Avery Island

Avery Island is not really an island. It is a salt dome rising from the marshes of south Louisiana, and it has been home to the McIlhenny family and Tabasco pepper sauce since the 1860s. A day here is a classic Cajun Country excursion: you can see how the famous sauce is made, taste it in the country store and then drive through Jungle Gardens, a 170-acre subtropical garden planted by a member of the family, filled with live oaks, bamboo, camellias, lagoons and wildlife. The self-guided format lets you set the pace, which suits travelers who dislike fixed tour times. The Tabasco side includes the history of the sauce, a view of the barrel aging and production areas and a store full of sauces, snacks and gifts, with free tastes to sample. The Jungle Gardens add a peaceful contrast, including an egret rookery in nesting season and a Buddha statue that has become one of the island's best-known sights.

Wildlife is a big part of the appeal. Alligators sun themselves in the water, herons and egrets perch in the trees and deer sometimes cross the road. Drive slowly, stay in your vehicle where required and bring binoculars. Spring is lovely, but the gardens are attractive in every season, and winter offers mild weather and good bird watching.

From Baton Rouge, the drive takes roughly an hour and forty-five minutes to two hours, so start early. Many visitors combine Avery Island with a swamp tour or lunch in Breaux Bridge or Lafayette. Check the hours of the factory tour and the gardens ahead of time, since both may differ by season and closures can occur around holidays. Admission is modest compared with many day-trip attractions.

Food-minded travelers will want to leave room for lunch. The island has a restaurant that cooks with Tabasco, and the surrounding area is full of Cajun kitchens serving boudin, gumbo and fried seafood. Families love the combination of sauce tasting and wildlife viewing. If heat is a concern, schedule your visit for the morning and finish in the shade of the country store. It makes a fine stop on a longer loop through Cajun Country that includes the Atchafalaya Basin and Breaux Bridge.

A few suggestions help you plan. Check the hours for each part of the island before you set out, because the factory area, the country store and the gardens may keep different schedules, and arrive early to beat both heat and crowds. In the gardens, drive slowly with windows down in cooler weather and watch for turtles, alligators, deer and birds.

The Buddha statue and the egret rookery are favorite stops, though the rookery is most active in the nesting season. Bring cash for small purchases, and leave room in your bag for bottles of sauce and other treats from the store; many visitors say the free tastings are the most fun part of the stop.

If you plan to continue to a swamp tour or a Cajun lunch, keep an eye on the clock, because the drive back to Baton Rouge takes roughly two hours. Remember that this is a working island with private property and wildlife, so follow posted signs, keep speeds low and treat the grounds with the care you would give a neighbor's garden.