Overview
Houma is a small city (about 33,000 people in 2019, not including suburbs) in south central Louisiana. It is the seat and largest city in Terrebonne Parish, and the center of the Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area. The region in total is home to a little over 200,000.
Bayou Terrebonne runs through the town roughly east to west between Main Street and Park Avenue, with the Intracostal Waterway running north to south.
6 sights · 1 things to do · 4 places to eat · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Houma
Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum
Small museum focuses on local relationship to the wetlands habitat.
Chauvin Sculpture Garden & NSU Folk Art Studio
The garden has more than 100 concrete sculptures.
Regional Military Museum
Focuses on the military history and contributions of Houma and the surrounding area, with special focus on World War II. Veterans give tours of the exhibits. When they're not too busy, they'll let you try some "hands on"…
Southdown Plantation House
Historic plantation house is now home to the Terrebonne Museum of History and Culture.
Terrebonne Folklife Cultural Center
Local folk arts and crafts.
Ardoyne Plantation
It was touched by Hurricane Ida, but it is said to be the largest and finest specimen of Rural Victorian Gothic Architecture in the state of Louisiana.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Oct–Apr. Summer highs reach about 94°F; winter lows dip to about 46°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby New Orleans)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- MSY Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, New Orleans — 39 mi away (major hub). Directions
- BTR Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Baton Rouge — 70 mi away. Directions
Houma, Louisiana is just off Highway 90 south New Orleans Louisiana.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum, Terrebonne Folklife Cultural Center, Regional Military Museum
- Lunch Boudreau and Thibodeau's Cajun Cookin
- Afternoon Southdown Plantation House, Chauvin Sculpture Garden & NSU Folk Art Studio
- Dinner Cafe Dominique
Day 2
- Morning Ardoyne Plantation
- Lunch Castalano's Deli & Catering
- Afternoon Bayou Black Airboat Swamp Tours
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By car
Houma, Louisiana is just off Highway 90 south New Orleans Louisiana.
Directions from New Orleans (approx. 59 miles or 1 hour, 15 minutes):
- Merge onto I-10 W (9.7 miles)
- Merge onto I-310 S via exit 220 to Boutte/Houma (12.0 miles)
- Exit at US-90 W toward Houma (30.07 miles)
- Turn left at LA-24 E toward Houma (7.3 miles)
Directions from Lafayette, LA (approx. 104 miles or 2 hours, 10 minutes):
- From I-10, merge onto US-167 S via the US-90/US-167 S exit 103A to Lafayette (2.6 miles)
- Continue on US-90 E (93.8 miles)
- Turn right at LA-24 E (7.3 miles)
By bus
By train
Amtrak serves the city via its Sunset Limited train, running between New Orleans and Los Angeles. three days a week.
See
Do
Buy
Shop Southland Mall
Southland Mall hosts Dillards, JCPenney and numerous other shops & restaurants in the mall and in the immediate surrounding area not part of the mall (AMC Houma Palace Theaters, Furniture Mart, Sam's Club, amongst others). There are other smaller strip malls & free standing establishments radiating north-south along W Main. Mastercard, Visa, Discover and travelers checks accepted in most establishments.
Eat
Eat Boudreau and Thibodeau's Cajun Cookin
Shrimp, crabs, crawfish, oysters, turtle, alligator, gumbo, etoufee, po-boys, salads, plate lunches and more. Credit cards accepted: American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Discover.
Eat Cafe Dominique
Catering to the indulgent diner, as well as the health conscious foodie, our goal is to bring a new kind of dinning experience to the bayou by using organic produce, all natural and free range meats, alongside the wonderful seafood from our local waters.
Eat Castalano's Deli & Catering
This location also has a drive-through food pickup.
Sleep
Go next
- New Orleans, Louisiana's largest city and most popular visitor destination, is a 90-minute drive to the north east.
- Lafayette, the main city of Louisiana's "Cajun Country", is just over 2 hours to the west.
- River Region (Plantation Country), to see the many historic plantations and other attractions in St. Charles, St. John, and St. James parishes.
Nearby
Thibodaux
City / town · 6 listings · 15 mi away
Vacherie
City / town · 7 listings · 29 mi away
Morgan City
City / town · 10 listings · 30 mi away
Luling
City / town · 4 listings · 31 mi away
Saint Rose
City / town · 1 listings · 35 mi away
LaPlace
City / town · 6 listings · 36 mi away
Jean Lafitte
City / town · 7 listings · 37 mi away
Avondale
City / town · 3 listings · 38 mi away
My experience
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