National Scenic Byway · Louisiana

Bayou Teche Scenic Byway

A drive along Bayou Teche through Cajun country in St. Martin, Iberia and St. Mary parishes, past live oaks and old towns.

  • Length183.8 miles[1]
  • Drive timeHalf a day to two days as a self-guided tour[1]FHWA's "time to allow"
  • RoadsIncludes Louisiana 31 between St. Martinville and New Iberia[2]
  • Start and endNot verified
  • Fees and passesBring money for entrance fees; many stops are private attractions.[1]
  • Best seasonNot verified
  • SurfaceNot verified
  • Vehicle notesNot verified
  • Seasonal closuresNot verified

Before you go

Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.

Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.

About the drive

Bayou Teche curls through south-central Louisiana, and this byway follows it through St. Martin, Iberia and St. Mary parishes. Louisiana's tourism office points to the stretch of Louisiana 31 between St. Martinville and New Iberia for its huge live oaks and old farm buildings.

Stop in Breaux Bridge for its antique shops, in St. Martinville for the Evangeline Oak and the Acadian Memorial, and in Franklin for its historic houses. The bayou itself is a National Water Trail, and outfitters rent kayaks.

Many attractions are privately run and charge admission. We haven't verified a complete route line for this byway, so the map shows the stops only.

Stops along the way

  1. Breaux Bridge

    Town with antique shops on the bayou.

    Official information · 30.27354, -91.89929

  2. St. Martinville

    Home of the Evangeline Oak and the Acadian Memorial.

    Official information · 30.1252, -91.83345

  3. New Iberia

    Historic downtown at the south end of the Louisiana 31 stretch.

    Official information · 30.00354, -91.81873

  4. Franklin

    Historic district known for its old houses.

    Official information · 29.79605, -91.50151

Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).

Food along the way

Farmers markets within about 25 miles

  • Franklin Farmer's Market300 Willow Street Franklin, LA · about 0.1 mi from the route
  • Tech Area Farmers' Market123 Fulton Street New Iberia, LA · about 0.1 mi from the route
  • Opelousas Farmers' MarketOpelousas, LA · about 4.4 mi from the route
  • St. Landry Farmers Market828 East Landry Street Opelousas, LA · about 4.6 mi from the route
  • Hub City Farmers' MarketLafayette, LA · about 6.7 mi from the route

Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.

Sources

  1. America's Byways: Bayou Teche Scenic Byway (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
  2. Find a Serene Drive Seven Days a Week - Louisiana's Scenic Byways (Louisiana Office of Tourism, archived copy of December 2019) (checked 2026-10-22)
  3. Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.

Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.

Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).

More drives in Louisiana · All scenic drives