You had me at coffee…Adventures in a Welcome Center.
My youngest was crying and I needed to stretch my legs. My choices were a fast food restaurant or a welcome center. Welcome centers are generally amazing. Clean, relatively safe or with security, and you can usually grab all the flyers and brochures until your heart (cough..cough…my heart) is content. I love learning about new places, the history, the people, THE FOOD. However, this was the weekend and generally things in the south are closed on the weekends. I took my chances with the welcome center. Surprisingly the Atchafalaya welcome center was open. And they had FREE Louisiana COFFEE. All I read was free coffee. It was a very warm welcome and the host(?)…volunteer(?)…the person behind the counter was the “stereotypical idea” of southern hospitality. My heart was so happy…as long as she didn’t say “Bless you heart”…I am fully aware after being told that 2 years that it wasn’t a sincere gesture of good thoughts….I was an idiot if they ever saw one.
I digress, the lovely woman offered my son and I a big smile, a cup of free Louisiana coffee, and a chance to walk around freely. She was engaging to both of us which was very sweet. My son doesn’t generally open up easily, he was smiling and having a grand old time explore the little exhibits of Atchafalaya. There was a short video of the surrounding areas; it was absolutely gorgeous. If I had to fall in love with Louisiana and visit anywhere again in the state, based on this experience alone Atchafalaya would be my go-to. It is definitely on my places to visit. Check out some of the images from our experience below.
Standing outside the movie theatre.
The mini-show outside the mini movie theatre.
Signpost of the Atchafalaya Theatre inside the welcome center.
Our “tour guide” inside the theatre.
Sincerely While Traveling Check Out Welcome Centers
Hours of Operation:
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. daily
Closed for New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
24/7 Services Available:
Restrooms, including handicapped facilities
Amenities During Business Hours:
Free coffee
Picnic tables available
Restrooms, handicapped restroom indoors.
Several French-speaking staffers.
Exhibits and movie inside portray the history and lifestyles of the Atchafalaya Basin.
Statues of birds and animals commonly found in the area on display, along with a flat-bottomed crawfishing boat.