Louisiana Travel & Living

July 1, 2021

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Shreveport Aquarium

The good times are rolling this summer across Louisiana, where outdoor recreation abounds and thrilling attractions welcome families for educational or competitive fun. Louisiana is a wonderful place to spend the summer months for people of all ages—from kids looking for excitement to young professionals escaping work life with a weekend getaway and older adults settling into retirement with the freedom to explore or relax. The state’s cities and parishes all offer their unique flavors, from hearty meat pies to cold lagers and ales, fresh Gulf seafood, and more. Casinos, museums, art centers, and adventure parks are open again and welcoming visitors, while accommodations like historic hotels, quaint bed and breakfasts, and camping grounds lure in travelers. Meanwhile, retirement communities offer a chance to experience the best of Louisiana with maintenance-free living, informative classes, and social events. Before summer ends, get out and enjoy the best of what the state has to offer.

Travel Destinations
An easy drive from anywhere in the state, Point Coupee Parish offers a tucked-away escape and illuminating window into Louisiana’s rich history along the Mississippi River. Celebrating 300 years of history, the parish’s tricentennial offers tribute to the arrival of those who permanently settled Pointe Coupée, but its attractions and legacy date much farther back—Point Coupee is home to 10 earthen American Indian mounds built between 700 and 1200 AD.

Take a drive down beautiful country roads lined with sugarcane and enjoy Point Coupee’s historical charm and open-air offerings. A live oak tree walking tour, bike tour, kayaking, SUP boarding, weekly fishing tournaments, hunting, and camping are activities that draw outdoors enthusiasts to the area, while 30 historical homes and the Old River Controls Structure offer a glimpse into the past.

In July, Pointe Coupee hosts its annual 4th of July boat parade, fireworks, and live music celebrations at both False River and Old River Landing. For more information, events, and destinations, visit pctourism.org or call 225-638-3998.

Last year was tough on summer plans, but you can revive your lost adventures with a visit to Shreveport-Bossier for fun and entertainment. Six Shreveport-Bossier casinos offer everything from 24-hour gaming action to late-night entertainment. Food is a sure bet at casino restaurants, with many providing some of the best views of the Red River.

Nearby festival fun, poolside vibes, day parties and late-night shenanigans make Shreveport-Bossier worth a trip. The Seventh Tap is the newest brewery to open in Shreveport-Bossier and joins three other popular breweries – Flying Heart Brewing and Pub, Red River Brewpub, and Great Raft Brewing.

Summer plans in the sister cities aren’t complete without a trip to one of three entertainment areas: Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets, East Bank District, and Red River District. Families will love the Shreveport Aquarium, Sci-Port Discovery Center, Gators and Friends Adventure Park, and more. For more trip planning information, visit Shreveport-Bossier.org.

Explore St. Tammany Parish’s pristine waterways and great outdoors with a paddle along the bayou, boat tour of Honey Island Swamp, fishing charter, bike ride along the 31-mile Tammany Trace, or tubing trip down the Bogue Chitto. Satisfy your taste buds with the deep and delicious Tammany Taste culinary scene. Abundant fine dining and mom and pop eateries combine all the flavors Louisiana is known for in exquisite dishes featuring Gulf seafood, local produce, and hospitality that cannot be beaten. Wind down with the family at your choice of comfortable and affordable accommodations, luxurious B&Bs or updated camping sites at either Fontainebleau or Fairview-Riverside State Parks.

Eat, play and stay during August 1-31, 2021, for huge savings at local accommodations, discounted prix fixe menus at restaurants locals love, and deals at unique outdoor attractions. Discover what it truly means to feed your soul on the Louisiana Northshore. Sign-up for your Tammany Taste of Summer Savings Pass today at TammanyTaste.com.

Natchitoches, Louisiana’s oldest city, is the perfect weekend getaway for families—yes, families. With interactive, educational attractions, unique family-friendly dining, and accommodations of all sizes, everyone will enjoy their time together.

Gator Country, Natchitoches’ alligator park, is open seven days a week and offers the chance to feed alligators, goats, deer, guinea pigs, emus and tortoises; to hold alligators, snakes and lizards; and to learn more about the Louisiana State Reptile.

Other things to do include panning for gems at Lost Treasure Mining Company, paddling or pedaling down Cane River Lake on kayaks or hydrobikes, or playing putt putt at Pecan Orchard RV Park and Putt Putt.

Take the family for a home-style lunch at Almost Home, or roast your own s’mores on the s’mores bar at Mariner’s Restaurant. But you don’t want to leave town without grabbing a Natchitoches meat pie or two.

Begin planning your trip at Natchitoches.com.

Filled with inspiring flavors, rich history, and a culture all its own, Alexandria/Pineville is truly one of a kind. On the banks of the Red River, Downtown Alexandria offers all the modern amenities of a Southern city including two premier, full-service hotels, The Holiday Inn Downtown Alexandria and the historic Hotel Bentley, a luxurious hotel featuring opulent designs and furnishings dating back to 1908, as well as a grand ballroom, fine dining restaurant and award-winning cocktail lounge.

Hungry for more? The revitalized Downtown Entertainment District is just a few steps from your front door, walking distance to restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. Catch live theater and music performances at the Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center, or explore the T.R.E.E. House Children’s Museum, River Oaks Square Art Center, and The Alexandria Museum of Art.

With so much to explore, you’ll want to stay awhile. Plan your trip today at alexandriapinevillela.com.

Alexandria Museum of Art

Retirement Living
The Oaks of Louisiana in Shreveport is the area’s premier life plan community. A gated neighborhood for adults 55+, The Oaks offers three living options—independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing—which allow residents to move in while they can still enjoy a vibrant, active, and fulfilling lifestyle and have peace of mind knowing they can transition to another residence and level of care if and when they need without having to move to another community.

The Oaks of Louisiana focuses on helping residents achieve personal wellness in all dimensions through programs, classes, events, and opportunities. And because The Oaks is owned and operated by Willis-Knighton Health System, procedures and protocols in place provide residents a safe environment that promotes good health and wellness. With apartments starting at $1,641.15, The Oaks is an outstanding value for its distinctive location, extraordinary services, and exceptional maintenance-free lifestyle that includes housekeeping, dining options, 24-7 security, transportation, and more.

Learn more at oaksofla.com.