VISITOR INFORMATION

Thank you for your interest in Bienville Parish. Below are some resources to help you plan your trip. If you have any further questions please contact the Chamber of Commerce.
 

Places to Eat         Places to Stay       Shopping and Antiquing        Family Fun  

 Historic Sites and Museums            Outdoor Recreation       Annual Festivals

Places to eat in Bienville Parish
 

Bonnie and Clyde Trade Days RV Park
Bonnie & Clyde Trade Days is open 365 days a year as an RV park. Hundreds of RV spaces with water and 30-amp electrical hookups are available. Approximately 32 spaces with water, 30-amp electrical, and sewerage hookups are available. Full hookups with 50-amp electrical service are also available. A washateria, heated and air-conditioned bathhouse, and dump stations are all located on the grounds. Rated annually by Woodalls and Trailer Life, you will find our listings in both directories. Pets are welcome but should be kept on a leash and under the control of the owner when outside of the RV.

Bonnie and Clyde Trade Days, Arcadia Louisiana
The largest outdoor flea market in Louisiana features antiques, collectibles, plants, pets, jewelry, tools, and much more. A tempting array of regional food specialties and its beautiful pastoral setting attracts vendors and shoppers from a four state radius and beyond. Always held on the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before the third Monday of every month, the market draws thousands of shoppers and averages well over 200 vendors selling everything from pets to plants to antiques to crafts. Free shopper shuttles run from the parking area to the trade grounds and courtesy rest areas are located throughout the grounds for shoppers' convenience. Numerous concessions serving a delicious assortment of food specialties are available, including Pointe Barrow Cafe overlooking beautiful Bonnie's Bay. RV parking is available for both shoppers and vendors. There is no admission charge. Parking is just $3 per vehicle.

Downtown Arcadia, Louisiana
Arcadia Louisiana's downtown historic district offers many antique stores within close proximity to one another and is a shopper's paradise. You can easily spend a day going from store to store. Stop and eat in one of our fine restaurants!

Bonnie and Clyde Historic Site, Bienville Parish
Bienville Parish has a historically colorful collection of sites marking the last hours of infamous outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. The historical marker, located on the hilltop of the Gibsland-Sailes, LA, Highway, serves as a tombstone-like reminder of the place where the famous villains Bonnie and Clyde's crime spree came to a fatal conclusion. The bodies--still in the bullet ridden "death car", were brought to the coroner in downtown Arcadia for autopsies.

Arcadia Post Office WPA Mural, Arcadia
For "New Deal" art and history enthusiasts, the lobby of the post office(which was built in 1937) features a mural "Cotton Time" that was painted by an artist under the New Deal's Works Project Administration (WPA). The WPA put thousands of unemployed people to work in the 1930s and 1940s, including artists and writers. The post office lobby is open 7 days a week.

Civil and Korean War Naval Museum, Arcadia
Another interesting place of note is The Civil and Korean War Naval Museum located at 153 Museum Road, Arcadia, LA 71001. In existence for more than 8 years, Bill Atteridge’s museum, located in a rural setting, is a spectacular display of 102 models of 30” Civil War ships in lit cases. Recently Bill Atteridge, the curator of the museum, began the Korean War exhibit since he is a Korean War Navy Veteran. The museum is open from Thursday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Special tours are done by appointment. For more information or to set up a special tour, call (318) 263-8247.

Bienville Depot Museum, Arcadia
The heart of downtown Arcadia is the Bienville Depot. Built in 1908, it was once a passenger and freight station. It is the only remaining wooden depot in existence between Marshall, Texas and Jackson, Mississippi. The Bienville Depot Museum contains a variety of exhibits, especially arts and crafts from the artists of Bienville Parish. Some of the pieces visitors will see are quilts, paintings, gourd crafts, whittling, Flintknapping, handcrafted ships, pottery and soaps, just to name a few. Visitors can also take in historical papers and documents, photographs, railroad items, military memorabilia from the 1930’s and 1940’s. The depot is located at 2440 Hazel Street, Arcadia, LA 71001. For further information, call (318) 263-9191

Historic Mt. Lebanon
The Mt. Lebanon community has six homes on the National Registrar of Historic Places as well as the historic Mount Lebanon Baptist Church.  Visitors to the community should begin their visit with a stop at the Stage Coach Trail Museum, located at the crossroads of LA 154 and 517. The museum is open from 2:00pm to 5:00pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and by appointment. It is run by volunteers from the Mt. Lebanon Historical Society. For information, or to confirm the hours, call (318) 843-6455.

Trails End Golf Course
The Trails End Golf Course has been rated one of the finest and most challenging 18-hole course in the area by players. The course is open to the public year-round Tuesday through Sunday. Carts are available for rent but are not mandatory. For more information call (318) 263-7420.

Driskill Mountain, the Highest Point in Louisiana
Driskill Mountain, located 7 miles southeast of Arcadia, is the highest point in Louisiana at 535 feet above sea level. At the crest, sign the "hidden" Climbers Log Book and survey the Piney Hills Country from a bird's eye view.

Hunting, Fishing and Boating
A hunting and fishing paradise, Arcadia and Bienville Parish offer a wide variety of ponds, lakes, and wooded areas that are prime for weekend getaways. Kepler Creek Lake offers fishing and boating opportunities, and features the "Blue Hole", a scenic fishing spot. The Mill Creek Reservoir offers fishing and outdoor recreation, as does Saline Lake, Ringgold's southwestern swatch of Lake Bistineau State and Fish Reserve.

Lake Bisteneau State Park
Situated on the western shore of Lake Bistineau, this park offers a satisfying blend of beautiful vistas and outstanding recreational facilities. Memorable for its upland mixed hardwood forest, its open waters, and its enchanting stands of cypress and tupelo trees, the park offers two boat launches, hiking trails, playgrounds, two swimming pools, a lakefront beach, a baseball field, camping, cabins, lodges, and excellent fishing!

Annual Festivals