Gather up the family, it’s time for a road trip! This spectacular holiday trail of lights will lead you to some of the most amazing Christmas displays in the state, and you’re not going to want to miss it.
Google Maps
The Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights was established in 1992 and runs along I-20 and I-49 in northern Louisiana.
Holiday Trail of Lights/Facebook Along the route, you’ll see spectacular lighting displays in Shreveport/Bossier, Minden, Monroe-West Monroe, Natchitoches, and Alexandria/Pineville. The cities are all within driving distance, and the entire road trip will take you just over four hours, but you’ll want to spend time in each city, so better make a weekend out of it so you can get the full experience.
Most of the festivities start in mid-November and will run until New Year’s, so you have plenty of time to see these amazing holiday displays.
- Alexandria & Pineville
Alexandria Zoo/Facebook Start your holiday light journey in Alexandria/Pineville, right in the heart of Louisiana. Alexandria will be hosting their annual Winterfete on November 29-December 1, 2018, and you won’t want to miss it. There’ll be ice skating, live music, shopping, and even a Santa sighting! The holiday light safari at the Alexandria Zoo is a great attraction the whole family will enjoy. It runs every weekend in December and visitors can enjoy train rides, kid’s activities, and live entertainment while strolling through the Zoo, which will be glowing with thousands of twinkling lights.
- Monroe
Discover Monroe-West Monroe/Facebook Next up on your epic adventure, we’ll head to Monroe-West Monroe, where the cities transform into a winter wonderland that will dazzle you. Christmas on the River is a family-friendly event that’s jam-packed with activities that the entire family will love, including parades, a fireworks show, ballet performances, and shopping opportunities. The lighting display over at Antique Alley is a delightfully charming attraction and it’s the perfect place to pick up some last minute Christmas presents. More than 30 antique shops and boutiques are peppered along the street, offering everything from spices to home decor.
Don’t forget to check out Candy Cane Lane over in Calhoun! This drive-through Christmas light display features over a million lights on a mile-long road that simply must be seen to be believed.
- Minden
Holiday Trail of Lights/Facebook The next stop on the road trip takes us to Minden, also known as the “friendliest city in the South.” During the holidays, Minden goes all-out with the decorations, lining the streets with hundreds of life-sized nutcrackers, thousands of dazzling lights, and more. Come shop the historic downtown area, grab a bite at one of their local restaurants, and stick around for the Old World Christmas Lights Spectacular, which will run every night through New Year’s Day in the historic downtown area.
- Shreveport & Bossier
Holiday Trail of Lights/Facebook From Minden, pop on over to Shreveport and Bossier for a fun-filled evening of holiday festivities. These sister cities transform into a winter wonderland that will mesmerize you. Come to see the Louisiana Boardwalk Outlet’s Christmas Tree, which is the largest outdoor tree in northwest Louisiana and is a truly incredible display. Be sure to check out Roseland, a 60-acre park filled with twinkling lights, giant, eight-foot-tall Christmas cards, train rides, and, of course, Santa.
- Natchitoches
Holiday Trail of Lights/Facebook End your holiday light trail with perhaps the most famous lighting display in Louisiana: The Natchitoches Christmas Festival. Louisiana’s oldest city transforms into a truly spectacular holiday display that attracts thousands of visitors every year. Over 300,000 lights illuminate the historic downtown district as well as the Cane River Lake. During the six-week festival, shops and restaurants will stay open later than normal business hours, there will be live entertainment, carolers, a spectacular fireworks display, and so much more.
For more information about the Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights, visit the official website here and follow along on Facebook here!
Google Maps
Holiday Trail of Lights/Facebook
Along the route, you’ll see spectacular lighting displays in Shreveport/Bossier, Minden, Monroe-West Monroe, Natchitoches, and Alexandria/Pineville. The cities are all within driving distance, and the entire road trip will take you just over four hours, but you’ll want to spend time in each city, so better make a weekend out of it so you can get the full experience.
Most of the festivities start in mid-November and will run until New Year’s, so you have plenty of time to see these amazing holiday displays.
Alexandria Zoo/Facebook
Start your holiday light journey in Alexandria/Pineville, right in the heart of Louisiana. Alexandria will be hosting their annual Winterfete on November 29-December 1, 2018, and you won’t want to miss it. There’ll be ice skating, live music, shopping, and even a Santa sighting! The holiday light safari at the Alexandria Zoo is a great attraction the whole family will enjoy. It runs every weekend in December and visitors can enjoy train rides, kid’s activities, and live entertainment while strolling through the Zoo, which will be glowing with thousands of twinkling lights.
Discover Monroe-West Monroe/Facebook
Next up on your epic adventure, we’ll head to Monroe-West Monroe, where the cities transform into a winter wonderland that will dazzle you. Christmas on the River is a family-friendly event that’s jam-packed with activities that the entire family will love, including parades, a fireworks show, ballet performances, and shopping opportunities. The lighting display over at Antique Alley is a delightfully charming attraction and it’s the perfect place to pick up some last minute Christmas presents. More than 30 antique shops and boutiques are peppered along the street, offering everything from spices to home decor.
Don’t forget to check out Candy Cane Lane over in Calhoun! This drive-through Christmas light display features over a million lights on a mile-long road that simply must be seen to be believed.
The next stop on the road trip takes us to Minden, also known as the “friendliest city in the South.” During the holidays, Minden goes all-out with the decorations, lining the streets with hundreds of life-sized nutcrackers, thousands of dazzling lights, and more. Come shop the historic downtown area, grab a bite at one of their local restaurants, and stick around for the Old World Christmas Lights Spectacular, which will run every night through New Year’s Day in the historic downtown area.
From Minden, pop on over to Shreveport and Bossier for a fun-filled evening of holiday festivities. These sister cities transform into a winter wonderland that will mesmerize you. Come to see the Louisiana Boardwalk Outlet’s Christmas Tree, which is the largest outdoor tree in northwest Louisiana and is a truly incredible display. Be sure to check out Roseland, a 60-acre park filled with twinkling lights, giant, eight-foot-tall Christmas cards, train rides, and, of course, Santa.
End your holiday light trail with perhaps the most famous lighting display in Louisiana: The Natchitoches Christmas Festival. Louisiana’s oldest city transforms into a truly spectacular holiday display that attracts thousands of visitors every year. Over 300,000 lights illuminate the historic downtown district as well as the Cane River Lake. During the six-week festival, shops and restaurants will stay open later than normal business hours, there will be live entertainment, carolers, a spectacular fireworks display, and so much more.
Have you ever been to any of these holiday attractions? Have you traveled the entire Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights? Which display is your absolute favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
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