How is visiting Shreveport like? (New Orleans, Baton Rouge: hotel, school, casinos)

[wetmoreoracle]

I'm thinking about going to Shreveport this summer to visit and see how it's like. For those who live there or have visited, is it a nice city to go to? Are the people friendly? Is it safe? What about entertainment, is there a lot to do? I imagine there is a lot to do and that it's super safe and friendly, but I'm not sure on that. It will also be my first time going to Louisiana.

[Lizap]

Originally Posted by wetmoreoracle

I'm thinking about going to Shreveport this summer to visit and see how it's like. For those who live there or have visited, is it a nice city to go to? Are the people friendly? Is it safe? What about entertainment, is there a lot to do? I imagine there is a lot to do and that it's super safe and friendly, but I'm not sure on that. It will also be my first time going to Louisiana.

One question: why? This would be one of the last places on my list to visit. To get a real 'taste' of Louisiana, you need to visit the southern part of the state. First choice would be New Orleans followed by Layfayette and the cajun country.

[wetmoreoracle]

Originally Posted by Lizap

One question: why? This would be one of the last places on my list to visit. To get a real 'taste' of Louisiana, you need to visit the southern part of the state. First choice would be New Orleans followed by Layfayette and the cajun country.

I've heard many bad things about Shreveport and I really want to see if it's really that bad of a place. I looked at pictures of it and the skyline kind of looks nice. There is also a lot of entertainment from what I noticed such as casinos and a great nightlife. I think those who told me about Shreveport have only spent a day or two there.

[annie_himself]

Why would you waste your money?

[Vorpal]

I stopped overnight in Bossier City on the way to Fort Worth. Went to the Rockin Rodeo (I like country dancing), which was next to my hotel and had a blast. Everybody was really nice to me. That was about 5 years ago though.

[JeffDavisCSA]

Ghetto. I love Louisiana but if I were you, I would go to south Louisiana. New Orleans during the day would be good, but get the heck out after sundown due to the vermin crawling around. I love St. Tammany on the other side of Lake Ponchartrain. It's about as good as it gets.

[wetmoreoracle]

Is Shreveport really ghetto? I actually thought it was a nice city. Now compared to El Paso, TX, I bet Shreveport is amazing.

[insanity1x]

Originally Posted by wetmoreoracle

Is Shreveport really ghetto? I actually thought it was a nice city. Now compared to El Paso, TX, I bet Shreveport is amazing.

X2, El Paso definitely feels like a dump. And having grown up in New Mexico, Shreveport is still much better in comparison.

I don’t really understand all of the Shreveport hate on this board, or all of the hate for majority of the south for that matter but sticking around long enough it’s somewhat easy to pick out the trends in negativity and descipher for yourself what’s true and what’s not.

[wetmoreoracle]

Originally Posted by insanity1x

X2, El Paso definitely feels like a dump. And having grown up in New Mexico, Shreveport is still much better in comparison.

I don’t really understand all of the Shreveport hate on this board, or all of the hate for majority of the south for that matter but sticking around long enough it’s somewhat easy to pick out the trends in negativity and descipher for yourself what’s true and what’s not.

Yeah, I grew up in El Paso too. I live in Tucson now and I couldn't be happier. Shreveport is definitely better than El Paso in my opinion. However, comparing Tucson, El Paso, and Shreveport, I'd say Tucson wins 1st place and Shreveport 2nd place. I was doing some more research too on Shreveport and it has a lot of Las Vegas influence, which is awesome! I think it's an awesome place to visit.

[RemyLebeau]

Originally Posted by wetmoreoracle

I'm thinking about going to Shreveport this summer to visit and see how it's like. For those who live there or have visited, is it a nice city to go to? Are the people friendly? Is it safe? What about entertainment, is there a lot to do? I imagine there is a lot to do and that it's super safe and friendly, but I'm not sure on that. It will also be my first time going to Louisiana.

I was born and raised in Shreveport. Graduated school in 1992 then promptly moved to Dallas. Skipped walking stage and everything.

Having said that, I was listening to a podcast a couple of years ago where the guest was Bruce Dickinson, lead singer of Iron Maiden. This guy has played concerts in some brutal parts of the world, most notably was Sarajevo when they were at war. He literally had to be smuggled into the country by the British UN.

When he was asked "what's the most dangerous place you've played, the place you felt the most unsafe?"

There was a pause and he literally said "Shreveport Louisiana". This had to be somewhere between 1992-1998 because he re-joined Maiden around 1999 and if I was still in Shreveport, I would have gone to see him.

Last time I was in Shreveport was 2007 or so and what little bit I saw, I was only in town for 2 days, it seems to be somewhat better. However, handful of the people I went to school with that stayed either live in Bossier or moved out to Keithville area. They tend to avoid Shreveport where possible.

If you are determined to visit, I would suggest getting a hotel in Bossier. Bossier has allows been safer and managed better. They are right next to each so you can quickly travel from one city to the next.

If you are looking for a "Louisiana experience" then go south. New Orleans, Baton Rouge, etc. The difference is night and day. North La should be it's own state. All the good stuff and even better food are down south.

*I forgot to add, there is a documentary out about Dickinson's show in Sarajevo that was released last August called 'Scream for me Sarajevo'. Worth the watch. I just found it amusing that he felt more unsafe in Shreveport then he did in a war torn country.