Alexandria is a historic city, rich in Louisiana history. Civil War historic sites along with easy access to numerous historic locations make it a city ideal for history enthusiasts and for sportsmen.

Get in

By car

Interstate 49 runs through the center of Alexandria, linking the city with Shreveport to the northwest (125 miles) and Lafayette to the south (90 miles).

By plane

• 1 Alexandria International Airport (AEX  ^IATA) (located to the west of the city). served by American Airlines, Continental Airlines, and Delta Airlines. The airport provides flights to Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Atlanta.  

By bus

Limited Greyhound bus service.

Get around

MacArthur Drive, which intersects with I-49 on both the north and south ends of the city, is one of the main roads. Many of the retail establishments in Alexandria are located near the intersection of MacArthur and Masonic Drives near the Alexandria Mall.

ATRANS provides local bus service, including to and from Pineville.

See

• Kent Plantation House, 3601 Bayou Rapides Rd, ☏ +1 318-487-5998. One of the oldest surviving plantations in Louisiana. 
• Alexandria Zoological Park, 3016 Masonic Drive, ☏ +1 318-441-6810. 

Do

• Mardi Gras. College cheerleaders and classic cars parade takes place on Friday afternoon in Downtown. Children's parade takes place on Saturday morning in Downtown. The Krewe's parade takes place on Sunday afternoon with a route from Texas Ave to the Alexandria Mall. The Krewe of Provine parade on Tuesday runs down Coliseum Blvd. 
• Que'in On The Red, 550 North 3rd Street. Barbecue festival at the North Levee Park sanctioned by the Memphis Barbecue Network, taking place in mid-March. 

Buy

• Alexandria Mall, 3437 Masonic Drive. 

Eat

Some local restaurants include:

• Tunk's Cypress Inn, 9507 LA Hwy 28 West (on Kincaid Lake), ☏ +1 318-487-4014. Specializes in steaks, alligator, crawfish, oysters, and seafood. 
• 1 Cajun Landing Restaurant, 2728 N MacArthur Dr, ☏ +1 318-487-4912. (updated May 2016)
• Oriental Wok, 6 N Bolton Ave, ☏ +1 318-448-8247. Chinese food and sushi bar 
• Hana Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar, 2915 MacArthur Dr, ☏ +1 318-442-9898. 
• Diamond Grill, 924 3rd St, ☏ +1 318-448-8989. Upscale restaurant in the downtown 
• Lou & Laura's, 1301 Windsor Pl, ☏ +1 318-445-2917. New Orleans-style po' boys and broasted chicken 

There is also a wide variety of chain restaurants in Alexandria.

Crawfish boils are popular among locals when crawfish is in season during spring.

Sleep

• Ramada Limited Alexandria, 742 MacArthur (I-49 Exit 86), ☏ +1 318-448-1611, fax: +1 318-473-2984. 
• Holiday Inn Alexandria - Downtown, 701 4th St., ☏ +1 318-541-8333. (updated Sep 2018)

Stay healthy

Alexandria is served by Rapides Regional Medical Center, 211 4th Street, ☏ +1 318-769-3000. (updated Sep 2018).

Go next

• Pineville, Alexandria's sister city, is directly across the Red River.
• Natchitoches is about an hour to the northwest down I-49.
• Marksville, home of Paragon Casino, is about 45 minutes to the southeast down Highway 1.
• A number of lakes can be found in the surrounding area a short drive from Alexandria, such as Kincaid, Cotile, and Indian Creek.

Routes through Alexandria

Shreveport ← Natchitoches ←	N  S	→ Woodworth → Lafayette
Shreveport ← Pineville ←	N  S	→ Lecompte → Krotz Springs
Lake Charles ← Woodworth ←	S  N	→ Pineville → Monroe
Ruston ← Pineville ←	N  S	→ Lecompte → Lafayette