD)
Where: Frenchmen Art Market (open Thursday–Saturday nights on Frenchmen St)
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
French Market
Creole spices, Louisiana hot sauce, pralines, Mardi Gras merchandise, fresh produce
Where: French Quarter, New Orleans
Hours: Daily 9 AM–6 PM (flea market section); Farmer's Market from 9 AM
Crescent City Farmers Market
Local Louisiana produce, fresh Gulf seafood, artisan hot sauces, homemade Cajun sausages
Where: Multiple New Orleans locations
Hours: Tuesday 8 AM–12 PM; Saturday 8 AM–12 PM (Uptown location: 200 Broadway)