Holiday Travel Around Louisiana
There’s no place finer to spend the holiday season than Louisiana, where food and fun make the yuletide merry and bright.
Alexandria Museum of Art
View the impressive exhibition Life as Opportunity: Clementine Hunter from the Brittain Family Collection at the Alexandria Museum of Art on view October 30, 2026, through June 19, 2027. The exhibition features over 100 original artworks by Clementine Hunter, showcasing the evolution of her themes and techniques through her decades of painting. See these works as you’ve never experienced them before in a wall-to-wall immersive experience worthy of the Louisiana legend.
While you’re in town to view the exhibition, level up your own artistic skills at the Alexandria Museum of Art’s “Handmade for the Holidays” Saturday workshop series. These workshops are designed to become unique and thoughtful presents for everyone on your list: Watercolors on November 7th; custom jewelry on November 14th; handprinted cards on November 21st; and finally soap felting on December 12th. Give the gift of art this winter!
Learn more at themuseum.org.
A Cajun & Creole Christmas in Lafayette
Celebrate the holidays with a little extra joie de vivre in Lafayette, where November and December bring festive traditions to the heart of Cajun & Creole Country. From sparkling light displays and holiday parades to live performances, carolers, tours of decorated homes, and family-friendly celebrations, there are plenty of ways to get into the spirit of the season.
Make a weekend of it by shopping for locally made gifts, enjoying Lafayette’s Cajun and Creole flavors, and catching live music while you’re in town. Whether you’re planning a family outing, a holiday getaway with friends, or simply looking for a festive reason to hit the road, Lafayette offers a celebration filled with local flavor and warm hospitality.
This holiday season, experience Christmas with a Cajun and Creole twist and discover why the most memorable gifts might just be the traditions you take home with you.
Plan your Cajun & Creole Christmas at LafayetteTravel.com/Christmas.
West Baton Rouge
When the pecan trees are heavy with bounty & cane trucks full of southern sweetness, the holiday season is around the corner in West Baton Rouge Parish. Join us the first weekend of December for a small-town Christmas Tree lighting with Big Holiday spirit at St. James Park in Brusly on Friday. Followed by the Jingle Jeepin’ parade & market in Port Allen on Saturday, featuring live music, craft vendors, pictures with Papa Noel, and of course a cavalcade of festive jeeps with plenty of throws!
Journey back in time on December 11th to experience our Cajun Jam & Holiday Open House at the West Baton Rouge Museum and finish up the night at the Full Moon Market on Main Street in Brusly to support small businesses and celebrate the season with the community. Visit West Baton Rouge, where we’re bridging the gap between history and hospitality.
Learn more at westbatonrouge.net/reflections-season.
Natchitoches
Named after a Native American tribe, Natchitoches (pronounced Nack-a-tish ) is the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase Territory. Since 1927, we have been home to one of the oldest community-based holiday celebrations in the country. Starting as a one-day festival, the Natchitoches Christmas Festival has evolved into a six-week-long Christmas Season. The Christmas Season begins on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and concludes on January the 6th, Epiphany. Over 300,000 lights and 100-plus set pieces are on display every night at dusk.
Join us every Saturday for live music, kids’ activities, fireworks, and much more! You also won’t want to miss our Annual Festival on December 6th.
Learn more at natchitocheschristmas.com.
Louisiana State Parks
Louisiana’s state parks and historic sites are a great way for visitors to experience the Sportsman’s Paradise. As the weather cools, take a bike trek down meandering roads and through wooded trails. Visit Palmetto Island State Park for a real Louisiana outdoors experience, including a boat launch, fishing, and water sports aplenty. Or visit Bogue Chitto State Park, where lush and diverse natural habitats are home to many of Louisiana’s native wildlife.
From hiking to bird watching, disc golf to horseback riding, there’s always something new and exciting to discover in Louisiana State Parks. Book a cabin or campsite and see for yourself why our State Parks system is the best!
Learn more at lastateparks.com.
