British Airways will resume direct flights to New Orleans on 26 April and the state is ready to welcome visitors to explore all there is to offer.

Check out these top five experiences to experience in Louisiana.

#1 Unique culinary scene

As Louisiana is a cultural melting pot, its culinary scene is unlike anywhere else.

French, Spanish, African, Italian and many more settlers influenced unique dishes like gumbo, jambalaya and étouffée.

Many regions in the state celebrate local delicacies with food trails – including the Bayou Country Crawfish Trail in the Houma Area, the Cajun Boudin Trail in the Lafayette area, the Andouille Trail in Louisiana’s River Parishes, and the Oyster Trail in Jefferson Parish.

Of course, New Orleans has world-renowned eateries, from beignets at Café du Monde to fine dining at famed chef Emeril’s restaurants. Wash it all down with a drink at one of Louisiana’s many breweries.

#2 The great outdoors

Louisiana is commonly referred to as Sportsman’s Paradise – and for good reason.

The 600,000-acre Kisatchie National Forest in central and north Louisiana is a prime spot for outdoor activities like camping, fishing, birding, swimming, boating, and more. Additionally, the forest offers more than 40 recreation sites and more than 100 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.

Other ways to view Louisiana’s scenery is at one of Louisiana’s 21 state parks, or on an exhilarating swamp tour where you can get up close and personal with the local wildlife.

#3 Fantastic festivals

Louisiana is in a constant state of celebration, with over 400 fairs and festivals every year.

From music festivals such as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, food festivals including the Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival, cultural festivals such as Festival International de Louisiane or quirky festivals like the Louisiana Pirate Festival, there’s something for every interest.

Mardi Gras is Louisiana’s biggest celebration. It lasts for several weeks, with parades and festivities occurring all over the state. As well as the world-renowned New Orleans carnival, there’s a family-friendly puppy parade up in Shreveport and many others.  Make the experience complete by trying king cake – a brioche dough with cinnamon and any filling variation you can imagine, from fruit jams to chocolate to spicy boudin.

#4 Rich history and culture

Louisiana has hundreds of museums that do an amazing job at illustrating various facets of the state’s history.

The Louisiana State Museum consists of nine museums across the state – including the Cabildo and Presbytere in New Orleans, the Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches. Additional unique museums include the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu in Lake Charles and the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum.

Louisiana also has many historic homes, each telling a different story. Visit Whitney plantation – the only museum in Louisiana with an exclusive focus on the lives of enslaved people, learn about Laura Plantation’s unique Creole background, or dine at Houmas House.

#5 Family-friendly fun

There are plenty of kid-friendly experiences in Louisiana.

The Biedenharn Museum and Gardens has a Coca-Cola exhibit, called the Coke Museum; Mitcham Farms has the largest peach orchard in the world, with 12,000 trees. Wildlife fans can see alligators at Gators and Friends or Insta-Gator Ranch and Hatchery as well as visit Audubon Zoo and Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans.

History buffs will love the USS Kidd in Baton Rouge – one of the few Fletcher-class destroyers that survived World War II – and Poverty Point World Heritage Site, comprised of ancient Native American mounds and an onsite museum with artifacts.

Find out more about Louisiana here.