Fun Indoor Activities in Lafayette, Louisiana and the Surrounding Area
Louisiana is home to beautiful swamps and wetlands, so it’s only natural we need a lot of rain. Our mild climate allows locals and visitors to enjoy outdoor activities year-round, but on rainy days, we take the fun inside. Cajuns love to host the best parties, and we promise to keep you well-fed and well-entertained rain or shine.
Local Culture
Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist
Image courtesy of Kent Hutslar
Acadiana is a richly Catholic community, dating back to the mid 18th-century when French Ca-nadians of Catholic faith were exiled to Louisiana by the Protestant British Governor. While the area is home to many Catholic cathedrals, one of the most exquisite is St. John’s downtown. Guests of all religious backgrounds are invited to admire the gorgeous Romanesque cathedral with Italian marble and stain glass along with the above-ground cemetery and centuries-old oak tree. Daily self-guided audio tours are available in English, French and Spanish. SaintJohnCathedral.org
Prejean’s
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/Prejeans/
Food and music are perhaps the best way to experience Cajun culture. Prejean’s offers both un-der one roof. Operating for nearly 40 years, Prejean’s has become an institution. Adults and kids alike love the fish-camp atmosphere—complete with a giant gator. Order a plate of crawfish en-chiladas or some duck gumbo and get ready for some foot stompin’ fun. Live Cajun music is of-fered nightly at 7 p.m. as well as Saturday and Sunday performances at 11 a.m. Prejeans.com
Randol’s
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/RandolsRestaurant/
Randol’s is another local staple to get your fill of Cajun cuisine and music. Local specialties in-clude boudin balls, fried alligator, fried crab fingers, chicken and sausage gumbo and crawfish—in season winter and spring. Tables are lined around the dance floor, where locals do the two-step to burn off those extra calories. Bands begin nightly at 6:30 p.m. Randols.com
Cajun Food Tours
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Lafayette has been named the Tastiest City in the South. Hop on a tour bus and spend three heavenly hours sampling Cajun originals like boudin, king cake, etouffee, gumbo and cracklin’ from a half-dozen restaurants. CajunFoodTours.com
Rodrigue Studios
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/GeorgeRodrigueArt/
Local Acadiana artist George Rodrigue became an international sensation when his iconic Blue Dog paintings were picked up by Absolute vodka’s advertising campaign. Rodrigue passed away in 2013, but his fan base is stronger than ever. Stop by to see his early works, admire his famous Blue Dog series, and even chat with his childhood friend who runs the shop today. Closed Sun-day. GeorgeRodrigue.com
Blue Dog Cafe
For more works by Rodrigue, head to the nearby Blue Dog Cafe, which showcases favorite paintings from the Blue Dog series. Enjoy a classic Cajun menu along with live music almost every night of the week and brunch on Sunday. Lafayette.BlueDogCafe.com
Hand Star Clay Studio
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/HandStarDesigns/
Also in the Oil Center is this charming pottery studio. Stop by for a free studio tour, or sign up for a private class to learn wheel throwing and hand building. They’ll glaze your work and ship it back to you! Call for hours. (337) 296-7292. HandStarClayStudio.com
Hilliard University Art Museum
Image courtesy of Hilliard University Art Museum
Open Tuesday through Saturday, the Hilliard University Art Museum is located on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Special programs are held throughout the week including yoga classes on Saturday. HilliardMuseum.org
Alexandre Mouton House
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For an interactive history lesson, head downtown to the Mouton house, built in 1800 and the childhood home of Alexandre Mouton, the first Democratic governor of Louisiana. Today, the building serves as a living history museum. Open Tuesday through Saturday. LafayetteMuseum.com
Tabasco Tour
Your favorite brand of hot sauce got its roots in Acadiana—literally from hundreds of peppers planted by Edmund McIlhenny in 1868 on Avery Island. A 10-stop factory tour takes guests through the Tabasco Museum, greenhouse, barrel warehouse, factory building, country store and restaurant. (Come back on a pretty day to explore the trails of McIlhenny’s Jungle Gardens across the street.) Tabasco.com
Cooking Class at Tabasco
Want to cook like a Cajun? Chef Lionel Robin hosts cooking classes several times a week at 1868 Tabasco Restaurant. Learn some of the secrets to making Tabasco-infused cuisine then enjoy a four-course lunch. Tabasco.com
Shadows on the Teche
Image courtesy of Mickey Delcambre via Facebook.com/ShadowsontheTeche/
Built near the sugar plantations in 1834, the Shadows is a classic Revival-Style home with a Louisiana Colonial floor plan. Located on New Iberia’s beautiful Main Street, the home is on the National Register of Historic Places. Guided tours are offered Monday through Saturday. ShadowsOnTheTeche.org
Books Along the Teche
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/Books-Along-The-Teche
After touring the Shadows, stop in this local bookstore for unique, regional reads. For the kids, pick up a copy of “Evangeline” and “Cajun Night Before Christmas.” Adults can select a few thrilling mysteries by James Lee Burke—this is his home town, after all. Closed Sunday. BooksAlongTheTeche.com
Fitness, Sports & Day Spas
River Spa
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/riverspa/
Head to the upscale new-urbanism community of River Ranch and spend a relaxing afternoon at River Spa, where massages, facials, mani-pedis and waxing services are offered. Closed Sunday. RiverSpaRiverRanch.com
The Refinery
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/RefineryDowntown/
Guys flock to this hip downtown salon and barber spa for an old-fashioned hot-towel shave, hair cut or massage. (Ladies are welcome, too!) Guests even bring in their own bourbon to enjoy the experience, and regulars keep their own bottle on site with an engraved name tag. Closed Mon-day. RefineryDowntown.com
Red Lerille’s
Image courtesy of RedLerille's.com
With all the rich Cajun cuisine, it’s only fitting the South’s largest health club is located here. Red Lerille’s Health and Racquet Club covers 20 acres and encompasses 195,000 square feet. Grab a day pass and enjoy fitness classes, indoor tennis courts, childcare, indoor swimming pools and even a restaurant and bar. Open daily. RedLerilles.com
X-Golf
Image courtesy of XGolfLouisiana.com
Outside the greens are wet, so check out this indoor golf facility, complete with six simulators and a sports bar. Open daily. IndoorGolfLafayette.com
Fun for All Ages
Lafayette Science Museum
Cloudy skies outside, but they’re all clear inside the Lafayette Science Museum downtown. Oth-er exhibits include fun and educational subjects ranging from virtual reality to insects, dinosaurs and meteorites. Closed Monday. LafayetteScienceMuseum.org
Lafayette Lanes
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/pages/Lafayette-Lanes/
Whether it’s a group of friends, a baseball team or the whole family, bowling is always a fun outing. Open daily. LafayetteLanes.com
The Grand Theatre
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/pages/Grand-Theatre/
With two locations in the heart of Lafayette, The Grand Theatre features all the new releases. During summer showers, head to the Grand for a children’s feature film and popcorn offered weekdays for just $5. Open daily. TheGrandTheatre.com
Lunar Mini Golf
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/LunarGolfLafayette/
Take your crowd to Acadiana Mall for indoor mini golf, complete with black lights and glow-in-the-dark fun. Open daily. GlowMiniGolf.com
Unravel Live Escape Game
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/UnravelEscape/
You’re locked in a mysterious room and have just 60 minutes to get out. Located near the University of Louisiana, this interactive and challenging experience makes for a creative date night or a stimulating night with friends. Closed Monday. UnravelEscapeGame.com
Clayfish Bisque
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/ClayfFishBisqueInc/
Kids (and grown-ups!) can unleash their creative side as they create their very-own pottery. Paint and personalize platters, piggy banks, figurines, vases, pet bowls and more before it’s professional glazed. Open Monday-Friday and walk-ins welcomed. ClayfishBisque.com
Just for Kids
Lafayette Children’s Museum
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Ideal for preschool and elementary-aged children, this hands-on museum features a make-believe grocery store and restaurant, bubble factory, crafts room and other educational exhibits. Open Tuesday-Saturday. ChildrensMuseumOfAcadiana.com
SkyZone
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/skyzoneusa/
When the kids are bouncing off the walls, it’s time to take them to SkyZone indoor trampoline park where they’re actually encouraged to bounce, jump, run and play. Open daily. SkyZone.com
Elevation Station
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/ElevationStationBroussard/
Another popular trampoline park, Elevation Station is located in nearby Broussard with trampoline basketball, a trapeze, gladiator pit, games and more. Closed Monday. ElevationStation.com/Broussard
Kart Ranch
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If it’s too wet for the go-kart track, the arcade and huge indoor playground are enough of a draw to keep the kids happy on a rainy day. Enjoy traditional games like skee-ball and basketball as well as simulators and video games. Open daily. KartRanch.com
Shopping
Sans Souci Gallery
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/LouisianaCraftsGuild/
Southern Living magazine voted this collective art gallery one of the top places to shop in the South. Find original pottery, paintings, jewelry, glass and more from some 200 members. Closed Monday. LouisianaCrafts.org
Shops at River Ranch
Image courtesy of Facebook.com/ShopKiki/
If it’s a light drizzle, duck into a few locally owned boutiques for unique jewelry, purses and clothing at kiki, Maven or Hemline. In a downpour seek shelter at Paul Michael, a mega home-decor store where you can easily spend an hour. Open daily. MainStLiving.com PaulMichael-Company.com
Mall of Acadiana
Image courtesy of Acadiana Mall
This updated indoor mall is a draw for all of Southwest Louisiana. More than 85 stores include Banana Republic, Build A Bear, Chico’s, Brookstone, Charming Charlie, Dillard’s, Gap, J. Jill, Macy’s, Sephora, White House Black Market and more. Open daily. Acadiana-Mall.com
Rainy Day Resources
Lafayette Travel
Their friendly and knowledgeable staff is ready to give you lots of vacation ideas—in sunshine and rain! LafayetteTravel.com
WAITR
Don’t want to get out in the rain? Download this app and get food from most every major Lafayette restaurant delivered to your doorstep. WaitrApp.com
