25 Best Things to Do in Shreveport, Louisiana

By VacationIdea Staff on May 5, 2022 - Updated

Courtesy of SeanPavonePhoto - Fotolia.com

Situated along the Red River, Shreveport is a popular destination in Louisiana. There are plenty of outdoor attractions for those who like to have fun outside, such as spending time at the zoo or parks. For those who prefer to be indoors, there is even more to do, from museums and art galleries to aquariums and historic homes.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

1.Barksdale Global Power Museum, Shreveport, LA

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, Shreveport, Louisiana

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, Shreveport, LA

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

4.Marlene Yu Museum, Shreveport, Louisiana

Located in downtown Shreveport, the Marlene Yu Museum is the town’s first contemporary art museum and offers residents of northwest Louisiana a place where they can connect with the world of nature around them. Named after the artist Marlene Yu, the museum is housed in a former YWCA building that measures 36,500 square feet. The artwork by Yu give visitors a birds-eye look at nature, according to the museum director and Yu’s daughter, Stephanie Lusk. The goal of the museum is the preservation, presentation, documentation, and interpretation of the works and life of Marlene Tseng Yu. Mural-sized painting and art exhibitions are displayed throughout the museum.

710 Travis St, Shreveport, LA 71101, Phone: 318-717-9111

5.Meadows Museum of Art, Shreveport, Louisiana

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

6.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

7.Pioneer Heritage Center, Shreveport, Louisiana

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

8.Sci-Port Discovery Center, Shreveport, Louisiana

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

9.Shreveport Aquarium, Shreveport, Louisiana

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

10.Shreveport Railroad Museum, Shreveport, Louisiana

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

11.Shreveport Water Works Museum, Shreveport

The Shreveport Water Works Museum is housed in what used to be the McNeill Street Pumping Station. The site is unique in the fact that it is both a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. The Pumping Station was established in 1887 as the first water plant in the city. The complete plant, including all of the filters and pumps, still remains in place today after over one hundred years of being in service. It serves as a rare intact example of a steam water works. Visitors can explore the museum on their own or with a guide.

142 N Common St, Shreveport, LA 71101, Phone: 318-221-3388

12.Spring Street Museum, Shreveport

The Spring Street Museum is situated within what is considered to be one of the oldest structures in Shreveport, dating back to the year 1865 and featuring cast iron grillwork. Throughout its history, the historic building has housed a bar and a bank, with the ornate and heavy vault door of the bank still in its place. The focus of the museum is on the area of Shreveport’s history, and the museum is noted on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can explore the history of the city free of charge at the Spring Street Museum, where they will learn through interactive exhibits and artifacts.

525 N. Spring St, Shreveport, LA 71101, Phone: 318-424-0964

13.Gardens of the American Rose Center

Gardens of the American Rose Center are filled with an inspiring variety of beautiful, luscious roses. The gardens are nestled in a massive 118-acre pine forest and features many other companion plants, fountains, and sculptures, along with the popular Dudley Watkins Reflection Pool. Whether visiting alone or with friends or family, a walk through the garden is sure to provide a picture-perfect afternoon with opportunity for bonding, relaxation, and reflection. There are several picnic areas available for families to use together with a children’s playground. The American Rose Society, whose headquarters is based in the center, recommends visiting the garden from April to October to see the roses at their peak. Admission is by donation.

8877 Jefferson Paige Road, Shreveport, Louisiana 71119, Phone: 318-938-5402

14.Things to Do in Shreveport, Louisiana: The Logan Mansion

The Logan Mansion is full of adventure, history, a just a tad of spookiness. The home is a beautiful house built in the Queen Anne style and is situated on the outskirts of downtown Shreveport. Nathaniel Sykes Allen originally designed the house for beer distributor and ice manufacturer Lafayette R. Logan in the year 1897. The Logan Mansion is now the residence of Vicki and Billy LeBrun, who have been working to restore the house to its original splendor since 2005. The couple love to share information about the historic mansion with the public through narrated tours.

725 Austin Pl, Shreveport, LA 71101, Phone: 318-459-2285

15.Touchstone Wildlife and Art Museum, Shreveport, Louisiana

The Touchstone Wildlife and Art Museum houses over one thousand stuffed and mounted animals that are on display in simulated natural habitats featuring hand-painted backdrops. The museum displays an interesting mix-up of war memorabilia, taxidermy, and Native American artifacts, displays, and dioramas. Visitors can even watch as staff and artists work on creating new displays. Natural habitat displays of animal skins include an extremely rare snow leopard and a family of zebras among several others. Guests at the museum can also explore an array of other displays that are seemingly unrelated, such as the Civil War, Bonnie and Clyde, and Star Trek.

3386 US 80, Haughton, LA 71037, Phone: 318-949-2323

16.Things to Do in Shreveport, Louisiana: Walter B Jacobs Memorial Nature Park

The Walter B. Jacobs Memorial Nature Park in Shreveport is spread across 160 acres of oak-pine-hickory forest that can be accessed by five miles of trails for hiking that feature interpretive signage along the way. Exhibits featuring live animals include the deer enclosure and the Bird of Prey aviary. The nature park includes a visitor center that houses several hands-on exhibits, live animals, a play area for children, restrooms, and a classroom. A covered pavilion picnic area offers space for programs and groups. Staff of the park also offer an array of educational programs throughout the year.

8012 Blanchard Furrh Rd, Shreveport, LA 71101, Phone: 318-929-2806

17.R.W. Norton Art Gallery

Originally showcasing the impressive artworks acquired by Richard W. Norton’s wife and son, the R.W. Norton Art Gallery continued to expand since its opening in 1966 to become the exceptional gallery it is today. Now it houses artwork by more than 100 artists spanning over thousands of years from Renaissance masters to contemporary neo-realists. Visitors will find over 400 paintings within the museum along with hundreds of sculptures varying in size and media such as marble, bronze, and others. While the museum is well-known throughout the nation, visitors can enjoy a walk through the museum and its neighboring botanical gardens with no admission charge required. In addition to the museum and gardens, the gallery also houses a research library with thousands of books covering fine arts, national and local history, along with genealogy.

4747 Creswell Avenue, Shreveport, Louisiana 71106, Phone: 318-865-4201

18.Splash Kingdom Waterpark

Have a thrilling and laughter-filled afternoon with the whole family at Splash Kingdom Waterpark. Home to a variety of attractions from ten exciting, high-speed water slides to an easy-going lazy river, there’s something here for every member of the family. Little ones can enjoy smaller slides of their own at Kid’s Castle, where water depth only reaches 10 inches, or run around Kingdom Falls where they can get soaked by a giant dump bucket and several water sprays. The park also features an enormous wave pool, general activity pool, and sand volleyball. After surely working up an appetite, grab a bite at any of the several food establishments such as Surfside Pizza, Smiley’s Cool Down Cafe, and Sweet Shop. Life jackets and inflatable tubes are available at any of the water attractions, along with cabanas and lockers for rent.

7670 W. 70th Street, Shreveport, Louisiana 71129, Phone: 318-938-5475

19.Red River Brewing Company, Shreveport

The Red River Brewing Company offers views of downtown Shreveport and an inside glimpse into the brewing and bottling process of the beer company. Guests can take in views of the downtown skyline from the taproom, which is decorated using repurposed wood originating from barn structures in the area. There are five to ten taps devoted solely to Red River beer in addition to other beers. The brewery’s flagship brews, such as Hay Ryed, are available in the taproom among several others. Food trucks are often on site as well. The brewery is quite popular and has grown from being a brewhouse with five barrels to twenty.

1200 Marshall St, Shreveport, LA 71101, Phone: 318-317-4110

20.Ferrier's Rollin' In the Dough, Shreveport

Ferrier's Rollin' In the Dough, owned and managed by Katherine and Robby Ferrier, first opened its doors to the public in the year 1997 on November 8th. It is both a bakery and a restaurant, offering homemade baked goods and meals. Guests can stop in and see Robby making the bakeshop’s famous made-from-scratch buns that are used for sandwiches and burgers. The business began as a full-service bakery, offering homemade breads and a wide variety of pastries for breakfast. The location of the shop, however, proved to be not conducive for products such as these, so a lunch menu was introduced.

1333 Captain Shreve Dr, Shreveport, LA 71105, Phone: 318-868-6836

21.The Strand Theater

Nearly 100 years old, the iconic Strand Theater continues to showcase phenomenal concerts, plays, dance performances, and even touring broadway shows. The impressive 2,500 seat theater is comparable to some of the world’s finest opera houses, and has been recognized several times in the press for its grand and beautiful design. Opened in 1925 and restored in 1984, visitors will marvel at the theater’s dazzling and glitzy interior reminiscent of the Roaring 20’s. Find adorned box seats, gilt edged mirrors, extravagant ceilings, glittering chandeliers, and rich colors of gold and burgundy all throughout. Expect to watch shows just as exceptional as the theater itself—shows all carefully chosen by the theater to cater to a wide range of ages, genders, and ethnicities.

619 Louisiana Avenue, Shreveport, Louisiana 71101, Phone: 318-226-1481

22.Shreveport Little Theatre

Known as one of the longest-standing community theaters in the United States, the Shreveport Little Theater has been producing quality live performances since its foundation in 1922. The quaint 170-seat theater has been recognized for its commitment to live entertainment, even presenting acts throughout the Great Depression and World War II. Together with the guidance of professional artists and help from community volunteers, the theater continues to present world-class live entertainment today. The company is undoubtedly driven and passionate about the entertaining arts, as well as the education and growth of its artists, volunteers, and audience. The theater itself is a pleasure to visit, with its unique rural English architecture and unique history of surviving and enduring through two fires.

812 Margaret Place, Shreveport, Louisiana 71101, Phone: 318-424-4439

23.Southern University Museum of Art at Shreveport

Celebrating the rich history and culture of African-Americans, the Southern University Museum of Art at Shreveport showcases an impressive number of artifacts and treasured artworks by African and African-Americans. The neighboring community and guests are invited to freely enter the museum and learn about the artistic culture of Africa along with the contributions made by African and African-Americans to the country. The African Art Collection features work from artistic regions such as Mali, Nigeria, and Congo. Study over 300 artifacts that make up the African Collection including ceremonial masks, jewelry, statues, and more. The African-American Art Collection includes prints, sculptures, and poems by renowned artists such as Phoebe Beasley and John Biggers.

610 Texas Street, Shreveport, Louisiana 71101, Phone: 318-670-6631

24.Red Herring Escape Rooms

Test your wits and solve every puzzle at Red Herring Escape Rooms. Whether looking for a fun night out with friends, a memorable date night, family bonding opportunities, or team building activities, every experience here is sure to be one to remember. Try any of their four expertly designed escape rooms, all created with unique and immersive puzzles that will prove to be challenging and fun at the same time. Every room features a different theme such as an Amazonian adventure, time travelling back to the 90’s, or a trip into an asylum. Family owned and operated, Red Herring Escape Rooms is open Thursday to Sunday every week.

3616 Youree Drive, Shreveport, Louisiana 71105, Phone: 318-861-0001