Vermilionville Historic Village

We had a very interesting visit to this living history village with live demonstrations and information given at various houses by volunteers in costume. As a bonus, we were there on Sunday and got to listen to the Zydeco band playing. Everyone was having so much fun dancing! The gumbo at the on site restaurant was tasty (unfortunately, we were too late to the buffet brunch). Definitely worth a stop!!

Fabulous introduction to Life in south Louisiana. Excellent docents, artifacts, and architecture. Very enjoyable. A self-guided tour takes one and a half to 3 hours, and there is a restaurant on site that serves a very nice meal, at a reasonable price. Would be great for kids in school groups

Interesting. Wish there were more interpreters. Only one actually told of history and it was a young man at the forge barn. The music jam was really neat. The food at the restaurant was good especially the gumbo and bread pudding.

This was such a nice place to visit. There were a lot of buildings to visit and a lot to see. The gift shop was filled with really great local artist merchandise.

Great recreation of a plausible Cajun village from back in the day. Some reenactors were very knowledgeable in the history and challenges faced by the Acadian French Canadians kicked out of Nova Scotia (Acadia) as they sought refuge from bigotry and persecution as they migrated down the east coast searching for acceptance and freedom. They landed in fairly inhospitable surroundings but we're accepted by others also seeking free expression of their culture. From freezing cold winters to near tropical heat and humidity the Acadians adapted and made the best of what they could. Later the term Acadian morphed into Cajun.

Vermillionville was great! Very friendly staff, even the cats. There was a lot of information and things to see. There were so many houses, filled with history. We could have spent a lot more time there, if we had had it. My favorite part was meeting Mike. He was extremely informative and told us a lot of incredible historical facts. He definitely has a passion for it. I really do wish we had more time to listen to him. So if you go, keep an eye for him if you want to learn more. He also takes care of the feral cat colony that helps with keeping venomous snakes and vermin away. I hope to go back someday. They have a lot of really cool things to see. They even have a quilter and loomer. The restaurant there is also very good! Definitely plenty to see and wonderful people there. The only thing that really sucked was hearing about how awful and destructive some of their visitors are. If you go, be respectful. It's all a museum and they want it to be around for a very long time.

Wow, I underestimated the size of this place! We got here around 2 pm and only got to see part of the village before closing time. Jeremy was working in the gift shop and was wonderful and gracious. There are several REAL authentic homes to tour with period accurate characters that work and answer questions about the history. The restaurant was closing when we arrived but I heard good things about it. Plan to spend all day here.

It was probably the best time I’ve had in a long time! The boat tour was so much fun! We did see some alligators but they were so quick to sink down. We saw several beautiful flowers and birds! The fish were jumping, the bugs were swimming, it was teaming with so much life! Now let’s talk about the restaurant… the atmosphere was amazing. We were seated in the back window area where you can see the river and the next boat tour passing by. The food? DIVINE! I already made a review about it but my some who’s autistic and doesn’t rave about food, raved about this and said it could compete with me and kick me out the water lol. We toured leisurely and even though the heat was something else, it didn’t stop us from enjoying our learning of our history and the trials we had to endure. Will be back again next month with a friend and her son!

If you're asking yourself is it worth it to spend a few hours at Vermilionvile, the answer is 100% yes. With only 15 minutes to spare before lunch ended in their restaurant, my husband and I ordered their special lunch as takeaway. The meal was by far the best food I've had in Louisiana. The wholesome meal for $15 included chicken and sausage gumbo, spicy meatballs in delicious rice, with caramelized praline bread pudding and iced tea. What a deal!! The food was outstanding! I have never had rice that tasted soooooooo good. The staff member, Chantelle, was delightful. The historic portion of Vermilionvile has a mixture of restored historic houses and replicas, with assorted local staff members (from historians to local Cajuns) in period attire educating about their history and background. Kevin plays the accordion remarkably well! Wow!!! Vermilionville seems to be the Plymouth Rock for tourists from France and Quebec- which is awesome! Great vibes! For those with sensitive energy...Some of the historic houses retain their energy. Be advised. Highly recommend Vermilionville! Protip: you'll need at LEAST 2 hrs to explore, ideally more.

Friendly staff and nice atmosphere. Food preparation and serving was a little slow. Gumbo and jambalaya was very good with a very slight kick to it. I will definitely be back.

Pretty village of re-located authentic houses. Not placed in the proximity they would have been historically but well preserved. Knowledgeable staff. Associated with LARC.

What an amazing spot! I have been wanting to come for quite some time now, but haven't had the time. I am so glad I did. Make sure you give yourself a few hours to explore everything as there is just so much to see. There are handicap ramps to most everything. The water life exhibit was closed when I went, but that's ok. I look forward to coming back with friends. All of the employees were friendly and helpful. There were people at most of the spots to explain what was going on. This was just great and well worth the time to stop in and look around.

We love historic homes and townsites. The restoration of these buildings and the presentation of the way of early Acadian life was outstanding. They had good docents on site who were helpful, informative, and entertaining. After touring the buildings, we had a great tradional Cajun lunch. Everything was exceptional including our server Sarah. This is a must-see when visiting Cajun country.

My husband, eight year old son, and I really enjoyed our time at Vermilionville! We ate lunch at the restaurant, enjoyed the Cajun musician's jam session, and visited all of the structures including my sixth great-uncle's home. The guides were great especially John Reese who I turned out to be related to, but in Louisiana aren't we all related? My Cajun grandmother told me over and over again that we were!

So Sarah is overworked and underpaid. But she gives great service. This is Cajun home cooking. Today we had Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Grits and Grillades, Corn Nuggets and finished with Pecan Cobbler. Outstanding. Highly Recommend!

Well worth a visit. I would also recommend going to the National Parks Service Cajun center one driveway over ( free!) which is a well made presentation of Acadian history culture etc. The film we saw there's was quite moving.

I am sure not many people know that Vermillionville has a restaurant but it does!!! We were greeted by a friendly hostess who told us about the daily lunch special. My friend and I decided to go with the baked fish and seafood pasta. It came with a delicious warm biscuit that was made from scratch. We also had a side of gumbo and salad. The baked fish was seasoned perfectly and the cheesy pasta was filled with shrimp. I seriously could not get enough of this meal to the point where I finished the entire plate. We even got some to go bread pudding and chocolate cake. The atmosphere is great. You can enjoy the scenery with outside dining if you would like. I am known to not revisit places due to my excitement for novelty but I will definitely be back soon!!!.

Such a lovely place it really is like stepping into another century. Lots of beautiful houses and La Cuisine de Maman is a nice venue to have a celebration.

Absolutely amazing flavors for what I thought would be ordinary food! We ordered the daily special of Roasted Turkey, mashed potatoes w/ gravy and green bean casserole. The turkey was SO moist and juicy, the gravy SO flavorful and the green bean casserole was not ordinary at all! It came with a homemade biscuit (yummy too) and we ordered the bread pudding for dessert. The dessert was terrific! The restaurant is in a historical house located in Vermilion Village. Not sure if one has to pay the entry fee of $10/adult, $8/Sr citizen to eat at the restaurant. The village has historic buildings that explains life and trades from the 1765-1890 Era in Lafayette. Prices for lunch special was $12.95 so a great value. Does not include dessert. DO THIS!

Oh man, if I were a tourist, this is where I'd go for a lovely Cajun experience. Friday's dinner was seafood pasta, baked fish, buttered corn and scratch made biscuit + gumbo or salad + dessert for 11.95!!! And every bit of it was DELICIOUS. Having this in a quaint "old Louisiana style" house/building in Vermillionville surrounded by beautiful trees and scenery is an experience. Would make my day to have brunch here. 1000% recommend!

Awesome food and real great Gumbo. I had the shrimp my wife had the Chicken and also had the Bread pudding. its a nice place to killthe morning in the village and then eat lunch. We recomend it ....

Absolutely wonderful place to meet and greet. Wonderful atmosphere and the food is delicious. The service is second to none. Definitely recommend this restaurant for any occasion. The location is great as well. There is a small bar area if you just want to have drinks and bar snacks.

First time dining experience at La Cuisine De Maman. Greeted by Gracie who deserved five stars before meal started. Seafood gumbo cup & side order fried shrimp under $9.50! Warm hello Greeted by Mr. Mike, a side cook. Return? Of course with family & friends. Music tooMenu printed in English & Creole/Cajun. Jeanne & Karen beautiful ladies enjoying the day.

Vermilionville is what you would call a "living museum". If you don't have time to tap your toes to a homegrown Zydeco band in Lafayette, then this will probably give you the next best thing... a pretty accurate rendering of the area's uniquely Cajun/Creole heritage in its recreation of Acadian life from 1765 to 1890. The details are exacting, as the grounds are laid out as an historic village with eighteen structures including six restored original homes. One can either appreciate the effort toward authenticity or simply whine about the experience as a reminder of that kindergarten field trip where you were reprimanded for your lack of self-control. For the $8 admission fee, you can tour the grounds yourself and meet costumed craftspeople who act in character. The colorful man in the suspenders in the schoolhouse even plays the concertina as he shares the history of the building and education among the Acadians (see photo). There's a locally acclaimed restaurant and a big social hall where they do hold concerts and dances. Both these features made me and Jamie W. think that Vermilionville is probably best enjoyed during a celebratory event like the upcoming Bayou Vermilionville Festival on October 3. Otherwise go at your own risk. Even the craftspeople looked bored to be there on a non-festival day.

Delicious food typical of south Louisiana presented as home style family mealsalso the venues:musical or regional, like the Native Americans representing their tribe and wares once a month

Was a fantastic day for the whole family. We spent much of a day at Vermilionville while staying in Lafayette for a few days. The buildings and history were awesome, but the best part by far was the conversations we had with historians on-site. Their insights and explanation of the history Louisiana, Acadians, Creoles and Cajuns was mesmerizing by the whole family. Definitely one of the highlights of our trip and highly recommended for folks exploring Lafayette and LA history.

This is a perfect family place, but you do not need kids to have a reason to go. Just go! We started off our tour in the beautiful, restored barn. There was a fantastic zydeco band playing music and the wood dance floor held some really impressive dancers. The tour of the homes, black smithery, and gardens were like taking a step back in time. There's even a cute ferry that you can "hand pull" with a rope across Petit Bayou. The whole family got a kick out of that. I highly recommend Vermilionville as it was one of the high points of our great trip to Lafayette.

One of the tourist options to do in Lafayette, Louisiana is to check out Vermillion. I saw this entry on tripadvisor before arriving and thought it would be neat to see some of the early Cajun settlers and how they managed to live in southwest Louisiana between 1750's to the turn of the century. Its kind of similar to the Mission Houses Museum or the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii, but its in Louisiana. There is admission of $10 and the self guided walking tour takes about 2 hours or less if you are into the history. One of the hidden gems to do with your time in Lafayette, besides eating Cajun cuisine for sure. They have a gift shop upon entering and they accept credit cards, so that's awesome - obviously. Vermillion is a collection of either original homes or replicas of homes that belong to the original Cajun settlers to this region of Louisiana. I've learned that the Cajun followers were basically from Europe, whom immigrated to Canada in Nova Scotia, but they got kicked out and relocated to present day Lafayette just so that they can practice their brand of religion in peace. I've learned from a friend that the Acadian village is similar, so I didn't go and see that on this trip. Vermillion is located pretty close to the Lafayette regional airport and has its own private parking lot. The parking lot was kind of full, especially on a weekday afternoon, so that was pretty cool. Its a piece of history that Lafayette is proud of. The houses here are pretty interesting. A lot of them are vintage and in their original foundation, while others are replicas, but with the original accessories inside. There's also volunteers who dress in period clothing to enhance the experience and to showcase what people really did back then. It was really cool to see these things in real life rather than reading it in a history book and imagine it. This is school stuff come to life. I'm an aficionado of history and the arts, so this is a treat for me. The experience here was great and well worth the price of admission. My friend and I came here and we took a few photos with the volunteers - the duck carving guy, the accordion playing guy in the school house, and the wool spinner lady - to name a few. Thought that these volunteers make the visit so much better and the history just comes to life. The experience was great and encourage you to come and see this, if you are ever in the area. There's also a small cemetery & barn on property. Didn't eat at the restaurant. Just wanted to see the museum. Support local! A

I can't really review the museum or park, although I can tell you that the view of the park grounds in the dining room was pretty awesome. In the back of the restaurant there is a room that gives you a great view of the park/water that did enhance my lunch experience. The cuisine itself is typical of what you would find in the area (Cajun and Creole), which is good - I would expect that since the restaurant is an a park called Vermillionville. Bayou Vermillion is where Acadians and Creoles settled between the mid 1700's until late 1800's. No I didn't take the tour, but my waiter was nice enough to fill me in. Ok, on the the food! I just came in for a quick lunch, so the Catfish PoBoy with Sweet Potato Fries was my selection. Although, if I were hungrier the Baked Potato with Shrimp or Crawfish Étouffée sounded really good. I know, I repeat myself... Sorry, but this fact holds true in this case. There is something awesome about a simple sandwich done well. My PoBoy was about as basic as you could get - French Bread, Tomato, Lettuce, Catfish and a little Mayo. It was really great - big portion of lightly fried catfish nuggets that didn't have that "muddy" taste, Soft French bread that held the sandwich well and simple toppings. Personally, I like to add a little heat, so I gave my PoBoy a splash of Louisiana Hot Sauce. So I do need to tell you about the Sweet Potato Fries. They were perfectly fried and you could tell these baby's weren't frozen. They were also lightly dusted with Brown Sugar, which was a pleasant and delicious surprise. All and all, it was a get quick lunch. I just wish I had some more time to check out the park and the museum.

I didn't get the chance to go through the museum but a local told us we had to go to Cuisine de Maman which is the small restaurant on the property. I'm so glad we went! During the week they have amazing plate lunches that make you weep they're so good and authentic. We had a sausage gumbo that was just like my grandmother used to make (who was from baton rouge) and it was AMAZING. We also had some great chicken, sweet carrots, rice with gravy, and the most buttery delicious biscuit in the history of biscuits. To top it all off we had bread pudding which I loved! I got ALLLLLLLLL that for only about $5. CRAZY cheap and so good. I wished we had more time to spend because I heard they have a cooking school on site and I would have loved to learn their secrets and bring them home to my hubby to share!

Such knowledgeable staff I am so impressed If you want history. This is the place

Now, I'm no native French speaker, but I know enough to be able to say that any restaurant that bares a name en Francais should at least uphold a minimum standard of food preparation, and pay homage to the traditions of a food culture that is so obsessed with perfection. Walking around Vermilionville, we toured traditional Acadian Kitchens, and walked through gardens of herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Walking up the ramp of La Cuisine de Maman, I was excited to experience a restaurant that celebrated this tradition. It could not have been more emblematic of present day processed food. My wife ordered the daily special, which was displayed on the massive chalk board outside: "Cabbage Rolls, Sweet Peas, Sweet Corn, Mashed Potatoes". What she received was CANNED Peas, CANNED Corn, POWDERED Potatoes, and Cabbage Rolls smothered in CANNED tomato sauce that Chef Boyardee would be proud of. She barely ate any of it, and the manager removed it from the bill. Regardless, I would be ashamed to serve such processed and soulless products to my clients, never mind feature it as a daily special. Vermilionville, cuisine is a celebrated aspect of Cajun and Creole culture. Your restaurant could not be any further from it! Food aside, the staff and decor were friendly and enjoyable.

Do not miss if you're in town for the first time! The tour is supposed to take you an hour and a half, but budget at least 2, because there's so much to see, read, take pictures of, and so many friendly artisans to speak to, that the time will pass by without you noticing! Great place to get introduced to Cajun Country and its history!

The overall experience of vermillionville left much to be desired. The old Acadian homes were enjoyable to view but the place is just sleepy. It would be great if they had the employees working as opposed to just speaking... Be working at the blacksmith, washing clothes, cooking etc. The restaurant was a swing and a miss. The "special" consisted of canned peas and corn, powdered potatoes and cabbage roll that was clearly pre packaged. The manager made it right by taking it off the check but I don't understand why a place based on tradition would completely regress to serving packaged food. All and all an okay place to visit if looking to learn more about the Acadian culture but the management could certainly improve upon it and make the experience that much more enjoyable.

Stopped in for lunch while we waited for a guided tour to start. 3 adults and 5 kids - lunch was excellent! Children's menu included pp&j, grilled cheese and grilled ham and cheese. I had cup of shrimp etouffe and red beans with sausage and rice. Both exceptional! Gumbo was good as well. Super friendly staff, Hailey or server was so friendly and checked on us often. Will be back

Recently went to Vermillionville and it was a very big let down for me. I was looking for someplace to shoot some photos. Looked around from parking lot and quickly left instead of wasting time.

To be perfectly honest, I have only been to Vermilionville twice. Once when I was very young and the last time, 4 years ago, when I got married there. My husband and I are one of many couples that get married at Vermilionville every year. It's a great place to have a wedding because you can have the ceremony in the chapel and the reception at the hall on the grounds just a hundred yards away. They have a coordinator who takes care of guest direction and services traffic on the day of the wedding and they set up the reception hall to your preference and take care of catering for you. I now live in Texas so for me it was a destination wedding and I wanted to get married in the town I was born and raised in. I think it's a very quaint place for a wedding and since you get the park all to yourself after hours your guests can walk the grounds with no other tourists.

$4.95 for a big plate of smoked sausage and chicken jambalaya. It looked good. It smelt good. It was a touch heavy on the salt but not at all overwhelming. Where's the catch? I saw none. How do they do this? It's cheaper than eating at McDonalds! Beautiful airy space to sit in, wooden floors, big windows overlooking big trees blowing in the wind. Server was friendly as anything. No admission fees to go to the restaurant - Cuisine de maman. Village? I didn't explore. I heard from my local friends that it's like Cajun disneyland... but that's their review to write.

Unfortunately my worst lunch experience ever...read on if you dare. I arrived around 12:45, sat down, glanced at the menu, closed it and started doing work on my phone. It took about 15 minutes until someone took my order. I ordered the brisket po-boy and chicken and sausage jumbalaya. I wait for 40 minutes. Ask the waitress where my food is and she says they ran out and had to make it from scratch. Fine, I have to be back at work at 1 so I get my stuff to go. 20 minutes go by, still nothing. I'm now late back to work. Waitress comes by and explains my jumbalaya is done but the po-boy is not. I start wondering if "from scratch" included butchering the cow too. I paid for my food and twiddled my thumbs for a few more minutes. Finally I get my food, and drive back to my office. The po-boy had 4 bacon thin slices of brisket with a soggy bacon consistency. The only flavor was the sweet BBQ sauce, which actually wasn't all that bad. The bread was average, I could have compared it to a white loaf at Subway's. The sweet potatoe fries were decent. The Chicken and Sausage jumbalaya was over salted but very flavorful with a nice spicy kick at the end. The best part of the meal. I really wanted this place to be good...unfortunately the nonresponsive staff, slow kitchen and poor to average food will keep me away from now on.

I went for Sunday Brunch and the wait staff was so slow and forgetful. We ordered off the menu and had to get up to get a folk and napkin because it was never brought to us after asking 3 different employees. After 10 minutes at the cash register to pay, we left the money and walked out. It was not that busy of a place to have such poor service.

Very good sunday buffet. Sides and dessert are included in tge price. $10.95 nice family atmosphere for the whole family.

Easily 5 stars! Sunday buffet had meatloaf, fried chicken, biscuits, mustard greens, salad, potato salad, okra, ribs, gumbo. All Good! my favs: gumbo and meatloaf, hubby's favs: gumbo, okra. Best bread pudding!

We were there on a day that was pretty deserted (Christmas week), and the curator apologized before we even entered the park about the lack of artisan volunteers on hand, but even though, it's a very nice place. I took my wife and in-laws to educate them about the history of where I grew up, and for that, I think was pretty productive. The artisans that were on hand were very passionate and informative, and the homes are all beautifully restored. We didn't eat at the restaurant, but have heard good things from local family. I kept imagining how beautiful this place would be for a wedding venue. If you're into historical/ education tourism, have never been to this region, or have friends or family from out of town that you'd like to enlighten about the history and culture of Acadiana, then you should definitely check out Vermilionville.

I am a photographer on the weekends and often visit this place to photograph people. They keep the culture alive by hosting educational events and also have live music. They also have a cafe. A great place to experience the culture, leaves a lasting impression!

What a great way to learn some Acadian and Creole history! We are lunch at their buffet and found some new dishes that we can't wait to try again. The scenery wss beautiful and the staff was knowledgeable and helpful. Definitely recommend anyone going through Lafayette to stop here for a little culture!

You ever make it out to Lafayette and you want the real deal head over to Vermilionville. Some of the best Cajun cooking I have ever had: Shrimp Etouffee, Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice. Ooo-weee! Nice outdoor atmosphere as well at least in the spring. Friendly and attentive service!

Enjoyed lunch here after a couple hours self-touring the many historic dwellings and features. Immediate seating. Friendly staff. Ordered garden salad, jambalaya, and red beans, rice and sausage. All delicious and adequately portioned. Waiter presented us with free dessert; bread pudding. Yummy, but not cause it was free. Highly recommended and will return in the future.

The restaurant here is terrible. It smells like a nursing home and the wait staff is uninspired. The fried shrimp on my "poboy" (haha, yeah right!) was too salty for human consumption. Sunday buffet options looked disgusting, as if it were 3-day old Picadilly mush. Stay away and eat elsewhere if you are interested in experiencing real Louisiana cooking. There are plenty of quality restaurants in Lafayette but this place is not one of them. It's part of the parks system. The only thing this place got right: sweet potato fries.

As other reviewers posted, gumbo is lukewarm. We ordered the crawfish which the menu states is half étouffée and half fried. Ours was 95% fried, and maybe a tablespoon of étouffée over a small bit of rice in a bowl. The majority of the plate is French fries which appear to be frozen then reheated. Sad this place was disappointing after reading the favorable reviews. On our way to New Orleans, but wanted to try eating in another locale. There is a nice park, but we did not participate in the guided tours.

One of the best experiences of my life coming to this interesting place. Made such an impression on me & my family, I truly wish we had more time to enjoy it. I love that they embodied the Cajun and creole culture. The zydeco music was amazing to listen to, I sat next to an artist and visited with her for a long time as she sketched the musicians. It was a five star experience. If you come here looking for a clean cut Disneyland place, don't come at all. This place feels authentic, is very unique with lots of character. I definitely will be back.

It was great!!! From walking around and seeing the structures to interacting with the locals of the era. The restaurant was delicious as I ordered a cup of red beans and rice, gumbo, and jambalaya. I liked all the dishes. Sweet tea was the best we had in our entire trip!

Our family of 6 had a very enjoyable couple of hours at Vermilionville on our way home to San Antonio after our family vacation to New Orleans. We had lunch at the restaurant and sat in the atrium. Our food was all very good and reasonably priced. After lunch, we went to the Water Works exhibit, and the kids really enjoyed the many hands-on exhibits--the tornado machine was an especially big hit. We then walked around and explored the beautifully restored old homes in the Village section. Having been in the city for a few days, it was really nice to walk around this peaceful bayou area, enjoy the flowers, and see the Spanish moss hanging from the trees.

Vermilionville was one of the highlights of my trip to the South. The guides inside the houses were extremely knowledgeable, and very funny. We met a women who made dolls out of corn husks, and she had just gotten a paper cut (husk-cut?). Attempting to be helpful, I offered her a band aid to which she responded, "child, band aids haven't been invented yet". She then proceeded to explain the process women went through back in the late 1800's when they injured themselves. Apparently, they just wipe the blood off on the wallpaper of their homes. She pointed, and sure enough, there were several dozen bloody fingerprints on the wall. After taking the full self-guided tour around Vermilionville, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat at their restaurant, "La Cuisine De Maman Restaurant", which we were told was authentic black creole food. It was amazing. We got their lunch special and everything on it was good! The gumbo, the turkey (I didn't even know they ate turkey in Creole culture), the homemade bread, even the dessert (bread pudding yum!). If only I lived in the South, I'd be here every day.

Only $30 for all you can eat buffet for two, but not only all you can eat.... Everyone thinks buffet food is just average. This buffet features solid, simple gumbo, jambalaya, fried chicken, desserts, made in the authentic Cajun style. The gumbo has just the right amount of smoky flavor-I've never had better. Cuisine de Maman is the name of the restaurant, and really, the food tastes like it was made by your mom, if she were Cajun.

My husband and I had a very nice time and experience at Vermilionville. The zydeco band was a nice surprise/ entertainment piece. It was a really nice crowd that came to see and dance to the band. All of the staff that represented each house did a nice job and were very informative.

Great plate special, so much food! Get it! Our waitress was wonderful. The gumbo was a favorite and the rice and beans.

I though this was a great way to learn the culture. It is a beautiful setting and is good for all ages. There was an alligator in the water. We ate at the cafe it was good. It is very easy to find right across form the airport. You don't have to find any back roads. The fiddle player in the school house was wonderful.