Top 10 Free Things To Do and Attractions in Lake Pontchartrain

"St. Louis Cathedral, also known as The Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the city and is undoubtedly one of the best free things to do in New Orleans."

"Often called the heart of New Orleans, Jackson Square is full of energy and activity. Facing the Mississippi River and directly across from the St. Louis Cathedral, the Square stands in the shadows of the Andrew Jackson statue, erected for his heroism during the Battle of New Orleans. Here you will find street artists painting during the day and jazz musicians by night, along with fortune-tellers and other kinds of street theater."

"Founded and constructed all the way back in 1721, Jackson Square is one of the oldest destinations in the whole city of New Orleans and is known to be the equivalent of the downtown area in other cities."

"It’s also an excellent place to people watch and where a number of New Orleans’ historical landmarks like The St Louis Cathedral, The Cabildo, and The Presbytère are located (with Preservation Hall and The Historic New Orleans Collection nearby). Tons of artists, musicians, and fortune tellers hang out in Jackson Square and in the spirit of disclosure, I spent most of my time here people-watching and eating beignets. However, if you want to be a little more cultured than I was, visit one or several of the above-mentioned landmarks for even more NOLA history."

"Preservation Hall is an unassuming old building that has long been an institution in New Orleans known for jazz music. The historic hall still features traditional jazz by local artists. The building is small, creating an intimate setting, and seating is limited."

"After dinner is sure to check out live jazz at Preservation Hall. This ended up being our favorite thing we did in New Orleans and strongly suggest you don’t miss out on this during your 3 days in New Orleans."

"Though Napoleon House never actually housed Napoleon Bonaparte, that was the idea. The owner at the time offered up the building to Napoleon as refuge during his exile. Now an historic landmark and beloved local restaurant, this 1797 building has been family-owned since 1914."

"Named for the famous Frenchman intended to live there after his exile from France, Napoleon House is a 200+ year old historical landmark. The speakers play classical music and there’s a lovely courtyard. Order a Pimm’s Cup and a muffuletta, served warm."

"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."

"It doesn’t take long to notice that New Orleans has a love affair with hats. Nothing compliments a suit and bowtie better than a hat from Meyer’s. Family owned since 1894, this world-class hat shop is the very best."

"Start the day with a bike tour of Marigny and Bywater The two neighborhoods this tour goes on is Marigny and Bywater. These are “coming up” areas, kind of a little hipster and definitely not the standard places to visit. You’ll go to the bike shop in the French Quarter to meet the tour instructor then ride off!"

"After lunch take at least 15 minutes to explore the next few blocks of colorful homes in Marigny. There isn’t much else to do other take great photos and enjoy the neighborhood that has alot of character before heading back to the French Quarter."

"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."

"Pamper your mind, body, and spirit at their day spa and hair salon in Lakeview. At My Spa By The Park, they offer the very best in personal care and comfort. Their professionals are committed to providing you with the highest quality salon and spa service."

"Enter Serenity Spa and discover an environment that will renew, rejuvenate and replenish your body, mind and spirit. For an hour or an entire day, their full-service spa is the perfect setting for you to be thoroughly pampered. Indulge in a spa treatment to relieve your stress and worries."

"Marriot hotel at 614 Canal Street, where Chartres Street meets Canal. So, it's at the edge of the French Quarter and easy to get to. Serenity Spa offers a full menu of services, including facials, massages, nail services, waxing, and makeup applications."

"Housed in a low-slung purple building in Treme, you are obliged to place your order at a bulletproof glass window within. No worries, you will have plenty of company and even massive catering-sized orders roll up magically fast. The fried wings are addictive ($5.39 for 8 plus a side of fries or shrimp fried rice and a side salad) and the yakamein ($5.49) is spot on, too."

"The best place to find this street food is really at neighborhood corner joints like Manchu Food Store and Chinese Kitchen, a small bright-purple cinderblock building under the bridge on Claiborne."

"For intimate local and regional music on Frenchmen St. d.b.a. is definitely the place to check out. Their double sided bar allows you to grab a fresh drink in either room and the venues size guarantees you can hear every note from anywhere in the building. We recommend walking by, if you like what you hear the covers are usually quite low and the drinks are excellent."

"About DBA New Orleans: Excellent beer choices:  imports, micros, chocolate beer and many more. The servers are beautiful people, but it often takes longer than desired to get a beer (10-15 minutes) and they sometimes have bad attitudes. Usually DBA has legit music."