More so than any other section of the state, the Crossroads has a pivotal hub which is the uncontested center of things: Alexandria/Pineville (Rapides Parish). This area, along with the surrounding towns and communities, makes up the Crossroads. While Louisiana is a land of infinite variety, nowhere is this more evident than at the Crossroads. Here you'll find the hills and the bayous, the prairies and the rich Red River delta, each with its own history and traditions. At the Crossroads, visitors can enjoy recreation areas beyond compare, opportunities for water sports, fishing, hunting, camping spots, fine restaurants, hotels, motels, and multiple other attractions. This diversity makes the Crossroads the perfect place to visit. So join us here in the center of Louisiana on the banks of the beautiful Red River and experience the best of everything. Meet us at the Crossroads!

Avoyelles Parish, the "Cajun Crossroads of Louisiana," is rich in French/Acadian traditions and rich in Indian culture, preserved by the Marksville Prehistoric Indian Park & Museum and the Tunica-Biloxi Indian Center & Museum, home of the famed Tunica-Biloxi Treasures Collection. Over 20,000 acres of lakes, bayous and rivers provide abundant fish and game. We have three state wildlife management areas and two national wildlife refuges. There are two welcome centers for tourist information: the c.1790 Defosse House in Mansura and the c.1820 Hypolite Bordelon House in Marksville. Some historic properties are available for specially arranged group tours. The Cochon-de-Lait Festival is held each May in Mansura, the Louisiana Corn Festival is held each June in Bunkie, and Cottonport has an exciting Christmas Parade each December. Land-based casino gambling is offered as well. There is much to interest and satisfy all!

Concordia Parish, situated on the Mississippi River across from Natchez, is a "Sportsman's Paradise" with 300 miles of water, including Lake St. John and Lake Concordia, a trophy bass lake. Camping, cabins, bed & breakfasts, boat rentals and fishing guide service are available year round. Wild game is abundant in Three Rivers and Red River State Wildlife Management Areas, and Bayou Cocodrie National Refuge. Experience country living with agricultural tours: cotton gins, pecan, catfish, miniature horse and ostrich farms. Vidalia, moved a mile west of the river in 1937, plans a unique riverfront development. Tacony Plantation, rich in African-American history, celebrates the Jim Bowie Festival each September. Forty miles south of Vidalia, tour the Old River Control Structure and Hydroelectric Plant, where man attempts to control the mighty Mississippi. Ferriday has a new museum showcasing its famous residents and musical heritage. Celebrate country living in Concordia Parish!

When you are tired of the rat race in the city, come to Grant Parish. We have the Glen Emery Nature Trail and Stuart Lake, a man-made lake within the Kisatchie National Forest. There are many miles of sparsely populated gravel roads that take you back to a slower-paced time period, and beckon to the horseback enthusiast. Springtime is a beautiful time of the year, especially in Grant Parish. The dogwoods blooming near Stuart Lake are beautiful to see during the end of March and the beginning of April. Grant Parish has all of the features of Central Louisiana's topography: hills, streams, lakes, flatlands, farmland, fields, small towns, rivers, piney woods and hardwood bottoms. Our parish features two festivals, in April and November, one celebrating pecans, the other Mayhaw Jelly. Colfax, Pollock, and Montgomery feature several homes built at the turn of the century (1900). We have one feature that no other parish in Central Louisiana can boast of no traffic signals! We only have blinking caution and intersection lights! That's really rural!

Louisiana Tourism Information -- Louisiana Page Locale Adapted from the Louisiana Office of Tourism site.