Next time you pop open a Coca-Cola, think about Monroe—or better yet, come and see where the soft drink was first bottled by a businessman responding to customer demand. Today, the city that's proud of its heritage—also includes the oldest public bus line—moves forward with bayou conservation and industry that benefits from shipping on the Ouachita River. Grab a can of pop or venture through time as you make your way through this historic Louisiana city.
Cajun Climate
You didn't expect the Bayou State to be anything less than sticky, did you? The summers in Monroe are especially humid with high temperatures cresting above the 90s, and it feels a little bit drier and cooler come fall. Pack with the probability of rain and thunderstorms year-round, knowing that the muggiest months are May through September. Winter nights can be freezing cold, but you probably won't see snow.
Bayou Bass and Coke
Natural wonders aren't far from the city streets in Monroe. The Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge gives you many ways to take in the wetlands, from kid-friendly lessons in the Conservation Learning Center to a Wildlife Pier with spotting scopes so you can watch alligators hunt their dinner and birds take flight. You can also fish the lake for catfish, largemouth bass and crappie. The Biedenharn Museum and Galleries honor Joe Biedenharn, a 19th-century Coca-Cola bottler, with a vast collection of memorabilia, including the soda giant's first delivery truck. History takes flight at the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum, where you can not only browse exhibits, but watch restoration experts at work bringing aircraft back to display-worthy life.
Prime Business Real Estate
Situated along Interstate 20—which stretches across the top of Louisiana and spans the Southeast—along the Ouachita River, Monroe has turned location, location, location into an economic advantage. Trucking, rail shipping and river ports have transformed Monroe's status as a distribution hub. Manufacturing employs thousands in the city, crafting compressors, pumps and even seats to keep football fans comfy in stadiums. Telecommunications and health care round out the biggest businesses in the city.
Historic Transit Business
Taking public transportation in Monroe is as much a trip through history as a simple ride from Point A to Point B. Beginning with streetcars in 1906—evolving to clean-air biodiesel buses—Monroe Transit boasts having the oldest public transportation system in the country. Airlines at the Monroe Regional Airport connect to a few local hubs, where you can catch a connector to points beyond.
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