Are you ready to explore the beautiful bayous of Louisiana? Share these ten fun facts about Louisiana with your kids to help bring the state to life! 

1. Louisiana has parishes instead of counties.

   Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. that divides its local governments into parishes instead of counties. There are 64 parishes in total. Why? Because Louisiana’s early government grew out of French and Spanish colonial rule, where church parishes were important community boundaries. The name stuck and is still used today.

2. Alligators live in the wild in Louisiana. 

   Louisiana has a huge population of American alligators, especially in its swamps and marshes. They are an important part of the ecosystem and are carefully managed through conservation programs. Alligators can live for decades and grow over 10 feet long!

3. Louisiana has a rich musical heritage.

   Louisiana is a musical powerhouse! The state helped shape major music styles like jazz, blues, gospel, Cajun, and zydeco, and it has produced world-famous artists such as Louis Armstrong, Wynton Marsalis, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Harry Connick Jr. In many Louisiana communities, music isn’t just entertainment—it’s part of everyday life, celebrations, and local history.

4. Louisiana is famous for its festivals. 

   Louisiana is known for celebrations—and not just Mardi Gras. Over 400 festivals occur each year, with communities hosting events to celebrate food, music, culture, harvest seasons, and regional history. These festivals often reflect the state's mix of French, Spanish, African, and Native American heritage.

5. Baton Rouge is home to the tallest state capitol building in the country.

   Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge has 34 stories and is 450 feet tall, making it the tallest capitol in the U.S. Unlike many capitol buildings that use a dome shape, Louisiana’s looks more like a skyscraper. It has magnificent views of the Mississippi River, too!

6. Louisiana is home to the largest wetland system in the U.S.

   Louisiana contains one of the largest wetland and swamp systems in North America. These wetlands include swamps, marshes, bayous, and bottomland forests. They are filled with unique plants and animals, including alligators, turtles, wading birds, and cypress trees with “knees” that stick up from the water.

1. Louisiana has some of the longest bridges in the world.

   Because Louisiana has so many lakes, swamps, and marshes, it needs extra-long bridges to cross them. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the longest bridge over water in the world, stretching 24 miles across the lake in a perfectly straight line. Other long bridges in the state include Manchac Swamp Bridge (23 miles), Atchafalaya Basin Bridge (18 miles), and Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge (11 miles).

2. Poverty Point is older than the pyramids.

   Poverty Point in Louisiana is a huge ancient earthworks site built by Native Americans 3,400 years ago—making it older than the Egyptian pyramids! The site includes massive ridges and mounds arranged in large geometric patterns, all built without metal tools, wheels, or work animals. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological landmarks in North America.

3. Louisiana is named for a French king.

   Louisiana was named in 1682 by Robert de LaSalle, an early French explorer, for Louis XIV, King of France. The original name was La Louisiane, meaning Land of Louis.

4. Louisiana Creole is an endangered language.

   Louisiana Creole is a unique language that developed by blending French, Spanish, African languages, and Native American words. It grew as people from different cultures needed a common way to communicate, and many place names and local expressions come from it. Although only a small number of people still speak Creole fluently, community groups are working to preserve and teach this important piece of the state’s cultural history.
   

Learn Even More about Louisiana!

Louisiana is full of surprises … and the best way to learn about them is to experience the state for yourself! Can't take a road trip right now? We've got you covered! The Hello, Louisiana! state unit from our Hit the Road Geography curriculum features humorous journal entries written by a traveling cat, hands-on activities, creative writing prompts, and more—and it’s the next best thing to visiting the Pelican State in person. Discover how we can make US geography a subject your child will love!