BRIAN JARREAU
It’s a line so iconic that even decades later, the reference is still relevant. “Drink your juice, Shelby!” As the setting of the beloved 1989 blockbuster film, Steel Magnolias put Natchitoches on the map as a Hollywood destination. Fans familiar with the classic flick—which celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2019—will recognize filming sites such as the Eatenton family home of Shelby and M'Lynn, Truvy's No. 2, Ouiser's house, and more on the Steel Magnolias Film Tour. For more cinematic sites around town, movie buffs can tour all the local spots that have made it to the big screen along the Natchitoches Film Trail.
To feel like you’re the main character in your own award-winning dramedy, take a cinematic carriage ride led by Cane River Carriage Company, or embark upon a leisurely BYOB-friendly cruise via the Cane River Queen. After exploring the city via boat, carriage, or car, you deserve some R&R—this is a vacation, after all. At Magnolia Spa and Wellness, you’ll be treated like nothing short of royalty while you unwind with friends. The spa offers a range of luxury treatments, including massages, facials, body wraps, as well as custom spa parties.
When you're ready to hit the streets for the downtown Natchitoches shopping scene, there are plenty of boutiques, antique stores, and local gems to ensure you can bring a piece of Natchitoches home with you. Thankfully, the Cane River city has no shortage of bed and breakfasts that pose as riverside retreats, such as Cane River Cottage and Guest House, or Green Gables Bed & Breakfast and Camellia Cottage, which takes the title of being the longest-running B&B in Natchitoches. Sweet Cane Inn, a late-nineteenth century Victorian home, is an especially elegant abode. The inn's stately decor—including eleven fireplaces and a wall of stained glass windows—reflects the grandeur of the home’s original owner, Congressman Phanor Breazeale. To start planning your next girl’s trip in Natchitoches, head to natchitoches.com.
