Best Things to Do in Monroe, LA (2026)

The Best Things to Do in Monroe, LA: A Local's Ranking

Most "things to do" lists for Monroe read like a phone book. This one is different: these are the 15 places I actually take visiting friends and family, ranked by how often we go back. They are grouped by type so you can build a half-day around what you feel like doing.

Jump to: Outdoor & Nature · Museums & Culture · Family-Friendly · Evening & Nightlife · Food & Drink

Outdoor & Nature

1. Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo

The splash pad alone is worth the $10 admission. On a July Wednesday we spent five hours here. The dump-bucket tower kept the kids soaked for 45 minutes straight. Past the ticket window, the grounds split: animals and walking trails on the right, splash pad and boat dock on the left. The Bayou Safari Boat Ride costs $5 extra and has been running since 1971.

2. Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge

A 5,300-acre cypress swamp inside Monroe city limits. The wooden boardwalk extends over the lake where alligators surface in the early morning and great blue herons stand still in the cypress. Go at sunrise. The morning mist over the water is the kind of thing you photograph and can't believe is 20 minutes from your hotel. The Conservation Learning Center has live snakes and small alligators staff sometimes let visitors hold.

3. Ouachita River & Cheniere Lake Kayaking

Six new kayak trails and three launch sites opened at Cheniere Lake in Ouachita Parish. You can be on the water in under 30 minutes from downtown Monroe, no experience needed. I paddled the whole thing on opening day and ended up staying twice as long as planned. Paddle the cypress groves of Black Bayou Lake or the calm stretches of the Ouachita for the best wildlife views.

4. Forsythe Park

Monroe's biggest city park, right along the Ouachita River on Sycamore Street. Free entry, a boat ramp, tennis courts, a playground, and a walking path along the water. Locals run here in the morning and families show up with coolers on Saturday afternoons. Large oak trees provide deep shade. This is the park you bring sunscreen but rarely need it.

5. Kiroli Park

The most popular park in the area, in West Monroe. Walking trails, a duck pond, playground, and picnic areas. Free to enter. It's a natural stop to combine with nearby Duck Commander. Locals bring their kids here on weekends, and the trails are shaded and stroller-friendly for a Louisiana summer.

Museums & Culture

6. Chennault Aviation and Military Museum

The most visited attraction in Monroe, and it is free. The building looks modest from the outside; inside are more than 12,000 artifacts across 10,000 square feet. Flying Tigers memorabilia, WWII uniforms, a Vietnam-era helicopter, and seven restored aircraft in the outdoor Aviation Park. The building itself is the last remaining classroom of Selman Field Navigation School, the largest in the U.S. during WWII. There is also a moon rock you can hold.

7. Masur Museum of Art

The largest visual arts museum in Northeast Louisiana, and it is free. Housed in a 1929 Tudor Revival mansion on South Grand Street (National Register of Historic Places). Exhibits rotate every couple of months: sculptural work, textiles, and shows from local and regional artists. I've walked in on a quiet Tuesday and had an entire gallery to myself. Drop-in activity days for kids happen regularly.

8. Biedenharn Museum and Gardens

Joseph Biedenharn bottled the first Coca-Cola here in 1894. Today the property is three experiences in one: a Coca-Cola museum with the original bottling equipment and soda counter, the restored Victorian home of the Biedenharn family, and formal English gardens along the Ouachita River. One of the most overlooked stops in Louisiana. Most visitors don't know the root beer story.

9. African American Museum

Located in Chennault Park, this museum features rotating exhibits of local artists' work alongside cultural programming including Juneteenth celebrations and conferences. It is quieter and less trafficked than the other museums on this list, which makes a weekday morning visit feel unhurried. Worth combining into the same Chennault Park visit as the aviation museum across the park.

Family-Friendly

10. Northeast Louisiana Children's Museum

The go-to for kids under 10, on Walnut Street in downtown Monroe. Interactive exhibits and play areas keep younger children busy for a couple of hours. Covered and air-conditioned, which matters in a Louisiana summer. Saturdays are busy. Call ahead to schedule around school field trips on weekdays.

11. Duck Commander

The most visited attraction in Monroe by a wide margin. The Robertson family's brand turned West Monroe into a destination on its own. Whether you watched Duck Dynasty or not, the warehouse store and museum on Kings Lane draws visitors from across the country every week. Tightly linked to Kiroli Park nearby. Do both in one outing.

Evening & Nightlife

12. Strauss Theatre Center

Monroe's main live theater venue on Lamy Lane. Strauss runs a full season of repertory productions with drama, comedy, and musicals. If you're in town for more than a day, checking what's showing is worth it. Local performing arts that draws real audiences year-round. Check the season schedule and book ahead for weekend shows.

13. Southern Escape Room

A women-owned local business on Louisville Avenue with multiple themed rooms that change regularly. Works for date nights, birthday groups, and work outings. Book ahead on weekends since rooms fill up fast. If your group has some axe-throwers, combine it with Savage Axe and More nearby for a full activity afternoon.

14. Savage Axe and More

Axe throwing, a DJ, karaoke, and a bar all under one roof on Tower Drive. Everyone ends up having more fun than they planned. Works for birthday parties, corporate groups, or a date night that isn't dinner and a movie. A great indoor option when the Louisiana heat makes outdoor plans impossible.

Food & Drink

15. Apero

The most talked-about restaurant in Monroe for a reason. Elevated Louisiana cuisine and craft cocktails in an upscale but warm dining room on Tower Drive. Start with the lamb lollipops or shrimp toast, then the duck or the filet. Reservations are essential. Book via resy.com, especially on weekends. It's a special-occasion spot, not a weeknight burger place.

More things to do in Monroe worth your time.