Louisiana Travel Guide - 2026
Central Louisiana
2026-02-19 10:05:09
Meandering byways, colorful history and laid-back lakeside vibes. This is Central Louisiana, peppered with pine woods, cotton and plenty of small-town charm.
Central Overview
Beyond Louisiana’s largest cities and into its laid-back interior, the Bayou State’s colorful soul takes on a whole different vibe. Here, civilization sprawls a little wider, and scenic byways saunter past historic homes and wandering waterways that go through cities almost as old as the country itself.
Natchitoches, the oldest of them all, dates back to 1714 and today balances its colonial legacy with small-town charm — not to mention memorable local delicacies like plate lunch specials and their famous meat pie. Alexandria is home to Kent Plantation House and a thriving modern art culture steeped in its complex heritage.
Throughout Central Louisiana, but especially in Toledo Bend Lake Country, nature is a constant companion. Whether you’re on a scenic drive, a National Historic Trail or headed out on the water, there’s family-friendly fun around every corner and in every cove. Every stop has a story … and most have an outstanding signature dish to savor.
ALEXANDRIA, PINEVILLE & MARKSVILLE
History & Art
Thanks to their location in the heart of Louisiana, these three central towns are en route to some of your favorite places, each one becoming a new best-kept-secret location. In downtown Alexandria, you can get your steps in and peek into the city’s past with the free, self-guided Historical Markers District Walking Tour. Two tour stops demand extra attention: the Alexandria Museum of Art, with exhibitions honoring area artists, and the James Wade Bolton House, a restored Queen Anne Revival structure housing the River Oaks Square Arts Center.
Wilder Times
At the Alexandria Zoological Park, a modest size means intimate encounters with tigers, jaguars, otters and a variety of charismatic species. Among the rolling piney hills of nearby Kisatchie National Forest, 400+ miles of hiking trails beckon. Spring Bayou State Wildlife Management Area offers a tranquil wetlands escape in Marksville, where you can also fuel up at La Petite Affaire Café to enjoy local ingredients prepared in from-scratch recipes.
TOLEDO BEND LAKE COUNTRY
Two for the Road
For a stunning sense of Lake Country’s scale, try these two picturesque drives: Toledo Bend Forest Scenic Byway for endless lake-and-sky panoramas and El Camino Real de los Tejas, a National Historic Trail with French, Spanish and Native American roots.
Family Fun
Scoop up some ice cream at popular Curtis Grocery after enjoying a day on the lake, or beat the summer heat at Zwolle’s Toledo Bend Family Adventure Park offering spa pools, slides, a splash pad and a lazy river. The new Zwolle Museum tells the story of the area’s lake, forests and Native American heritage.
Festive Celebrations
Zwolle is also home to the Zwolle Tamale Fiesta, a funfilled (and filling) celebration of the area’s shared Spanish and Native American heritage. And Toledo Bend hosts the Choctaw-Apache Pow-Wow celebrating tribal culture, dancing, artistry and more.
NATCHITOCHES
Classic Southern Charm
With a history dating back to the Louisiana Purchase, Natchitoches (pronounced NAK-a-tish) is Louisiana’s oldest city. Tour the historic district to see the reconstructed Fort St. Jean Baptiste Historic Site and restored homes with ornate grillwork galleries overlooking Cane River Lake. (Bonus points for touring via horse-drawn carriage with Southern Carriage Tours!) And be sure to stop at the nostalgic Kaffie-Frederick General Mercantile, founded in 1893 and in its third generation as a pillar of the Natchitoches community.
Claims to Fame
Natchitoches has some modern claims to fame, too. You’ll need to stop in at Lasyone’s Meat Pie Restaurant, where the eponymous entree is always prepared with love. Plan your visit around the Natchitoches Jazz and R&B Festival in May to enjoy rollicking, genre-blending grooves. And by all means, book a room at 320 Rue Jefferson. It’s a bed and breakfast today, but served as the Eatenton family home in Steel Magnolias, a 1989 movie starring Dolly Parton that filmed there.
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