La. Travels: Hop on over to New Iberia to look for azaleas, Easter eggs | Travel

Spring’s a great time to hop in the car and head to Iberia Parish for the day.

The azaleas are in bloom, probably until the month’s end, and the Iberia Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau makes it easy to find the flowers with its self-guided driving tour map of the parish’s official Azalea Trail. Download the map at iberiatravel.com or pick up a copy at the bureau’s office, 2513 La. 14 in New Iberia, where you can also start your tour.

Other spots to catch the beautiful blooms include Shadows-on-the-Teche, McIlhenny Co., Jeanerette Museum, Konriko Rice Mill, Antique Rose Ville, Avery Island’s Jungle Gardens and Bird City and Rip Van Winkle Gardens.

“Stroll Iberia’s attractions and New Iberia’s award-winning Main Street, where azaleas frame moss-draped oak trees, stately homes and quaint cottages along Bayou Teche,” a bureau news release says.

For more info, call (337) 365-1540 or go to iberiatravel.com. 

Also, the Shadows Wine Walk is planned from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 27, at the museum, 317 E. Main St. in New Iberia.

“Spend an afternoon tasting wines from ‘West of the Teche’ and expertly chosen pairings by eight volunteer table hosts, while strolling through the beautiful Shadows gardens as live music plays in the background,” as the bureau describes it.

For more info, call (337) 369-6446 or visit shadowsontheteche.org.

And while visiting New Iberia, keep an eye out for giant cardboard Easter eggs “hidden” at local businesses taking part in “A Berry Sweet Easter Egg Hunt.”   

The Frosted Apron and Bayou Traditions are presenting the fun event. Riddles about each participating business will be posted on The Frosted Apron’s Facebook and Instagram pages at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

Players need to solve the riddles to figure out which local businesses are joining in the fun, and visit them during their hours of operation through Sunday, March 28.

When you spot an egg, let a store employee know so you can receive some candy (while supplies last).

No purchase is necessary to participate in the riddle solving and hunt, but every $15 players spend at the businesses will give them a chance to win an Eggs-Treme Easter Basket filled with items from each participating business, as well as a few of the sponsors, the release says. Other sponsors include Advantage Movers, Sir Speedy and National Welding Supply.

For more information, call Stacey Dempsey, of The Frosted Apron, at (337) 201-1952, email [email protected] or visit the event’s page on Facebook.

Fall trips for seniors

COVID restrictions have further delayed two Louisiana Travelers’ bus trips planned for 2021.

Here are the new dates and information:

• Sept. 10-20 — Mount Rushmore. A trip meeting will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 18, at the Bluebonnet Regional Branch Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge.
• Oct. 25-30 — Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. A trip meeting will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26, at the Bluebonnet library.

Travelers must have received their COVID vaccines and must bring their vaccine cards to the meetings. They’ll also need to sign a COVID release form.

Spots are still available for both trips. For more info or to reserve a space, call Leslie Tassin at (225) 769-5872.