Louisiana Transportation

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport serves New Orleans and the rest of the Mississippi Delta area. It is the only major airport in Louisiana, but a few direct, daily flights are available to Shreveport Regional and Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airports.

Because the Louisiana coastline is made up of seemingly endless bays, lakes and archipelagos, traversing it by car can get confusing. Interstate 49 runs southeast from Shreveport to Lafayette. In Lafayette, you can get on I-10, which runs through some of the coast’s golf hotbeds, like Lake Charles and New Orleans. If you’re visiting a site nearer to the coast, you will have to take one of a series of smaller highways that criss-cross the Delta.

Louisiana FAQ

1. What course should I play if I’m staying near the French Quarter?

Audubon Park Golf Club, which isn’t part of the Audubon Golf Trail, is the oldest golf course in the south. It originally opened in 1898 and after renovation in 2001, plays to executive lengths. Its just minutes from downtown New Orleans and offers a quick, fun and historic round for golfers visiting the Big Easy.

2. What course should I plan to play along the Audubon Golf Trail?

The two most notable courses on the Audubon Trail are The Bluffs on Thompson Creek and Gray Plantation. Located just northwest of Baton Rouge, The Bluffs on Thompson Creek opened in 1989. The Arnold Palmer-designed course begins along a ridge high above Thompson Creek and winds into the Feliciana countryside. Stretching to 7,154 with a slope of 150, The Bluffs shouldn’t be underestimated. Its greens are quick and elevation changes steep. But if you get a chance to play it on a spring foggy morning, you’ll find little to be upset about.

3. How much are green fees on the Audubon Golf Trail?

The green fees don’t vary too much from course to course on the Audubon Trail. On the weekend, with a cart, the most expensive round is The Bluffs on Thompson Creek at $67. The least expensive is Olde Oaks Golf Club, Hal Sutton’s first signature course, at $45.

4. Who was John James Audubon?

John James Audubon was one of the most famous naturalist and bird painters of the early 1800s. Attempting to be the first person to paint and describe every American bird, he traveled down the Mississippi sketching and writing. His most famous work was Birds of America, a collection of 435 life-size drawings. He is now the namesake of the National Audubon Society, a network of wildlife conservation and restoration programs.

5. What are some of the best places to go in New Orleans’ French Quarter?

If you want to eat seafood, it’s difficult to go wrong. But try Acme Oyster Bar for raw oysters on the half shell. If you crave Cajun food, try Petunias on St. Louis Street. Then head to Pat O’Briens for a world-famous hurricane. If you like music you can go to the House of Blues, but don’t dismiss the house bands in bars along Bourbon Street.