‘The Lafourche’ daytime cruises return to Bayou Lafourche

Cooler temperatures and rising water levels can mean only one thing in south Louisiana: The return of twice weekly boat trips on The Lafourche.

The rangers at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve hold the special bayou voyages each fall from Thibodaux. Trips are made, weather permitting, through mid-December.

The traditional Louisiana boat, The Lafourche, makes its run along the bayou from Madewood Plantation. A short trip is available once a week to the E.D. White Historic Site.

As the boat makes its way down Bayou Lafourche, also known as the “World’s Longest Street, a National Park Service ranger shares stories about the region’s rich cultural heritage and natural history.

Because The Lafourche seats only 18 people, reservations are recommended. On Sundays and Mondays, cruises launch to Madewood Plantation at 10 a.m. and return at 2 p.m. The trip costs $28 and includes lunch in the formal dining room and a tour of the renovated historic plantation. Saturdays cruise to E.D. White Historic Site launches at 10 a.m. and returns at noon. The trip costs $10 and includes a guided walk through the home of the former U.S. Supreme Court chief justice.

The Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center is managed by the National Park Service as part of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. The exhibits, programs and events are designed to interpret the culture of Acadians and other settlers along south Louisiana’s bayous. Regularly-schedule walking tours and cruises on The Lafourche are intended to share local history with visitors to the center.

The Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center is open Monday from 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. To make reservations, call (985) 448-1375 or visit www.nps.gov/jela for more information.