Low Cost And Free Things To Do In Lake Charles Louisiana
Lake Charles is often referred to as Louisiana’s Playground! But when’s the last time you remember paying to get into a playground? This southern Louisiana city is the same way. There’s an abundance of places to go and things to see… that don’t cost a dime. If you know where to look! During my last visit to Lake Charles, I compiled a list of low cost and free things to do. Now I’m here to share it with you! There’s fun all over the city.
At the top of our list of low cost and free things to do in Lake Charles, Louisiana, is the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu, located at Historic Central School Arts & Humanities Center. The museum houses the largest collection of Mardi Gras costumes in the South. With more than 250+ costumes on display, you can view the intricate details of each costume. Many of the costumes include pictures of the Krewe that wore the costume. The museum is interactive and you are encouraged to try on some of the masks for yourself. The museum with costumes on display provides an in-depth view on the effort and extravagance each Krewe puts into their costume for Mardi Gras.
Mardi Gras Museum
809 Kirby St.
Lake Charles, Louisiana 70601
$10 for adults – $5 for children and seniors.
Open Tues-Sat from 1-5PM
Next lets visit the Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center. Admission is free, and the center features world class exhibits along with local artists. They are currently showcasing AMERICAN VISIONARY: John F. Kennedy’s Life and Times — A collection of 77 images and rarely seen photographs of the late president.
The Farmers Market is also held here behind Historic City Hall on Saturday morning from 8am-12pm.
Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center
1001 Ryan St.
Lake Charles, LA 70601
Gallery Hours Tuesday – Saturday 10am-6pm
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Fun Things to Do In Southwestern Louisiana
This stop of the list of low cost and free things to do in Lake Charles is adults-only. Take a tour of the Bayou Rum Distillery. The tour is free and there’s even a rum tasting at the end! The rum is made from locally grown sugarcane — every batch is distilled by hand in copper pot stills using Louisiana cane sugar and molasses.
Bayou Rum
20909 South I-10 Frontage Rd.
Lacassine, LA 70650
Next is the Gator Chateau. This is your place to see live alligators, and you can even hold baby gators! Alligators are fostered until they are able to be released into the wild. Admission is free, but donations are accepted and encouraged — they’re saving wildlife here!
Gator Chateau
100 Rue de l’Acadie
La Cassine, LA
I-10 Exit 64, Jennings, LA in Jeff Davis Parish
Shelling on The Creole Nature Trail
Stop at Lake/Charles/Southwest Louisiana Visiotrs Bureau’s on N. Lakeshore to pick up your shelling guide. Then start out for a fun day of shelling on the 26 miles of natural beaches on The Creole Nature Trail. See how many different shells you can find. The guide provides a great resource to the different types of shells you may find on the beaches of the Creole Nature Trail. Mitchell’s Wentletrap is my favorite shell. Key your eyes open to find one of these beautiful shells. On the beaches you might also see unique animals to this area including a brown pelican or a Portuguese Man-of-war. The shelling guide features 8 Shelling beaches with Rujtherford & Holly beach typically being the best fr shelling, with a map to help you plan your route.
The last place on our list of low cost and free things to do in Lake Charles, Louisiana, is the Crawfish Farm Tour. This seasonal tour is given from March- May. The Crawfish Farm Tour takes you pond side to learn about their habitat and pond ecology. In addition, you will also learn about the harvesting and distribution process. Tour fee is $8. Minimum of 10 for a tour. Call to see if you can join a group for a booking to meet the 10 person minimum if you are a small group. More information can be found at jeffdavis.org or call 1-800-264-5521.
Now that you have a list of low cost and free things to do in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Read here to discover – What is the best casino in Lake Charles La?
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