Monroe, La., – emphasis on the “mon” and named for a steamboat, the James Monroe – is a city of 46,616 in the northern part of the state. Monroevians have packed a lot into their city, and one only has to look at the city’s plans and projected works to know it will continue to grow, making sure there’s something there for everyone to enjoy.

Mayor Friday Ellis is continually busy keeping things running smoothly, always with an eye to the future. Emily Stogner, media relations director, recommended a look at https://oneroe.city/, and she’s right: look at the strategic plans for the Parks and Rec Department, downtown and music.

For example, the Biedenharn Museum and Gardens page might make a person think they would know what to expect, such as regularly scheduled exhibits of antiques and artifacts. The locale also has formal English gardens, a Bible Museum and a Museum Store.

But it’s likely that a visitor wouldn’t expect it to have anything to do with Coca-Cola. Well, it does; the iconic drink was first bottled by the Biedenharn Candy Company, and its impressive collection of memorabilia is available to browse. Plan to stop in the candy store for a Coke float!

The museum was awarded a 2024 Louey Award, which makes it the Louisiana Travel Association Attraction of the Year. No wonder: In December alone, the special events included a Christmas open house, a Teddy and Me Christmas tea, and a Christmas garden stroll. Visitors could also have their pet’s photos taken with Santa or the Coca-Cola Christmas truck. Maybe it would be worthwhile to make some notes on the new calendar as a reminder for when December rolls around again.

Those who prefer living attractions will want to pay a visit to the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo. In addition to lions, tigers, and bears it features animals many people have never heard of, such as aoudads and Mississippi kites, nilgais and red lechwes. For the little ones, there’s a children’s zoo, where they can feed and pet more familiar animals.

For the warm days, there’s a Zoo Oasis Splash Pad. Take a Safari boat ride and see aquatic wildlife that can only be spotted in the water. Or a person can take a train ride and see animals in the wild, roaming as they wish. Look for zebras, camels, ostrich and emus, and an African watusi.

In the vein of live animals, there is also the Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge. It was established in 1997 and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service described it this way.

 “Although the suburban spray of the city of Monroe surrounds much of its boundary, the refuge itself represents many habitat types and is home to a diversity of plants and animals. Black Bayou Lake is approximately 1,500 acres of shallow water, studded with bald cypress and water tupelo trees.”

The Fish and Wildlife Service has a 99-year lease on the lake itself. Visitors can do a variety of activities, including deer hunting, fishing – there are largemouth bass, crappie and bream – non-motorized boating, such as canoeing and kayaking, and birding, biking, photography and running.

Anyone who wants to stay inside might drive to Chennault Park and investigate the incredible, restored aircraft on display at Chennault Aviation and Military Museum. Nell Chennault Calloway is the CEO of the museum and a granddaughter of Gen. Claire L. Chennault.

Aviation is a proud legacy for the Chennault family. The museum honors the story of General Claire Chennault’s Flying Tigers and their amazing defense of the Chinese people during WWII.

The bilingual “Way of a Fighter” exhibit houses the largest collection of Chennault in the U.S. It is housed in one of the last remaining structures of Selman Field Navigation School, the largest navigation school in the U.S. during WWII. Selman graduated more than 15,000 navigators.

Spanning all conflicts from the Civil War through Iraqi Freedom and representing all military branches, a visitor will see more than 11,000 artifacts on display as well as historic aircraft.

Beyond the carefully maintained and curated collections, CAMM’s curators pride themselves on their work with veterans and veteran-oriented programs. They have partnered with the Library of Congress to collect veterans’ oral histories, which will be sent to families and eventually be available online for all to see. They work with the Disabled Veterans Association to advocate for veterans and their families in need of benefits, and they provide van service to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Jackson, Miss. For those in need, there are free on-site PTSD support groups every week.

There are more than the aforementioned museums: Also check out the University of Louisiana at Monroe Museum of Natural History, the Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum, the Precious Legacy Museum and Archives, the Masur Museum of Art, and the Northeast Children’s Museum.

For lovers of the arts, there is the Strauss Theatre Center, where Stogner has performed, and Strauss Youth Academy for the Arts – as well as the Monroe Symphony Orchestra. Some like the Crawl, a downtown event where one can see the work of local artists. Those who like active entertainment can avail themselves of the Spartan Adventure Park, Bike it Out, Bayou Bowl, and Twin City BMX.

Start an evening with a visit to the award-winning Landry Vineyards, offering tastings of various vintages and outdoor concerts. And anyone who thinks Louisiana cooking is always blackened and spicy might be in for a treat: There is every kind of restaurant one could hope for in Monroe.

The website https://funroefavorites.com/ lists so many favorites that a person could eat something different every night for weeks on end. Try Chisley’s Soul Food, Khan’s Mongolian Grill, Don Tomas Mexican Grill, Taste of India or Cormeir’s Cajun Catering. After all that, for something sweet or a late-night treat, try Haskell’s Donuts or Eskamoe’s Frozen Custard.

If all of this hasn’t been convincing enough, and to experience the true heartbeat of this city, watch this video: https://stateofthecitymonroe.com. It showcases Monroe’s civic pride and will encourage anyone to pack a suitcase for a road trip.

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