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If you're looking for the actual River Road, it isn't a single route but rather a region between New Orleans and Baton Rouge (the "upper River Road" extends north past the state capital to St. Francisville and the Louisiana/Mississippi border). Most airlines fly to Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
PLACES TO STAY
Madewood Plantation House DOUBLES FROM $165. 4250 HWY. 308, NAPOLEONVILLE; 800/375-7151 OR 985/369-7151; www.madewood.com
Butler Greenwood Plantation Guests sleep in the old cook's quarters, the renovated kitchen, or one of five whimsical cottages on the grounds. DOUBLES FROM $125. 8345 HWY. 61, ST. FRANCISVILLE; 225/635-6312; www.butlergreenwood.com
BEST VALUE Oak Alley Plantation DOUBLES FROM $115. 3645 HWY. 18, VACHERIE; 800/442-5539 OR 225/265-2151; www.oakalleyplantation.com
Nottoway Plantation DOUBLES FROM $135. 30970 HWY. 405, WHITE CASTLE; 866/527-6884 OR 225/545-2730; www.nottoway.com
Myrtles Plantation The rooms at this 207-year-old cottage may be well-furnished with ghosts (to my disappointment, I slept like a baby) but they are a bit sparse when it comes to creature comforts. DOUBLES FROM $115. 7747 HWY. 61, ST. FRANCISVILLE; 800/809-0565 OR 225/635-6277; www.myrtlesplantation.com
PLACES TO EAT
Lafitte's Landing "He could cook a shoe and make it taste good," a friend told me about chef-owner John Folse. I opted instead for the heavenly soft-shell crab with crawfish tails and corn-bread stuffing. DINNER FOR TWO $80. 404 CLAIBORNE AVE., DONALDSONVILLE; 225/473-1232
The Cabin Hearty Cajun and Creole food in a converted slaves' cabin. DINNER FOR TWO $50. HWY. 22 AT HWY. 44, BURNSIDE; 225/473-3007
PLACES TO VISIT
Laura Plantation This 1805 French-Creole confection is three miles east
of Oak Alley. 2247 HWY. 18, VACHERIE; 888/799-7690 OR 225/265-7690; www.lauraplantation.com
San Francisco Plantation A fantastical steamboat Gothic mansion built in the 1850's. 2646 HWY. 44, GARYVILLE; 888/322-1756 OR 985/535-2341; www.sanfranciscoplantation.org
River Road African American Museum 406 CHARLES ST., DONALDSONVILLE; 225/474-5553; www.africanamericanmuseum.org
Louisiana State Penitentiary Museum Here you can see "Old Sparky" (the electric chair that ended the lives of 87 men and women from 1941 to 1991) as well as inmates' homemade weapons and the script from Dead Man Walking (filmed at the prison). HWY. 66, ANGOLA; 225/655-2592; www.angolamuseum.org
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