Shreveport, LA

Shreveport got its start right on the water back in the 1830s. Captain Henry Miller Shreve cleared a massive, 180-mile logjam on the Red River known as the Great Raft, opening up the waterway for steamboats and trade. Shortly after, settlers mapped out an eight-by-eight street grid where the river met the trail to Texas. That historic downtown layout is still very much alive today. Walking through downtown, you will find government offices, historic brick buildings, local restaurants, and music venues clustered close to the riverbanks where the city began.

ATTRBilly Hathorn / CC BY-SA 3.0

When it comes to work, the local economy centers around a few key corridors. Healthcare is a major employer, with LSU Health Shreveport and the Ochsner LSU Health medical center along Kings Highway drawing thousands of doctors, researchers, nurses, and students to the area. South along the river, the Port of Caddo-Bossier connects river barges to major rail lines, Interstate 20, and Interstate 49, supporting heavy manufacturing, freight, and distribution. Combined with Barksdale Air Force Base just across the river in Bossier City, these sectors provide a reliable backbone for local jobs.

ATTRAlex Hortman / CC BY-SA 3.0

There is plenty of culture and entertainment to explore on the weekends. Music history runs deep at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium, a stunning Art Deco landmark that once hosted the famous Louisiana Hayride and helped launch musicians like Elvis Presley and Hank Williams. Downtown's Festival Plaza fills up throughout the year for community favorites like Mudbug Madness and the Red River Revel arts festival. Further south in the South Highlands neighborhood, the R.W. Norton Art Gallery pairs an impressive art collection with 40 acres of manicured botanical gardens and peaceful walking paths.

ATTRBilly Hathorn at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0

Getting around town is straightforward, with main routes and SporTran buses linking downtown to busy shopping and dining corridors along Youree Drive and Line Avenue. For outdoor recreation, locals look to the water. Paved paths line the river downtown, while boaters and anglers head west to Cross Lake. This expansive lake serves as the city's drinking water reservoir and doubles as a favorite local escape for open-water boating, bass fishing, and watching the sunset.