Best Nature and Parks (RV, National, Dog, etc) in Lake Pontchartrain

"Just outside of the French Quarter is Louis Armstrong Park, a public space honoring the jazz musician it was named after. Inside, there are iconic sites like Congo Square, a historic meeting place for slaves in the 1800s. There are also sculptures, a duck pond and plenty of green space where you can relax after spending your morning walking around the city."

"Another well know park and named after a famous musician, is the Louis Armstrong Park. It’s located in Treme near the French Quarter. It has sculptures and vendors selling food and crafts."

"Located slightly northwest of the French Quarter, City Park is a huge park and Botanical Garden to explore. The Park is full of the best things to do in New Orleans, especially if you’re looking for a more chilled out day. From carousels and statues (which you’ll find in the Storyland section) to stunning walks, it’s totally gorgeous and well worth a visit."

"If you’d prefer a more leisurely option, you can escape to one of the local parks (City Park or Audubon Park) not far outside of the Historic District. If you haven’t gotten your fill of jazz yet, you can do the Harbor Jazz Cruise on the Steamboat Natchez. I’ve listed more details on all the options below."

"Live oaks, Spanish moss and lazy bayous frame this masterpiece of urban planning. Three miles long and 1 mile wide, dotted with gardens, waterways and bridges and home to a captivating art museum, City Park is bigger than Central Park in NYC and it's New Orleans’ prettiest green space."

"Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is an expanse of land in the historically diverse Louisiana Mississippi River Delta that protects a rich array of natural and cultural resources endemic to the region. Named after the pirate, Jean Lafitte, the park consists of six physically separate sites, namely the Acadian Cultural Center in Lafayette, the Barataria Preserve in Marrero, the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice, the Chalmette Battlefield and National Cemetery in Chalmette, the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux, and the French Quarter Visitor Center in New Orleans. Together, these six sections explore the history of the area and tell the story of the diverse cultures that inhabited and developed it."

"The Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is another great park to visit if your family loves nature and animals. The Barataria Preserve located in Marrero Louisiana is about 30 minutes outside of New Orleans, if your family is in town for a while, I recommend visiting this park. For more information on The Jean LaFitte National Historical Park and Preserve visit https://www.nps.gov/jela/barataria-preserve.htm"

"In a bold move to reclaim New Orleans’ Riverfront, the development plan for this park began in 2007 as a public space project for both locals and tourists. Now anyone can enjoy a view of the city skyline that was previously reserved for those that worked on the river or in the wharves. The award-winning park can be accessed via elevator or by walking across one of several bridges that step over the city’s flood protection and rail tracks and connect the riverfront with the adjacent neighborhoods."

"This 1.4-mile, 20-acre urban park on the riverfront offers landscaped gardens, a dog park, walking paths, public restrooms, swings, and panoramic downtown views. Don't miss the David Adjaye-designed Piety Street Bridge, a pedestrian walkway that rises above active railroad tracks to connect the river with the Bywater community. A post shared by BJ Knights (@bj_knights) on Sep 5, 2016 at 8:32am PDT"

"Crescent Park is one of the city’s newest parks, but its landscape design is steeped in New Orleans’ past. This riverfront stretch of green space memorializes the robust history of New Orleans’ wharves. Plant-lined paths and breathtaking views run alongside the grand remnants of the industrial-age."

"The refined Uptown park around Audubon Zoo is a bit older, having been landscaped in the 1880s on what used to be a plantation and staging area for Buffalo Soldiers in the Civil War. If you’re mesmerised by New Orleans’ twisting live oaks you’ll love Audubon Park, which has trees that go back to its plantation days. Before this space could be laid out by the eminent John Charles Olmsted, it hosted the World Cotton Centennial of 1884, a world’s fair."

"This spectacular oasis in the middle of NOLA’s uptown area features multiple picnic spots, playgrounds, a jogging trail, riding stables, a golf course, and more. It stretches from St. Charles Avenue (making it an easy trip on the streetcar) to Magazine Street, and right across Magazine, you’ll find the impressive Audubon Zoo."

"Oak Alley Plantation is actually about an hour west of New Orleans, but it is such an amazing photo location, anyone visiting New Orleans should make the trip. It was definitely one of the highlights of our vacation. As you might expect, it is an old plantation house, located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, in the community of Vacherie, which is in St. James Parish."

"New Orleans has many plantations which, while they all have a past fraught with slavery and horror, offer a slice of Louisiana that make them among the best ways to look into New Orleans’ past. Oak Alley Plantation sits along the Mississippi’s western bank. An alley flanked by oak trees, all planted in the 1700s, runs up from the bank to the home."

"The Mississippi River is a very prominent part of New Orleans, so you have to get a picture along its banks. My favorite spot is just south of Jackson Square where you can get a nice shot of the Crescent City Connection Bridge in the background. This shot below was late in the day we arrived after a long flight."

"Funded by the WPA, the City Park Rose Garden, as it was called when it opened in 1936, has been expanded over the years to fit 12 acres of land featuring more than 2,000 varieties of plants from all over the world. In the early 1980s, the space was renamed the New Orleans Botanical Garden, but what has remained are the 10 sculptures commissioned by Mexican-American relief artist Enrique Alférez."

"The New Orleans Botanical Garden was designed during the Great Depression era as a project for the Works Progress Administration. It is one of the few examples of a public garden still remaining to this day from the Art Deco Period. Come out to see this amazing beauty and learn about the different plants that reside in the garden!"

"Arcing around the east bank of the Mississippi opposite Algiers Point is a riverside park laid out in the 1980s and 90s on the site of former wharves and warehouses. Woldenberg Park fronts the French Quarter and is bordered to the south by the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and the Entergy Giant Screen Theater. During the French Quarter Festival in early April the main stages are put up in Woldenberg Park."

"Louisiana is a state that is famous for its waterways and bayous, and New Orleans is no exception to the rule. Fronting the French Quarter is one of the best riverside parks in the city – Woldenberg Park. Originally the location of warehouses and wharves on the east bank of the Mississippi, the site was retooled in the 1980s and 1990s into a park."

"For a day of exploring in the French Quarter, Woldenberg Park is an essential stop. Located right where the Quarter meets the mighty Mississippi, the park begins at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and runs along the water to St. Philip Street. Picnic spots, gazebos, and waterfront benches provide some of the city’s best views of the river."

"Multiple locationsJuan’s several New Orleans locations provide great, cheap food alongside enormous margaritas served by highly disinterested, heavily tattooed punk-goth-hipster types. The vibe is relaxed and the veggie and vegan options are plentiful. There are a lot of menu items covered in cheese, but if dairy ain’t your thing, there’s still plenty to enjoy."

"Juan’s first “lit up” on a really funky stretch of Lower Magazine Street in early 1997. The menu is trippy and fun, and the atmostphere even more so, attracting a clientele inspired to do the same. Though most items on the menu ring in under $10, Tuesdays bring the ultimate Bargain Betty with $2 street style tacos."

"515 Baronne St., (504) 529-5825; 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; 5538 Magazine St., (504) 897-4800; www.juansflyingburrito.com. Banh mi tacos feature beef, chicken, pork or tofu topped with pickled carrots, radishes, cucumbers, jalapenos and Sriracha sour cream."

"The grounds at Houmas House are just as delicious as their buffet. Creole and cajun cuisine is an exceptional blend of French and American culture that is unique to Louisiana. You can find great Cajun and creole recipe books online or in bookstores, or just head to the source and get it prepared fresh!"

"Awesome vegan comfort food is available at this Magazine Street gem. Three blocks from Audobon Park, have a post-park lunch at this plant-based paradise. We recommend getting the gyoza and make sure you grab a smoothie to-go before you pay the check!"

"If you’re looking for a quick, easy vegan lunch option in NOLA then Max Well is your best bet. From healthy, fresh juices to power bowls and super salads, there’s a lot on the menu here that will fuel your body in the right way."

"My first time eating at Max Well and the food was delicious. I ordered the Birria and crab cakes. I I wanted to take pictures but I couldn’t stop eating...."

"On the block of Plum and Burdette Street in Uptown New Orleans sits Plum Street Snowballs, a colorful neighborhood stand first established in 1945. Serving over 50+ sno-balls from March through October, this vintage spot, which represents NOLA’s authentic culture, serves its house-made creations with real snow made from a generations-old patented ice machine, fruit-flavored syrups and delicious condensed milk. 1300 Burdette St, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, +1 (504) 866-7996"

"The shaved ice here is beloved for its smooth, soft texture (not an ice chunk in sight), and comes in a miles-long list of flavors, including options like plum (of course), strawberry, piña colada, mocha, and passionfruit. Remember to bring some bills, as this spot is cash-only. And put your phone away when you approach the counter (or else)."

"A staple of Cajun and Creole food in the Big Easy, Pat O’Brien’s motto has always been to “have fun.” People from all walks of life travel to enjoy their specialty drinks and top-notch food. Get a taste of that New Orleans air with the help of their New Orleans Trinity: a cup of red beans and rice, jambalaya, and chicken gumbo. Of course, you can’t leave Pat O’Brien’s without trying one of their fabulous cocktails such as the Hurricane, The Skylab, Pat O’s Lemonade, and many, many more."

"You may think that Pat O’ Brien’s is on Bourbon Street, but it’s not. The main entrance is actually located a half block off of Bourbon on St. Peters Street. Step through the entrance and you’ll find yourself in a large outdoor courtyard full of tourists enjoying their signature drink – the Hurricane."

"Amid the week, Pat O'brien's has an awesome lineup of unrecorded music also serves up scrumptious rum-based mixed drinks. This outdoor hangout is favored by many locals and tourists alike. Here you will find a lively crowd of sports fans and boozers."

"You might not automatically picture burgers and sandwiches when you think of New Orleans, but that’s just because you’ve never been to Faubourg Bistro. The menu is full of well-priced favorites, like a hearty bistro burger and Southern chicken sandwich. They also have more unique offerings like a firecracker cauliflower burger and PB&J chicken wings."