The holiday season is a festive time of the year in the U.S., with celebratory lights, Christmas trees going up and fun time with family.
Louisiana especially does not fall short of Christmas cheer, as even the state’s smaller towns put on exceptional holiday events.
From extravagant light displays and giant Christmas trees to an entire Christmas village, Louisiana has it all during the holiday season.
7 magical Louisiana Christmas towns
These are the seven best towns to visit during Christmastime in Louisiana, according to OnlyInYourState.
1. Natchitoches
Natchitoches is considered one of the best places to go for Christmas in Louisiana, especially given its annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival. This festival is a six-week-long celebration where the downtown area is transformed into a winter wonderland with appearances by Santa, plenty of shopping and intricate light displays. Along the Cane River, there are over 300,00 lights and more than 100 display pieces, says OnlyInYourState.
2. New Orleans
There are plenty of things to do in New Orleans during the holiday season, and one of the most popular events is Celebration in the Oaks at City Park where visitors can wander through an incredible holiday display. A time-honored tradition in the city is visiting the Roosevelt Hotel lobby for its elegant Christmas decoration display, making it a great spot to snap some pictures, according to OnlyInYourState.
3. Acadian Village
The Acadian Village in Lafayette is typically a living history museum where guests can explore historic buildings and see what life was like for some of the earliest Acadian settlers. However, during the month of December, the village transforms into the Noel Acadian Au Village, which is a wonderland that boasts half a million lights, live entertainment, carnival rides and photo-ops with Santa.
4. Monroe and West Monroe
In Monroe and West Monroe, visitors can stroll through the Freedom Trees at the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum, sip champagne and wander along West Monroe’s Antiques Alley or feel festive at Christmas at Kiroli at Kiroli Park. Also, just outside the city limits, located in Calhoun, there is a drive-thru Christmas light display known as Candy Cane Lane.
Visirtors gathered at the annual Christmas tree lighting in front of Yoctangee Park on Nov. 22, 2025, in Chillicothe, Ohio. Holiday themed lights and displays lit up the park as visitors walked around the holiday scenes.
5. Shreveport
North Louisiana boasts plenty of Christmas experiences, and there are many activities to take part in within the Shreveport-Bossier area. Things to do include catching Santa at one of the locations he’s visiting, enjoying holiday lights and much more. One enchanting light display is at Christmas in Roseland, which is a display at the largest rose park in the U.S., the American Rose Center.
6. Lake Charles
Christmas festivities kick off in Lake Charles just after Thanksgiving and last up until New Year’s. There are plenty of light displays to be found, like the Holiday Lights Display at Millennium Park and The Grove at Heritage Square. Visitors also gather each year at Prien Lake Park to check out a giant Christmas tree.
7. Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge offers a plethora of options to get into the holiday spirit, with Christmas festivities beginning with the Festival of Lights and the lighting of the tree in the Town Square. There is also ice skating at the Raising Cane’s River Center Arena and opportunities to see Christmas lights throughout the city, says OnlyInYourState.
Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: These 7 Louisiana towns are the most magical for Christmas 2025