Let the good times roll! You're in the heart of Cajun country, where the food is plentiful, music and dancing abound and history comes to life. The Cajun people are descended from French-speaking Canadians who settled in this area in the 1700s, and you'll get a real feel for their earlier lifestyle and history at two recreated villages: Vermilionville and Acadian Village. The foot-tapping Cajun music of fiddles, guitars, accordions and drums pervades many bars and restaurants, but for full immersion in Cajun music and culture, you can time your trip for the Festival Internationale de Louisiane (late April) or the Festivals Acadiens (late September), which draw music fans from all over the world. Try crawfish, smothered rabbit or boudin, a Cajun favourite which combines meat or fish with rice and Cajun spices, at the many excellent eateries. The University of Louisiana has a campus here, where students aren't the only residents: alligators can be spotted at Cypress Lake.