Moving to a new place requires adjusting to it. And in order to do so, you have to get to know the city and what it has to offer. Reading about these things online is helpful but you have to take a lot more action than that. You have to think of ways to explore the city and have fun while doing it no matter what your age is. Louisiana is a state with lots of amazing cities and towns. This is mostly why so many people have been relocating there over the last few years.
One of the towns that people have been moving to in large numbers is Natchitoches. This is not a small town but not a big one either. There are plenty of perks of moving to Natchitoches and a lot of people are aware of that hence why they have been moving there. If you will be moving to Natchitoches as well, first of all, we believe that is an amazing idea. So, in order to fall in love with this town as soon as possible, we have decided to tell you just some of the ways to explore Natchitoches as a newcomer while having lots of fun.
A bit about Natchitoches
Before you start getting to know the town you have to know a couple of facts about it. This is a very old town, it has been established in 1714. This surely means that there are plenty of historic landmarks to see here which we will tell you more about later on in the text. Natchitoches is gaining popularity. As of now, it has around 20,000 residents but specialists believe the number will grow in the following few years by a meaningful percent.
This small town has been built on the beautiful river that goes by the name Red River. Throughout history, this has been a very important town when it comes to trading with Mexico. This town doesn’t have a very lovely history we have to tell you that. But have in mind that that is just history and that lots of things have changed over the years.
Explore the historic landmarks of Natchitoches
The first thing we suggest doing is getting to know a lot more about the history of Natchitoches as you can. This might not seem important but we think otherwise. We believe that knowing more about the history of a city will help you better understand why it looks the way it does today and why certain things are as they are. History plays an important role when it comes to architecture and the layout of the city. Laws are also influenced by history which is a very important thing to know.
Luckily, getting to know the history of Natchitoches is easy as there are plenty of museums, statues, and landmarks that tell the story. If you do not know a lot about Natchitoches’history, we are here to give you a small introduction.
Unfortunately, enslaved African Americans were brought to the town of Natchitoches through the slave trade to work on the cotton fields. Two lands were developed for cotton production. They are Magnolia Plantation and Oakland Plantation. Both of them are now National Historic Landmarks. Visiting these two is a great way to spend a sunny day even though the places are related to a dark period of time. You will be spending time in nature, surrounded by beautiful scenery, all while learning about the history of the town you just moved to. Can it get more fun? Well, yes, of course.
Where to cool down on a hot day in Natchitoches?
Another one of the ways to explore Natchitoches is to just have a relaxing day outside with your family. If you have moved to Natchitoches over the summer, you will experience some very hot days as the temperatures in Louisiana can go high up. On a day as such, you will surely want to cool down. And sure you can always stay at home with the AC on but we believe that it is much better to go to the Red River. There are certain parts of it where you can go for a swim. Also, there are some amazing wedding venues here on the Red River.
Another great option when you want to spend a day on the water is Sibley Lake. It is located in the town and it is where a lot of locals come to do all sorts of outdoor activities. Swimming is allowed to children under the age of 16. People over 16 need a recreation permit for boating, skiing, fishing, or any other water activity. This permit is symbolic, only $10. Sibley Lake has a 38-mile shoreline where you can also do lots of things. You can go camping, have a picnic, and even go hunting if that is what you like doing. There are plenty of options which is why Natchitoches surely is one of the best places to move to. And if you are just now considering moving here, zippyshelllouisiana.com can assist with the process.
Things to do in the city
There are more than just these few ways to explore Natchitoches as a newcomer. Natchitoches has lots of fun activity options. You can go golfing for example. The senior citizens of the town spend most of their time in the Northwestern Hills Golf Course. If looking to spend a fun day with children indoors, Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery and Aquarium is a place to go. This is where you can learn a lot about the flora and fauna in the Red River and nearby lakes. There are a couple of smaller museums and galleries in the city center as well.
You can also go shopping. You might become a shopaholic after moving here as the prices are very affordable. There are plenty of locally-owned shops here where you can buy lots of amazing things. If you overshop, do not worry, you can always rent a storage unit and leave belongings in a secure place.
If spending time outside is your cup of tea but leaving downtown is not what you want to be doing, you are in luck. There are plenty of parks where you can ride a bike, take a walk, jog a little, or take your children to a playground. Lots of young people live in the city which is why the city is very lively. There are plenty of events held by students from the three universities that are located in the town.
Plenty of elderly people live here as well. This is why there is a variety of things you can do. There are restaurants and diners here as well as bars and pubs where you can listen to live music on the weekend nights. If you run out of things to do, you can always take a drive to New Orleans and do plenty of other things there. It is a great way to spend the weekend away from home.
