Things to See and Do Near a Stuckey’s: Opelousas, Louisiana

The city of Opelousas bills itself as “Perfectly Seasoned” and, indeed, any time of year is the perfect time of year to visit this central Louisiana city steeped in history and full of flavorful tradition.

Named after the local Opelousas Indian tribe, the city was founded by French “Courier de Bois” (meaning “runner of the woods,” or hunters and trappers) in 1720 as the trading post “le Poste des Opelousas”.

The community fast became a center of trade and commerce and, of course, a blend of its own culture which eventually led to it becoming the capital of Zydeco music. Cajun and Swamp Pop complete their musical heritage creating a unique sound not found anywhere else in the world.

And, surely, you can’t talk about Opelousas without mentioning the Cajun cuisine of the city.  The ingredients that are found in the flavorful Cajun and Creole roux, boudin, and gumbo are the stuff of legends and come from right here in Opelousas. It is this unique blend of seasonings that gives Opelousas its warmth and character that adds to the rich culture of the Acadiana region.

The Stuckey’s of Opelousas is actually part of a multitude of stores located in the Quarters Casino and Truck Stop just off of I-49 north of Opelousas. And whether you’re trucking, road tripping or taking a family vacation through this part of the Pelican State, be sure this Stuckey’s has all of your favorite road trip snacks you need for the journey ahead.

So, once you’ve stocked up on your Stuckey’s Pecan Log Rolls, Pecan Pralines and other road trip treats, check out these things to see and do near the Stuckey’s in Opelousas.

Take it Easy, Rider / Morganza, LA

In 1968, three bikers rode into Melancon’s Café in Morganza, Louisiana, looking for a bite to eat. The local men didn’t take to kindly to the long haired strangers, but the local girls seemed to like them just fine. In fact, the event was so memorable, that after Melancon’s Café was torn down in 2002, local citizens installed a granite marker in 2010 to commemorate the time Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson, and Peter Fonda came into town and flirted with the local girls – all part of a scene for the film 1968 film “Easy Rider”. The marker reads:

“Former site of Melancon’s Cafe
1968 filming of the movie Easy Rider
Featuring: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson

Local stars: Buddy Causey Jr., Blaze Dawson
Cynthia Grezaffi, P.J. Guedry Jr., Elida Ann Hebert,
Mary Kaye Hebert, Arnold Hess Jr., Duffy Lafont,
Rose Leblanc, Colette Purpera, Susie Ramagos, Hayward Robilliard”

As you can see, not only does the plaque recognize the three famous actors, but it also honors the Morganza locals who played a part in the iconic film.

Frog Capital of the World / Rayne, LA

How is it that a town gets dubbed the Frog Capital of the World? Well, for Rayne, Louisiana, it actually started back in the 1880 when local gourmet chef Donat Pucheu started selling succulent, mouth-watering bullfrogs to restaurants in New Orleans. When word of the delicious bullfrogs got around to the French Weil Brothers, they saw just how profitable exporting frogs to distinguished restaurant like Sardi’s in New York. As a result, it quickly put the little town on the map because only the best frog legs came from Rayne, Louisiana.  Thus, it became known as the “Frog Capital of the World”.

Though Rayne no longer imports frogs, they still embrace the title as witnessed by the city’s annual Frog Festival, held every Labor Day Weekend since 1946. The festival’s highlight is the Frog Derby, where the prettiest women in town dress up frogs in jockey uniforms and race them. There’s also  a lot of art that pays homage to our little amphibian friends like the many giant wall murals by artist Robert Dafford and the giant metal frog statue out alongside I-10 that welcomes visitors to the area.

Where Crawfish is King / Breaux Bridge, LA

Frogs might rule in Rayne, but crawfish are the kings of Louisiana’s cuisine. Nowhere does this seem more evident than in Breaux Bridge where there are more than a dozen restaurants serving every Cajun and Creole’s favorite crustacean. You’ll also find a giant selfie-worthy crawfish statue here. And if your road trips take you through Breaux Bridge in May, stop by the annual Crawfish Festival for some great food, fun, and music – and of course all things crawfish.

Animatronic Swamp Puppet Show / Breaux Bridge, LA

There’s nothing like a fun (and safe) mechanical puppet show to educate and entertain (edutain?) both kids and adults. The raccoons, turtles, and other swamp creatures of the free animatronic swamp show located at Atchafalaya Basin Welcome Center just outside of Breaux Bridge at the I-10 rest area. Of course, you can also explore the real swamp while you’re there as well.

Louisiana Swamp Pop Museum / Ville Platte, LA

Another Louisiana “Capital” is Ville Platte – the Swamp Pop Capital of the World.  Swamp Pop is a genre of music born out of a local interpretation of rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, country and French Louisiana musical influences of the 1950s and early 1960s. As you can imagine, Ville Platte is where you’ll find the Louisiana Swamp Pop Museum. Located in a former train depot, the museum is dedicated to the musical genre’s rich history where you can view stage costumes, photos, records, a wall of fame of autographs and more rare Swamp Pop collectibles. You’ll also see large charts and maps that present swamp pop’s stories and travels around the world.

So there you have some of the interesting and quirky things to see and do around the Stuckey’s in Opelousas, Louisiana.

Whether you’re planning to road trip through Louisiana and craving Stuckey’s Pecan Log Rolls or you’re looking for some extra-special treats for your neighborhood trick-or-treaters, you can order all of your favorite road trip snacks and Halloween treats today from www.stuckeys.com.

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