Local guides
Local guides for South Louisiana
Sourced guides to living here: things to do and restaurants in Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Prairieville, LaPlace and Lafayette, living in New Orleans, and the money side, from cost of living to homestead and flood insurance. Every fact links to its source.
Reviewed by Nicole Gaudet, REALTOR®
Updated October 29, 2026
Places
Things to do, food and living here
Checked against each venue's own site.
Things to do in Baton Rouge, LAThings to do in Baton Rouge: the State Capitol, Old State Capitol, LSU Rural Life Museum,…Read the guide →Restaurants in Baton Rouge, LALocal restaurants and steakhouses in Baton Rouge, checked on each one's own site: Creole,…Read the guide →Restaurants in Baker, LALocal restaurants in Baker, LA, checked October 29, 2026: Lagniappe, Ruffins II, Brittny’s Seafood,…Read the guide →Pros and cons of living in Baton RougeThe pros and cons of living in Baton Rouge, with sources: home prices, LSU and state jobs,…Read the guide →Things to do in Gonzales, LAThings to do in Gonzales, LA: the Jambalaya Festival, Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, Tanger Outlets,…Read the guide →Restaurants in Gonzales, LALocal restaurants in Gonzales, LA, checked against each one's own site in October 2026:…Read the guide →Things to do in Prairieville, LAThings to do in Prairieville, LA: parish parks, the Galvez library, Lamar-Dixon events, the…Read the guide →Restaurants in Prairieville, LALocal restaurants in Prairieville, LA, checked on each one's own site: Frank's, South of…Read the guide →Things to do in LaPlace, LAThings to do in LaPlace, LA: the Andouille Festival each October, Jacob's andouille, Cajun…Read the guide →Restaurants in LaPlace, LALocal restaurants in LaPlace, LA, checked on each one's own site: Wayne Jacob's Smokehouse,…Read the guide →Things to do in Lafayette, LAThings to do in Lafayette, LA: Vermilionville, the Lafayette Science Museum, Hilliard Art…Read the guide →Restaurants in New Orleans: long-running local spotsLong-running local restaurants, checked October 29, 2026: Creole dining, po-boys, diners and beignets.Read the guide →Living in New Orleans, LALiving in New Orleans, from public data: Orleans Parish home values and rent, historic…Read the guide →
Costs and taxes
Cost of living, homestead and flood
What owning a home here costs.
Moving to Louisiana: your first 30 daysDriver’s license and car registration in 30 days, the $90 vehicle tax cap, utilities and hurricane prep.Read the guide →Cost of living in LouisianaCost of living in Louisiana from public data: prices 88% of the U.S. average, $216,500 median…Read the guide →Pros and cons of living in LouisianaPros and cons of living in Louisiana, with sources: prices, taxes, insurance, hurricanes and flood.Read the guide →The Louisiana homestead exemption, and how to file it by parishHow the Louisiana homestead exemption works, who qualifies, and how to file in Ascension, East…Read the guide →Flood zones and flood insurance in LouisianaWhat FEMA flood zones mean, when insurance is required, why Risk Rating 2.0 changed the price,…Read the guide →
Buying guides
Buying a home in Louisiana
Programs, loans and checklists.
First-time homebuyer programs and down payment assistance in LouisianaLouisiana down payment assistance in 2026: LHC's HomeStart Assist, Advantage, Plus and Ready…Read the guide →VA home loans in LouisianaHow VA home loans work in Louisiana: who qualifies, the 2.15% funding fee and who is exempt,…Read the guide →Louisiana closing checklist: from accepted offer to keysWhat happens between an accepted offer and the keys in Louisiana: inspection, appraisal,…Read the guide →Home inspection checklist for South Louisiana housesWhat to check in a South Louisiana house: roof age, slab movement, drainage, Formosan…Read the guide →Buying a foreclosure in Louisiana: the benefits and the risksHow buying a foreclosure works in Louisiana: sheriff's sales vs. bank-owned homes, the…Read the guide →
Questions
Local guides: questions
Where can I find things to do in Baton Rouge?
See our Things to do in Baton Rouge guide: museums, parks, LSU and yearly events, each checked on the venue's own site.
Nicole Spellman Group
Is Louisiana cheap to live in?
Prices in Louisiana ran at 88.2% of the U.S. average in 2024, per the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Our cost of living guide covers housing, taxes and utilities.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
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