Shreveport area
Around Shreveport area
Photo: Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Greater area · Louisiana · 418k people
Shreveport area
Locals say Shreveport-Bossier · “Port City”, “The 318”
Red River hospitality and piney woods charm.
Shreveport Mudbugs redPiney woods greenLouisiana gold
Welcome to Shreveport-Bossier, where the Red River runs through the heart of it all. Whether you're here for the Mudbugs, the crawfish, or just to soak up the piney woods air, you'll find a friendly vibe and plenty to do. Come on in, y'all!
Clubs for Shreveport area
No clubs for Shreveport area yet.
The room
Shreveport area is big: its rooms are its areas'. This is Shreveport–Bossier City's; the others are below.
One room for everyone around Shreveport–Bossier City. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Shreveport area. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Shreveport Municipal Auditorium Historic music hall, home of the Louisiana Hayride.
- Independence Stadium Hosts the annual Independence Bowl college football game.
- Louisiana Boardwalk Outdoor shopping and dining district along the Red River.
- Sci-Port Discovery Center Interactive science museum with an IMAX dome.
- R.W. Norton Art Gallery Art museum with American and European collections.
- The Strand Theatre Historic performing arts theater in downtown Shreveport.
- Outdoors Walk or bike the Red River trails on Clyde Fant Memorial Parkway
- Outdoors Fish or kayak on Cross Lake
- With kids Sci-Port Discovery Center
- With kids Louisiana State Exhibit Museum
- Evenings Riverboat casinos
- Evenings Honky-tonk bars
- Locals love Riverboat casinos
- Locals love Honky-tonks
Through the year
- Independence Bowl December College football bowl game at Independence Stadium.
- Red River Revel October Arts and music festival along the riverfront.
- Louisiana State Fair October-November Carnival rides, livestock shows, and fair food.
- Mudbug Madness May Crawfish festival with live music and cooking contests.
- Highland Jazz & Blues Festival Spring Live jazz and blues in the Highland neighborhood.
Humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and mild winters. Best in spring and fall. Best: Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to be out.
Talk like a local
- “Geaux”
- go (used in cheering, e.g., 'Geaux Mudbugs')
- “Lagniappe”
- a little extra, a bonus
- “Pass a good time”
- to have a good time
- “Fais do-do”
- a dance party, often with Cajun music
Getaways
- Minden Small-town charm and antique shops.
- Longview Bigger city with parks and shopping.
- Texarkana Twin city on the Texas-Arkansas border.
- Natchitoches Historic town with a charming riverfront.
Local flavour
Teams
- Shreveport Mudbugs NAHL
- Shreveport-Bossier Mavericks The Basketball League
Eat and drink
- Crawfish étouffée Louisiana staple
- Gumbo Louisiana staple
- Boudin Cajun sausage
- Strawn's strawberry pie Local iconic dessert
- Fried catfish Red River catfish
Where people go
- Riverboat casinos Bossier City's gaming scene
- Honky-tonks Country music venues
- Crawfish boils Community gatherings
- Red River parks Recreation and fishing
- Piney woods North Louisiana landscape
Heritage and traditions
Shreveport-Bossier is proud of its Ark-La-Tex heritage, where Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas meet, and its role as the birthplace of the Louisiana Hayride, which launched country music legends like Elvis Presley.
This time of year in Shreveport area
- Fall football tailgating Fall High school and college games.
- Louisiana Film Prize October A film festival with screenings and awards in October.
Say it like a local: “lagniappe” — A little something extra
Festivals
- Mardi Gras February Parades and king cakes across the metro in February.
- Louisiana Film Prize October A film festival with screenings and awards in October.
Landmarks with a story
- Barksdale Air Force Base Home of the 8th Air Force, with a museum on base.
- American Rose Center The national headquarters of the American Rose Society, with over 20,000 rose bushes.
- Shreveport Water Works Museum A historic water plant preserving early 20th-century municipal engineering.
- Caddo Parish Courthouse A grand neoclassical building in downtown Shreveport.
- St. Mark's Cathedral An Episcopal cathedral known for its Gothic architecture.
- B'nai Zion Temple A historic synagogue serving the Jewish community since the early 1900s.
Food traditions
- King cake A sweet pastry eaten during Mardi Gras, with a baby hidden inside.
Music and arts
- Louisiana Hayride A country music radio show that launched Elvis Presley and other legends.
- Shreveport Opera A regional opera company performing classic and contemporary works.
- Shreveport Symphony Orchestra A professional orchestra with a long season of classical and pops concerts.
- Louisiana Film Prize A film festival celebrating independent filmmakers.
A little history
- 1836 Founding of Shreveport
- 1948 Louisiana Hayride premiered at Municipal Auditorium
- 1933 Barksdale Air Force Base established
- 1906 Louisiana State Fair began
- 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuees arrived, boosting population
Rivalries
- Shreveport vs. Bossier City Friendly rivalry over which side of the Red River is better.
- Game day Independence Bowl tailgating
- Game day Mudbugs hockey games
- Outdoors Kayak on Caddo Lake
- Outdoors Stroll the American Rose Center
- With kids Mardi Gras parades
- With kids Louisiana State Fair rides
People speak with a Southern drawl, blending Louisiana and Texas accents. You'll hear 'y'all' and 'fixin' to,' along with French-derived words like 'lagniappe' and 'boudin.'
Only here
- The Louisiana Hayride, where Elvis Presley first performed to a large audience.
- The American Rose Center, the largest rose garden in the United States.
- Barksdale Air Force Base, the only base housing the 8th Air Force.
- The Red River, cleared by Captain Shreve to open navigation.
New here? A few tips
- Learn to say 'Bossier' as 'BOH-zher'.
- Try the crawfish étouffée and boudin early—they're local staples.
- Summers are hot and humid; winters are mild but can freeze.
- Traffic can be heavy on I-20 and I-49, especially during rush hour.
- Catch a show at the Municipal Auditorium to feel the Hayride history.
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Areas in Shreveport area
Nearby
Every areaHomerLouisianaWhere the pines meet the red dirt.RustonLouisianaWhere the pines meet the peaches, and Saturdays are for football.WinnfieldLouisianaWhere the pines whisper and the crawfish boilCarthage–CenterTexasWhere the pines meet the lake and the talk is slow.MagnoliaArkansasSouthern comfort, magnolia prideAtlanta–JeffersonTexasWhere the pines meet the bayou, and history lingers in the air.El DoradoArkansasWhere piney woods meet the oil derricksLongviewTexasWhere the pines meet the oil fields, and the tea is always sweet.
Shreveport-Bossier City-Minden, LA CSA. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.