Plantation-House Villas amid Signature David Toms Golf Course

PGA Championship winner David Toms designed the resort’s course—named a “Top Ten You Can Play” course by Golf magazine. It's a place that's easy to get to: both Baton Rouge and New Orleans are just an hour away.

Mature stands of pine, live oak, cypress, and tupelo gum trees lend the golf course a distinctive appearance and reinforce the feeling of a quiet escape in the country. Woodpeckers, egrets, and wild turkeys live in the woods surrounding the property, and in the evening the stars are huge and bright.

For lunch, weekend breakfast, as well as dinner Wednesday to Saturday, executive chef Gary Fonseca prepares superlative Southern cuisine at The Plantation Dining Room. Chef Fonseca’s specialty is a cured duck breast served with crème brûlée pain perdu and foie gras–buttered chanterelle mushrooms plucked right from the property. The lunch menu provides options such as a platter of Gulf-sourced jumbo shrimp and jalapeño hush puppies.

Guests of the Carter Plantation stay in luxury villa accommodations constructed in 2005. Each villa contains seven rooms that share a porch and a common parlor outfitted with a fireplace, TV, and full-size kitchen. Veranda king and two-queen rooms are comfortable and homey, and pavilion suites feature oversize garden tubs and prime views of Carter Plantation. Those who opt for a 2-night stay will receive an extra gift in the form of a basket of Louisiana lagniappes (with veranda rooms) or champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries (with pavilion suites).

Springfield, Louisiana: Historic Plantation House Close to Cities

The nearly 200-year-old Carter Plantation House stands a little less than a mile from the Villas. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the house was constructed by Thomas Freeman, the first African-American to own land in Livingston Parish. A storied history has followed; some locals even believe the residence to be haunted. A scenic walk through the property's forests will bring you to the house, and tours can be arranged through the local homeowners association.

Springfield is a sleepy town with a population of about 400. Night falls to the accompaniment of chirping crickets and bellowing bullfrogs. Springfield's convenient location off I-55 makes it a popular retreat for city dwellers from New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Nearby Hammond is home to Southeastern Louisiana University and several historical, Depression-era buildings.

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