Gonzales likes to say it's the Jambalaya Capital of the world, mostly because the town puts on an annual Jambalaya Festival every September on Memorial Day Weekend. It also likes to use this moniker for marketing purposes-most people agree that "Jambalaya Capital of the World" is catchier than Gonzales! More recently, the city was noted as being the location where lost pets were brought after Hurricane Katrina; here, pet owners could search for the fuzzy friends from whom they'd been separated.
The City of Gonzales is a suburb of Baton Rouge, or at least it has slowly become one over the years. The population of the Baton Rouge capital city area, as it's known, slowly swelled over the years until all of the towns found between Baton Rouge and Gonzales, which are about 30 minutes apart on Interstate 10, eventually became one long city. Gonzales is part of Ascension Parish (a Parish being pretty much the same thing as a county in these parts) right off the banks of the Mississippi River. There are about 10,000 residents in Gonzales proper, but the population of the capital city is about 815,300. Life in Gonzales isn't much different from anywhere else in the U.S. because of its relative close proximity to the big city. You have a downtown-ish area that is the heart and soul of the community, which is surrounded by sprawling suburbs - you won't find any hi rise apartments here - with many choices for big-box retail shopping all over the area. It'll take you no time to adjust to your surroundings once you rent an apartment in Gonzales and settle into the area.
Moving to Gonzales
The center of town, right where Highway 940 and S. Burnside Ave t-bone each other, is considered by locals to be Chip's Grocery. What that says about a city, that it identifies itself with a small convenience store, remains for you to decide, but it's different for sure and often times different means good. Ascension Parish public transportation runs throughout the area, making it easy to get around without a car. Plaquemine Ferry will transport you to several locations up and down the Mississippi River, as well. Gonzales is not necessarily a town that suits itself to walking or biking because it's so spread out, so you'll definitely want an automobile of some kind here.
On lease-signing day, don't forget to have your state-issued identification, a social security number, and a list of prior rental references because property managers, landlords, and individual owners will want to conduct credit checks, and maybe a background check too. Many apartments for rent require additional fees to move in a pet, and some will require a security deposit on top of first and last month's rent, so keep that in mind. Also, many rental properties require you to pay an application fee, so it's a good idea to really know you are serious about one or two rental homes over others before you apply because these fees can add up quickly.
Gonzales Neighborhoods
Here are a few areas in and around Gonzales with rental homes where you'll want to consider living. The greater Gonzales area has many small suburban-type neighborhoods and many are older, built several decades ago, without the new look and feel of the named neighborhoods that pop up like weeds around the countryside in much of central Louisiana.
Chip's Grocery: This independently-owned convenience store is considered Gonzales' center. Chip's Grocery and its two gasoline pumps are surrounded by many individual homes, a lot of them rental homes, and you can also find a 1 bedroom apartment or 2 bedroom apartment without spending too much time looking. If you want to rent an apartment in Gonzales, this is a great area to center your search. The further north from here you go, the deeper into the suburbs you get.
Sorrento: Located southeast of Chip's Grocery, Sorrento is a small town (about 1,200 residents) that bleeds into Gonzales. You won't find any city apartments here, but you will find homes to rent and apartments for rent. Retail mavens, take note: There are no shopping centers in the immediate area. You'd even have to drive into Gonzales to do any serious grocery shopping.
St. Amant: Almost due east of Gonzales, St. Amant is a tiny area with individual homes but not much in the way of rentals or apartments for rent.
Brittany: Located on the south side of Gonzales, Brittany is a good place to find individual homes to rent and perhaps a renovated studio apartment, but not much else. This area is within a five-minute drive of Chip's Grocery, so living here means easy access to all locations around Gonzales.
Living in Gonzales
There are no fewer than 12 antebellum plantations found throughout the Gonzales area, so if you feel like getting your Gone with the Wind on and and learning about life leading up to the Civil War, this area is for you!
Gonzales is no stranger to hot, humid summers (and by hot they mean humid) and mild winters. It's even been known to snow here from time to time. The weather lends itself to allowing people to play outside year round, and there are many opportunities for hunting, fishing, golfing, hiking and mountain biking here.
Gonzales also is just an hour away from New Orleans. There's probably a good chance, at least when you first move here, that you'll drive down I-10 to The Crescent City for a long weekend, or maybe into Baton Rouge to take in a University of Louisiana football game.
Either way, there is a lot to do in these parts. So, pour yourself a lemonade and raise the glass for a toast - your new rental home in Gonzales is smack dab in the center of a great part of the country!
