Looking for your next roadtrip? It’s time for a weekend getaway to Shreveport, Louisiana
Some people think Shreveport and Bossier City are all about going to the casino, but there’s so much more to do here than sitting at the slot machine! It’s time to take another look at northwest Louisiana, because there are memories waiting to be made in Shreveport!!
The first thing I noticed as we came into town was that this river city has a thriving walkable downtown art scene with murals and sculptures around every corner.
Our first stop was to Sanctuary Glass Studio for a glassblowing class….talk about checking an item off the bucket list!! We picked what type of piece we wanted to create, picked colors and the staff there was fantastic. Look how cute our mushroom turned out!
That night, we went to a Shreveport Mudbugs hockey game and it may have ended up being my favorite part of the whole trip! It was the season opening weekend and the arena was packed full of fans wearing their teams jersey. I was so not prepared for when the Mudbugs scored and everyone around us started throwing crawfish on the ice! Talk about a fun surprise!! After the first score, we hunted down the souvenir shop and purchased our own $2 mudbugs, then waited for our opportunity to throw. The mudbugs scored 2 more times, giving us the chance to get in on the fun and, of course, I kept one as a little reminder of an amazing night.
The next day, we did a candle pouring experience at Clean Slate Botanicals. The process involved choosing a vessel, mixing different scents to find the one you like, setting your wick (I picked the wooden one that crackles), then pouring your wax. The candle needs a couple days to set, but they offered to ship ours for us and it turned out amazing! Smells so good!!!
We spent the afternoon finding murals and sculptures all over town, then stopped by an artsy street festival the glass blowers at Sanctuary Glass Studio were hosting with The Agora Borealis.
A friend had recommended stopping by Tubbs Hardware and I’m so glad we did! They have Mardi Gras supplies and beads you can’t find anywhere else. They even convert half the store to all things Mardi Gras in February and sell the most amazing King Cakes!!
Speaking of food…
Y'all know we like to find the places where the locals go! Here are my favorite places we ate (and drank) while we were in Shreveport!
What we ordered: We split their Club Sammich, a cup of Shrimp Etouffee, and Almond Jacq Pie.
A friend who's a Louisiana native made this recommendation and it was the perfect stop. The sandwich portion was large and the etouffee had lots of shrimp and was very filling. But it was that almond jacq pie that was the star of the show!! I didn't know what to expect, but I was really surprised it was frozen!! I would go there just for that pie!!
Total cost: $28
What we ordered: Gator Bites, Crab Stuffed Shrimp, Gumbeaux, a '318' Blonde and Ghost in the Machine IPA from Parish Brewing Company and a Swamp Water
Orlandeaux's is the oldest continuously running Black-owned restaurant in the U.S.
The gator bites were the best I've ever tasted, I got called out by our server for eating my stuffed shrimp with a fork , and that gumbeaux...WOW!!!!! It's made from scratch each day and came LOADED with sausage, shrimp, chicken and crab, with just the right hit of heat.
I dream about this food and if I could pick any restaurant from our trip to go back to tomorrow, Orlandeaux's wins hands down!!
Total cost: $70
What we ordered: Hungry Man Breakfast, 2-Egg Breakfast, and a Slice of their Famous Strawberry Pie.
This was the perfect breakfast stop! There are murals all over the walls and an open kitchen...it felt like stepping back in time. Our server found out we were visiting from out of town and she brought us a slice of their famous strawberry pie to try! It was divine!!
Total cost: $24.00
What we ordered: Half a Dozen Hot Donuts
Talk about melt-in-your-mouth!!!
You know it's going to be good if the line is out the door. We got there about 20 minutes before the "hot light: came on, but we were prepared to wait however long it took...worth it!! They fired up that conveyor belt, sent those donuts under a waterfall of icing and started rapid-fire handing out orders. Everybody left happy, that's for sure!!
Total Cost: $8
What we ordered: Boudin Biscuits & Gravy, Shrimp and Grits, Brunch Beignets, and Bottomless Brunch Cocktails.
Obsessed with this place!! The owner, Bozz Baucom, came around to our table and told us the story of how he named the restaurant to honor his mother. Everything was delicious, but it was the boudin biscuits and gravy that had us fighting over who got the last bite!
The wristband for bottomless bevs is $20 and they make 'em STRONG!! Be prepared to stay awhile or bring a DD.
Total cost: $62
We stayed at God’s Country and if you’re looking to get away from it all, this is the place to do it! With options of cabins, teepee’s and even covered wagons, God’s Country offers guests a unique opportunity to experience Louisiana and the views are incredible! It’s located about 20 minutes outside of Shreveport, but they excel at peace, quiet and beautiful sunrises.
Our last stop before leaving town was the American Rose Center. We went in fall, so there wasn’t as much blooming, but they still had plenty of roses for me to smell. I’m looking forward to going back in peak rose season to truly experience the beauty to its fullest.
Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or something a little more family friendly, Shreveport offers something for everyone. Saddle up to a daiquiri bar and enjoy making memories you’ll never forget!
Looking for more things to do in Shreveport and Bossier City? Check out Visit Shreveport-Bossier at https://www.visitshreveportbossier.org
Their website is packed full of special events, places to shop and even more food options!
Happy Adventuring!! Love, Sarah
コメント