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Alexandria is a city of about 45,000 people on the south bank of the Red River, almost exactly in the geographic center of Louisiana. The seat of Rapides Parish, it grew as a river port and trading town for cotton and timber, and it served as a major training hub during World War II, when hundreds of thousands of soldiers took part in the Louisiana Maneuvers nearby.
Downtown sights include the Alexandria Museum of Art in a former bank building on the riverfront, the Gothic Revival St. Francis Xavier Cathedral and the grand Hotel Bentley. The Arna Bontemps African American Museum preserves the childhood home of the Harlem Renaissance writer, and Kent Plantation House is one of the oldest standing buildings in central Louisiana.
Families head to the Alexandria Zoo, one of the best small zoos in the South. Across the river, Pineville has a military museum at Camp Beauregard, and the pine forests and lakes of Kisatchie National Forest, including Kincaid Lake, are a short drive away.
A well-kept zoo in Bringhurst Park with about 500 animals, including big cats, red wolves, alligators, lemurs and a Louisiana Habitat area with black bears and native wildlife. A small train circles the grounds. Allow two to three hours and visit in the morning before the afternoon heat.
An art museum on the Red River riverfront set in the historic Rapides Bank building, with changing exhibitions, a permanent collection of contemporary and Louisiana art and folk art from the region. Admission is modest and the museum is easy to see in an hour. Check the calendar for openings and family art days.
The restored childhood home of Arna Bontemps, the Harlem Renaissance poet, novelist and librarian who was born in Alexandria in 1902. It holds exhibits on his life and work and on African American history and culture in central Louisiana. Opening days are limited, so call ahead before visiting.
A raised Creole-style plantation house built around 1800, one of the oldest standing structures in central Louisiana. Guided tours show period furnishings, and the grounds include a kitchen, slave cabins, a milk house and a sugar mill. Tours are given at set times, so check the schedule before you go.
A museum at Camp Beauregard in neighboring Pineville that tells the story of the Louisiana Maneuvers of 1940 and 1941 and Louisiana's military history, with uniforms, weapons, vehicles and aircraft displays. It is on an active military post, so bring photo ID and check opening hours in advance.
A Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral built in the late 1800s in downtown Alexandria, with a tall spire, pointed arches and colorful stained glass windows. It is the seat of the Diocese of Alexandria and still an active parish. Visitors are welcome outside service times; dress respectfully.
A grand neoclassical hotel built in 1908 by lumberman Joseph Bentley, famous as the base for Army officers during the Louisiana Maneuvers of World War II. Its columned facade remains a downtown landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. Admire it from the street on a downtown walk.
A large lake in Kisatchie National Forest about 20 minutes west of Alexandria, with a sandy swimming beach, campgrounds, boat ramps, fishing and hiking and mountain biking trails through the pines. It is the area's favorite summer escape. Day-use fees apply, and campsites fill on holiday weekends.
A community arts center based in a historic Victorian home and an adjoining modern building, where local artists keep working studios and galleries are open to visitors. You can often meet the artists and buy their work. Exhibits change regularly, and admission is usually free on open days.
A performing arts venue in downtown Alexandria that hosts symphony concerts, theater productions, ballet and touring shows. The Rapides Symphony Orchestra and local theater groups perform here. Check the season schedule and pair a show with dinner at a nearby downtown restaurant.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Robinaire, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: The original uploader was Billy Hathorn at English Wikipedia., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Slab rider45 from en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Robinaire, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Robinaire, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The original uploader was Billy Hathorn at English Wikipedia., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Slab rider45 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Billy Hathorn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
