West Monroe offers a range of options for your stay: natural areas and park trails, boutiques and antique shops in Downtown, as well as culture and events. When choosing, consider whether you would rather focus on park trails, history, a museum or a specific event date.
Parks, Trails and Outdoor Activities
Kiroli Park offers 150 acres of natural space. Restoration Park has a different character: It covers 70 acres and is a forest and wetland park. Its 1.2-mile stone path is intended for jogging, walking or relaxing. The two parks therefore differ both in the landscapes described and in the size of their grounds.
Trail lengths in West Monroe also offer a useful point of reference: The Highland Park Wetland Trails have a 1.25-mile path for pedestrians and cyclists. It opened to the public in February 2022. At 1.2 and 1.25 miles respectively, this trail and the stone path at Restoration Park are similar in length. When choosing, it may be more helpful to consider their stated uses: jogging, walking and relaxing are the focus on the stone path, while the Highland Park trail is for walking and cycling.
The paved loop trail at Riverbend Community Health Park offers another option for walking. Lazarre Park focuses on different activities: It has a 21-hole disc golf course and a boat launch for fishing. The Soft Kayak Landing allows kayaks to be launched for a trip on the Ouachita River. You can choose a park visit based on the activity you want—from disc golf to kayaking.
Antique Shops, History and Museum
Downtown West Monroe is generally known as Antique Alley and offers boutiques as well as antique shops. It also has a historical connection: Part of the Cotton Port Historic District in Downtown West Monroe was designated a National Register Historic District in 2019. The shopping area and the historic designation offer different points of interest for exploring Downtown.
At the Duck Commander Museum, you can take a self-guided tour through galleries covering 10,000 square feet. Exhibits include memorabilia from Duck Commander and Duck Dynasty. The 17 galleries also feature family artifacts and photographs. This lets you plan a museum visit around specific collection highlights, rather than just the size of the exhibition space.
Concerts, Expo and Seasonal Market
Ouachita Live is a free outdoor concert series at Alley Park in Downtown West Monroe. The series takes place on the last Friday of each month from March through October. Since future programs may change, check the specific event dates before your trip. If you want to plan your stay around a concert, be sure to consider not just the month but also the specific Friday.
The North Louisiana Sportsman's Expo takes place annually in August at West Monroe Sports & Events. Check the exact dates before your trip. Its schedule differs from Ouachita Live: August is the recurring period for the expo, while the concert series is scheduled for the last Fridays from March through October.
Market on the Square takes place seasonally on various Saturdays. It features vendors selling produce and food, as well as food trucks. Both the schedule and vendor mix can vary by season. For planning purposes, the market is therefore different from the concert series and the annual August expo: Its Saturdays depend on the season.
Discover more destinations: Monroe
View the broader travel guide: Ouachita.
