Lafayette, LA Real Estate, Homes For Sale, School & Area Information

Cajun Market Donut Company is located on the south side of Lafayette on Rue Louis XIV. They have many great products, but my favorite are the beignets (made to order) and their maple bacon donut holes. You haven't lived until you've tried them! A co-worker told me to try them. Once I did, I wondered how I could have lived all these years and not known this existed! Cajun Market Donut Company is worth a drive even if it's out of your way.

Festival Acadiens et Creoles takes place annually in Girard Park in Lafayette. The festival celebrates the music, food, and arts of the Cajun and Creole people of South Louisiana. The festival draws people from all over the world for one weekend to celebrate this diverse culture. Make sure to bring your dancing shoes!

With this city constantly growing, more attractions are also coming with it. Lunar Mini Golf is coming to the Acadiana Mall. A glow in the dark mini golf course will be located inside the Mall of Acadiana and will be the first of its kind in the area. Barkopolis Park + Pub is a local membership dog park and pub coming to the Johnson Street area. They will have play areas for the animals to enjoy while you relax and socialize at the pub. And adding to the fun will be Epic Entertainment in the Single Source Supply parking lot off of I-10. They'll bring attractions like a 40' slide, Zero-Shock Trampoline, 300' Zip-Line, Archery games, and more to the Lafayette area. A wide range of ages will be able to take part in the fun, including toddlers on up to big kids. With the unlimited restaurants and entertainment options, this is a great town to reside in!

In addition to hosting numerous festivals and Mardi Gras, Lafayette is also a college town. The city is home to the beloved Ragin' Cajuns. The campus is graced by beautiful live oaks and cypress trees. In the center of the campus, there is an actual swamp complete with gators.

In the fall, a popular thing to do is to catch a Cajuns football game and experience tailgating the Cajun way. The University is in the process of building a new state of the art baseball/softball complex that should be complete by next season.

Looking for fun in Lafayette? Explore downtown! Lafayette has taken pride in revitalizing the downtown area. Rich with history of the Acadian culture, it is the heartbeat of Lafayette. Downtown hosts many public events throughout the year like public art walks, many festivals and events that celebrate our Cajun-Acadian heritage. Downtown is a pedestrian friendly center that boasts great fun, shopping and dining. A totally unforgettable place!

This Friday the 25th of September between 5:30 and 8:00 p.m. The Flamethrowers will be taking the stage offering up music from the 50's to now. In addition the Lafayette and Bar Association are teaming up to offer theme nights. The theme for this Friday is the 80's. Patrons are encouraged to dress up in their favorite 80's attire. The band has been a dominate force in the Baton Rouge and Fort Walton, Florida circuit offering up great music at sold out venues. Parc Sans Souci is located at 299 Polk Street, Lafayette, Louisiana.

Olde Tyme located about a block from UL has to be one of best joints to eat some of the most delicious Po Boys anywhere in Acadiana. My favorite and favorite to many is the Shrimp Po Boy. It is so delicious that it is hard to describe in words. The only real way to understand this delicacy is to eat one. I also love the corn beef, meatball and ham and cheese. Also they have a Muffaletta that kicks butt. During the week they offer a special after 5:00 p.m. Try it, you'll like it.

I have a bad habit when it comes to restaurants. When I find one I love, I go to that restaurant over and over and over again. Thankfully when someone at my wife's work told her about Pizza Artista, I gave it a chance. From the moment you walk in, you notice that it is very clean and its atmosphere is pleasant. Located on Johnston, you have the choice of building your own pizza with up to seven toppings for $7.99 or choose from multiple signature pizzas including a Boudin and Cracklin, Seafood and many other pizzas with premium ingredients. They also offer pizza finishes such as parsley, basil, cilantro, Himalayan sea salt, pepper, pesto drizzle, olive oil drizzle and barbeque. You also have the choice of building your own salad. Be ready for a unique experience. The staff is super friendly and the food is great.

I really commend people who choose to sell their home via FSBO. At minimum, it is a very brave action. What understanding is missed when someone believes they are saving money by doing it themselves? The simple fact is that time is money. On average, a property sells quicker when a realtor is used. Another fact is that buyers are pre-qualified before they are allowed to view a home. Why would a buyer not use a buyer's agent when they are represented really for free? A person who comes to a seller without a realtor is, more times than not, not able to buy for one reason or another. Who represents the FSBO when negotiations begin? I won't even go into the safety issue of letting a stranger into your home where you and your family live. The realtor professionally valuates your home and markets it to a larger segment of the buying market. Lastly, when using a good agent, the seller will usually sell at a price 13% higher than without. Sometimes a seller will not know what their home is truly worth and is taking the chance of selling for less. The truth is that selling a home is more complicated than believed. You are taking the chance that if something is missed, say a required disclosure, you are opening yourself up to legal action. Realtors are insured against mistakes with Errors and Omissions insurance for a reason. Using a realtor pays for itself, not cost more money.

There are a lot of places that claim to have a good Po-Boy sandwich, but Olde Tyme Grocery beats all of them by a mile. Located on West Saint Mary near U of LA, their best seller, the Shrimp Po-Boy is a delicacy that tickles my taste buds. I also love the Pastrami fully dressed with all the fixins. Atmosphere is really good also as they have live music on Fridays and Saturdays in their outside area. During the week they have specials after 5:00 p.m., so my wife and I can be found there anytime during the week or weekend. Lastly, don't forget the Muffeletta. A true culinary treat.

If there are two things that my wife and I love it is eating and thrifting. Our favorite place to go is Goodwill. Not only do you get some really great things there but they do help the community with jobs for people in our community and to re-use a lot of clothes that otherwise would end up in a landfill. In addition to the savings, they have promotions that are really great. April 25th, they are having their Early Bird Sale from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. All clothing $5.99 and under is just $1.00. Don't miss it. You'll have a great time and get some neat stuff too.

One of the first things that I learned about and really got into was Downtown Alive, a series of music concerts and food held most Fridays starting at 6:00 pm in downtown Lafayette. I usually go to most of them every year. It's nice to people watch and listen to great music. My wife and I meet up with my daughter, her husband and grandchild and always have a good time. Something to check out in the community.

One of the things that struck me while visiting St. John the Evangelist was the beauty of its architecture. The Brunileshi inspired domes, steeple which seems to kiss the sky, and stained glass windows. Founded in 1821, it was the first church in Lafayette Parish. The church itself is breathtaking and while walking the grounds, I had to stop to admire the huge Oak tree said to be 500 years old. I admit that graveyards in general give me the willies, but the graveyard behind the building was so peaceful that it is a must see for people who enjoy the history and majesty it offers.

Lafayette is a great place to live and play. There are so many great things to enjoy here. Known for its incredible festivals, three stand out as being some of the best

Crawfish Festival: Held every year in the beginning of May, it is only minutes from Lafayette and well world attending. The festival draws a large crowd of people from around the world to enjoy Cajun food, music and culture. They offer many ways to enjoy Crawfish and other delicious foods while dancing and just having a great time. You have to try the boudin. It is great.

Festival International de Louisiane: this is held the last week of April and brings musical acts to perform from all over the world. Held in Downtown Lafayette, people come together to enjoy its music, food and fun in a great city.

Festival Acadien: Held at Girard Park in Mid-September, truly embodies all that is Cajun. A combination of food, music and cultural arts festival wrapped in one. I find that it has the best food, authentic music and crafts of any of the other festivals around. A "must" experience for sure.

There's something about a zoo that brings the kid out in people. The Zoo of Acadiana is one such place. From the road you would never think that it was so nice and large. That is because the zoo incorporates the natural landscape into the attraction. It hosts an incredible amount of different animals including tigers, Australian Kingfishers, monkeys and all kinds of creatures from around the world. Zoo employees lead talks about the zoo and its animals twice daily. For a mere $2.00, you can go into a large enclosure that holds many different types of birds, and feed them a fruit mixture. At times during the feedings they will perch on your shoulders and even your head to enjoy the food. Tours are limited to 20 people so as to not disturb the inhabitants too much. The zoo also has kiddie tours that feature many of the animals. A good idea is to arrive early in order to make make it a day and take your time enjoying what it has to offer.

The Lafayette Consolidated Government is holding PlanLafayette week. It showcases accomplishments over the past year and present goals for 2015. Sponsored by BikeLafayette and The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, there will be an opportunity for the community to provide input on the growth of the city. A luncheon was held on February 4th at the LITE Center where many topics were discussed. More information will be posted on happenings during PlanLafayette on social media (Twitter).

Mardi Gras time is again upon us. Its origins can be traced to medieval Europe. Passing through Rome and Venice in the 17th and 18th century then into the French House of Bourbons, where it was originally called the revelry of "Boeuf Gras" or fatted cow. Finally, through France into the American colonies.

In 1699, French Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville established "Pointe du Mardi Gras" and "Fort Louise de la Louisiane" which is now Mobile. In 1703, that small settlement celebrated the first Mardi Gras. Later on, Mobile established a secret society (Masque de la Mobile) which resembles today's Krewes. New Orleans was then established in 1718 by Bienville and in 1730 Mardi Gras was first celebrated in the Crescent City.

By the 1800's, the first mention of Carnival was documented and street processions of maskers with carriages and horseback riders were celebrating Mardi Gras and grand Society balls were the norm. In 1870, Mardi Gras' second Krewe called the Twelfth Night Revelers was formed and at that time the first account of "throws" was documented. Through the years, Mardi Gras has developed into one of Louisiana's most important times of the year behind Christmas. At Mardi Gras time, partying is an art form in itself and one of my favorite times of the year.

Cinema on the Bayou has been around for more than 10 years now. The festival this year features more than 90 short films, documentaries and full length films with over 100 filmmakers in attendance from the U.S., Canada, Europe and South America. Most of these films are celebrating their Louisiana and International premiers. Festivities begin today through Sunday January 25th in various locations. A complete schedule of events is available at the link below.

A new terminal at Lafayette Regional is in the planning stages and slated to start construction soon. The purpose of the expansion is to allow for more and larger planes to have access in and out of the airport. New amenities will also be available to passengers.

Although the cost of the addition would be between 60 and 80 million dollars, it is said that by year 2025, passenger population would triple. Currently, the airport is running at capacity and the additional terminal would ready the area for the boom that is expected. Officials believe that although it may be expensive, now is the time to stick to our projections and ready ourselves for the future. In the long run, it will benefit us all in Acadiana.

Being from Miami and of Latin descent, it is always exciting when a new Latin restaurant opens its doors in our community. Located on Bertrand in Lafayette, Patacon offers not so much full meals but concentrates on its namesake the "Patacon" sandwich. Shredded beef or chicken with lettuce, tomato, avocado and tartar sauce on a bun made from a plantain banana. How they take a banana and make it into an instrument that holds delicious ingredients is beyond me. They also offer Venezuelan meat pies. beef, chicken or crawfish. We ordered a couple of different types. My wife and I were supposed to share but my crawfish pie was so good, I ate it myself without sharing. Stuffed arepas and sweet corn pancakes are also specialty.

For dessert, the owner of Fiesta cakes relocated her business from its Johnston Street location and now shares space in the restaurant. They offer flan, tres leches, cupcakes and specialty cakes. The cakes and goodies really are delicious. We wish them much success in their new business. I would like to keep on eating their food for a long, long time. For a great experience and good food, it's worth a try.

Death of a Salesman has always been considered by many as one of the greatest plays ever written by Arthur Miller. It even won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony award for Best Play on Broadway in 1949. This is a classic play that is a must see.

Performances are being offered at Cites des Arts in downtown Lafayette starting Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm until February 1. Tickets run $15.00 General Admission and $11.00 for Seniors and students with ID. If you go, be ready for excellent acting in a play renowned for its intense, emotional scenes of family drama. Enjoy.

Vermilionville Living History and Folk Life Park is located in Lafayette. Many Cajun homes have been moved to this site and remodeled to their original condition. There is also an Acadian church, blacksmith shop, a farm, a large area where Cajun music is played. Quite a historical area depicting early years of Acadiana in Lafayette area.

American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Airlines have flights in and out of the Lafayette area known as Acadiana. It was opened in 1930 and has been in operation since that time. There are also many private hangers available. A recent bond issue was passed to expand the buildings and keep operations as comfortable and safe as possible.

DSLD is getting ready to roll out Moss Bluff. A new model which is sure to please in beautiful Lafayette. Priced between $159,900 and $197,900, it features 22 new, 3 and 4 bedroom plans with living space between 1,201 and 1,858 square feet. These homes feature three cm slab granite counter tops, black electric Frigidaire appliance package, birch cabinets, wood and ceramic tile flooring, ceiling fans, fully-sodded yards with landscaping package, architectural 30 yard shingle roof, Rheem tankless gas water heater and many more features making these homes top of the mark for the buyer.