Travel

Jefferson Parish Convention & Visitors Bureau

http://www.neworleansgateway.com

Jefferson Parish begins on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain and ends sixty miles later on the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. Within its boundaries you'll can find two convention centers, fine restaurants, historic districts, museums and over 7,200 hotel rooms in all price ranges.

The Gulf of Mexico is accessible via bayous and canals. Once frequented by Jean Lafitte - a pirate to his detractors but a brave buccaneer to his admirers - who made his headquarters in the small town of Jean Lafitte, today these waterways are more frequented by those enjoying outdoor activities and wildlife.

The settlement of Jefferson Parish dates back to the 1600's, as seen in excavations within the boundaries of the Barataria Preserve of Jean Lafitte's National Park. Native American tribes, including ancestors of the area's Houma Indians, were found throughout Jefferson. French colonists began farming, soon joined by Spaniards, Germans, Africans and settlers from the Canary Islands. Later groups included Acadians (Cajuns) resettling from elsewhere in Louisiana, as well as Italians, Chinese and later Hispanic and Vietnamese immigrants as well. Today, Jefferson can claim kinship throughout the world.

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