Need a Southern escape with culture, gaming, and charm? Head to Shreveport! Discover vibrant riverfront entertainment, world-class casinos, family-friendly museums, and rich Southern history. Whether you're into outdoor festivals, local eats, or artistic flair, Shreveport serves up Louisiana vibes with Texan flair.
Shreveport, LA Highlights:
- For Adventurous Travelers: Explore Red River trails at Walter B. Jacobs Memorial Nature Park – Hike scenic forest paths and spot wildlife in this tranquil reserve.
- For History Buffs: Step back in time at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum – Discover WPA-era dioramas and fascinating regional history.
- For Shoppers: Spend the day at Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets – Browse big brands, catch a movie, and enjoy waterfront dining.
- For Couples: Sip and stroll in downtown Shreveport – Sample local brews, tour art spaces, and enjoy rooftop views.
- For Families: Learn and play at Sci-Port Discovery Center – Explore hands-on science exhibits, planetarium shows, and an IMAX dome.
Best Time to Visit Shreveport, LA
The best time to visit Shreveport is from March to May or October to early November, when the weather is pleasant and festivals like the Red River Revel and Mardi Gras parades are in full swing.
How to Get to Shreveport, LA
- If you are traveling by car: Shreveport sits along I-20 and is about 3 hours from Dallas and 5 hours from New Orleans.
- By Plane: Shreveport Regional Airport (SHV) offers direct flights to major hubs including Dallas, Atlanta, and Denver.
- By Bus: Greyhound and other regional carriers serve downtown Shreveport with daily routes.
Where to Stay in Shreveport, LA
- Recommended for Families: Holiday Inn Shreveport Downtown – Close to Sci-Port and the aquarium with a pool and river views.
- For Couples: The Remington Suite Hotel and Spa – Boutique-style luxury with a spa, modern décor, and romantic ambiance.
- For Casino Lovers: Margaritaville Resort Casino Bossier City – Enjoy games, live music, and riverside relaxation just across the bridge.
Best Things to Do in Shreveport, LA
1. Barksdale Global Power Museum
Visitors can journey back in time at the Barksdale Global Power Museum and discover Strategic Bombardment’s dynamic history at the Air Force Global Strike Command, the 8th Air Force, and the 2nd Bomb Wing. The museum is both a memorial to the successes the country’s forces have had in battle and a place of recognition for the numerous years that have been spent training in order to deter war. Guests will see a wide array of aircraft, including the B-17 and the B-24 bombers used during World War II and the P-51 Mustang. Six galleries of exhibits help tell the story of Strategic Bombardment.
88 Shreveport Rd, Barksdale AFB, LA 71110, Phone: 318-752-0055
2. Jubilee Zoo
Jubilee Zoo offers General Admission for visitors, as well as event space for birthday parties, field trip programs, or any other event in which people are looking for kid-friendly fun. Visitors can pet the animals at the zoo, as well as feed them, as the animals that call the zoo home were chosen because they can safely interact with people. There are no large carnivores on display at the zoo such as bears, tigers, and lions. Visitors can also ride a carousel, explore the zoo on a safari hayride, enjoy a picnic, play on the playground, and bounce on inflatables.
6402 Highway 1, Shreveport, LA 71107, Phone: 318-929-7387
3. Louisiana State Exhibit Museum
The Louisiana State Exhibit Museum was founded in the year 1939 as part of the Public Works projects created under the New Deal. The museum is considered to be a jewel of architecture, constructed in a style that was ultra-modern at the time it was built. It features twenty-three beautifully rendered dioramas that depict what life in Louisiana was like during the 1940’s. The collection of the museum includes national and regional artifacts, artifacts of Louisiana Native Americans, works of art by local artists, and exhibits focused on natural history. The museum houses an amazing collection of Caddo and Poverty Point artifacts.
3015 Greenwood Rd, Shreveport, LA 71109, Phone: 318-632-2020
Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:
4. Meadows Museum of Art
The Meadows Museum of Art is located at the Centenary College of Louisiana and is an educational department of the College responsible for collecting, conserving, preserving, and interpreting visual works of art of museum quality. The permanent holdings of the museum represent the achievements in aesthetics of an array of cultures from throughout the world. The Permanent Collection features works of art by Alfred Maurer, Mary Cassatt, Emilio Amero, and George Grosz among several others, as well as Jean Despujols’ Indochina Collection. The museum also contains a copy of Albrecht Durer’s The Triumphal Arch of Maximilian I.
2911 Centenary Blvd, Shreveport, LA 71104, Phone: 318-869-5169
5. Great Raft Brewing
Passionate about brewing creative and authentically southern beer, Great Raft Brewing offers its customers some of the best beer in the state. The craft brewery prides itself in using the finest ingredients—local and seasonal whenever possible—to create a variety of beer that perfectly compliments the spicy and flavorful food culture of Louisiana. Great Raft Brewing offers several flagship beers from a dry-hopped Pilsner to a golden ale, along with a number of seasonal and limited-release beers throughout the year. Be sure to stop by their brewery’s tasting room to sample their quality beers, carefully and thoughtfully produced every year. If you can, stop by the brewery on a Saturday afternoon and take part in their free weekly brewery tour.
1251 Dalzell Street, Shreveport, Louisiana 71104, Phone: 318-734-9881
6. Pioneer Heritage Center
The Pioneer Heritage Center offers answers to many questions about the pioneers who settled in northwestern Louisiana. The center explains who the pioneers who settled the state’s northwest corner were, where they came from, how they lived their daily lives, how they adapted to the area’s untamed frontier, and much more. The Pioneer Heritage Center was founded in the year 1977 as part of a project in collaboration with the Junior League of Shreveport and the Louisiana State University in Shreveport. Visitors are guided through the structures offering insight into the pioneer’s daily lives, the natural environment, and cultural history in northwestern Louisiana.
1 University Place, Shreveport, LA 71115, Phone: 318-797-5339
What to do if you are traveling with kids:
7. Sci-Port Discovery Center
The Sci-Port Discovery Center offers both an educational and fun environment for visitors of all ages to actively engage in and explore the world of technology, science, and mathematics. The goal of Sci-Port is to spark curiosity in its guests about the world around them. They offer numerous hands-on activities used for scientific discovery in people’s daily lives and encourage a love of life-long learning. The complex features numerous interactive exhibits, an IMAX dome theater, and a planetarium. The immersive IMAX experience lets guests “feel” the film in a thrilling and realistic way. The Sci-Port IMAX Theater is the only one of its kind in Louisiana.
820 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA 71101, Phone: 318-424-3466
8. Shreveport Aquarium
The Shreveport Aquarium offers a look at the underwater world filled with wonder. Visitors can make their way through tropical lagoons, dark ocean caves, creaking shipwrecks, and coral reefs bursting with bright colors. Guests can get up close to jellyfish, rays, sharks, and many other species of marine life through one of several touch tanks found within the aquarium. A large amount of diversity and variety can be seen in the Shreveport Aquarium’s freshwater domed gallery. Visitors can also travel to the ocean’s depths to see strange creatures that hide in the dark in the deepest waters.
601 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA 71101, Phone: 318-383-0601
9. Shreveport Railroad Museum
The Shreveport Railroad Museum is housed in one of the Shreveport Water Works Museum’s auxiliary buildings. Opened to the public in 2013, the museum offers a glimpse into the use of steam in transportation throughout history. The museum is a project of the Red River Valley Railroad Historical Society, which a small number of railroad enthusiasts founded in 1981 in Shreveport. The goal of the Shreveport Railroad Museum is to display artifacts, photographs, documents, and memorabilia associated with the railroad industry, as well as to provide visitors with activities related to the railroad, such as train operations, photography, and train rides.
142 N. Common St, Shreveport, LA 71101, Phone: 318-458-3123
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