There’s a ton of fun things to do in Louisiana that won’t cost you a penny. You just need to know where to look. Next time you’re looking for an adventure that won’t have you reaching for your wallet, consider one of these awesome places.
- Run or bike the Tammany Trace.
Kevin Purdy/All Trails The 31-mile paved trail goes through Covington, Abita Springs, Mandeville, Lacombe, and Slidell. You can hop on and off whenever you’d like, and it’s completely free.
- Hit the road.
Sandy Auriene Sullivan/Flickr Ok, so this adventure may cost you a little gas money, but it’ll be worth it. Louisiana has several scenic byways, and they’re perfect when you need to get away from it all. Roll your windows down, crank your music up, and enjoy the view. Click here to find a scenic byway near you.
- Watch a movie outdoors.
Movies & Moonbeams/Facebook Movies and Moonbeams shows a movie on the lawn on the first and third Friday from April-October in the Shreveport area, free to the public. The location changes, so check out their Facebook page to stay up to date.
- R.W. Norton Art Gallery and Gardens
Cindy H./Trip Advisor Featuring original artwork spanning over the course of 700 years, you’ll have a wonderful time strolling through the gallery. The outdoor gardens are simply breathtaking and both are free to the public. They’re located at 4747 Creswell Ave, Shreveport, Louisiana 71106.
- Visit the Autrey House Museum.
Autrey House Museum/Facebook Built in 1849, it’s believed to be the oldest surviving structure in the parish. The dog trot house was a common traditional house from that time period, and you’ll learn about the history of the family that lived there and how the house was built during your visit. The museum is free but they are always accepting donations. It’s located at 8292 Highway 151, Dubach, LA 71235.
- Besthoff Sculpture Garden
Tony_T3000/Trip Advisor Stroll through the 5-acre garden in New Orleans’ City Park and admire the 60+ sculptures among the century old oak trees. It’s truly a unique and beautiful area!
- Learn about the history of Jazz.
FunTraveler2014/Trip Advisor Lean about this iconic style of music and how it has influenced New Orleans. The New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park is located at 400 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116.
- Spend the day in the park.
CrazyAustin/Trip Advisor Find your community park and spend some time relaxing. Pack a picnic, bring a book, maybe take the dog and just spend the day outside, relaxing.
- Rhythms on the River
Rhythms on the River/Facebook Head over to the River Ranch Town Square in Lafayette every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. -8:30 p.m. for free live music. It’s located at 1100 Camellia Blvd, Lafayette, Louisiana 70508.
- Hit the trails.
Coffeespiral/Flickr Louisiana has literally hundreds of trails waiting for you to explore. Click here to see some of our favorites.
- Tour a distillery.
Bayou Rum/Facebook See firsthand how Bayou Rum is made, from pasteurization and fermentation to distillation and aging, they’ll give you a tour of the entire process and then let you sample a few of their products! Bayou Rum is located at 20909 South I-10 Frontage Rd, Lacassine, Louisiana 70650.
- Gator Chateau
Gator Chateau/Facebook This awesome roadside attraction is perfect for both kids and adults. The Gator Chateau is home to rescued baby alligators (and some mature alligators). They foster the gators until they are ready to be released into the wild. Don’t pass up the opportunity to hold a baby alligator! They’re located at 100 Rue de l’ Acadie, Jennings, Louisiana 70546.
How many of these free activities have you done? Let us know in the comments below!
Kevin Purdy/All Trails
The 31-mile paved trail goes through Covington, Abita Springs, Mandeville, Lacombe, and Slidell. You can hop on and off whenever you’d like, and it’s completely free.
Sandy Auriene Sullivan/Flickr
Ok, so this adventure may cost you a little gas money, but it’ll be worth it. Louisiana has several scenic byways, and they’re perfect when you need to get away from it all. Roll your windows down, crank your music up, and enjoy the view. Click here to find a scenic byway near you.
Movies & Moonbeams/Facebook
Movies and Moonbeams shows a movie on the lawn on the first and third Friday from April-October in the Shreveport area, free to the public. The location changes, so check out their Facebook page to stay up to date.
Cindy H./Trip Advisor
Featuring original artwork spanning over the course of 700 years, you’ll have a wonderful time strolling through the gallery. The outdoor gardens are simply breathtaking and both are free to the public. They’re located at 4747 Creswell Ave, Shreveport, Louisiana 71106.
Autrey House Museum/Facebook
Built in 1849, it’s believed to be the oldest surviving structure in the parish. The dog trot house was a common traditional house from that time period, and you’ll learn about the history of the family that lived there and how the house was built during your visit. The museum is free but they are always accepting donations. It’s located at 8292 Highway 151, Dubach, LA 71235.
Tony_T3000/Trip Advisor
Stroll through the 5-acre garden in New Orleans’ City Park and admire the 60+ sculptures among the century old oak trees. It’s truly a unique and beautiful area!
FunTraveler2014/Trip Advisor
Lean about this iconic style of music and how it has influenced New Orleans. The New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park is located at 400 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116.
CrazyAustin/Trip Advisor
Find your community park and spend some time relaxing. Pack a picnic, bring a book, maybe take the dog and just spend the day outside, relaxing.
Rhythms on the River/Facebook
Head over to the River Ranch Town Square in Lafayette every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. -8:30 p.m. for free live music. It’s located at 1100 Camellia Blvd, Lafayette, Louisiana 70508.
Coffeespiral/Flickr
Louisiana has literally hundreds of trails waiting for you to explore. Click here to see some of our favorites.
Bayou Rum/Facebook
See firsthand how Bayou Rum is made, from pasteurization and fermentation to distillation and aging, they’ll give you a tour of the entire process and then let you sample a few of their products! Bayou Rum is located at 20909 South I-10 Frontage Rd, Lacassine, Louisiana 70650.
Gator Chateau/Facebook
This awesome roadside attraction is perfect for both kids and adults. The Gator Chateau is home to rescued baby alligators (and some mature alligators). They foster the gators until they are ready to be released into the wild. Don’t pass up the opportunity to hold a baby alligator! They’re located at 100 Rue de l’ Acadie, Jennings, Louisiana 70546.
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