Right in the center of the state, 165 mi/265 km northwest of New Orleans, Alexandria has a strong Southern, 1800s feel to it. Visit the town's Museum of Art and the River Oaks Square Arts Center, where resident artists work in all kinds of media—quilts, handmade paper, pottery, calligraphy, oils and watercolor.
For sumptuous, European-style architecture, visit the Hotel Bentley, which first opened in 1908 and was renovated in 1998. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building's architecture is worth a stop.
Though it is no longer a museum, the house where Arna Bontemps, a prolific writer of the Harlem Renaissance, was born can be viewed from the outside, along with a historical marker detailing his life.
If you're interested in Native American history, head to the mound-shaped Tunica-Biloxi Indian Center and Museum, located just south of Marksville, about 30 mi/48 km southeast on Louisiana Highway 1.
Alexandria is also a great base for exploring the Kisatchie National Forest.
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