See North Louisiana from a completely different perspective with an adventure on the Ouachita Paddling Trails.

The growing network of mapped trails takes paddlers through the waterways that shape Monroe-West Monroe, including Black Bayou Lake, Bayou DeSiard, the Ouachita River, Moon Lake, and more. Each offers a different experience, from open water and wildlife watching to peaceful routes surrounded by cypress trees.

For a quintessential Louisiana view, paddle the cypress-lined waters of Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The 1,500-acre lake is dotted with bald cypress and water tupelo trees, and wildlife sightings can include waterfowl, turtles, and even alligators.

Choose your trail, grab a paddle, and experience a side of Monroe-West Monroe you can't see from the road.

Sure, you can go shopping. Or you can turn it into a treasure hunt.

Head to Antique Alley in Downtown West Monroe, give yourself a $50 budget, and see what you can uncover. Search for a vintage souvenir, something that reminds you of home, a quirky piece you never knew you needed, or the best find you can get without going over budget.

Antique Alley is filled with antique stores, boutiques, specialty shops, and locally owned businesses, making the hunt just as much fun as whatever you end up taking home.

Traveling with friends? Everyone gets the same budget. Meet back up afterward and vote on who found the best treasure.

You may know the name Flying Tigers. But do you know the connection to Monroe?

Make a stop at Chennault Aviation & Military Museum and dig into the story of General Claire Lee Chennault, the Flying Tigers, Selman Field Navigation School, and Northeast Louisiana's place in aviation and military history.

Located near the Monroe Regional Airport, the museum tells stories that stretch far beyond Northeast Louisiana while showing visitors the important role this area played in them.

Even aviation buffs may leave knowing something they didn't before.

You don't have to step inside a gallery to discover art in Monroe-West Monroe.

Keep your eyes open as you explore the Twin Cities and you'll begin spotting colorful herons from Herons on the Bayou, a public art project featuring individually designed heron sculptures placed throughout Ouachita Parish.

Instead of simply noticing one as you pass, make a game out of finding them. See how many you can spot during your trip and take a photo with your favorites along the way.

Then keep the art hunt going. Look for murals and other pieces of public art as you explore Downtown Monroe, Downtown West Monroe, and beyond.

By the end of your trip, your camera roll might look a little more colorful than you expected.

The best souvenir might be the one you make yourself.

Downtown Monroe's creative scene gives visitors opportunities to do more than browse local art - you can get in on the creativity, too.

The Good Daze combines vintage finds and work from local makers with a creative studio concept offering workshops and other hands-on experiences. Depending on what's happening during your visit, you may be able to learn something new and leave with your own creation.

Check local workshop and event schedules before your trip to see what's happening while you're in town.

Don't head back to the hotel just because dinner is over.

Depending on when you visit, an evening in Monroe-West Monroe could mean catching live music, walking through galleries, cheering from the stands at a ULM sporting event, or enjoying a local performance.

The best part? You don't necessarily have to plan your entire evening before you arrive. Check the local events calendar and choose something you wouldn't normally put on your vacation itinerary.

Sometimes the event you didn't plan your whole trip around becomes one of the things you remember most.

Some of the best travel experiences happen when you walk into a place knowing very little about it.

Monroe-West Monroe has plenty of stories waiting to be discovered.

At Biedenharn Museum & Gardens, learn how Joseph Biedenharn became the first to bottle Coca-Cola and explore the historic home and Elsong Gardens. Aviation and military history await at Chennault, while the Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum shares African American history, art, and culture.

The challenge is simple: choose the place you know the least about. You may arrive because you're curious. You might leave with a completely different understanding of Monroe-West Monroe.

A great trip isn't always about checking off the biggest attractions. Sometimes it's about finding the experience you didn't know to look for.So paddle somewhere unexpected. Hunt for a $50 treasure. Find a heron. Make something with your own hands. Learn a story you didn't know.This fall, add at least one thing you've never tried to your Monroe-West Monroe itinerary. Which one will it be?