Louisiana has a diverse economy that hinges on several different sectors. The excavation and processing of raw materials, firstly, is big money for the Pelican State. Louisiana is a national leader in the production and exporting of sulfur, petroleum, gas, and salt. There is a large reserve of sulfur and oil deposits just off the Gulf of Mexico shore of Louisiana, and those deposits are pivotal to the overall health of the Louisiana economy.
The Bayou State also has a healthy manufacturing sector which is keyed by various goods including apparel, chemicals, processed foods, paper, lumber, transportation devices and equipment, coal products, and furniture. If manufacturing isn’t your thing and you’d rather look into starting a small business for yourself, you’ll be happy to know that Louisiana was recently ranked one of the most friendly states to small businesses in the United States.
Agriculturally, Louisiana gets a strong boost from a variety of different crops and animals. It's the biggest producer of crawfish in the world by a large margin, with nine out of every ten crawfish sold around the globe having been caught and processed in the Pelican State. Other key agricultural exports for the State of Louisiana include soybeans, cattle, sugarcane, cotton, rice, poultry, eggs, and dairy products.
Louisiana also brings in millions upon millions of tourism dollars every year. A lot of that centers around New Orleans. One of the most beloved and celebrated cities in the entire world, New Orleans is credited as the Birthplace of Jazz among many other plaudits. The French Quarter is a complete bucket revelation that has turned into one of the premiere Instagram photo opportunities in the nation. New Orleans is also the site of one of the most famous Mardi Gras celebrations in the entire world – an annual event that has taken place since 1838.
That’s not all for tourist attractions in Louisiana, though. Other things you need to see in Louisiana include the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, the lively and historic Cajun country in the Mississippi Delta, Chalmette National Historic Park, the state capital in Baton Rouge, and the history-rich plantation homes just outside of Natchitoches and New Iberia.
If you want to get to all of these amazing sites in the State of Louisiana, there are options to be had. Louisiana has several different bus systems across the state, there are streetcars in New Orleans worth taking a spin on, and ride-share services are extremely popular as well. However, your best bet for seeing all that the Bayou State has to offer is to have your vehicle shipped to you. As soon as you get your car or truck on your schedule, you'll be able to check out all of the historical points of interest, museums, and restaurants of the Pelican State on your time.
Speaking of restaurants, the food in Louisiana is something different entirely. For some tourists, the main attraction of the Pelican State is the unique and flavorful cuisine of the state’s different regions. New Orleans cuisine spins elements of Deep South traditions, Creole seasonings, and Cajun flair to create some organic and beautiful and all its own. Whether you’re trying out gumbo in the French Quarter or taking a chance on some alligator in the Mississippi Delta, you won’t be able to get the flavors of Louisiana cuisine out of your head.
Other regional specialties you'll need to try when traveling the Pelican State include red beans and rice, bananas foster, shrimp po-boys, crawfish etouffee, jambalaya, barbecue shrimp, New Orleans pralines, and New Orleans king cakes. There's a wide selection of other foods from around the world, especially in places like New Orleans and Baton Rouge, but you need to have the full Louisiana experience to see what the Pelican State is all about.
And if you're both a foodie and a sports fan, you're going to be in absolute heaven in Louisiana. The State of Louisiana is the least populous state in the Union with more than one professional sports team in the four major American pro sports leagues. The New Orleans Saints (National Football League) and New Orleans Pelicans (National Basketball Association) are both near and dear to a large section of the Louisiana population.
Louisiana is also home to 12 different programs in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s top division, Division I. For a state of its size, that’s an extremely impressive number. Leading the way is the Louisiana State University Tigers, especially their football program. Beloved by many Louisianans both in the state and transplanted, the Tigers football program has won 11 Southeastern Conference titles and four national championships.
While Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge is a great choice for those moving to the state with aims to continue their education, it's far from the only option worth considering. Other highly-regarded universities and colleges within the Pelican State include Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Loyola University New Orleans in New Orleans, the University of Louisiana-Lafayette in Lafayette, the University of Louisiana-Monroe in Monroe, the Northwestern State University of Louisiana in Natchitoches, and McNeese State University in Lake Charles.
Now that we’ve covered a great deal about what makes the State of Louisiana so special, it’s time to boost your trivia cache about the state. Let’s first look at the various living and inanimate symbols of the Pelican State:
We’ve got plenty more cool facts about Louisiana where that came from. Below is a sampling of some juicy trivia nuggets about the Pelican State, just waiting for you to share them with family and friends:
Did you know that the City of New Orleans is situated as the second-lowest point in the entire United States? New Orleans sits eight feet below sea level. The highest point in the state is Driskill Mountain near Shreveport, yet it's just 535 feet above sea level. To compare, there are parts of Colorado that are over 10,000 feet above sea level.
Did you know that alligator is big business in Louisiana? Firstly, there are around 2.3 million alligators that call the state home – around two million in the wild and 300,000 who live on alligator farms. Alligator meat and hides are a source of around $57 million in profits each year.
Without question, Louisiana is one of the most unique and vibrant states in the Union. To fully capture what's going on in the Pelican State, you're going to need a reliable vehicle of your own to get where you want (and need) to go. Shipping your truck, car, or van with Nexus Auto Transport is the first and biggest step towards endless possibilities in the Bayou State. From food to sports and everything in between, Louisiana is worth the time you put into it.
