Covington, Louisiana

Covington is a hidden-in-plain-sight bonanza of food and fun–Louisiana-style. Giant oaks shade Victorian neighborhoods nestled along the banks of the placid Bogue Falaya River. A few miles south is vast Lake Pontchartrain, with New Orleans on the far shore. Dense forests and abundant water led to settlement in 1813 and prosperity as a health and recreation destination until after the Civil War. When railroads supplanted steamboats, the town became a backwater.

Hurricane Katrina took its toll in 2005, causing physical and emotional damage to Covington and swelling its population beyond the road system’s capacity. The area has retained its charms–exotic bayous, luxuriant piney woods, fresh air, mild winters, and food. Louisiana cuisine from fresh local seafood and produce and soul-stirring sauces, bolster one of America’s distinctive concentrations of gourmet restaurants. Restored Victorian buildings house an array of culinary showplaces, galleries, specialty and antique stores. In marked contrast, distinctive lodgings are scarce.

For more information, check with the local Chamber of Commerce.