Louisiana's Hidden Gems: Downtown Lake Charles


 Just off Interstate 10 and nestled on the shore of Lake Charles is a historic and vibrant downtown district. The area hosts several unique restaurants, antique stores, historic buildings and other various shops. Fans of historic buildings will delight in visiting the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse and adjacent City Hall as well as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The area is also a must see for fans of both street art and murals as well as eclectic shops and eateries. 

As a California transplant I really enjoyed North Beach on Lake Charles with it's white sand and palm trees. It's not Newport Beach but it's as close as it gets in Louisiana and I was able to pretend that I was back on the West Coast for the moment.

The Lake Charles area has been ravaged over the last couple of years by hurricanes and tornados and a large part of the area has not recovered. It is encouraging to see the downtown area flourishing under the adversity.  


North Beach is the only white-sand inland beach from Texas to Florida.











The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a Catholic cathedral located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Lake Charles. Immaculate Conception Parish was established in 1869, and it became a cathedral in 1980. The church building, rectory, and a garage are listed together on the National Register of Historic Places.

The cathedral church enshrines a century-old image of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception made of Carrara marble. The venerated image was granted a Canonical coronation by Pope Benedict XVI via Pontifical decree signed and executed by his Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò to the country in 2013. A full church renovation project was completed in 2019. - Wiki




















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Louisiana State Capitol Building and Gardens - Baton Rouge, Louisiana



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