We HAD to stop our way through! We have watched the show and followed Sadie's journey. Willie has…read morebeen at our church a few times, we love the Robertson fam jam. The young associate manning the front desk today was on her phone and didn't acknowledge us until my husband walked right up to the desk to buy tickets. She said tour didn't start until til 3 (it was ten minutes til), so he assumed he had to wait to pay when she said nothing further. When it was three minutes past he decided to ask again and she exclaimed she was waiting on him (we had no idea what we were waiting for!). Anyway, the tour is great! It was very cool to see pieces from the tv show and Sadie's costumes from a few dances on DWTS. We laughed when we saw the carved wooden statue of Willie (remembering the episode and how it went down!). At the end of the tour it has a few plaques writing about the new movie "The Blind" that came out last month. We got a Duck Picker duck call (for mallard hens) with our paid tickets and it can be taken apart to clean after blowing on it time and time again. Super neat to actually hear it in person instead of just on tv :)

We missed the store bc we arrived an hour after they closed, but had a great time exploring the…read moreoutside. They've done a lot to make it inviting. Maybe if the Lord directs y'all, you could add a playground or play space for visitors. I know y'all are adding a walking area-that's awesome! God bless you all and thank you for your example! We laughed hysterically at the cut out pictures y'all have of the Robertson's to stick your face in.

Talk about finding everything Louisiana and Cajun/Creole in this store. This store is chock full of…read moreeverything Louisiana. The lady who worked there was a local for over 25 years. She knew a lot of the area and was able to recommend a great restaurant to eat meat pies (a local favorite and Natchitoches is known for). She also sold us some tasty little pralines (pronounced praw-leens in the South). If you're looking for friendly staff and a quaint, everything Louisiana store in a quaint little town, this is the place to shop. It's a little on the small side, but every inch of that store is filled with items for purchase.

Georgia's is small. I always manage to find " that" wonderful cookbook I can't live without. This…read moreis one of the few places I can buy my "All Time Favorite " Cookbook, the "Cane River Cookbook". I like to give it for gifts..... & I've had to replace my original a time or two. Several of our family & friends have recipes in this cookbook. Georgia's carries Natchitoches Native, Clementine Hunter's wonderful Artwork.....Large selection of Cookbooks, Saints memorabilia, LSU memorabilia, Natchitoches t-shirts, jellies, Cajun Sauces & Spices.......Most Anything having to do with Natchitoches. This time I left with a "Natchitoches Meat Pie" Christmas Ornament! Yea....I love it!

It was a really hot day on 4th of July. My family and I came in here for some ice cream. It's a…read morereally cute shop. They have plenty of gifts, souvenirs... and fudge! Sadly I don't buy fudge often and I rarely crave it, but I was happy that they have it as an option for those that love it. This just means I have to visit them again and try a bit of fudge. The ice cream line was a bit long because they make other cold treats, too. It's all good because we didn't have a lot going on and was thankful they were open that day, so I was patient. The family and I were visiting Natchitoches for the weekend and of course thought of getting a memorabilia of some sort. I'm not that big of a shopper and don't like collecting things. If you're into that sort of thing... they have a bunch of trinkets that you'll like! The ice cream was definitely worth the wait. I just wish I would have gotten more scoops because it was a really hot day. It's close to the river and other fun downtown eateries and establishments. Add this place to your visit for some yummy treats!

This store has a little bit of everything Louisiana. My favorite thing that they have here is the…read morefudge. It's delectable and indulgent!!! The price is isn't inflated and if you buy 4 you get one free! They have plenty of other stuff also, such as, T-shirts, cook books, and pretties for the house.

Gene Cox's Grocery & Meats has been in business for over 50 years, which is a great, boast-worthy…read moreaccomplishment! Cox's is a small, family-run, grocery store with the best meat market in town. Despite the many large grocery store competitors around town, the locals remain loyal to Cox's because of their Southern hospitality and quality products. From the moment you walk in to check-out, the staff are eager to help and answer any questions. On our first visit, we felt very welcomed as we took our time to browse the store. Hot foods are available most of the day, breakfast biscuit sandwiches in the morning and then typical lunch food fare(fried chicken/fish, meat pies, boudin, boudin balls, sausage links) for the rest of the day. We were surprised to find fresh, homemade cracklins for $16.99/lb. A majority of the hearty bite-sized pieces had a good meat:skin proportion. The cracklins had a nice crunch and seasoning, but not too spicy. (Most natives are used to the spicy seasoned cracklins from south La). There is an extensive selection of packaged specialty meats and foods (seasoned pork chops/pork tenderloin/chicken/ribs, stuffed chicken, certified Angus beef, smoked beef patties, twice-baked potatoes) and it was hard to select a few choices because everything looked deliciously mouthwatering! We grabbed a few of them to cook up at home- duck wrapped in bacon and chicken stuffed with crawfish dressing. Catering options are available too, just let them know in advance. The rest of the store is similar to what you would find in the typical convenient store with snacks and beverages, including some local brews. With the Mardi Gras season upon us, Abita Mardi Gras Bock is in stock too! I saw a small display of various jerky flavors and local jarred goodies like fruit, jams, and seasonings. Remember to visit Gene Cox's Grocery & Meats the next time you can't decide what to make for lunch/dinner. You'll be sure to find great food here should you need a little snack or a meal. The carnivore in you will surely be screaming to buy all the specialty meats. And as a rule of thumb, eat and shop local!

Located inside a gas station on corner of Arkansas rd. Being in the gas station is the biggest…read moreneagative in my opinion. Small meat selection in case as well.

Love visiting the spice and tea exchange when I'm in town. No place better to shop for tea and…read moretheir custom blends are incredible. Nice friendly knowledgeable employees also help make the shopping experience easy.

I love a good Yerba Mate and there are plenty to choose from here at the Spice and Tea Exchange of…read moreWest Monroe. The spices smell phenomenal and make me want to up my cooking game. There is so much to explore and the service is excellent. If you're not sure of what you want, they will help to point you in the right direction.

Good quality meat. You can also get sliced and cut to your…read moreliking. Highly recommend. I posted 2 photos of some items we purchased from here. The Steaks and ribs were fantastic. The photos don't justify. The meat wasn't all fatty on either one. High Satisfaction with these purchases.

Cool lil staff, trying to see what the hype is over the smoked sausage. Their "Down home" smoked…read moresausage was not too bad. But if you want some good smoked sausage, go to Super 1 Foods, they have a boat load of cajun and creole cooking ingredients.