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Since our PCS to Fort Cavazos, we have driven through Louisiana several times on our way to visit family in Florida. And it has me reminiscing on our time spent at Fort Johnson, Louisiana.
Fort Johnson (formerly known as Fort Polk) was our second duty station as a family and some of our children’s earliest memories are from there.
Arguably, it’s one of the most hated duty stations in the Army, but we didn’t mind it. Dare I say that we actually liked it?!
Louisiana is an interesting state and there are plenty of adventures to be had there! So, I put this bucket list together for maybe some possible pit stops on our way to Florida or in case we ever get stationed there again!
On Post at Fort Johnson
Cool down at the community poolPlay at the splash pad- Go fishing at the pond
Go to one of the concertsCheck out the playgroundsDo some laps at Honor FieldWalk the Marion Bonner TrailGo to the Freedom Fest CelebrationMake something at the Arts & Crafts Center- Play mini-golf & ride go-carts at Klubs & Karts
Look for the wild horses in the training area
Leesville
Eat a meal at the Wagon MasterGo for a walk downtownWatch the sun set at Vernon LakeVisit a local bakeryGo to a paradeDrive through a daquiri shop- Take the kids to the splash pad
Check out a book at the libraryGo to the Vernon Parish FairPick out a pumpkin at Anderson FarmsEat some Mudbugs
Fort Johnson’s Surrounding Areas
Let the kids play at Jump City (Deridder)Hike to Wolf Rock Cave- Spend the day at Toledo Bend
Visit Hodges Gardens (Florien)- See Sicily Falls
Alexandria
- Visit the Kent Plantation house
Take the kids to the Alexandria Zoo- Look around the Louisiana History Museum
Go to the circus at the Rapides Parish Coliseum- Play at the T.R.E.E House Children’s Museum
- Visit the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral
- Explore the Frogmore Cotton Plantation and Gins
- Pet the animals at Gone Wild Safari
- Go for a hike in the Kisatchie National Forest
- Visit the Old Town Hall Museum
- Explore the Chauvin Sculpture Garden
Lake Charles
Go to a casino- Experience the Louisiana Pirate Festival (beginning of May)
- Visit the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu
- Look around the Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point
- Take a tour of the Bayou Rum Distillery
- Visit the Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center
- Stroll through the Charpentier Historic District
- Explore Sam Houston Jones State Park
- Drive the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road
- Spend an afternoon on North Beach
Take a walk through Prien Lake Park- Get some boudin on the Boudin Trail
- Visit Millennium Park & Memorial Point Landing
Natchitoches
See the Steel Magnolias house- Step back in time at the Cane River Creole National Park
- Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest History Museum
- Visit the Melrose Plantation
Go to the Christmas festival- Fort St. Jean Baptiste
- Eat a Natchitoches meat pie
- Visit Beau Jardine Park
See the gators at Alligator Park- Take a stroll down Front Street
- Shop at the Kaffie-Frederick General Mercantile Store
Shreveport
- Eat a meal at Orlandeaux’s Cafe
- Visit the Shreveport Aquarium
- Take a walk at Walter B. Jacobs Memorial Park
- Go to the Sci-Port Discovery Center
- Visit the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum
- Play at Splash Kingdom Waterpark
- Check out the planes at Barksdale Global Power Museum
Shop at the Louisiana Boardwalk- Visit the Shreveport Water Works Museum
Baton Rouge
- Visit the Baton Rouge Arsenal Museum
See the Castle/old Capitol building- Visit the Nottoway Plantation (biggest mansion in the South)
- See Mike the Tiger at LSU
- Go to the LSU Rural Life Museum
- See the largest cypress trees in the state (Cat Island Wildlife Refuge)
- Cool Off at the Blue Bayou Water Park
- Go to the Louisiana Art & Science Museum
- Visit the Blue Bonnet Swamp Nature Center
- See the USS Kidd
- Rip Van Winkle Gardens (Iberia)
Random Fort Johnson Trips
- Visit Oak Alley Plantation (Vacherie)
- See Fort Proctor in Lake Borgne (St. Bernard)
- Explore the Atchafalaya Basin
- Paddle the canoe trail at Chicot State Park
- Spend the day at Holly Beach
- See the mounds at Poverty Point National Monument (Pioneer)
- Visit Grand Isle State Park
- Walk through the Abita Mystery House (Abita Springs)
Lafayette
Get an ice cream cone at the last Borden’s Ice Cream ShopVisit the Tabasco Factory on Avery Island- Buy shrimp right off the boat at Delcambre
- Explore downtown
- Visit Vermilionville Historic Village
See Jungle Gardens- See the Acadian Village
- See the Rip Van Winkle garden on Jefferson Island
Go to the Louisiana Comic Con- Wednesday Night Cajun Jam at the Blue Moon Saloon
- Visit the Driftwood Museum (Pierre Part)
New Orleans
- See Marie Laveau’s grave
Take pictures of the St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square- Take a steamboat cruise on the Mississippi River
- Visit Mardi Gras World
- Ride a streetcar in the Garden District
- See the ruins of Fort Macombe
- Stroll through Audubon Park & Zoo
- Visit the WWII Museum
- See the Chalmette Battlefield
Get beignets at Cafe du Monde- Shop at the French Market
- Get a drink on Bourbon Street
- Wander through the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden
- Get creeped out at the Museum of Death
- Buy a book at Faulkner House Books
Monroe
- Visit the Biedenharn Museum & Gardens
- Visit the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum
- Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge
- Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo
- Visit the Duck Commander store
Miscellaneous Things
Spend the weekend in HoustonFind a crawfish holeGo geocachingCross Lake Pontchartrain- Take a swamp tour
Go to a Mardi Gras paradeEat some King Cake
Whewww…that is a lot!
But don’t listen to anyone who tells you that there is nothing to do at Fort Johnson. It might involve a bit of driving, but Louisiana has a lot of fun places to explore!
