You Can’t Afford To Miss These 13 Free Outdoor Activities In Louisiana

This 5-day music and arts festival takes over the streets of downtown Lafayette every year during the last week of April. Over 300,000 people come out to attend the largest international music festival in the U.S. And the best part? It’s going on right now! April 26-30! The festival just kicked off so go out and have some fun! 315 Lee Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70501.

Take a leisurely stroll through the 16 acres of beautifully landscaped lawns. The Arboretum features a fruit orchard, butterfly garden, a paved walking trail, and more than 300 species of both native and adaptable trees. The arboretum is open 8am-5pm daily and is free! Located at 12206 Foster Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70811.

Stroll down Main Street, take in the views of the Cane River Lake, or explore the Historic Downtown District of Louisiana’s oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. You can also take a self-guided walking tour of all the filming locations for the classic movie "Steel Magnolias."

Stroll through the preserve’s 23,000 acres of bayous, swamps, and marshes and experience Louisiana’s wild wetlands. Keep your eyes peeled for alligators, turtles, nutria, and over 200 species of birds that call the area home!

This 180-mile All-American Road will take you through coastal marshlands and along 26-miles of natural Gulf beaches. The visitor center is located at 1205 N Lakeshore Dr, Lake Charles, LA 70601.

Every Friday in the months of April, May, September and October, downtown Baton Rouge puts on a free concert for the community! Just bring a lawnchair or a blanket and your dancing shoes and enjoy amazing local music. The concert is from 5pm-8pm at Repentance Park, which is located at 275 S River Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70802.

31 miles of paved walkways weave through 5 cities, so you can walk, run, roller blade, or bike your way through St. Tammany Parish. There’s several places to stop, plus there’s restaurants (and a brewery) along the way, so bring some friends and make a day of it!

Bring your lawnchairs and get ready for two days of awesome family fun. Live music, children’s activities, food vendors and art all combine for a great time for everyone. MayFest is May 5 & 6 this year. Admission is free! Located at 201 South 3rd Street, Leesville, LA 71446.

Built in 1966, this art gallery features American and European art spanning 7 centuries! The gardens surrounding the art gallery are just as breathtaking, so make sure you wander around. 40 beautifully landscaped acres of azaleas, lilies, black-eyed Susan’s all underneath a canopy of towering hardwoods. Admission is free! Located at 4747 Creswell Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71106.

Every 1st and 3rd Friday from April to October, Movies & Moonbeams shows a movie on the lawns of Shreveport. Bring a blanket and some popcorn and enjoy the show! Located at 101 Crockett Street, Shreveport, LA 71101.

More than 50 modern and contemporary sculptures are scattered throughout the 5 acres of beautiful landscaped lawns here at this sculpture garden. They are open 7 days a week, 10am-6pm and admission is free! Don’t forget to bring your camera. Located at 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA 70124.

Take a moment to find your favorite westerly-facing location and end the day with a sunset. There’s something so peaceful about taking a moment to reflect as the sun fades away, and the colors can really be sensational. The picture above was taken at Cypress Island Swamp on Lake Martin.