The Best Staycation in Every State

Lafeyette, Louisiana

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ADDRESS
Lafayette, LA, USA

WEB :Visit website

Lafayette is the cultural epicenter of French-speaking Louisiana, and more than anything, this means you’ll find incredible Cajun food. Treat yourself to the duck and andouille gumbo at Charley G’s, or the slightly more refined crawfish beignets at Cafe Vermilionville. Most gas stations sell world-class boudin, but Earl’s Cajun Market is worth tracking down.

 

Cajuns are outdoor folk, and you can get up close to some of the local wildlife taking swamp tours of nearby Lake Martin in the Cypress Island Reserve. The area boasts more than 200 species of bird and coypu, snakes, and, of course, alligators. The Atchafalaya Basin is also worth exploring and is home to black bears. The Zydeco Music Festival will hopefully return in some form this fall. In the meantime, you can catch live bands in the socially-distanced courtyard at Buck & Johnny’s just outside Lafayette. In season, crawfish boils are everywhere, and you really can’t go wrong when picking a restaurant. —Paul Oswell

Camden, Rockport, and Rockland, Maine

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ADDRESS
Camden, ME, USA

WEB :Visit website

Together, the neighboring small towns of Camden, Rockport, and Rockland in mid-coast Maine offer up a wealth of nature, art and culture, and food and drink to explore.

 

If it’s the great outdoors you seek, hike the 1.1-mile out-and-back trail up Mount Battie in Camden Hill State Park for gorgeous views of Penobscot Bay and the surrounding area; set out from Camden Harbor on a sailing excursion; or spend a day on the slopes at Camden Snow Bowl, the only ski area on the East Coast where you can see the ocean.

 

In downtown Camden’s historic district, you’ll find a number of boutique and antique shops to browse, seafood-centric restaurants (Waterfront and Peter Ott’s on the Water being two local favorites), cafes where you can get your morning joe (The Owl & Turtle Bookshop Cafe is a must), and cozy pubs and taverns for a local craft brew. For those who prefer wine to beer, venture (slightly) further afield to nearby Lincolnville for a $10 tasting of local vino at Cellardoor Winery. Art lovers will want to pay a visit to Rockland’s Farnsworth Art Museum, which boasts one of the largest collections of American paintings by the Wyeths (N.C., Andrew, and Jamie) in the U.S.

 

You’ll find plenty of B&Bs and historic inns in the area, though we recommend Glen Cove Inn for its ultra-comfy rooms and friendly staff. Oh, and if you’re searching for the best lobster roll in Maine, look no further than Rockport’s Graffam Bros. Seafood Market.  —Elizabeth Preske