Visiting Tabasco Country

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

01 Nov 2007 02:22 PM

If you've ever taken a whiff of Tabasco pepper you'd know it. The spicy scent makes your nose hairs stand on edge. And, if you think that's a memorable experience, visit the factory where they pump out the hot sauce at the rate of 600,000 bottles a day, and your nose hairs won't be the only things feeling the heat. The powerful aroma makes most people's eyes water and their lungs burn.

But, believe it or not, the sinus-opening experience is one some people travel thousands of miles to take in. Tens of thousands of tourist descend upon Avery Island, Louisiana each year to see where the famous blend of peppers, salt and vinegar are mixed into a concoction better known as Tabasco sauce. Everything on 2,200-acre Avery Island belongs to the descendants of the man who created the now famous condiment. These days droves of visitors tour the factory where the spicy sauce is created. Forget about touring the home of the Hershey Kiss, if you are looking to take a walk on the spicy side head to the Tabasco factory tour, which begins with an 11-minute film on the history of the sauce. After the film you'll stroll past large viewing windows where you'll get a bird's eye view of the bottling process. The tour ends in an area filled with interactive displays ranging from Tabasco in the movies, to the geology of the island. From there you can make your way into the Tabasco Country Store where you can buy everything from clothing to Tabasco-flavored Spam and Tabasco ice cream.

But, the hot sauce is not the only reason tourists are drawn to the area. In addition to the Tabasco factory, the island boasts a 250-acre wildlife refuge called Jungle Gardens. The botanical attraction is filled with a multitude of plants, flowers and trees. And unlike most botanical gardens, Jungle Gardens allows visitors to get out of their vehicles as they make their way through woods, meadows, swamps and bayous. Guests are encouraged to get out of their cars and spend time wandering among the ancient trees and lively wildlife.

On an average day visitors are treated to views of rabbits running free in open fields, deer nibbling on blades of grass, giant turkey vultures flying through a maze of trees, and turtles of all sizes sunning themselves on sandy mounds. And then there are the alligators. From baby gators to adults that measure four feet or more, the sharp-toothed creatures line most of the bayous and are in full view for guests to photograph.

Jungle Gardens is also home to a variety of native plants, including azaleas, camellias and bamboo that are typically found in other island paradises such as Hawaii. Only Avery Island isn't really an island at all. Rather, it's a piece of land located three miles inland from Vermilion Bay, which opens onto the Gulf of Mexico. The "island" was formed by a salt dome and rises 163 feet above the flat Southwest Louisiana landscape. And, yes, the salt used in the Tabasco sauce comes from the local salt mine.

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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