Small town · 56 min northwest
Natchitoches
Louisiana's oldest town, founded in 1714, with brick Front Street on Cane River Lake, meat pies and the famous Christmas Festival of Lights.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round; festive in Dec
- Free
Day Trippin' › Louisiana › From Alexandria
Day trips from Alexandria
From Alexandria, the Alexandria Zoo and Kent House are minutes away, Forts Randolph and Buhlow about 10, Longleaf Vista under 50, the Cane River Creole park under 50, Chicot State Park and the Louisiana State Arboretum under an hour, and Natchitoches about an hour. The best day trips from Alexandria, by drive time.
109 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Alexandria
- Louisiana State Arboretum 54 min south
- Natchitoches 56 min northwest
- Los Adaes State Historic Site 58 min northwest
- Natchez 1 hr 24 min east
- Lake Martin 1 hr 34 min southeast
- Creole Nature Trail 1 hr 41 min southwest
- Avery Island 1 hr 54 min south
- Poverty Point World Heritage Site 2 hr 33 min northeast
- Vicksburg National Military Park 2 hr 43 min northeast
- Oak Alley Plantation 2 hr 51 min southeast
Within an hour from Alexandria 10 spots
Historic site · 58 min northwest
Los Adaes State Historic Site
The site of a 1719 Spanish fort that served as the capital of Spanish Texas for 44 years.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Hours (check)
- Free
Hike · 54 min south
Louisiana State Arboretum
Over 5 miles of trails through beech and magnolia forest on rolling hills next to Chicot State Park. Free and peaceful.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Daily 9am-5pm; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's
- Free (nature center via Chicot State Park, $3)
National park · 49 min northwest
Cane River Creole National Historical Park
Two Creole cotton plantations, Oakland and Magnolia, with 1840s brick cabins, oak alleys and a rare cotton press.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Wed-Sun 9am-3:30pm; closed Mon, Tue and federal holidays
- Fee (check)
State park · 51 min south
Chicot State Park
A big hilly park around Lake Chicot with a 20-mile hiking loop, an 8-mile canoe trail, good fishing and cabins.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round; gate 6am-9pm
- $3 per person; 62+ and 3 and under free (checked Nov 2026)
Museum · 55 min northwest
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame
A state museum in Natchitoches about Louisiana sports legends plus Northwest Louisiana history.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Hours (check)
- Fee (check)
Viewpoint · 47 min west
Longleaf Vista
A ridge-top day-use area with wide views over the Kisatchie Hills and a 1-mile loop trail.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- Fee (check)
Historic site · 54 min northwest
Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site
A full-size rebuilt French fort on Cane River Lake in Natchitoches, with living history programs.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Wed-Sun 9am-5pm
- Age 7-61 $6, 62+ $4, 6 and under free (checked Nov 2026)
1 to 2 hours from Alexandria 56 spots
Small town · 1 hr 24 min east
Natchez
Historic river town with antebellum homes, river bluff views and great food.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round; Pilgrimage in spring and fall
- Free to wander; home tours charged
Scenic drive · 1 hr 41 min southwest
Creole Nature Trail
An All-American Road through marsh, wildlife refuges and Gulf beaches south of Lake Charles. Gators and birds by the hundreds.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round; best Oct-Apr
- Free
Wildlife · 1 hr 34 min southeast
Lake Martin
A cypress lake near Breaux Bridge famous for alligators and huge wading bird rookeries. Swamp tours run from the landing.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; rookery best Feb-Jun (check)
- Free (check)
Island · 1 hr 54 min south
Avery Island
The home of Tabasco sauce, with a factory tour and museum, a restaurant and Jungle Gardens all on a salt dome island.
- Half day · Easy
- Hours (check)
- Tabasco tour and Jungle Gardens combo adult $15.50, child $12.50 (checked Nov 2026)
Family fun · 1 hr 47 min southwest
Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point
A free hands-on visitor center in Sulphur that gets you ready for the Creole Nature Trail drive.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Hours (check)
- Free
Historic site · 1 hr 39 min east
Emerald Mound
The second-largest Mississippian-era ceremonial mound in the country. Climb to the top for wide views.
- Under 1 hr · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- Free
State park · 1 hr 22 min west
South Toledo Bend State Park
Bluffs and coves on Toledo Bend with short trails, fishing and eagle spotting in winter.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; gate 6am-10pm
- $3 per person; 62+ and 3 and under free (checked Nov 2026)
Food town · 1 hr 23 min southeast
Breaux Bridge
The crawfish capital, with a small downtown on Bayou Teche, antique shops and Cajun food and dancing.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
2 to 3 hours from Alexandria 40 spots
National park · 2 hr 43 min northeast
Vicksburg National Military Park
16-mile tour road past the siege lines, monuments and the ironclad USS Cairo.
- Half day · Easy
- Tour road daily 8:30 am-5 pm
- National park entrance fee (under 16 free)
Historic site · 2 hr 33 min northeast
Poverty Point World Heritage Site
Huge earthworks built over 3,000 years ago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a museum, tram tours and a 2.6-mile trail.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Daily 9am-5pm; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's
- Age 7-61 $6, 62+ $4; tram/guided $10 / $8; 6 and under free (checked Nov 2026)
Historic site · 2 hr 51 min southeast
Oak Alley Plantation
Famous for its quarter-mile tunnel of 300-year-old live oaks leading to the big house. The site also covers the lives of the people enslaved there.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; hours (check)
- Adult $(check), child $(check)
Museum · 2 hr 43 min southeast
Whitney Plantation
A museum focused fully on the history of slavery, with original buildings and memorials. A moving, important visit.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- 9:30am-4:30pm; closed Tuesdays; last entry 3pm
- Fee (check)
Small town · 2 hr 41 min northeast
Vicksburg
Hilltop river city with a historic downtown and major Civil War sites.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to wander
State park · 2 hr 48 min east
Lake Lincoln State Park
Quiet lake park near Wesson with fishing and camping.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Mississippi State Parks day-use fee (per person)
State park · 2 hr 2 min southeast
Lake Fausse Pointe State Park
A wild park on the edge of the Atchafalaya Basin with three nature trails, a 7-mile canoe trail and waterside cabins.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round; gate 6am-10pm
- $3 per person; 62+ and 3 and under free (checked Nov 2026)
Zoo · 2 hr 3 min southeast
Baton Rouge Zoo
A mid-size zoo in Baker with lots of animals and a new entrance through Greenwood Community Park. Very affordable for families.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- 9:30am-5pm; last entry 4pm
- Adult $10, child (2-12) $7, 65+ $8.50 plus tax (checked Nov 2026)
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 71301 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.