You come for the riverside, not the shops, although the shops are part of the deal: outlet stores, a multiplex cinema, restaurants, a Bass Pro Shops the size of a small village. The boardwalk itself runs along the Red River with benches, public art, and clear sight lines back across to Shreveport.
In summer the heat is brutal in mid-afternoon, but evenings on the river are pleasant and there are usually free concerts, holiday lights, or fireworks at weekends. The Margaritaville casino sits right next door, so the area buzzes after dark with a different crowd than the daytime shoppers.