Line 1 · Christmas & holiday
Natchitoches Festival of Lights with kids
Louisiana
A small-town riverfront festival running since 1927, with 300,000 lights and Saturday-night fireworks through December.
Pair it with New Orleans or Shreveport to fill a 5-day trip.
Price it for your family from your ZIP →What it costs
Example for 2 adults and 2 kids, 5 days, including lodging, food and activities. Gas or flights depend on where you live, so price it from your ZIP for the full total.
| Where you stay | Estimated total* |
|---|---|
| Budget (1★) | $1,250 |
| Mid-range (3★) | $1,710 |
| Luxury (5★) | $3,070 |
*Planning estimate from typical recent prices, before travel, with an 8% buffer. Holiday weeks and school breaks cost more.
Best time to go
- JanOff
- FebOff
- MarGood
- AprGood
- MayGood
- JunOff
- JulOff
- AugOff
- SepOff
- OctOff
- NovBest
- DecBest
Top attractions in Louisiana
- Festival of LightsRiverfront lights since 1927
- Front StreetBrick street with iron balconies
- Cane River Creole National Historical ParkTwo plantations
- Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic SiteFrench colonial fort replica
- Melrose PlantationClementine Hunter's art
- Steel Magnolias houseFilming location
- Louisiana Sports Hall of FameWith the regional history museum
- Kisatchie National ForestTrails and overlooks
Where to eat in Louisiana
- Mama's Oyster House$$Cajun seafood
- Merci Beaucoup$$Meat pies and Cajun
- Maglieaux's Riverfront Restaurant$$Overlooking the lights
- Papa's Bar & Grill$$Local favorite
Things to do
- Saturday fireworksDuring the festival
- Christmas Festival paradeFirst Saturday of December
- Eat a Natchitoches meat pieThe local specialty
- Kayak Cane River LakeCalm water
- Hike Kisatchie's Longleaf TrailPine forests
Places change. Tap any name to check it on Google Maps before you go.