Louisiana is more than just crawfish and jambalaya, so I thought I'd point out the things that make Louisiana so great:

1.) Louisiana is a melting pot of cultures.

From French to English to Spanish to African and beyond, this great place is not only a classic southern state, but also possesses its own, unique culture.

2.) The food is unlike any other.

With influences from all over the world, Louisiana is home to some of the nation's best food. My personal favorites are shrimp creole and beignets.

3.) There's more than just New Orleans.

LA is home to so many cities and sites that don't get as much love as the Big Easy. Baton Rouge is home to the LSU Tigers, and St. Francisville has America's Most Haunted Home right in its back yard.

4.) It has fresh seafood pretty much year-round.

For seafood lovers like me, this is a huge deal. Local, fresh shrimp is so important!

5.) It's jam-packed with history!

Seriously, this place has seen the very best and the very worst of American history, and has remarkably kept up many of the buildings and places from these times! From massive antebellum houses, to battle sites, to above-ground cemeteries, Louisiana is packed with history.

6.) It's completely flat!

No huffing and puffing up hills to get to around.

7.) The wildlife is really cool.

Like really cool. This place has highways where you can look over a swamp and see alligators just swimming around. Not to mention the other super cool critters that call LA home: pelicans, black bears, and monster swamp rats.

8.) NOLA.

Ok so yes, obviously Louisiana has a lot more to offer than this massive city, but there's a reason this place is so popular, and why Louisiana is known for it. It's 100% completely unique to any other city in the US, and really deserves a list of its own. The food, jazz music, party scene, history, shopping, art, and culture are all part of what make this city so great. From voodoo shops, to street performers, to the Garden District, to Magazine Street, to the Audubon Park, to the French Quarter, New Orleans is an exciting city like no other.

9.) It's the home of Tabasco Sauce.

Need I say more?

10.) The people are awesome.

Seriously, this place is the epitome of "Southern Hospitality." People know how to make outsiders feel welcome here, and will probably show them all of the things that this state has to offer, which is a darn lot. Thanks for being so cool, Louisianan's.