Louisiana's Scenic Southern Getaway Has Scrumptious Wine, Stunning Parks, Festivals, And Charm

Situated in St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana's Northshore region, a small community offers the kind of Southern escape that combines laid-back charm, rich area wineries, gardens, and nearby state parks. The town of Bush, Louisiana, is in northeastern St. Tammany Parish, the perfect fall destination brimming with vibrant foliage, festivals, and swamps. The parish provides a lush backdrop for Bush's local wine tastings, seasonal festivals, and a slower rhythm that comes with rural Louisiana.

The town sits along Louisiana Highway 21, just northeast of Covington, a charming Louisiana city with cute cafes and artsy vibes. From Covington, Bush is a convenient 17-mile drive down Highway 21. Flights arrive at the nearest airport, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), which is only around 60 miles away. From New Orleans, it's just under an hour and a half drive across the infamous Lake Pontchartrain via Interstate 10 or the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. Rental cars are readily available from the airport to get to the Northshore.

Once in the small town of Bush, you'll find a community of just over 5,000 residents that serves as a gateway with fewer crowds than the state's more touristy cities. From the streams and cypress swamps of nearby Bogue Chitto State Park to the Bogalusa Blues and Heritage Festival in the neighboring community of Bogalusa, the area provides a taste of Louisiana flavor and tradition. The town's wineries, with spots like Wild Bush Farms and Vineyard, welcome guests for tastings and live events, setting the scene for an unforgettable Northshore experience.

Wine enthusiasts will find Bush's vineyards a highlight of any Northshore visit. Wild Bush Farms and Vineyard, located just west of town, features wines made from local Blanc du Bois grapes. Guests can tour the rows of grapes, enjoy the vineyard's tasting room, and even catch live music on weekends thanks to the vineyard's Jazz'n the Vines concert series. Visitors from out of town can still enjoy Wild Bush Farms wine via their quarterly wine club.

Festivals bring Bush's culture to life throughout the year. Spring and summer weekends are filled with crawfish boils, where Cajun and Creole dishes are cooked on site, and outdoor concerts that run through the summer months. September's Bogalusa Blues and Heritage Festival draws crowds as a widely recognized and awarded Blues festival in the New Orleans region. Neighboring towns like Abita Springs and Covington expand the calendar with city-wide art events, farmers markets, and unique fall live music festivals.

The Northshore is a vibrant region home to some of the world's best seafood, and Bush has its own iconic eatery, the House of Seafood Buffet, though reviews of the restaurant can be mixed. Nearby Abita Springs is an artsy town with some of Louisiana's most mouth-watering restaurants, like Abita Brew Pub, an institution consistently praised for its incredible seafood. Restaurants throughout the region highlight Louisiana's seafood heritage through dishes like catfish étouffée and blackened redfish, each prepared with a homestyle touch only found in the Northshore.

Bush serves as a front row seat to some of the Northshore's most remarkable outdoor experiences, like Bogue Chitto State Park. Just under 27 miles from town, the park spans more than 1,700 acres along one of the area's most popular waterways, the Bogue Chitto River. Visitors can kayak, canoe, or tube through the scenic waterways, ride horseback or mountain bike along the 14 miles of trails, and even visit a sandstone cave. 

Horseback riding enthusiasts have even more options in the Northshore. In Bush, Splendor Farms is not only a premier horseback riding facility, but also a quaint bed and breakfast with plenty of additional outdoor activities. The farm offers trail rides of up to an hour and a half through an array of terrain on the property for just $65. Splendor Farms also provides riding lessons, arena rides, and riding camps. Accommodations at the farm range from quaint bed and breakfast suites to a guest cottage beginning at $240 per night.

For a slower pace, Bush's North House Home and Gardens is a quiet retreat with eight lush gardens and a stunning Southern home. North House Home and Gardens also offers tours of the property, gardens, and seasonal events and light shows. The outdoor adventure in and around Bush pairs seamlessly with the charming community. Whether you're tubing down the Bogue Chitto, exploring the area's vineyards, or enjoying a Cajun festival, there's no doubt the town offers an incomparable Northshore escape.