#neworlands

Louisiana is a magical place that's full of Creole flavor, Cajun cuisine, and Southern hospitality. The state's low cost of living is due to the high local production of agriculture and food as well as petroleum. This makes the Pelican State an attractive area for both families and businesses that are looking to keep expenses low. With housing prices being the fifth lowest in the country, Louisiana is an attractive area for purchase a two or three-bedroom home without breaking the bank. And the economic opportunities are endless from healthcare and shipping to energy production and manufacturing to tourism. Top it off with the over 400 festivals that take place each year – celebrating everything from crop harvests to homemade food to locally played music; you will find opportunities for a great life in Louisiana if you're considering a move there.

Charm of the Cities

Should you consider moving to Louisiana, you will discover a diversity that's unmatched elsewhere – each city and town full of its own distinct character and charm. The food is otherworldly no matter where you are in the state; from the boiled crawfish that you can eat by yourself per the bucket to the delicious bourdin to the glorious gumbo – and who can forget the beignets at Café Du Monde in the Crescent City of New Orleans? Regardless of whether you choose to set up your home or business, you will certainly find warmth and wonder should you consider a move to one of these areas:

The Big Easy – New Orleans

Also known as the Crescent City due to the location's shape around Lake Pontchatrain, New Orleans is famous for its festive but laid-back attitude (hence the city's name, The Big Easy), amazing creole cuisine, and status as a major tourism attraction. The latter point is especially true thanks to being home to the French Quarter and Jackson Square as well as haunted places such as the LaLaurie Mansion and the St. Louis Cemetery.

New Orleans is home to one of the busiest ports around the globe due in part to its intense oil and petroleum production. It's also where esteemed academic institutions like Loyola and Tulane Universities are located.

The city has a distinct feel thanks in part to wide-ranging mix of French Colonial, Southern and Victorian homes and buildings situated all over, and there's the incredibly diverse mix of Cajun, delta blues, jazz and zydeco music the world has to offer. And like the rest of the state, New Orleans is home to many amazing festivals that millions attend each year such as the Jazz and Heritage Festival and the Voodoo Experience.

And then there's a small event you may have heard of called Mardi Gras, which is the all mother of all festivals. Prepared for weeks in advance, Mardi Gras has an intense build-up of pre-parades before culminating in the glory that is Fat Tuesday – full of beads, costumes, cross dressing, face painting, mas

The State Capital – Baton Rouge

Nestled in the southeast part of Louisiana along the meandering Mississippi River, Baton Rouge is a major port city that's home to some of the most important industrial, medical, petrochemical and research hubs in the Deep South. Companies such as Exxon Mobil operate the nation's second largest oil refinery in the state capital, while other companies such as Turner Industries, and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center located there. And thanks to the tax breaks the state provides the film industry, movie studios such as Celtic Media Center flourish in Baton Rouge.

You will find Baton Rouge is ground central for state and city government jobs being the state capital, while there are many employment opportunities in education, energy and chemical production, healthcare, manufacturing, shipping and transportation, and tourism.

In Baton Rouge, you'll find a plethora of great cultural and historical attractions as well in the area such as Magnolia Mound Plantation House, the Shaw Center for the Arts, and the Art Science Museum. Additionally, you can enjoy festivals year round such as Pennington Balloon Festival, Red Stick International Animation Festival and the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

The Hot Spot for Riverboat Gambling – Shreveport

Located on the Red River, Shreveport is another area that's a hot bed for commerce and culture, especially with Louisiana's neighbors Texas and Arkansas nearby. And as the title suggests, casinos and riverboat gambling are quite prominent in this city as well as horse racing tracks like Harrah's Louisiana Downs. Shreveport has strong industries in education, healthcare and the military with Louisiana State University Health Science Center and Barksdale Air Force Base established there.

In Shreveport, you will be able to enjoy so many festivals like Louisiana Film Festival, the Louisiana State Fair, and Mudbug Madness – the latter is a celebration to crawfish. You will also love attending performances at such places as the Metropolitan Ballet, River City Repertory, and the Shreveport Opera. And the city is also home to many great parks like Barnwell Gardens and Riverwalk Park, great for walking around or just lounging beneath the sky.

Bike Riding Paradise… as well as a Camper's!

And outside of these cities as well as the many towns in Louisiana, what most people don't know outside of the state is that there is an abundance of fantastic trails with beautiful views perfect for bike riding and cardiovascular activities. National parks such as Lincoln Parish Park – one of the top mountain bike trails in the country have breathtaking wilderness, which is also ideal for camping. Such places to enjoy should you move to Louisiana include Hodges Gardens State Park and Kisatchie National Forest. These truly are wonderlands that if you're the outdoors type, you should certainly take advantage of anytime you can!

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