Natchitoches Travel Guide

  Natchitoches Parish Courthouse
by Basaic
  • Natchitoches Parish Courthouse
      Natchitoches Parish Courthouse
    by Basaic
  • The Landing
      The Landing
    by Basaic
  • Inside
      Inside
    by Basaic
  • The Mariner's Restaurant
      The Mariner's Restaurant
    by Basaic
  • Lake Sibley
      Lake Sibley
    by Basaic

Explore Natchitoches

Things to Do  

Natchitoches and Natchitoches Parish

Natchitoches and Natchitoches Parish, Natchitoches

 Basaic Says:  Natchitoches has a fairly stable population of about 18,000 located near Interstate 49 in West Central Louisiana. Both the city and the parish are named after the Natchitoches Indian Tribe. Coincidentally, the town of Nacogdoches, Texas is named after the same Indian tribe;... 

Fort St. Jean Baptiste Historic Site

Fort St. Jean Baptiste Historic Site, Natchitoches

 atufft Says:  This is a reconstructed stockade style fort, built in the methods believed to have been used in the original, but the Northwestern State University college students that roleplay the original barefooted soldiers do a good job of informing visitors about life at the original... 

Oakland Plantation

Oakland Plantation, Natchitoches

 BruceDunning Says:  Give yourself a short walk in the heat and find out what a working farm looks like today from the old days 100 years ago. It is fairly well maintained by the State which owns and controls the tours. Inside the home is rudimentary, and the outhouses are like they were long... 

Melrose Plantation

Melrose Plantation, Natchitoches

 BruceDunning Says:  It was started in late 1700's by land grant to son of Marie Terese, the mother of 14 children and slave to St. Denis, a land barron in his time. They were sold to a guy named Metoyer and he may be the father of all? He freed them and as a result the blacks got land.In 1898,... 

Hotels  

Restaurants  

The Mariner's Restaurant: Great Seafood and Steaks

The Mariner's Restaurant: Great Seafood and Steaks, Natchitoches

 Basaic Says:  A good alternative to The Landing, especially if you do not want to go downtown, is The Mariner's. It has a widely varied menu with chicken, pasta, seafood and great steaks using the best Angus Beef. Sit on the patio and look out on Lake Sibley. 

The Landing: A Natchitoches Tradition

The Landing: A Natchitoches Tradition, Natchitoches

 Basaic Says:  The Landing is a bar and grill located on Front Street looking out on the Cane River. This is considered THE place by locals and those who visit frequently. The atmosphere is comfortable/down home with dark wood and ceiling fans. The service was efficient and friendly.... 

The Landing Restaurant and Bar: Live and Love at the Landing!

The Landing Restaurant and Bar: Live and Love at the Landing!, Natchitoches

 ATXtraveler Says:  During our annual trip to visit Sarah's family in Louisiana, we decided to stop and have Christmas Eve dinner in old town Natchitoches. The traditional place to have this dinner is The Landing, which is a beautiful little brick restaurant right over looking the river.I tried... 

Chuckwagon Cafe: Natchitoches Back-up plan B

Chuckwagon Cafe: Natchitoches Back-up plan B, Natchitoches

 atufft Says:  Surprisingly, during holidays, the old town of Natchitoches has restaurants that are closed. So, we found ourselves cruising the main streets of the new town looking for something that wasn't fast food. At one point, we even go desperate and checked the menu of the Popeye's... 

Almost Home: HOME COOKIN'!!

Almost Home: HOME COOKIN'!!, Natchitoches

 bobby.carney Says:  The food is mostly Southern Style Cooking. almost Home over looks Sibley Lake off the North bypass. The reason is so good is that the food is the old southern rib stickin kind. Very relaxed, family atmosphere. The owners are thier everyday. She's in the Kitchen Cookin and... 

The Landing: Amazing Sunday Brunch

The Landing: Amazing Sunday Brunch, Natchitoches

 bobby.carney Says:  I lived in natchitochs for four wonderful years. I have been to 26 states and 5 countries and know of no other town this size with as much culture, character and fantastic cuisine. Not to mention, the people are simply amazing. The Landing is on Front Street, overlooking the... 

Nightlife  

The Landing: Enjoy a bottle of Vino!

The Landing: Enjoy a bottle of Vino!, Natchitoches

 ATXtraveler Says:  If you are out for a hot toddy or something to warm you up on a winter night, try out the Landing on Front Street. They have moderately priced drinks, and also some wonderful bottles of wine.Although we did not drink on this trip because we were driving, we did notice a few... 

Natchitoches waterfront at night: Walk along the Cane River at Christmas

Natchitoches waterfront at night: Walk along the Cane River at Christmas, Natchitoches

 atufft Says:  A good place to stroll and see lovers romancing on park benches at night is the Natchitoches Cane River waterfront. At Christmas the lights glow and the fountain continues. Concessions sell waffle cones, a powered sugar covered confection that's serve hot. Lattes and hot... 

Transportation  

Getting There

Getting There, Natchitoches

 keeweechic Says:  By Air : Natchitoches Parish Airport is just an hour away at the Alexandria-Esler Regional Airport (50 miles south) and the Shreveport Regional Airport (65 miles north). Both airports are served by American, Continental and Northwest. Shreveport is also served by Delta, TWA... 

Natchitoches and Cane River Road Maps

Natchitoches and Cane River Road Maps, Natchitoches

 atufft Says:  The photos of the maps are probably hard to read, but it gives an idea of the size of the historic quarter and lay-out relative to the Cane River. Also, the Cane River Map shows the Cane River Tour for the plantations described elsewhere in the tips. As a matter of... 

Shopping  

Oakland Plantation Gift Shop: Plantation History Bookshop
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atufft 2876 reviews
Oakland Store once served as company store
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Natchitoches bookstore was closed during our visit, so I was worried that I might not be able to shop for good documented history books, a passion wherever I travel. Luckily, the Oakland Plantation Giftshop, managed by the National Parks Service, has a good supply of books, music CDs, and even souvenirs. Sometime prior to 1994 National Park creation, the old store apparently had served the locals gas and groceries from the roadside entrance.

What to buy: There's a number of wonder coffee table photo books, as well as books devoted to the history of the indians, creoles, and African-American slavery in the area. I bought books for each topic and a couple of CDs that had traditional zydeco and local Louisiana music.

What to pay: Nothing was overpriced here, but I easily spent $150- on books and CDs.

Written Jan 10, 2006

Address: Oakland Plantation, Cane River Tour

Website: http://www.nps.gov/cari/

Related to:
 National/State Park
 Study Abroad
 Historical Travel

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Warnings and Dangers  

Water Rules & Regulations
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keeweechic 10971 reviews

It is illegal to drive a watercraft on Cane River Lake without successfully completing a boating safety course which is certified by either the Board of Commissioners of the Cane River Waterway District or the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, the Coast Guard Auxiliary or the State of Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. If you do not meet the requirements, fines can be from $50 to $150.

Updated Sep 9, 2006

Related to:
 Road Trip

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Off The Beaten Path  

Kate Chopin House

Kate Chopin House, Natchitoches

 atufft Says:  At the end of the Natchitoches-Cane River Plantation Tour route is the historic home of Kate Chopin, a favorite American novelist and short story writer among English teachers. She was a feminist before the word was even coined, having been raised in New Orleans, she... 

Natchitoches Parish

Natchitoches Parish, Natchitoches

 keeweechic Says:  Outside of Natchitoches you see the very rural side of the Parish.Natchitoches, the oldest enduring community in the Louisiana Purchase Territory and has the largest collection of Creole architecture in the Mississippi Valley. 

Favorites  

Red River Museum

Red River Museum, Natchitoches

 vigi Says:   After much crazy shopping, we drove to the Grand Ecore Visitor's Center & Red River Museum. Well... scenery was nice, but not too fantastic, and the museum... the staff was trying hard to explain work they've done to protech the red river, blablabla... but seriously, I... 

Romantic Cast Iron Grillwork

Romantic Cast Iron Grillwork, Natchitoches

 vigi Says:   The reconstructed Ft. St.Jean Baptiste symbolizes colonial days in Natchitoches, while the mercantile buildings and houses with the cast iron grillwork galleries overlooking Cane River Lake are reminiscent of the days of the Cotton Kingdom and Natchitoches' old river port.... 

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Map of Natchitoches