General Info

The parish seat, Lafayette (population 110,257), is the fourth largest city in Louisiana and the largest municipality in Lafayette Parish (population 190,503). Located in south central Louisiana, Lafayette sits on the Vermilion River. It is a commercial, shipping, and medical center for the area. The city has a colorful Cajun atmosphere.

Weather

Lafayette has a humid, sub-tropical climate with long, hot summers and short, cold winters. The average daily temperature is 81.9 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and 51.9 degrees in winter. Average yearly rainfall is 57 inches. Even with the large amount of rain, there is still an average of 214 days of sunshine every year!

Getting Here

Lafayette, Louisiana is 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, 50 miles west of Baton Rouge and 129 miles west of New Orleans, 586 miles from Atlanta, GA and 402 miles from Dallas, TX. Neighboring parishes to Lafayette Parish are: St. Martin Parish and St. Mary Parish on the east, St. Landry Parish to the north, Vermilion Parish on the south and Acadia Parish on the west.

Accommodations

The Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission can help with all of your visitor needs. Festival International de Louisiane's Official Hotel is Days Inn, and Official Rental Car Company is Enterprise Rent-A-Car.