NEWS

Take the back roads with us. The Guidrys are cruising Louisiana's byways

Leigh Guidry
The Daily Advertiser

After my family and I toured our home state to visit every Louisiana state park in six months, we were jonesing for more.

Travel and tourism Leigh Guidry and family are embarking on a new adventure, taking the back roads along Louisiana's 18 trails and byways. Join them on the ride by following The Daily Advertiser on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. This is a screenshot of the Louisiana Trails & Byways website through the Louisiana Office of Tourism.

Our kids are just 4 and 1, and it's our job as parents to show them all the adventure Louisiana and life have to offer them — and us. We're along for the ride, of course.

Speaking of the ride, we're getting ready to take the back roads and explore more of Louisiana, thanks to a system the state Office of Tourism already has in place.

The Louisiana Trails & Byways program consists of 18 routes that takes visitors off the interstate and throughout the state.

MORE: Want to see where your favorite movie was filmed in Louisiana? Now you can

Eric Guidry drives the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road with his dog, Molly Sue, right beside him. The Guidry family will be taking the back roads like the Creole Nature Trail and 17 other Louisiana Trails & Byways to see the state in their latest adventure. Join them on the ride by following The Daily Advertiser on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

That means the four of us (sometimes five with our dog, Molly Sue) will hit the road 18 times to seek out small towns, gators, Gothic jails, museums and dancehalls, maybe revisit a state park or two, and eat all the food.

We are sharing the adventure with you. Follow The Daily Advertiser on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for live videos, photos, stories and more.

I'm breaking down the details, being open about how much things cost, all the miles we cover and the lessons learned as we go, so you can better plan your trip down the highway.

So far our adventures have taken us along the Bayou Teche Byway, Cajun Corridor, Cane River National Heritage Trail, Creole Nature Trail All-American Road, Flyway Byway, Louisiana Great River Road, Myths and Legends Byway and the Zydeco Cajun Prairie Byway.

Travel and tourism reporter Leigh Guidry and her family check out Morgan City as they tour the Bayou Teche Byway. They stand on the "Great Wall" that overlooks historic Front Street and the Atchafalaya.
Travel and tourism Leigh Guidry and family are embarking on a new adventure, taking the back roads along Louisiana's 18 trails and byways. Join them on the ride by following The Daily Advertiser on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Here is a map of the routes from the Louisiana Office of Tourism.

But there's still more to see!

Here's a full list of where we're headed. This alphabetical list is not the order in which we'll travel, but we will get to all of them. 

And you can reach out to me directly at lguidry@theadvertiser.com to tell me any must-see places to check out.

MORE ADVENTURES: The best things to do at all Louisiana state parks | Why my family visited Acadiana farms in hot July