The cool, crisp air of fall can finally be (somewhat) felt. People are opening themselves to the feelings of nostalgia during the brief, yet beautiful season experienced in the months of September-November.
Ruston & Lincoln Parish has all you need to experience an all-immersive fall worthy of the Gilmore Girls. A fall full of pumpkin spice, falling leaves, and the South’s favorite addition to the line-up - gumbo.
Start your day off right with any of the menu items from Common Goods Co. From pumpkin muffins to harvest spiced cold brews, this cozy bakery is the perfect beginning of a fall day in Ruston.
For lunch, make sure you stop by the newly renovated Heard Freighthouse Food Truck Park in Downtown Ruston. One of our favorite lunch spots on a cold, autumn day is Staple Sandwich Company! Grab one of their featured soups and sandwiches and take a seat on the picnic tables provided. Furry friends welcomed!
Adventuring outdoors for too long in the fall can lead to cold hands and feet. Warm up with some locally-brewed coffee from Railway Coffee! Get a festive fall drink or go with a traditional Americano. Whatever you choose, we are sure it will warm you down to your toes. While you are there, make sure to grab a bag of beans to take back home.
Wrap up the day with a southern fall staple, gumbo! Ponchatoula’s is located in Downtown Ruston and the perfect place to cozy up in a booth with a bowl of this southern staple. Pick from the chicken & sausage or the seafood bowl! You can even add toppings like fried seafood and parsley and soak it up with bread and rice. Gumbo not your style? Don’t worry! They have plenty of amazing and authentically Louisiana dishes sure to please.
Nestled in the pine trees of North Ruston is Lincoln Parish Park, a town favorite for all things outdoor. The park provides plenty of walking and biking trails, a lake, a pond, and even a creek with a waterfall feature if you catch it just right. All of this can be experienced for the day rate of $3. Read more here.
Take a walk through the fall scenery at Ruston’s Rock Island Greenway. Ruston's Rock Island Greenway is a shared-use walking, running and cycling path and linear park that will eventually run almost 6 miles across the city, connecting neighborhoods, businesses, educational institutions, and recreational amenities. Download a fall scavenger hunt and see if you can check off all the boxes during your time on the trail!
Nothing says fall weather like window shopping in Downtown Ruston. The trees are changing, the smell of Railway coffee is in the air, and the stores and boutique doors are wide open for all your shopping needs. Make sure to check out FanBase, a store perfect for any Tech-lover or Garden Baby for the cutest baby clothes and accessories. More stores can be found at here.
What better way to bask in the gloriousness of the fall sun and crisp breeze than experience our local flea market. Big Creek Trade Days are held monthly on the weekend before the second Monday with over 100 indoor and outdoor vendors, food trucks, and fun for all ages! Handicap accessible with scooter rentals available on-site. Admission is only $5 per vehicle and we’ve heard they have a Man Cave for those who get “told” to come along.
No matter how you choose to celebrate this beautiful season, Ruston has everything you need to make all your autumn vibes and fall aesthetic dreams come true!
Born and raised in North Louisiana, Emily Stogner considers Ruston her hometown. She is a wife and mom of 3 kids (including a pair of cuddly identical twin boys), a lovable dog, and a cat that tolerates her. Emily loves to dream of new places to experience and exotic foods to eat. As Director of Marketing and Communications, Emily supports the President/CEO of Experience Ruston in implementing new marketing plans and content strategies to help promote Ruston/Lincoln Parish as a premier tourist destination.