Make the road trip from Louisiana to Omaha for LSU baseball — and eat well along the way

The only thing better than a good, ol’ summer road trip is, perhaps, a road trip from Baton Rouge to Omaha for the Men’s College World Series.

The 951 mile-journey can provide a lifetime of memories in and of itself, beyond LSU’s 46-15 season and win over Kentucky in the playoffs. 

As the experienced travelers realize, the best of life is not all about the destination. It’s about the journey. So, if you’re driving the 15 hours from Baton Rouge to Omaha, we’ve got recommendations to add some fun, deliciousness and beauty along the way. The most experienced road trippers know, if possible, to plan to drive no more than five hours a day, but if you’re short on time, you’re able to plan your trip accordingly.

And if you’re really short on time and would prefer to fly, some round-trip flights between Baton Rouge and Omaha were available for as soon as this weekend in the $1,000 range when we checked Monday. 

However, if you’re driving, we’ve got recommendations for where to eat, what to see and do along the way. 

In Natchez, Mississippi, stop at the landmark Mammy’s Cupboard, 555 US-61, for a sandwich on homemade sourdough bread and a sky-high piece of pie.

Further north, in Bastrop, Louisiana, three restaurants come highly recommended: 

• Slayden’s for barbecue (1401 N. Washington St., Bastrop)
• PT’s Eat a Bite is a great grill (100 E. Jefferson Ave., Bastrop)
• Granny’s Kitchen is dependable Southern fare (1713 E. Madison Ave., Bastrop)

If you’re in the mood for a great burger and you make it to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, try Rich’s Burgers (102 N. Walnut St., Pine Bluff, Arkansas).

In Little Rock, there are loads of great options, including a vibrant arts scene, great dining options, and historical buildings not to be missed, such as the Clinton Presidential Library and Central High School, site of the tumultuous desegregation effort in 1957 and part of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.

For food options in Little Rock, we recommend:

• Brave New Restaurant, (2300 Cottondale Lane No. 105) which has expansive views of the Arkansas River and a New American menu that is as consistent as it is delicious. Note, this is an upscale restaurant. 
• Kemuri has multiple locations in Little Rock and serves sushi that’s as good as can be found most anywhere.
• Heights Taco and Tamales (5805 Kavanaugh Blvd.), which is famous for its “Arkansas-style Mexican food” with a signature cheese-smothered blend of Tex-Mex and Arkansas Delta flavors. Rooted in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine, the dishes feature local, seasonal and other Arkansas culinary influences. 
• Boulevard Bread Company, with a location in the Heights and Baptist Hospital, serves an array of wonderful handcrafted foods and baked items.
• Star of India (at 301 N. Shackleford Road) that serves incredible Indian food and the bonus is, if you visited last week or five years ago, when you walk in, don’t be surprised if the host remembers your name.

If you decided to divide your trip into two days, Little Rock or Bentonville, Arkansas, are both great options for hotels and an-almost halfway point. In Bentonville, the formerly sleepy town, hometown to Sam Walton, is now is chock full of a full range of hotels, including the fancy 21C. 

We encourage planning to add at least three extra hours to the Bentonville portion of your trip to visit Crystal Bridges Museum. The amazing structure houses world-class museum exhibits, funded by the Walton family. If you have extra time and are interested in art that pushes the envelope, check out The Momentary (it’s usually open late and will give you something to talk/think about and leave you scratching your head for months to come).

Good eats abound in Bentonville. Two great options are:

• Eleven at Crystal Bridges (600 Museum Way)
• The Hive in 21C Hotel (200 NE A St.)

In Butler, Missouri, check out the Mennonite-owned Koehn Bakery (101 S. Orange St.) for their donuts. (They also serve good deli sandwiches.) 

The Kemper Contemporary Museum of Art is a treasure and houses the chic and delicious Café Sebastienne for lunch.

And, if you’re a good or a lover of entertaining, it may be the law that you have to stop at Pryde’s Kitchen & Necessities (115 Westport Road) while in Kansas City. However, if you’re looking for barbecue, Kansas City is the right place. We recommend:

• Arthur Bryant’s (1727 Brooklyn Ave., Kansas City, Missouri)
• Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que (3002 W. 47th Ave., Kansas City, Kansas)  This KC barbecue mainstay used to be called Oklahoma Joe’s. Anthony Bourdain included it on his “13 places to eat before you die.” If you want to avoid the line, call ahead and get take out. 

In St. Joseph, Missouri, you might check out the Pony Express Museum and/or try the Italian restaurant Il Lazzarone (1628 Frederick Ave.).

About two hours later, you’ll arrive in Omaha, ready for the game(s), with a better idea of where you want to stop on your way home.