At the end of March, the 33rd annual Showcase brought hundreds of tour operators, buyers and journalists to Shreveport. The conference also celebrated its 50th anniversary, marking half a century of connecting Southern destinations, attractions, entertainment and hotels with those who influence how visitors spend their money.

I have been attending Travel South since 2010, and as a resident of Lafayette, was thrilled to have the conference in my home state. Even though Shreveport is only a short 3.5-hour drive from Lafayette, I have to admit I had never visited the city as a tourist.

Upon arrival, I left my luggage with the bellman at Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino and hopped on a bus for a tour of Shreveport-Bossier’s Hidden Treasures with a group of other journalists. Our tour guide was Jan Pettiet with Yesterday’s Lady, and she informed us it was her last tour before retirement. Our first stop was Great Raft Brewing, which I had been hearing about over in Lafayette. After a brief tour in which Brand Manager Ross Tompkins told us they were way ahead of their business plan in terms of sales, we were given three tastes of Southern Drawl, Reasonably Corrupt and All My Tomorrows.

The journalists would be back at Great Raft the next evening for a beer dinner, where the Reasonably Corrupt black lager was a big hit, but how can you resist loving the pale lager that is Southern Drawl? Other hidden treasures included Holy Trinity Catholic Church (a special treat to tour on a Sunday) and R.W. Norton Art Gallery, where we had the chance to see the current Audubon exhibit and pieces by architectural artist Felix Kelly, who painted some of the Deep South’s grandest homes.

As we drove around downtown and beyond, Pettiet was great about pointing out the city’s many architectural styles from Art Deco commercial buildings to ornate Queen Anne Victorian homes and grand estates on Line Avenue. While Shreveport often sells its food, festivals and Elvis connection, I discovered that the city also has an exciting architectural story to tell.

While the weather took its time warming up, we spent most of Monday indoors meeting with representatives from the Southern states in what can only be described as a marathon day of networking. Some journalists attended the after-hours pub crawl that evening, with stops at The Stray Cat, The Boot and Chicky’s Boom Boom Room, but I took advantage of the jacuzzi tub at Sam’s Town and the box of chocolate truffles left in my room as a gift from Bossier City’s The Chocolate Crocodile.

More tours were available for Tuesday, and I chose “From Beignets to Boudin” so that I could do a bit of comparing between Shreveport and Lafayette. We started with beignets at Ralph & Kacoo’s, a fun stop for any tourist, and then headed to Bergeron’s for a boudin buffet. This place definitely reminded me of Lafayette’s many meat markets, and it was fun to taste their take on boudin, which is heavier on chunks of meat. The cracklin, boudin balls and pistolettes also were delicious.

A scenic drive through Cypress Black Bayou to event space Sainte Terre followed. I can see this beautiful new spot becoming “the” place to attend a cooking class or wine tasting in the region as owner/chefs Holly and Derek Schreiber continue to expand beyond weddings and eventually plan to add a bed and breakfast.

After lunch, I had a critical decision to make. Stick with my food tour and teach a few of my northern friends how to peel crawfish or hop on the other bus and visit the Municipal Memorial Auditorium. I chose Elvis. The new tour at the auditorium, which recently reopened after a $4.8 million renovation, started slow with details on the building’s architect, sound quality and an explanation of the Louisiana Hayride and its lasting impact. Just when you start to wonder when they’re going to mention Elvis, it’s backstage to his old dressing room and on-stage to hear a recording of his first performance there.

Stories of Elvis “leaving the building,” ghosts that linger and Eric Clapton stopping by to practice “Tears in Heaven” accompany the tour, which concludes with a special appearance by The King himself. Shreveport’s musical history rivals its more recent Hollywood connections, and the auditorium is a great jumping off point for a musical tour of the city that also includes names like Leadbelly, Sam Cooke and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

You’ll find just as many people in Shreveport who can tell you an Elvis story as can tell you a ghost story. I didn’t have time to meet the spirits in Oakland Cemetery, see the old Strand Theatre or restored Logan Victorian mansion, but I now have a bucket list of things to see and do on my next visit to the city.

Erin Z. Bass lives in Lafayette, where she edits and publishes the online magazine Deep South. Find more of her travel writing at deepsouthmag.com and follow her on Twitter @deepsouthmag.