A Weekend in Downtown Ruston

If you’re itching to take a quick road trip where you can park your car and put the keys away for a few days, make your way to Ruston, Louisiana to experience its charming, walkable downtown.

Ruston’s thriving downtown offers unique shopping, local history, rich culture and diverse culinary experiences to make your getaway a memorable one.

We have your guide to all the best eats and experiences in beautiful Downtown Ruston.

Where to Eat in Ruston

Morning Coffee

What better way to begin your day than with a fresh-brewed cup of coffee from one of the two locally loved coffee shops downtown. Walk over to Board and Bottle or The Depot to enjoy your morning joe.

Breakfast Options

For breakfast on Saturday morning, we recommend checking out Grown and Grazed for a meal full of local flavor. Or consider brunch at Park Ave Diner, known for their excellent French toast.

Lunch Options

For lunch, we suggest Ruston’s own microbrewery: Utility Brewing. The house-brewed beer pairs perfectly with their wood-fired craft pizzas. Traveling with a group who all want something a little different? The Heard Freighthouse Food Park is a truly unique dining experience, offering scratch-made dishes from several local food trucks. Take your pick from burgers, sandwiches, barbecue, authentic Chinese food and more. 

Sweet Treats

What better way to follow lunch than with a sweet treat? Uptown Downtown has a wide selection of gourmet desserts that any sweet tooth will drool over, like an out-of-this-world salted caramel brownie.

Dinner

After a day of walking around and enjoying all that downtown has to offer, head to Ponchatoulas, where you can get a true taste of Louisiana cuisine. Their menu features all the Cajun classics like gumbo, etouffee, po’boys and more.

Art & Culture in Ruston

Public Art

Downtown Ruston has a reputation as an arts hub in Northeast Louisiana. Talent is around every corner of Downtown Ruston in the form of eye-catching murals and public art installations like The Bulldog Project.

Live Performances

There is always live entertainment to be found in Downtown Ruston, whether it be a local musician playing at a restaurant, a show on the Dixie Theatre stage, or a performance during an event in Railroad Park. And don’t forget to check Ruston’s calendar of events to see all the upcoming performances in the area.

North Louisiana Military Museum

Take a five-minute walk from the heart of Downtown Ruston to find one of the most impressive collections of military history in the region. The North Louisiana Military Museum features an extensive collection of war relics and memorabilia and even has a few aircraft and war vehicles on site.

Experiences and Events in Ruston

Shopping

Whether you like to shop for your wardrobe, your home or your hobby, downtown shops have something for everyone. For your closet, we recommend The Fashion of Ruston, Goldie Boutique and Boutique Barr. For your home, pay a visit to Park Haus, The Collective, or The Front Shoppe. If you are an artist, professionally or just for fun, check out Creative Exchange for supplies, gifts and local artwork. And you can’t leave without a visit to the Ruston Farmers Market, a year-round open air market featuring local produce, meats, handmade items and more locally-sourced goods. 

Downtown Events

One of the highlights of Downtown Ruston is the list of fun events throughout the year, from beer crawls to sidewalk sales to holiday festivities. Downtown's biggest event of the year is the Louisiana Peach Festival, which takes place on the first Saturday in June. For more downtown events, head over to the full calendar.

Sharpen Your Skills

If you’re interested in learning how to make a great cocktail, properly trim a brisket, or design a photo-worthy charcuterie board, you’ll want to book a hands-on class at the Ruston Farmers Market’s Teaching Kitchen. Classes take place every Thursday at 6:00pm, in addition to other special events hosted throughout the year.

Where to Stay in Ruston

The Lofts

Nestled in a historic downtown building on North Vienna Street lies the Ruston Lofts. These guest-house-style accommodations offer one common area and three private rooms, all designed in a sleek, modern style. And the best part of staying downtown is that you can park your car and leave it there until you depart. For a full list of area accommodations, click here.

We hope this itinerary helps you plan your weekend getaway to Downtown Ruston. For more info on the downtown area, visit Experience Ruston’s downtown page, and be sure to follow Downtown Ruston on Facebook and Instagram. See you downtown!