Booker Fowler Fish Hatchery

Booker Fowler is Louisiana’s largest fish hatchery. It is home to the Louisiana Lunker Bass Program and produces primarily Florida largemouth bass in addition to catfish, striped bass and paddlefish.  The visitor center features hand-painted murals, riverine exhibit, estuarine exhibit, bass exhibit and turtle exhibit. It is open from 9 am-3:00 pm Monday-Friday, and admission…

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Louisiana Dragon Boat Races

Spectacular for both participants and spectators alike, this annual fundraiser for the Alexandria Museum of Art was established in 2011. With its beginnings in Southern China, dragon boating is the fastest growing aquatic sport in the world with race festivals held around the world. The LA Dragon Boat Races take place on the Red River…

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Independence Day Celebration

The City of Pineville hosts a fireworks extravaganza on July 3 at Buhlow Lake to celebrate Independence Day. There is no cost for admission to this family-friendly event. Festivities featuring live music and food and beverage trucks begin at 3:00 p.m. www.pineville.net The City of Alexandria hosts a fireworks display on the banks of the…

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Louisiana Nursery Festival

Gardeners will enjoy a weekend of flowers, friends, food and fun at the Louisiana Nursery Festival in Forest Hill, held the third weekend in March. There’s no admission fee to enjoy the Saturday parade through the quaint town, carnival rides and equipment displays. Over 100 vendors offer a plethora of flowers, plants and trees for…

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Huckleberry Brewing Company

Step inside at Huckleberry in Alexandria to sample Louisiana craft beer as local as they come. Huckleberry is owned and operated by an 8th generation Alexandrian whose goal is to put an adventure into every glass. huckleberrybrewingcompany.com

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Downtown Alexandria Arts and Cultural District

Dotting the downtown Alexandria streetscape are several venues where culture and the arts come alive. The Alexandria Museum of Art, the Arna Bontemps African American Museum, the River Oaks Square Arts Center, the T.R.E.E. House and Children’s Museum, and the Coughlin Saunders Performing Arts Center are all must-sees. Pops in the Park with the Rapides…

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Historic Downtown Walking Tour

Learn about the rich history of Alexandria and Pineville by taking a self-guided walking tour of the downtown areas.  50 sites, many of which are on the National Register, take you from the civil war era, through the Art Deco period, to modern. alexandriapinevillela.com/historic-walking-tour

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Alexandria Zoological Park

Observing wildlife up close is what the Alexandria Zoological Park is all about. Guests can explore habitats such as the Land of the Jaguar and Australian Walkabout, learn about swamp and bayou creatures in the award-winning Louisiana Habitat Exhibit, or kick back and relax as you take in the sights of the zoo from aboard…

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The Northup Trail

Follow the path of Solomon Northup during his twelve years as a slave in central Louisiana.  Northup was an African-American farmer and musician from New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1941.  His story is told in the film, “12 Years a Slave.” Visit the Epps Plantation House, now on the campus…

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Historic Sites

Attention all history buffs! The area is packed with a rich and intriguing history. Some of the most notable locations to visit to uncover that incredible heritage include Fort Randolph & Fort Buhlow State Historic Site, Old Town Hall Museum, Rapides and Mt. Olivet cemeteries, Central Dairy Barn, as well as the Alexandria National Cemetery…

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