Covington Louisiana is a small and cozy city located at the junction between the Tchefuncte River and the Bogue Falaya River. Housing a tight-knit community of just under 12,000 individuals, Covington is famous for its downtown area, where people first settled way back in the 1800s.
Featuring historic landmarks, old-style antebellum homes, and oak-lined streets, the city offers a different experience for anyone wanting to visit. In this article, we shall discover 20 unusual things to do in Convington, Louisiana, that will make your visit to this time capsule of a city worthwhile.
1. Watch Alligators Wrestle At The Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery
This may not be on everyone’s itinerary when they visit anywhere, but the Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery houses some of the cutest alligators who, if you want to liven up your visit, are also professional wrestlers. The joy and absurdity of watching alligators wrestle will surely make your visit interesting, to say the least.
This ranch also allows visitors to view the gators up close, feed them, and watch new-born gators hatch—one of many things to do in Covington la for adults. You even get to hold baby alligators—a cute and memorable experience for the kids as well as the adults.
2. Quench Your Thirst At The Covington Brewhouse
Since this city is part of the American South, it is quite warm here almost all year. If you are feeling the heat, Covington Brewhouse offers a wide variety of craft beers fresh out of the factory to make you feel cool and refreshed. Also, the saying goes “When in the South, drink it out.”
This brewhouse also offers a menu to go with the beer, which includes juicy burgers, delicious sandwiches, heart-filling salads, and regular-old fish and chips. This brewery also hosts a tour of the neo-rustic-style factory floor and packaging center, where you will get to learn how they manufacture their beers.
3. Immerse In An Escape At Escapology
If you have ever wanted to indulge in a role-play-puzzle-escape game that takes place in real life, this city has one of the best escape-room experiences you can have at Escapology. Escapology, beit new to the scene, offers a very immersive, interactive, and thrilling experience for anyone who visits downtown Covington Louisiana.
They offer customized escape rooms for groups and individuals, as well as corporate teams. These rooms are filled with puzzles, hidden secrets, and codes that you will need to crack in order to escape the room. Escapology is also for people of all ages, so you will be able to take your kids there too.
4. Learn How To Paddle A Canoe
If you ever get bored of all the hustle and bustle of the city, you can take paddling and wilderness skill classes at Canoe and Trail Adventures Tours & Rentals. This locally owned and operated outdoor specialty touring and rental company offers a wide variety of activities that you can engage in with your family or alone.
They offer river boat, canoe, and kayak rentals and classes (obviously), an outdoor skills camp, adventure sports, guided tours of the Tchefuncte River, and wilderness skill classes for people of all ages. This is a great way to discover the nature side of this town and one of the most fun things to do in Covington Louisiana.
5. Buy Fresh Local Produce At The Farmers Market
One of the most highly-rated and recommended things to do in Covington LA, is to visit its bustling farmers market, which operates year-round and features more than 200 vendors selling locally grown fruits and vegetables, baked goods, and handicrafts, as well as locally made products like cheese, bread, pickles, meat, and much more.
Some of the best stuffs to do in Covington LA can be found in the farmers market, where you can get the true feel of this city, as the market air is filled with local music, the smell of freshly cooked local food, and various other events happening in tandem for you to enjoy.
6. Stroll Around The ICONS Musuem
Another intriguing location to not miss when in the city is visiting the ICONS Museum, which features modern-art-style portraits and sculptures of some of the most important figures in the fields of art, music, film, fashion, and sports. This museum is filled with unique art pieces created by their very own Matthew Montero and is one of the most recommended things to do in Covington Louisiana.
However, this museum is open by appointment only, and a maximum of 10 guests are allowed in at a time, giving visitors unparalleled privacy and time to stroll around admiring Montero’s work. The one-of-a-kind art pieces are guaranteed to make you feel things you didn’t think you could feel.
7. Take A Tour Around The City In A Carriage
Nothing says history as obsolete technology. However, there is a charm to being able to experience things as they were done in the old-days. Covington offers mule-drawn carriage rides around the city with Royal Carriages, the oldest carriage company in the U.S. They also offer lessons and guided horseback rides almost regularly.
Their guided tours of the city on mule-drawn carriages is the most popular service that they offer. Additionally, they also provide horseback riding lessons, customized carriage services for every occasion, holiday-themed carriage rides, and educational programs like workshops focused on horse and mule-care, carriage driving, etc.
8. Buy Antiques And Gifts At Cooper Rooster
The city of Covington is very old and holds a lot of history in its alleys, streets, and especially shops. The Cooper Rooster Antiques & Gifts shop offers a very vintage charm, unlike other antique shops you may have visited in the past. This store definitely has some original vintage pieces that you can only find here.
In addition, the ambience of this shop is very intriguing. The shop is filled with oddities from the past, the air in the shop gives off a very old and interesting vibe. Plus, the prices are very negotiable, which will surely make you want to buy something that catches your eye.
9. Take The Ghost, Voodoo And Vampire Walking Tour
There was bound to be something related to the supernatural in such an old place as Covington LA, which boasts a rich cultural heritage. The walking tour of the city’s cultural heritage sites synonymous with ghosts, voodoo, and vampires will surely tingle your spine while in this historic city.
This tour includes visits to haunted mansions, cursed sites, historical locations, and cemeteries from folklore. The Ghost, Voodoo, & Vampire Walking Tour is not only limited to this city but is a tour around New Orleans that also passes by this town. This is a fun little tour to take with your family—yes, including the kids.
10. Relive The Vampire Diaries
From history to the screen, this city has it all. If you didn’t know already, this small town was the backdrop for the fictional town of “Mystic Falls” from the popular CW series “The Vampire Diaries.”. This makes perfect sense since the city is littered with historic buildings and has a very rustic and mysterious atmosphere.
Moreover, fans of the show also provide guided tours of the city, mentioning locations from the show and explaining all things “Vampire Diaries” to visitors. If you are ever in town and think, "What to do in Covington LA?" searching for buildings or sites that the show was shot in may be right up your alley.
11. Hike The Tammany Trace
Since this town is very old, the hiking and biking trails nestled here are very scenic and worthwhile. The Tammany Trace is a 15-mile-long trail that follows the path of an old, non-functioning railroad. You will be delighted to hear that this trail is filled with historic landmarks, scenic natural backgrounds, and a flat route that you can navigate through easily.
The trail is in really good shape and has many restrooms, shops, and water stops, providing you with ample opportunities for drinks, food, and refreshments. Hiking the Tammany Trace is a popular activity for locals as well as visitors and a perfect place to find stuffs to do in Covington LA.
12. Look Around The H.J. Smith & Sons General Store And Museum
Another vintage store that you will likely have a really good time visiting is the H.J. Smith & Sons General Store and Museum. This store-museum was established in the early 20th century and houses antique artifacts, amazing memorabilia, unique trinkets, and historic merchandise from around Covington.
The general store in the name of the museum is an actual working hardware store that houses unique and hard-to-find items. The museum itself houses obscure things from the past like cast iron caskets, a 1920s gas pump, a hand-operated wooden washing machine, and a lot more. You will be thoroughly impressed.
13. Practice Axe Throwing At Skal
Something that you probably didn’t think would be on this list is something as absurd as axe-throwing, and that too while on holiday in a city you’ve never been to. Nevertheless, Skal Axe Throwing in Covington is a fun and engaging activity that will bring you a lot of excitement and fun.
Skal is an indoor urban venue that houses a bar along with an axe-throwing range. You can enjoy your favorite beverage while throwing a couple of axes towards the target. Skal also provides a dedicated axe coach, personal axe throwing training, and a very delicious menu to go with the sport.
14. Rent A Bicycle At Brooks' Bike Shop
It is always good to have some sort of vehicle as a way to commute when you are traveling or on vacation. In Covington, Brooks’ Bike Shop offers a vast array of bikes for everyone, from kids to elders. Traveling on a bicycle is one of the best ways to get around, as it is a very small and closely packed city.
If you ever wonder what to do in Covington LA, the bikes and services at Brooks’ are something that many customers have commended over the years. The staff that work here are always very inviting and friendly; they never step back from helping anyone who asks. Also, Brooks’ rents out bicycles for as little as $30 a day.
15. Watch Dogs At Pretty Acres Dog Park
Traveling to a completely new and different place is supposed to suppress feelings of anxiety and stress in a person. Another thing that has the same effect is interacting with dogs. Covington features the Pretty Acres, an open and large dog park, and a walking trail. This park is home to the cutest of canines from this town.
Moreover, the park has some littering and loitering rules that everyone needs to abide by. This park is open from dusk until dawn if you are on the hunt for stuffs to do in Covington LA. Also, be sure to ask their owners before engaging with any of the dogs at this park.
16. Watch A Movie At Movie Tavern
If you can spare a couple of hours from exploring the city, Movie Tavern Northshore offers great entertainment along with mouth-watering food and refreshing beverages ranging from craft beers to unique cocktails. Additionally, you never know; you may be in for a treat since this theatre also hosts some events and promotions regularly, giving you a chance to meet some famous movie stars on your vacation.
The Movie Tavern Northshore boasts 15 screens with state-of-the-art digital projection technology, comfortable seats, an amazing restaurant and bar, and an immersive environment. And there is also a possibility of them showing a really good movie there that may make your experience even better.
17. Learn To Cook With Chef Charmaigne
If you want to take advantage of the fact that you are in such a culturally historic place as this town, taking cooking classes that showcase the local cuisine with Chef Charmaigne is non-negotiable. Since the chef’s specialty is cajun/creole Southern food, they teach you how to cook authentic boudin, gumbo, jambalaya, etc. using signature styles and traditional recipes.
Chef Charmaigne also teaches other cuisines such as Japanese, Mexican, Thai, French, Chinese, Continental, and many more, and his menu and recipes change monthly, making sure the classes don’t feel repetitive and stale and guaranteeing much more stuffs to do in Covington Louisiana.
18. Chill Out At The Columbia Street Tap Room
Another one for the beer enthusiast, the Columbia Street Tap Room is a favorite destination of locals and visitors alike. This joint offers amazing food, very good music, and a selection of over 50 craft beers on tap that include locally made beers as well as international favorites.
Furthermore, this pub also hosts the “Pirate Party,” which sees numerous people dressed up as pirates drinking, singing, dancing to music, and just chilling in and around the Tap Room, making it a very charming, entertaining, and fun place to visit during your stay.
19. Enhance Your Energy
This city is home to the Energy Enhancement System found in the Healthy Body, Healthy Soul association. They offer a free lifetime membership to anyone who wants one in order to heal their body and soul through the use of scalar energy. They are open weekdays for visitors to seek counsel to “recharge, repair, rejuvenate, and detoxify.”.
They experiment with sound bowls, vibrational nuitrition, as well as Kundalini breathwork (Yoga). This form of therapy and treatment is getting popular among locals and visitors who come to this small town during their travels, and it is likely to help you feel refreshed, enhanced, and informed during your visit too.
20. Feed Your Body And Soul
Similar to other travel hotspots, this city also houses a lot of restaurants, diners, and eateries that boast their own signature-style dishes and unique cuisines. The variety of food that you can find here is second only to its history, which in itself is the reason behind such diverse food here.
Some popular food joints here include Mystic Grill, City Pharmacy, Bangkok Grill, Your Pie, Jim Stalvey’s, and many more. They serve everything from burgers and fries to briskets with stew and slaw. Whatever makes your body and soul feel satisfied and fulfilled, the restaurants here are bound to have it.
