Natchitoches is among eight communities from across Louisiana chosen as an official Louisiana Retirement Certified Areas by Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Tourism.
Natchitoches embodies the spirit of southern hospitality beginning with its brick-lined main street along the Cane River.
In the bed and breakfast capital of Louisiana, you can rest assured that time will seem to stand still as you rock on a front porch, cool drink in hand. History whispers its gentle call through the branches of majestic oaks and noble pecan orchards. Like our younger cousin, New Orleans, we often greet you from wrought iron balconies.
The stories are significant and told through 32 historical sites, ranging from plantation tours and byway drives to a leisurely carriage ride and fort visits.
Adventure is also sure to be found in Natchitoches. You can cast a line, hike a trail in the Kisatchie Forest or paddle your way through Cane River, and as the sun dips behind our pine-covered hills, you’ll feel this is a Louisiana experience like no other. You would also be hard pressed to find a more picturesque college campus, and the students of NSU are quick to greet a visitor with a smile and maybe a tip or two on how to experience Natchitoches like a local.
For many our name brings to mind meat pies and Christmas lights but we are so much more. We are building and thriving, engaging with our citizens to create new experiences for them and those who come to visit (and want to stay).
“With nearly 76 million baby boomers nearing retirement in the coming years, many states are working to draw them to their areas, and we thought we should take advantage to not only grow tourism but help spur economic development,” said Nungesser.
Criteria included: climate; demographics; tax structure; local housing availability; public safety and crime index; employment and volunteer opportunities; healthcare and medical services; public transportation; recreational areas; and festival and fairs, just to name a few.
I agree with Donald Barker about the need for a indoor swimming facility in Natchitoches to accomodate the people who would use this. The water aerobics offered by the college is a fantastic program but is only offered for June, July and half of August and has grown in size to over 60 people in the classes. This program is such a great way for the senior citizens and other people who need the water related classes for exercise. We need something for the senior citizens as well as the beautification of downtown Natchitoches and it would have been great to have included a indoor pool in the huge sports complex that they are building, but once again nothing really there for the seniors except walking it seems.
One element currently missing from our community that could improve our quality of life would be an indoor swimming facility. People of all ages could greatly benefit from a place to exercise and enjoy the benefits of year round recreation. If you are interested in holding a public meeting to begin imagining and planning for a facility, then please call me at home, or go to my Facebook page.
there is no good golfing,barely good places to eat and nowhere to shop.Why
would you want to retire here ? crime is on the rise,roads are awful,no entertainment.how did Nathchitoches go from worst to first ?
Spot on Matt.
If we are to truly cater to retirees, then the City absolutely needs to offer some form of public transportation to residents, including subdivisions between Hwy 1 bypass and I-49. Once a senior citizen can no longer safely drive, he is essentially trapped at home. Simply being unable to drive does not qualify one for the medical van transportation program. The City could budget for this and charge a nominal fee to help cover costs. If a person retires here after living somewhere else, that individual probably does not have other family members living nearby to assist him. Please give this serious consideration!
A good place to retire! Natchitches was just voted to be the 6th poorest town in America according to USA Today.! Because of the high poverty rate there is a high crime rate. Rental properties or over priced and if you are a senior citizen there is no Transportation so you better have your own car. No Taxi or shuttles this town doesn’t even have a greyhound bus station so if you have to go to Shreveport, Alexandria or leave town at all you better have somebody to take you there because you can’t catch the bus. The medical facility looks pretty but the quality of service is below standard. the majority of the money spent by the local government of town go towards the downtown area in the historical district while the rest of the town decays and succumbs to drug addiction. In my opinion before you retire to this town you really better take a very close look!
I’ll agree on some of your points,but will have to disagree about the hospital! If you look into it you will find it to rank pretty high. The wound care Dept. Is in the top 10 in the country including John Hopkins and UCLA medical .
well put.
So many people reading the “Natchitoches Parish Journal”. Who can’t stand Natchitoches. If you don’t like it, leave! There can’t be much keeping you with all the negativity you have
“Cast a line”…..Where? Unless you live on the water, just where do you cast this line?
The crime rate is way to high there.
Born and raised in Natchitoches, that’s much more charming now. Retired in the Northeast and would like to move to a warmer climate like VA. We want to be close to a major medical center, medical specialists,theaters, art centers. I love to visit Natchitoches where 5 generations of my family have lived, but it doesn’t meet our needs. Plus summers are too hot and sales taxes, food costs too high.
I haven’t been here long but so far I’m really enjoying the city of lights and sirens. It is a pretty place with some very nice people.
I think I’ll retire here.
Natchitoches a retirement community? I won’t be retiring here. Guess some people need to actually get out more, go see some REAL retirement communities. Now, Natchitoches does have some good things to offer, and it’s better than most towns its size for retirement. But, I shudder when I see things like this. Natchitoches is a mixed-bag but it’s mostly a small town/college town.
Jason, taxes are high here. Plus the crime with shootings and drugs and people stealing things from your yard makes this a GREAT retirementment town.
Stop lying to people!!!! This town is overprice place. Full of crime and drunks!!!