A Trip To This Louisiana Island Is Absolutely Necessary This Summer
By Jackie Ann|Published June 19, 2017
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Jackie Ann
Author
Louisiana native and LSU Alum (Geaux Tigers!), Jackie has lived in Louisiana for over three decades and currently lives in New Orleans. She's been writing for OnlyInYourState since 2016 and can often be found with a coffee at her side, dreaming of her next adventure.
People of all ages will love spending a day at Avery Island. The history behind the salt dome is fascinating, and the jungle gardens are simply beautiful, so make sure you bring your camera!
Avery Island is a salt dome in Iberia Parish that’s best known at the home of that famous little red bottle, Tabasco.
They sell everything from food to cooking utensils and clothes.
The last stop on the tour is Restaurant 1868, a casual cafeteria-style restaurant featuring authentic Cajun food seasoned to perfection with Tabasco sauce.
E.A. McIlhenny was fascinated with rare plants, and he imported several varieties of azaleas, Japanese camellias, bamboo, and other species to the island.
After plume hunters slaughtered thousands of egrets in the 1890s to make women’s hats, McIlhenny took in eight baby egrets, raising them in captivity until they were old enough to be released in the fall to migrate across the Gulf of Mexico. The following spring, the birds returned to the island and brought their friends!
The migration continues to this day, with thousands of snowy white egrets and other birds making their annual appearance to Bird City.