Something about Christmas makes everything more magical, and Louisiana is no exception. The arrival of the holidays transforms Louisiana into bustling towns and communities filled with Christmas cheer. You can travel through Louisiana and see the Festival of Light displays and the Holiday Light Safaris. Thanks to Tripping, here’s a list of seven Christmas getaways in Louisiana you and the whole family will enjoy!
This quaint town is packed with Christmas-themed activities during the holiday season. Enjoy the annual Christmas Parade at the beginning of December that features homemade floats and ends with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Afterward, you can tour the historic homes decked out for the holidays and view the annual Holiday Light Safariin neighboring Alexandria.
On the first Saturday of every December, the town of Shreveport lights up their Earl Williamson Park with the Christmas on Caddo Fireworks Festival. You can spend the evening trying out true southern cuisine made by local vendors, listen to live music, and browse arts and crafts from the crafts vendors. If you’re visiting in November, check out the Louisiana Boardwalk’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the banks of Red River.
The Noel Acadien au Village is a must-see during the holidays in Lafayette. The colorful light displayfeatures half-a-million lights, including the fully lit Chapel, new animations, lighted holiday displays, live entertainment, carnival rides, local cuisine, photos with Santa, holiday shopping in the Christmas Store and much more! Make sure to plan to see the Cajun and Creole Christmas Event, which has live music performances!
This historic town celebrates the holidays with the Lighting of the Village, where residents decorate their homes, businesses dress up their windows with holiday-themed displays, and city center comes to life with various holiday displays. This event is family-friendly and offers a variety of activities for children including a petting zoo, choir music, an obstacle course fun jump, a cupcake decorating station, and an ornament making station. Kids will be able to take their ornaments home and enjoy their specially made cupcakes.
This is one Christmas getaway you do not want to miss. Christmas celebrations in Natchitoches start in late November with the fireworks display on Cane River Lake. Next, you can participate in the Natchitoches Christmas Festival Parade with live music, holiday-themed floats, and a light show (and don’t forget Santa!) that happens on the first Saturday of December. Don’t forget to see the annual Christmas Festival of Lights, which brings visitors from all over, to see the 300,000 lights strung along the riverbank throughout November and December.
You can’t go wrong visiting New Orleans at any point during the year, but visiting during the holidaysbrings a whole new experience. Start out with a trip to the Celebration in the Oaks, where City Park becomes a winter wonderland of lights. Head to the French Quarter to listen to the Christmas concerts at the St. Louis Cathedral, then peruse the historic homes that are decorated for the holidays.
Located in the heart of Louisiana’s southern charm, Baton Rouge is transformed into Christmas central during the holidays, making it a Christmas getaway you should consider. Head to the city’s center to see the lighting of their Christmas tree or cheer on the homemade floats and bands marching down the street during their Christmas parade. Make sure to check out the ZooLights Festival, where light displays take over the Brec’s Baton Rouge Zoo. If you still want to see more, visit the Festival of Lights exhibit at the Louisana Art and Science Museum.
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