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Louisiana wetlands - Atchafalaya Basin, the largest wetland and swamp in the United States.

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New Orleans - St. Louis Cathedral, also known as Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France. It's located in Jackson Square.

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New Orleans - The city's French Quarter. The entire district has been designated as a National Historic Landmark.

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Typical gastronomy - Homestyle gumbo, the official state cuisine.

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New Orleans - The SS Natchez, a sternwheel steamboat, moored at the city's Toulouse Street Wharf.

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Wetland waterfowl - The tricolored heron. This graceful bird is also known as the Louisiana heron.

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The "Pelican State" - The brown pelican is the official state bird.

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The Atchafalaya River - The nation's largest river swamp is located in the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area.

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Cajun cuisine - Hearty Cajun jambalaya prepared with buffalo beans.

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Baton Rouge - The Louisiana State Capitol building, inaugurated in 1932.

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Southern snack - Cajun-style grilled shrimp, a classic Southern appetizer!

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Baton Rouge - The Old State Capitol is known for its fabulous stained glass windows that contribute to the building's ornate Gothic detail.

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New Orleans - The Crescent City Connection. The twin bridges span the mighty Mississippi River.

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Vacherie - Historic Oak Alley Plantation is named for its distinguishing visual feature, a double row of southern live oak trees.

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Baton Rouge - The exterior of Louisiana's Old State Capitol. The building dates from 1847.

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Baton Rouge - The lavish interior of the house of chambers in the Louisiana State Capitol. The new building was inaugurated in 1930, and is still in use today.

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Sly predator - A resident croc waits patiently in the waters of the Atchafalaya Swamp for lunch to swim by.

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New Orelans - Traveling in the ornate and colorful vintage streetcars is a novel way to explore the city.

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Lake Charles - The destination's beautiful city hall dates back to 1911. Today it functions as a cultural facility.

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New Orleans - Emblematic Gallier Hall and Louisiana Bar Associates on St Charles Ave, near Lafayette Square.

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Shreveport - The Long–Allen Bridge, opened in 1933, spans Red River.

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Baton Rouge - A cabin interior, authentically furnished, displayed at LSU rural life museum.

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French Louisiana soundtrack - The accordion, together with the fiddle, are instruments most associated with Cajun music. It's an emblematic music of Louisiana, rooted in the ballads of the French-speaking Acadians of Canada.

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New Orleans - An aerial view of Jackson Square with the St. Louis Cathedral.

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New Orleans - Bourbon Street, in the city's French Quarter, hosts the annual Mardi Gras carnival celebrations.

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New Orleans - The occasion is an excuse to party, when masqueraders parade through the streets dressed in colorful carnival attire.

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Traditional jazz - The bars in and around the French Quarter are favorite haunts for lovers of traditional jazz.

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Wetland wildlife - One of the more unusual residents of the region's swamplands is the heavy-set alligator snapping turtle.

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Atchafalaya National Heritage Area -

Evening falls over the Louisiana wetlands.

See also: Things you never knew about New Orleans—but really should

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