abita springs brewery tour

Abita Brewing Company

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Abita Brewing Company - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Mon - Mon 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
• Thu - Thu 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
• Fri - Sun 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• (2.42 mi) Southern Hotel
• (1.14 mi) Abita Springs Hotel
• (3.45 mi) Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Covington, LA
• (8.54 mi) Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast
• (2.46 mi) Camellia House Bed and Breakfast
• (1.22 mi) Abita Springs Cafe
• (1.08 mi) Abita Brew Pub
• (2.12 mi) New Orleans Food & Spirits
• (2.33 mi) Mattina Bella
• (5.27 mi) Half Shell Oyster House of Covington

The Abita Experience And NOLA History Tour - New Orleans - With Ratings

• New Orleans Tours
• Culture & Theme Based Tours
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• The Abita Experience And NOLA History Tour

The Abita Experience And NOLA History Tour - New Orleans

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Tour Information

Key Details

• Mobile Voucher Accepted
• Duration: Flexible
• Departure Time : 1:00pm
• Departure Details : Crescent City Brewhouse
• Return Details : Crescent City Brewhouse

Know More about this tour

The NOLA Brew Bus and Abita Brewery havepartnered together to develop a tour like none other in New Orleans. The 4-hour journey to Abita Springs starts in the French Quarter and takes us across New Orleans to the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. During the drive, you will learn about the people and winding waterways that shaped this unique metropolis. You will hear about New Orleans long standing love affair with alcohol; from its seedy beginnings to the birth of the cocktail all the way through Prohibition and the craft beer boom of today. Once you arrive at Abita Brewery, you will be provided a guided tour of Abita, one of the largest producing craft beer breweries in America, by your local Abita expert. Upon arrival, you will be given 4 tokens which will allow you 4 four-ounce tastings of your choice. Abita also offers the ability to purchase pints, growlers, snacks, and souvenirs. While there, enjoy Abitas outdoor courtyard, taproom, Instagram printing, and multitude of games.

After spending two hours of fun at Abita, we head back to the Big Easy to learn more about our rich history, traveling over swamps and bayous that pirates, traders, and smugglers have used as a back entrance into the city. This is one tour you do not want to miss as we combine the beauty of NOLA history along with the craft beer boom south Louisiana is currently enjoying.

(4) 4-ounce beer samplings

Professional guide

Any growler or drink purchases in addition to the samples

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking

Minimum drinking age is 21 years

Not wheelchair accessible

A maximum of 14 people per booking

Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.

Cancellation Policy

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Abita Brewing Company

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Abita Brewing Company - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Mon - Mon 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Thu - Thu 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Fri - Sun 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• (3.87 km) Southern Hotel
• (1.83 km) Abita Springs Hotel
• (5.53 km) Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Covington, LA
• (13.67 km) Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast
• (3.94 km) Camellia House Bed and Breakfast
• (1.95 km) Abita Springs Cafe
• (1.73 km) Abita Brew Pub
• (3.40 km) New Orleans Food & Spirits
• (3.73 km) Mattina Bella
• (8.43 km) Half Shell Oyster House of Covington

A Trip to the Abita Brewery

Jun 27, 2019 | Blog , South , Brew, Distill & Ferment

Calling all beer-lovers, on your next trip to New Orleans, make a trip to Abita Brewing Company . Founded in 1986, Abita was the first craft brewery in the Southeast. The brewery is nestled in the woods 30 miles north of New Orleans, Louisiana. By 1994, they had outgrown their original site and moved to a larger facility to keep up with demand. Abita is the most popular beer in New Orleans, outselling many of the larger brands combined.

They brew all their beers, as well as their own root beer and sodas, in small batches in a state-of-the-art brewing facility. The brewery’s water source is artesian wells that feed spring water directly from the Southern Hills aquifer system. The water was once known for its healing properties and is still known for its great taste!

Getting There

Abita Springs is about an hour’s drive from New Orleans, crossing over Lake Pontchartrain on one of the world’s longest bridges, the Causeway. Because of the distance, you will definitely want to bring a designated driver. Or, Abita partners with two transportation companies that can bring you to the brewery.

NOLA Brew Bus : NOLA Brew Bus offers tours to Abita on Thursday, Sunday, and Monday starting at 12:30pm. Cost is &75 per person.

All tours include: – Roundtrip transportation to Abita Brewing Company – Enjoy an Abita Beer on the way to Abita Springs, LA, approximately 1-hour north – Brewery Tour will be provided at Abita – Beer samples at the Brewery

Southern Style Tours : Southern Style Tours offers Abita tours Thursday-Sunday starting at 1:30pm. Cost is $75 per person and feature three pick-up locations.

All tours include: – Round trip transportation for New Orleans – Admission to tour – Abita Beer and water available on the van – Cold storage for any beer purchases – Beer samples (21 and over)

Guided Tours

Learn about their brewing process, beer, and history on a guided tour of the recently expanded brewery. Tours last about 30 minutes and include four 4-ounce tastings of their beers. Tours are $5 and are family-friendly (under 21 is free). If you know the date of your visit, reservations can be made online.

Another great family-friendly option would be to go on a Craft Soda Tour ! The tour guide will teach you about the local ingredients they use to brew sodas and walk you through the brewing process. Tours last about 20 minutes and include a flight of three sodas.

Self-Guided Tours

Self-guided tours are free and include access to the mezzanine level that overlooks the brew house tanks. Inside the brewery, you can view videos about the beer and brewing process from a touchscreen device. Self-guided tours do not include beer samples, but you can purchase a pint in the Tap Room after exploring the brewery. Self-guided tours are available on days and times when they do not offer guided tours. Check the website for hours.

Tap Room & Brewpub

The Abita Tap Room is open 7 days a week. Enjoy a pint at the bar or outside in the courtyard or beer garden. You can select from year-round flagships, as well as seasonals, limited releases, and their own root beer. Some of the beers cannot be found anywhere else! The Tap Room doesn’t serve food, but they have a rotating schedule of weekly food trucks.

Another spot to enjoy the beer is the Abita Brewpub , a full-service restaurant in the original brewery building. Views of the Tammany Trace hiking trail are visible from the two dining rooms. From the main dining room, you can also view the original 15-barrel brew-house. Note: The Abita Brew Pub is located in the town of Abita Springs at 72011 Holly Street. It is not located at the Brewery and Visitor Center.

Abita Brewing Company 166 Barbee Road Covington, LA 70433

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Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Let’s go on a tour of Abita’s Louisiana brewery

April 7, 2022 Keith Gribbins

Abita Brewing Co. ’s Brewpub and original location is situated in the piney woods outside of Abita Springs, La. — about 30 miles north of New Orleans. Abita Springs has long been known for its artesian waters but today is just as well known for its great local craft beer — Abita beer brands like Purple Haze, Strawberry Lager and Amber Lager. By 1994, Abita Brewing outgrew that original site (now this beautiful 100-seat brewpub ) and moved up the road to a larger facility in Covington, La. This brewing facility is pretty impressive, as you can see from the brewery tour video above.

Abita Brewing has continued to grow over the years. The company was ranked No. 16 on the Brewers Association’s recently released list of the Top 50 biggest craft breweries in America in 2021 by sales volume. According to its website , Abita brews more than 125,000 barrels of beer and 13,500 barrels of soda in its state-of-the-art brewing facility each year. The video above gives us an inside look into the operations. Abita discusses its wet malt milling process to prepare the grains to release as much of their sugar as possible during the brewing process. Watchers can see how Abita recaptures heat and energy to reuse in the brewing process and how the company’s solar array helps power the whole operation. The video not only showcases Abita’s history and brewhouse but also explains the brewing process in a guided tour-type of manner.

If you’re in Louisiana, Abita offers such tours. Pass through these impressive iron gates into the Abita visitor center, and folks can find both guided or self-guided tours of the brewery to learn about the brewing process and sample Abita’s lineup of brewskis. Learn even more right over here .

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Live music every friday & saturday 6-9, voted number one.

We can't thank everyone enough for voting the Abita Brew Pub as the Best Northshore Restaurant and Bar! Yall stop by soon and taste for yourselves why we stand out from the crowd!

CREAMSICLE IPA

A nostalgic twist on a summer classic, Abita's Creamsicle is a full bodied IPA with orange citrus flavors and hints of vanilla for a subtle, sweet finish. ABV: 7%

The Barney is composed of two Abita favorites, Purple Haze and Andygator. A bold fusion of raspberry lager and Helles Doppelbock producing a unique blend ideal for the summer. ABV:6.1%

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-- RESTAURANT HOURS -- MONDAY: CLOSED TUESDAY-THURSDAY: 11am-9:00pm FRIDAY-SATURDAY: 11am-10:00pm SUNDAY: 11am-4:00pm 72011 HOLLY STREET,  ABITA SPRINGS, LOUISIANA  

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Abita Brewing Company invites you to the 5th annual Abita Fall Fest, October 11-12, 2024, in downtown Abita Springs, Louisiana. The festival is rain-or-shine.

Held at the Abita Springs Trailhead Park, the Abita Fall Fest is a nonprofit event created to celebrate the art, music, and culture of Abita Springs, Louisiana. Since 2019, the festival has brought Grammy Award-winning artists and national acts together with local favorites to create a family-friendly, all ages event, with live music on three stages, a Fall Fest After Dark the night before, food and drinks, a Kids' Zone, the Harvest Market arts & crafts area, a green-screen photo booth, VR experiences and more. The festival is open to all. Gates open at 10 a.m. and music on three stages starts at 10:30 a.m., continuing until 7 p.m. Chairs and blankets are welcome. No outside food or drinks. Certified service animals (ONLY) are allowed on the grounds.

The artist lineup will be announced as the event nears on https://www.abitafallfest.com. 

TICKETS * Tickets are available as single-day, two-day, and VIP passes. Click https://www.abitafallfest.com/tickets to purchase. Online fees apply. All guests will receive a wristband at the gate and will be required to wear wristbands while attending the festival. No re-entry will be allowed without a wristband.

VIP PASS* VIP guests will have the best view of the festival from the second story of the Trailhead Pavilion and in front of the Main Stage while enjoying Abita Beer, non-alcoholic beverages, all day food, private entrance and more. VIP passes very limited. Prices range from $75-$100 depending on purchase date. PUMPKIN PASS - FRIDAY & SATURDAY ONLY* General admission pass for Fall Fest After Dark (Friday) and Abita Fall Fest (Saturday) at a discounted rate, sold in advance only (not available at the gate). Prices range from $30-$40 depending on purchase date. FALL FEST - SATURDAY ONLY* $25 in advance, $30 at the gate, Saturday, October 12, 2024, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

FALL FEST AFTER DARK - FRIDAY ONLY* A pre-festival party with live music, food and drinks, Friday, October 11, 2024, 5-9 p.m. Prices in advance range from $15-$20 depending on purchase date. $25 at the gate. Kids 10 & under admitted free.

• Local, paper tickets available at Abita Brew Pub (located adjacent to the Trailhead).
• Tickets are non-refundable. Ticket prices listed are before taxes and processing.
• Volunteers at Abita Fall Fest receive free admission and fun swag. To sign up, contact [email protected] .

* 2023 prices, subject to change

PARKING Free parking is located at the Abita Springs Park and Ride (22516 LA-36/Charlie Finn Memorial Ball Park) and the Abita Brewery (21084 LA-36, Covington) starting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 20th. Shuttle service will run continually from the two locations listed on Saturday. There is no designated parking on Friday, October 21st. 

Of course, riding a bike or walking into town on the Tammany Trace is always an option. A bike corral will be available near the entrance of the park.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.AbitaFallFest.com.

Abita Fall Fest

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Abita Brewery Tour

If not, you’ve certainly run across its most well-known brews: Purple Haze, a wheat beer brewed with raspberry puree, and Turbodog, a dark, swampy brown ale with a rich malt character.

The brewery has been turning out Cajun-tinged beers since 1986, when two homebrewers, Jim Patton and Rush Cummings, helped pull together enough cash to launch the first craft brewery in the Southeast. Since then Abita, which is currently sold about 40 states, has become the beer of New Orleans, for many as synonymous with the eccentric city as Mardi Gras beads or muffuletta.  

But since Abita lies roughly 40 miles north, many visitors to New Orleans don’t make time to stop by for a tour. Big mistake. With a plush tasting room that was added in early 2008, the brewery has made it on to the list of must-see attractions for any fan of the Crescent City, well worth the trouble of trekking across the massive lake.

 Plunked next to a mobile home park near tiny Abita Springs, population 2,409, the brewery is an unmistakable ode to its home state. “We have tried from the very beginning to be a part of the culture of Louisiana,” said David Blossman, Abita’s president and one of the original investors in the brewery. “It’s easy to say that, but it’s harder to actually be it.”

The Vieux Carré-styled entrance is framed by a walled courtyard with gas lamps and wrought iron flourishes, and inside, under a honey-hued faux-tin ceiling, Abita-inspired paintings by the local artists James Michalopoulos and Eddie Mormon cover the walls.

A long mahogany bar dominates the room, which on Saturdays is liable to see as many as 300 beer-hungry visitors, ranging widely from local fans to drowsy college kids to – as witnessed on one visit – even a woman strapped with a BabyBjörn carrier. The crowd serves themselves from a row of 14 taps, filling their glasses with samples of brews like Andygator, an excellent helles-doppelbock; Pecan Harvest, made with Louisiana pecans; Jockamo India Pale Ale and, from January to March, Mardi Gras Bock.“I wanted to have an experience here,” Blossman said of the impressive tasting room, “that was on the same level if not higher than the experience you could get at Napa or Sonoma Valley.”

After a video presentation that highlights Abita’s water source, artesian wells that feed spring water directly from the Southern Hills aquifer system, the tour kicks off with a stroll through the cellar area, which is lined with rows of nearly 30-foot-tall tanks.

The 19th largest craft brewer in the country, Abita has come a long way from its humble early years. This year, Blossman expects production to reach as high as 90,000 barrels. The brewery’s hold on New Orleans is so strong that it outsells Miller and Coors combined on draught there.

To help make all that beer as efficiently as possible, in 2000 Abita became the first brewery outside of Europe to install a Merlin brewing system, run from a high-tech control room in the center of the brew house. It uses roughly 70 percent less energy than a conventional system, but, first and foremost, “I think it makes a great beer,” Blossman said.Following the tour the crowd makes a bee line to the nearby Abita Brew Pub, a long, squat building in Abita Springs’s quaint downtown that has a patio wrapped in a white picket fence.

Bikers, fresh off the adjacent 31-mile-long Tammany Trace rail trail, are a common sight among the lunch crowd, which fills a room with a mural of the pub’s exterior. This was the home of the brewery in its infancy, and it still houses the original 15-barrel brewing setup nestled into the back of the main dining room, a far cry from the sophisticated operation at the brewery down the road.

After nearly 25 years of work, Abita is now the Southeast’s largest craft brewer. But beyond that lofty title, the brewery has become an integral part of New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana, a link to the bayou for beer lovers all around America.  

photo credit: pixshark.com

Tours of the Abita Brewery (166 Barbee Road, Covington, La.; 800-737-2311, www.abita.com ) are held Wednesday through Friday at 2 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Make sure you bring a designated driver along for the trip back.

The Abita Brew Pub (72011 Holly Street, Abita Springs, La.; 985-892-5837) is open Tuesday to Sunday and sells growlers of its dozen brews on tap, including the standout Restoration Pale Ale, which was created after Hurricane Katrina and helped raise more than a half million dollars for the rebuilding effort.

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Abita Springs is the little town with a lot of laid-back fun

Take a deep breath of fresh air. Relax. Wander. It’s good for what ails you.

That last one could have been the slogan for the small St. Tammany Parish town of Abita Springs way back in the late 1800s when folks flocked there on weekends to drink from its artesian wells.

Fast forward to 2023 and this modern-day Mayberry still hauls in the visitors. But for many who experience its quaint charm, concentration of creatives and sense of community, a weekend just isn’t enough. They buy that cottage on the corner with the picket fence and the big oak tree and plant some roots.

However, if a day or two in Abita is what you have in mind, here’s the lowdown on dining, unwinding and soaking in some of the quirky.

Where’s the fun?

When planning your visit, check the town’s webpage,  www.townofabitasprings.com  for its list of events. On any given weekend it seems, there’s a market, festival or parade, including the Art & Farmers Market from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Sunday; the Abita Springs Opry six times a year; annual festivals celebrating buskers, bicycles and of course, the water; and what small town doesn’t love a parade? Come Carnival time, check out the Krewe of Push Mow Parade. Each spring brings the Whole Town Garage Sale.

Add to your to-do list two very different daily attractions: the roadside draw Abita Mystery House, 22275 La. 36; and the Abita Brewery, 21084 La. 16, to see how those popular craft beers are made and sip a sample if you’re so inclined.

If you can imagine it, it’s probably on display inside one of Abita Mystery House’s cluster of small weathered buildings. The odd, the outlandish, antiques alongside aging appliances, and outside a half-dog, half-alligator creature named Darrel, a spaceship and a water fountain fashioned of cat food cans, and no, that doesn’t begin to cover it — you just  have  to see it.

“We found a place like this in Albuquerque (New Mexico) 23 years ago, and opened here in 2000,” said curator John Preble. “It was a goofy place (in Albuquerque). And the guy was having a lot of fun. I was like, ‘Dang, this is more fun than sitting in front of the canvas and just pushing paint around.'”

Preble was an accomplished artist, particularly for his paintings of Creoles. His wife, Ann O’Brien, who died in 2006, was known for her jewelry designs, which are still sold in the gift shop in the main structure, a former gas station.

“That was the thing. When I went to Albuquerque, I said, ‘I got all the same crap he has. I just haven’t done anything with it,'” he said. “I’m really good at painting and doing art, and I like what I do, but this is more fun.”

First setting up a small museum in their house, the Prebles soon moved their trash/treasures to their permanent location on one of Abita’s main drags. It’s more of a place to stop on the way into town than a tourist attraction on its own, Preble said.

With items on the floor, hung on every inch of the walls and hung from the ceiling, one would think the collecting has stopped, but oh, it hasn’t.

“People bring stuff still every day. We’re gonna be expanding the museum to twice as big, said Preble. “I have a new guy that’s been coming over every Saturday and he’s gonna take over the place when I die. And he’s in his 30s. Nice guy. Weird.” (Preble can say that because he calls himself weird. Sort of part of the job description, as one would think).

Your tour of the Mystery House will probably take about half an hour, longer if you strike up a conversation with the affable Preble.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $5 for those 5 and older.  abitamysteryhouse.com .

On the opposite side of town, the success story of Abita Brewing is evidenced in its state-of-the-art facility and popular tap room serving its liquid specialties from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Trace your brewski back to its beginnings during a 30-minute guided tour where you’ll follow the craft beer-brewing process, learn about Abita’s many flavors of lagers and ales, and hear the history of the company founded in 1986. Self-guided tours also are an option.

Guided tours take place at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday; noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Friday; and the Friday times plus 4 p.m. on weekends. $10. The free, self-guided tours are available from noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday-Sunday.  abita.com .

Where to eat

First on the agenda is breakfast. Does brunch all day, every day sound appealing? Then head over to Abita Springs Café, 22132 Level St. Beyond the bacon and eggs, the menu features biscuits and beef debris, a blue crab omelet, and Cajun praline chicken and waffles, and that’s just a fraction of the menu. Lunch and dinner offer plates, salads, sandwiches, po-boys, burgers and other entrees.

Hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Search “Abita Springs Café” on Facebook or call (985) 400-5025.

When you ask locals about dining options, they’re sure to mention Mama D’s Pizza & More, 22054 La. 59. With its black and white tile floor, and green and red decor, the small eatery is cozy and inviting. From an extensive menu of traditional and gourmet pies, we sampled the eggplant pizza, and for dessert, Mom’s apple pie (in pizza form). The homemade crust, sauce and fresh components made for two delicious choices.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.  www.mamadspizzamore.com.

Near the center of town, Abita Brew Pub, 72011 Holly St., is where Abita Beer began. The brand was brewed and bottled there until it outgrew the space and relocated down the road in 1994.

The pub serves up salads, sandwiches, burgers, pastas and exclusive Abita Beer selections. In addition, there are daily specials: On a recent Wednesday, those included crispy shrimp wontons, tuna Mediterranean and eggplant parmesan. The lengthy patio, strung with twinkling lights and ceiling fans offering a comfortable breeze, can also be rented for events.

There’s also live music from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday.  www.abitabrewpub.com .

What’s a small town without a bakery? Maple Street Bakery & Café, 72066 Maple St., is located in a cute-as-a-button circa early-1900s house with an inviting front porch. Fresh pastries, cookies, pies, cakes and steaming coffee make for a great stop for an afternoon snack. Everything looks delicious, but you can’t go wrong with the melt-in-your-mouth, heavenly petit fours.

Hours are 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; closed Monday and Tuesday.

Search “Maple Street Bakery” on Facebook or call (985) 327-5554.

Where to stay

Although there are plenty of accommodations in nearby Covington and Mandeville, Abita has but one hotel, Abita Springs Hotel, 22088 Ann O’Brien Lane.

Shawna Meynard manages the hotel, an 1890s home beautifully restored, peaceful, stylish and situated in the heart of town. Choices include standard rooms or king suites.

“We’ve combined the luxurious feel of a boutique hotel with the convenience of a neighborhood guesthouse,” Meynard said. “Rooms overlook lush hotel grounds, a charming courtyard garden, and one of Abita’s famed artesian springs.”

Meynard also has the only antiques store in Abita, Attic to Awesome, which opened in 2019. It’s at 22107 La. 36, Suite B.

“I stock a variety of antique furniture, refinished furniture, home decor, hand poured beeswax candles, handcrafted jewelry and additional gift shop merchandise.”

Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. 

https://www.abitaspringshotel.com/  and  https://www.facebook.com/FromAtticToAwesomeLa/

News Source: The Advocate News Source Link: https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/abita-springs-the-little-town-with-a-lot-of-laid-back-fun/article_87a71278-7eaa-11ee-bd27-abe63df6eb4a.html

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