Monroe and West Monroe, Louisiana are two cities that are closely linked and offer plenty of attractions and entertainment for both residents and visitors. From Layton Castle to Black Bayou Lake, Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo, Hall of Small, Biedenharn Museum and Gardens, Masur Art Museum, Flying Tiger Brewery, and the Children's Museum of Northeastern Louisiana, there is something for everyone in this vibrant area. Layton Castle is a magnificent historic attraction located on South Grand Street in Monroe. It is a great place to explore and learn about the history of the area.
Black Bayou Lake is a protected wilderness area with a 1,700-acre lake, a visitor center, a restored plantation house, an arboretum with native plants, a prairie area with native flowers and grasses, a mile-long elevated nature trail, a 400-foot-long wildlife dock, a boat launch, an amphitheater, a pavilion, an elevated observation deck and several information boots. The refuge is used by students and professors at the University of Louisiana at Monroe for research and by nature lovers for hiking, nature watching, bird watching, canoeing, kayaking and picnics. The Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo is an 80-acre zoo in Monroe with about 400 animals of 200 species. The garden is beautifully landscaped with lots of interesting plants and has a greenhouse with direct access. The zoo is home to animals from all over the world: lions, tigers, bears, zebras, baboons, bison, gibbons, kangaroos, peacocks, leopards, parrots and many others.
There is also a reptile house and the new House of Australia has birds and animals that live only on that continent. The children's zoo has domestic animals that children can feed and pet. The Hall of Small is a practical insect exhibit. There is also a boat tour that allows visitors to observe animals that are not visible from the usual trails that cross the zoo. The Biedenharn Museum and Gardens provides guests with an insight into one of the world's most interesting museums centered on Coca-Cola.
The museum contains several rooms filled with Coca-Cola related memorabilia including the first truck that delivered Coca-Cola during the 1890s. The museum offers special exhibitions, guided tours, concerts, programs for children and much more. The Masur Art Museum was originally built in 1929 as a private house by Clarence Edward Slagle for his wife. The Pennsylvania blue slate and Indiana limestone used to build the house were transported along waterways to the Ouachita River which runs behind the residence. In 1963 the Masur family's children donated the house to the city of Monroe for the purpose of transforming it into a fine arts museum.
The Twin City Art Foundation was established in 1974 to support the Masur Museum of Art providing funding for its collection educational programming and exhibitions. Flying Tiger Brewery is the first large-scale brewery in Northeast Louisiana to brew and package its beer on-site. In addition to iconic beers they have several rotating beers served in their large tavern in downtown Monroe. The Children's Museum of Northeastern Louisiana is an interactive and hands-on museum where children can learn while playing with a variety of exhibits. There are also fascinating exhibits featuring Selman Field and Delta Airlines which began in Monroe as a regional crop fumigation company. Visiting the largest mall in North Louisiana is something you shouldn't miss when you're in Monroe. Located along the Ouachita River in Monroe it offers plenty of shopping options for everyone.
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