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

"This 32-acre park located in the Treme neighborhood is a good option for kids to explore near the French Quarter. You'll find picturesque green space, a sculpture garden, and paths aplenty. View this post on Instagram"

"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."

"Protecting six different locations in and around NOLA, the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve adds up to 22,421 acres, encompassing bayou, prairie, swamp and the site of the Battle of New Orleans (1815) at Chalmette Battlefield and National Cemetery. The park also looks after the French Quarter Visitor Center, which maps the history of New Orleans and the many cultures of the Mississippi Delta in Louisiana, going into language, music, livelihoods and architecture. A little way south of New Orleans in Marrero is the expansive Barataria Preserve, where marsh, swamps and hardwood forest are crawling with gators, snakes and turtles."

"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"

"This swampy nature preserve is only a half-hour drive from downtown New Orleans, but its cypress trees, turtles, wildflowers, alligators, and 200-plus species of birds make it feel light years away. Explore the boardwalks on your own, or have kids earn a badge with the park’s Junior Ranger program. View this post on Instagram"

"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"

"This waterfront park is our favorite spot in the city for taking in the Mississippi. Enter over the enormous arch at Piety and Chartres Streets, or at the steps at Marigny and N Peters Streets, and watch the fog blanket the nearby skyline. A promenade meanders past an angular metal-and-concrete conceptual "wharf" (placed next to the burned remains of the former commercial wharf)."

"A scenic ride through Uptown on the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line takes you right to the park’s entrance. Stunning oak trees draped with Spanish moss, tranquil lagoons, and sprawling green lawns can be found in every corner of the park, along with exciting attractions like the Audubon Trail Golf Course and Audubon Zoo. This natural space dates back to 1898, and its beautiful landscape draws visitors and locals alike."

"Get your dose of nature at one of New Orleans’ two large parks.City Park is larger than Central Park in New York and is home to the New Orleans Museum of Art, as well as several gardens.Audubon Parkboasts the Audubon Zoo and is easily accessible by street car. Either way, both are excellent options for a relaxing afternoon."

"Previously called Upper City Park, Audubon Park is located across from Tulane University. Audubon dates to the 1800’s. Audubon was originally part of the Bore Family Plantation."

"The name of this sugarcane plantation on the west bank of the Mississippi in St. James Parish comes from the graceful 240-metre alley of southern live oaks running from the riverside to the Greek Revival house. These were planted in the early 1700s, a good century before the house was built, and their twisting branches form a beautiful shade canopy. The house went up in 1837 and has a colonnade with 28 imposing Doric columns, mirroring the 28 oaks in the alley."

"About a one-hour drive from the centre of New Orleans, Oak Alley Plantation is well worth a visit if you’re heading out of the city. Now, a tour here will usually mean a two-hour stay but it’s well worth it if you want to learn more about the history of this house and plantation at your own pace. It’s easily one of the best things to do in New Orleans if you’ve got a car or on a wider road trip (like we were)."

"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."

"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."

"For example, at the Woldenberg Riverfront Park is a 16-acre park in front of downtown near everything. Woldenberg Riverfront Park is a wonderful place to go jogging or picnic. You’ll find people playing their music in the park."

"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."

"Also in City Park, you can find the Botanical Gardens, which are between the sculpture garden and Storyland. The Botanical Gardens feature multiple gardens, art and a butterfly walk. Probably the most popular photo spot in the Botanical Gardens is the fountain and its crazy statue, as you can see in the image below from Olivia Penney."

"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!"

"3325 St. Claude Ave., (504) 459-4571; www.pollysbywatercafe.com. Corned beef hash is topped with two eggs and served with a biscuit."

"frozen custard franchise, known for small-batch frozen custard made with milk from happy cows, is new to New Orleans. The signature Turtle (frozen custard, peanuts and fudge, dipped in coating chocolate) is one novelty on the extensive menu of frozen custard for cones, sundaes, milkshakes, treats and some locally themed sweets. 628 Toulouse St., 504.345.2524"

"500 9th St., Gretna, (504) 500-0997; www.bananablossom504.com. Larb gai is a salad with ground chicken, onion, cilantro, mint and toasted rice-lime dressing. Reservations accepted."

"The Bearcat Cafe in Uptown lets you decide by indicating healthy or less healthy items on the menu. This modern sit-down cafe offers an array of fresh breakfast and lunch options. There are also selections of coffees from Equator Coffee Co, a wide variety of loose-leaf teas, and house-made bottled beverages."

"Experience the flavors of Hong Kong in New Orleans’ Lakeview at Ming’s. This casual Cantonese eatery’s menu includes American Chinese favorites like fried rice, lo mein and egg foo young. Or opt for Chef Ming Joe’s creations that combine the flavors of his hometown with a pinch of New Orleanian flare like Crawfish Velvet - a stir-fried crawfish dish with pork and black beans in a savory egg-white sauce."

"Tucked away by a Lakeview shopping center, Ming’s isn’t a typical Chinese joint. This Cantonese restaurant is open, airy, sans red dragon decor, and offers outside seating. There are cheap traditional lunch specials but chef and owner Ming Joe has a few tricks up his sleeve."

"By definition, that means they deviate from the norm, or the expected. Let’s be honest, it looks a little like the Department of Motor Vehicles when you walk in."