Reasons to visit southern Louisiana continue to multiply, as does the recognition of our region. Both Bayou Rum Distillery and the city of New Orleans have received accolades as top destinations.
The Bayou Rum Distillery was honored with a 2016 Louey Award from the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association (LTPA) on February 15 and named “Attraction of the Year.”
Located west of Lafayette in Lacassine, Louisiana, the state-of-the-art distillery is part of a 36,000-square-foot property that includes a visitor center and gallery. Visitors can learn about the history of sugar cane and rum in Louisiana, see the 109-year-old farmhouse and, of course, sample the fine spirits at the tasting bar.
“We started the distillery so that tourists and fans could see firsthand how we make Bayou Rum and we chose our location just off of I-10 so that they’d have no trouble finding us,” said Trey Litel, president of Bayou Rum. “This recognition is a credit to the phenomenal team who work hard every day to provide what we believe is the best visitor experience in our industry.”
Bayou Rum was founded in 2011 and has grown exponentially since then. Brothers Tim and Trey Litel, with their friend Skip Cortese, founded the company and take pride in their process. Bayou Rum is handcrafted in traditional copper pot stills using fresh Louisiana sugarcane.
It is easily found in grocery and liquor stores around Southern Louisiana and is distributed nationally by Stoli Group. Pro Tip: Combine 1.5 oz Bayou Satsuma with 3 oz of seltzer. Add a squeeze of whatever citrus is on-hand. Find a porch and relax.
New Orleans Honored Again
Traveling a bit east to a small ‘burg called New Orleans, one will see why it was once again honored by Travel + Leisure readers. New Orleans was ranked the No. 2 Best City in North America, beating out New York, Chicago and San Francisco.
Readers expressed their opinions by judging categories including arts, dining, friendliness, romantic ambiance and shopping.
“New Orleans is flourishing with both historic establishments that visitors have always loved and cosmopolitan new hotels, restaurants and cocktail programs. Only in New Orleans can you experience the oldest restaurant in America alongside innovative James Beard Award-winning chefs, or see Grammy Award-winning artists perform and then wander into our streets to discover a new musician,” said Stephen Perry, president and CEO of New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Recognition from such an esteemed travel publication is a testament to our commitment to hospitality and the hard work we do every day to create an unparalleled travel experience for our visitors.”
“New Orleans is a consistent choice for travelers because of its authenticity, historic charm, and beauty,” said Mark Romig, president and CEO of the New Orleans Tourism and Marketing Corporation (NOTMC). “Those qualities allow us to deliver on a fantastic experience and we are honored the readers of Travel + Leisure have singled out our nightlife and dining.”
Travel + Leisure named New Orleans the No. 2 city in North America as part of the Travel + Leisure “World’s Best” annual survey in both 2014 and 2015. Unlike our beloved Saints, the city continues to outrank our competitors.
