If you are looking for cheap options consider some of the Louisiana state parks, this time of year they tend to be fairly empty. Perhaps Tickfaw state park about 50 miles east of Baton Rouge, the appear to have at least 50% vacancy on the test dates I entered starting next week for 14 days, prices start at $18 per night.
As to being around the mall of Louisiana I feel sorry for you, I stopped in there to do Christmas shopping one afternoon on the way home to SW Louisiana from Florida in my class B a couple of days before Christmas 15 or so years ago. Got done shopping around 5 pm, the parking lot was complete gridlock, so stayed in my parking space, I ended up watching tv, eating, playing a game on the notebook computer, etc., finally traffic started moving at around 8 pm.
p.s. if you have the America the Beautiful national park pass, Louisiana honors it for 50% off camping in the state parks (So does Arkansas and a couple of other states)
