Kermit, Beware: Rayne Louisiana's edible frog exports made it the Frog Capital of the World. While no longer a major export, the industry persists today, so green amphibian types will still want to live elsewhere.
Rayne is a small city in the state of Louisiana
Kermit, Beware: Rayne Louisiana's edible frog exports made it the Frog Capital of the World. While no longer a major export, the industry persists today, so green amphibian types will still want to live elsewhere.
Rayne is a small city in the state of Louisiana. It is part of the Acadia Parish County and covers an area of 3.8 square miles. The fertile resources on the Cajun prairies where the city sits fostered the development of profitable land-based industries such as quarrying and oil and gas extractions, providing ample jobs and more business opportunities for the residents. Nature has also gifted Rayne with an abundance of edible frogs that created a thriving local industry that extended to international export. This made the city the undisputed Frog Capital of the World. While Rayne frogs are no longer exported today, they still occupy a key role in the city's economy and cultural vibe.
There are a few things you might want to know about living in Rayne. First, you cannot keep a pit bull for a pet. It is considered a dangerous animal in Rayne. Second, you cannot casually park your bicycle on a street corner or a nice curb, even to pick up a Gatorade, as it will be considered a nuisance and will be towed at your expense. Lastly, keeping bees or pigs in your residence is a misdemeanor, even if you have an orchard-like backyard in your sprawling rental home.
If these restrictions are acceptable to a law-abiding citizen like you, then get your search for the perfect places to rent in Rayne into full swing. Enlist the aid of friends familiar with the city or a resourceful rental agent to help you find a Rayne home or apartment based on your requirements.
Facilitate your Rayne residency by preparing your documents well ahead of time. Rental property owners will expect to see proof of income, your credit history, contact information for references who will vouch that you pay on time and are a good neighbor, and money enough for a deposit when you find the right place.
Fast forward to moving to your dream home in Rayne. The city has its share of inclement Louisiana weather, particularly tornadoes and surprise snowfalls. Although these are few and far between, choose your move-in dates based on accurate weather forecasts and well-monitored road conditions. On the average, Rayne's summer heat peaks between July and August, while the most humid days are between June and July, at the turn of the season. Expect scattered rains in January while light showers can be constant all year. Snowfalls are high in December and January.
Lastly, you don't want your moving truck tangled amid thousands of visitors in November attending the Rayne Frog Festival.
In tune with the trend of suburban development, Rayne cultivates a residential atmosphere that is flexible and convenient to many types of residents. Different areas cater to specific types of home hunters. While houses for rent are predominant, there are new developments for apartment neighborhoods and areas that combine housing rows and high-rise dwellings. Mobile home neighborhoods are also present.
East Texas / Abbeville Strip: This is a growing residential square that includes Laurie Street, Cunningham Street and West Branch Street up to American Region Drive, where vacancies for home property rentals are high. Large four- to five-bedroom homes and wide, prairie-style houses with sprawling driveways are the main features of the neighborhood.
Sunrise: For those who prefer a mid-rise or high-rise apartment lifestyle, Sunrise Street is fast becoming a thriving apartment community with its proximity to major highways like Route 128 and Interstate 93 and accessibility to Boston. The Leisure Lane Apartments, Rain Villa Apartments and Saint Matthew Manor are among the popular high-rise complexes in the area, where one can find all bills paid, one- or two-bedroom apartments for rent or month-to-month places for rent.
Mobile Home Park: There are some neighborhoods in Rayne dotted by mobile homes, instead of traditional structures. Check out mobile home property rentals in Country Air Mobile Home Park on Quarter Pole Road and Bayou Village Mobile Home Park on Standard Mill Road.
Residents prefer to drive cars and the average commute time for residents is from 15 to 18 minutes one way to work, a lot shorter than commutes for folks in other Louisiana cities (deduce from that the proximity to job opportunities - not bad!). Carpooling is also a preferred way to go to work. The local Hains Airstrip Airport and the Phoenix International Airport serve those flying to and from the city.
The first obvious thing to do if you're a new kid on the block is to try as many frog delicacies as you can. Well-recommended frog restaurants include Frog City Travel Plaza on North Polk Street -- serving juicy fried frog legs -- and Chef Roy's Frog City Caf̩ on Church Point Highway known for its fancy Frog Leg Etouffee.
Rayne is also popular for Creole cuisine, particularly crawfish and shrimp dishes. The Hawks Crawfish Restaurant has an iconic reputation for the best boiled crawfish, while Gabe's Cajun Food Restaurant on The Boulevard serves the best Louisiana-style fried chicken.
The carnival-like Rayne Frog Festival is held every second weekend of November. Thousands flock to the city for two full days of great food and music, rides and games, a petting zoo and rock climbing, among other activities. The main attraction is the frog derby where frogs compete in jumping and racing contests.
On ordinary days, frogs still rule as larger than life icons in Rayne, literally. Giant frog murals are painted all around downtown Rayne with walls, trees and local shops splashed with colorful frog portraits. Commissioned frog murals were painted by artist Robert Dafford, while the frog paintings along Main Street are done by the residents themselves.
