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Major city · United States

Mansfield, LouisianaMansfield

Go for one day, not a base: the Civil War site and the 1843 log courthouse are the whole trip, and Shreveport is 40 min north for beds and bars.

Mansfield is the parish seat of DeSoto Parish, a town of about 5,000 people in the pine woods of northwest Louisiana, 38 miles south of Shreveport. It holds two things worth a detour: the Mansfield State Historic Site, the April 1864 battlefield that was the last major Confederate victory of the Civil War, and a preserved 1843 log courthouse on a four-block downtown square. One day covers both. Sleep in Shreveport unless you want a cheap highway motel, and come by car — there is no commercial airport and no bus service.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Mar–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jun–Aug (very hot and humid, 35°C (95°F)+ common), late Aug–Sep (hurricane season in Louisiana)
Airports
SHV · AEX
Nights
1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Mansfield, Louisiana911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Mansfield, Louisiana, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Sit-down mealDine-in lunch or dinner, Billy B's or Armadillo$10–20 a person
  • Street or quick mealBreakfast at Mansfield Diner (truck-stop diner, opens 06:00)$6 and up
  • BeerSix-pack of beer at Walmart or Market Basketcheck$8–12
  • Museum or sight ticketMansfield State Historic Site entry$4 a person (ages 4–62)
  • Budget bedBudget motel double (Super 8, Rodeway Inn), a night, per roomUS$65
  • Mid-range bedBudget motel double (Super 8, Rodeway Inn), a night, per roomUS$85
  • High-end bedBudget motel double (Super 8, Rodeway Inn), a night, per roomUS$110

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$60 · Mid US$110 · High US$200

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Mansfield State Historic Site (Battle of Mansfield, 8 April 1864)Original 1843 DeSoto Parish log courthouseMansfield Female College MuseumPleasant Hill battlefield, 19 miles southeast
Airports
SHV Shreveport Regional (38 miles north via LA-175 and I-49; Allegiant, American, Delta, United. About 45 min by car.) · AEX Alexandria Regional (93 miles southeast via US-84 and I-49; American and United only. About 1 h 40 min by car.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    not flagged

    14°C (57°F)

  2. Feb

    not flagged

    17°C (63°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    24°C (75°F)

  5. May

    Best

    29°C (84°F)

  6. Jun

    Avoid

    32°C (90°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    34°C (93°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid*

    34°C (93°F)

  9. Sep

    Avoid

    31°C (88°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    26°C (79°F)

  11. Nov

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  12. Dec

    not flagged

    15°C (59°F)

Best: Mar–May, Oct–Nov. Avoid: Jun–Sep. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (34°C (93°F)), coolest Jan (2°C (36°F) low), wettest Mar (6 rain days), driest Jul (3). Averages, not a forecast.

* only part of the month (early, mid or late).

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Mansfield, Louisiana: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

14°C (57°F)

2°C (36°F)

5 rd

Feb

17°C (63°F)

5°C (41°F)

5 rd

Mar

21°C (70°F)

8°C (46°F)

6 rd

Apr

24°C (75°F)

11°C (52°F)

5 rd

May

29°C (84°F)

17°C (63°F)

5 rd

Jun

32°C (90°F)

21°C (70°F)

4 rd

Jul

34°C (93°F)

22°C (72°F)

3 rd

Aug

34°C (93°F)

22°C (72°F)

4 rd

Sep

31°C (88°F)

18°C (64°F)

3 rd

Oct

26°C (79°F)

13°C (55°F)

5 rd

Nov

19°C (66°F)

7°C (45°F)

4 rd

Dec

15°C (59°F)

3°C (37°F)

5 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the only realistic option. US 171 runs north–south through town and US 84 east–west; LA-175 is the fast link to I-49 at Exit 186. Downtown's four blocks are walkable, but some side streets are potholed — stay on Polk and Washington Streets. There is no public bus, no train and no rideshare worth counting on; the nearest taxi and rental-car desks are at Shreveport Regional.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Pleasant Hill Battle Park

go

Door to door: About 30 min each way

Drive LA-175 southeast about 19 miles to Pelican

Site of the 9 April 1864 battle; markers, picnic area and an old cemetery. Open sunrise to sunset, free. Reenactment on the second weekend of April.

Logansport, Louisiana

go

Door to door: About 35 min each way

Drive US-84 west about 25 miles to the Texas line

Sabine River fishing, access to Toledo Bend, and the last international boundary marker between the US and the Republic of Texas.

Shreveport

go

Door to door: About 45 min each way

Drive LA-175 north to I-49, then north

Where the restaurants, bars and Civil War exhibits (Spring Street Historical Museum, Louisiana State Exhibit Museum) actually are.

Natchitoches

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min each way

Drive US-84 east 9 miles to I-49, then south to Exit 138

Oldest city in Louisiana, with a historic riverfront. Doable as a long half-day, better as an overnight.

Toledo Bend Reservoir

overnight

Door to door: About 1 h each way

Drive west on US-84 and LA-191 toward the Sabine

Boating, camping and fishing on the Louisiana–Texas line; too far and too slow for a comfortable return day.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Washington Avenue strip (US 171 south)

The motel row: Rodeway Inn, Super 8, Best Western Plus. Walkable to nothing, but 5 min by car to downtown.

Downtown square (Polk and Washington Streets)

Four blocks, on foot, next to the courthouses and the Female College Museum. Almost no beds here.

Shreveport or Bossier City

40 min north on I-49; the practical base if you want restaurants, bars and more hotel choice.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–90 excl. bed
Mid
$90–140 excl. bed
High
$140+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Budget motel double (Super 8, Rodeway Inn)1 × 1 night × US$85US$85
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$110US$220
Mansfield State Historic Site entry2 × US$4 · Ages 4–62; free for under 4 and over 62. checkUS$8
Fuel, Shreveport return, about 80 miles1 × US$12 · checkUS$12
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$10 · checkUS$20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$35
Trip total≈ US$190 per person per day, bed includedUS$380

check

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at the till. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Breakfast at Mansfield Diner (truck-stop diner, opens 06:00)$6 and up
Dine-in lunch or dinner, Billy B's or Armadillo$10–20 a person
Chinese buffet, Great Wall$10–15
Fried chicken, Southern Classic Chicken$5–10
Mansfield State Historic Site entry$4 a person (ages 4–62)
Museum entry, Mansfield Female College MuseumFree
Six-pack of beer at Walmart or Market Basketcheck$8–12

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Daytime is fine and the town is friendly; the issue is property crime after dark. Stay on the main streets, keep the car locked, and don't walk the residential blocks south and east of US 84 Business at night.
  • Crime runs above the average for a town this size; property crime (theft, burglary) is the main issue. The residential area bounded by US 84 Business, Gibbs Street and the city limits is best avoided after dark.
  • No bars or nightclubs in town. Beer, wine and liquor come from Walmart or Market Basket; for a drink out, drive to Shreveport.
  • No cafés or coffee shops: coffee means the fast-food chains.
  • Summer heat is the real hazard — carry water in the car and don't plan long walks at midday.
  • Cell coverage is fine in town but patchy on the back roads toward Pleasant Hill and Logansport.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Mansfield, LouisianaMansfield

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No consulates in Mansfield. Nearest consular offices are in New Orleans and Houston; national embassies are in Washington, DC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Shreveport Regional (SHV) → Mansfield by car: about 38 miles, 45 min (check)
  • Mansfield → Pleasant Hill Battle Park: about 19 miles on LA-175, 30 min
  • Mansfield State Historic Site entry: $4 a person, ages 4–62 (check)

Say or show

  • Where is the battlefield? — Where is the battlefield?
  • Is it open today? — Is it open today?
  • How much is entry? — How much is entry?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the nearest gas station? — Where is the nearest gas station?
  • Is there a hotel nearby? — Is there a hotel nearby?

English is the only language you need. Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Mansfield, Louisiana. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jun–Aug (very hot and humid, 35°C+ common), late Aug–Sep (hurricane season in Louisiana) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SHV: last-mile drive times on LA-175 and I-49 field-checked, plus a Shreveport fallback rung.
  2. Walking cluster for the four downtown blocks with verified opening windows for the log courthouse and the Female College Museum.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and fees for Mansfield State Historic Site and Pleasant Hill Battle Park, including the April reenactment weekend.
  4. Heat and storm fixtures so the summer and hurricane-season gates can go green.

Sources