As a foodie and restaurant reviewer, I was especially intrigued by this last regional specialty. Pronounced boo-dah, this specialty is a mixture of ground pork, rice, onion, parsley, garlic, and peppers injected into natural casing. Some recipes include liver. While you'd think it would taste fiery hot, boudin is fairly mild, with a creamy texture from the rice. Made by local Cajun, Creole, and German families who protect their secret recipes vigilantly, you can find it in mom-and-pop shops.

The spicy snack can be a bit messy and a little awkward, but a lot delicious. Boudin balls--nugget-sized pieces of the sausage--would be a hit at any party, especially a manly man's party! And did I mention another popular snack--cracklins? If you don't know what cracklins are, well, forget healthy eating and just enjoy.

To explore the Boudin Trail, take Interstate 10 and state highway 90. Stop by the Lake Charles Convention and Visitor's Bureau for addresses and directions, or visit their online directory of restaurants and stores that feature this tasty treat. I guarantee you'll have fun tasting the differences in this culinary delight from one shop to another.

A word of caution, though: Boudin is quite filling and actually seemed to expand in my stomach. After a boudin tour, you'll want to just sit and enjoy the scenery drift by. Time for a drive, especially one that offers the opportunity for some leisurely walks en route....

The Creole Nature Trail became an All-American Road in 2002, a status denoting it as an extraordinarily special National Scenic Byway. To be designated an All-American Road, the drive must be the reason for visitation--a destination unto its self. Certainly the 180-mile loop of untamed wilderness in the bayous, marshlands, and beaches along the Gulf of Mexico, as well as historical buildings, qualifies.

More than 400 species of birds, 28 species of mammals, 35 species of amphibians and reptiles, and literally millions of butterflies await the automotive traveler who ventures down the Creole Nature Trail as it cuts through southern Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes. The official website offers a downloadable interactive map of the Creole Nature Trail and downloadable audio tours of popular stretches along it.

For those traveling without smartphones or laptops, the Lake Charles Visitors Bureau loans out GPS Explorer handheld units. With narration in English, French, Spanish,