West Monroe is a down-to-earth city set on the Ouachita River. In addition to tourism generated by the hit reality TV show “Duck Dynasty”, the city is famous as the birthplace of bottled Coca-Cola. Beyond ducks and soft drinks, West Monroe offers excellent museums and beautiful green spaces.
Things to do in West Monroe
West Monroe is a mecca for fans of the hit A&E reality show Duck Dynasty. The city is home to the Robertsons, a salt-of-the-earth family with a passion for duck hunting. From local cafes and diners to the legendary Duck Commander Warehouse, you’ll find filming locations across West Monroe.
Learn about the legacy of America’s favourite soft drink at Biedenharn Museum & Gardens. The attraction is housed on the former estate of Joseph Biedenharn, the first person to bottle Coca-Cola in the late 1890s. Tour the antique-filled mansion and be amazed by a sea of red-and-white memorabilia in the Coke Museum. The English-inspired gardens feature terraces, statues and bubbling fountains. Don’t miss the light-filled greenhouse overflowing with lush tropical plants and flowers.
Rent a canoe and explore the Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The enormous park protects a patchwork of lake, swamp and hardwood habitats. Look for alligators basking on the muddy banks and spot egrets, herons and other birds. You can find out more about the unique ecosystem at the visitor’s centre housed in a handsome Acadian house built in the 19th century.
West Monroe is packed with restaurants where you can try the finger-lickin’ good food Louisiana is famous for. Fill up on Bayou State favourites like jambalaya rice and vegetables tossed with smoked sausage, gumbo meat stew and crawfish cooked in a buttery sauce and seasoned with Cajun spices. Save room for sugar-dusted beignet donuts and wash it all down with a glass of sweet iced tea.
Getting around West Monroe
Downtown West Monroe is pedestrian-friendly and easy to get around on foot. The city is a 10-minute drive from Downtown Monroe across the Ouachita River. Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport is a two-hour drive away.