Avery Island Jungle Garden (Iberia Parish, Louisiana)

The Tabasco Hot Sauce factory was built by the McIlhenney family on a salt dome in south central Louisiana known as Avery Island. In addition to the factory and over the generations since the family found success with their hot sauce, the island has been fashioned into a nature preserve known as the Avery Island Jungle Garden. After taking a tour factory and sampling some of the lesser-available products, we decided to explore the island a little bit.

A 'jungle garden' is a pretty accurate description of the experience. The preserve is a combination of groomed lawns and swampy bayous, with a number of landscaped areas and even a Buddhist shrine. The first section of the slow drive takes us around a marshy lake, where we find a number of alligators, some in the water and some sunning themselves on the shore.

As we continue on, we drive past a gigantic oak tree, said to be over 300 years old and once hugged by former president Grover Cleveland during one of his visits to the island. It's a massive tree and worthy of being named after a historical figure.

Looking at the provided map, we note a couple of different walking paths available to the Buddhist Shrine. I choose the one that also takes me past a torii (a traditional Japanese Shinto arch). The shrine itself sits atop a large mound overlooking the landscape. It's sort of tucked away in a little wooded corner, but also opens up to some nice views. Within the locked shrine resides a huge bronze Buddha. A plaque affixed to the steps leading to the top of the mound explains the statue was commissioned by Chinese Emperor Hui-Tsung sometime in the early twelfth century. Sometime later, the temple where the statue was located was looted by a rebel general and later sent to New York to be sold. Friends to the McIlhenny family purchased the state and sent it as a gift and it has been housed on the island since 1936.

The final stop on the tour is an area referred to by signage as Bird City. I really didn't know what to expect, but as we turn the corner, I'm amazed at what I find. Directly in front of me sits a large lush marsh, but in the distance, the marsh opens up a bit and three large scaffolding-like platforms have been placed. On these platforms, hundreds of egrets have build their nests and now make their homes. It truly is a bird city.

Not exactly knowing what to expect when visiting Avery Island, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a great experience and I would recommend anyone in the area visit this eclectic landscape and collection of wonders.