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

"In the 1960s a big chunk of the Tremé neighbourhood, across Rampart Street from the French Quarter, was razed to make way for the 32-acre Louis Armstrong Park. Tremé had a crucial role in the development of African American music, and Congo Square, preserved in the park, was its epicentre. Slaves were given the day off on Sundays from 1724, and from 1817 until the 1850s this space was a gathering point where a multitude of African dances and musical styles collided with European genres and instrumentation."

"In Louis Armstrong Park, Congo Square was a Sunday gathering spot for enslaved Africans under the French Code Noir. For one day of the week, they could sing the songs and practice the cultural traditions of their ancestral home. This was the groundwork of a uniquely New Orleanian link to the continent of Africa, and much of the city's most iconic food, music and culture has been built on that foundation."

"New Orleans, Louisiana, isn’t particularly known for being lush with greenery. That’s probably why Louis Armstrong Park is one of the top green tourist attractions that New Orleans has to offer. It’s close to the teeming French Quarter so isn’t far displaced from the cultural aspects of the city, and with a huge 32-acre space, it’s often become the home of events and festivals."

"This sprawling 1,300-acre masterpiece is one of the largest urban parks in the country, with a history reaching back over 170 years. Featuring an assortment of green spaces, massive oak trees, lagoons, and more, you’ll find a variety of atmospheres for your picnic. There are also numerous attractions within the park, including sculpture gardens, an amusement park, botanical gardens, bike trails, surrey and boat rentals, and the New Orleans Museum of Art, just to name a few."

"Founded in 1854, this 1,300-acre expanse of moss-draped oaks and 11 miles of gentle lagoons is just 2 miles from the French Quarter,…"

"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."

"Named after a famous pirate and privateer who helped defend New Orleans from the British in 1815, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park offers a sight to behold. See the treasures that the park hides as you stroll along the Bayou and learn about Cajun Culture. Find out the different science behind the hundreds of plants and animals that reside there!"

"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."

"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."

"Located in the French Market District/ Bywater the Crescent Park is another park that people go to. It spans 1.4 miles and has 20 acres of land. It is located near the French market."

"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."

"Famed for the 300-year-old allée of live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss that flank its main entrance, Oak Alley Plantation has more to offer visitors than a quintessential view of a Southern plantation. Highlights include numerous exhibitions exploring the complexities of Southern and Louisiana history, 1,300 acres (526 hectares) of grounds, and the historic house itself—all within easy driving distance of New Orleans.More"

"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."

"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!"

"– Did you know that New Orleans has a Botanical Garden in City Park?. Open all year round, the Botanical Garden covers 10 acres of land and is beautiful in the growing season. On Wednesdays in April and October, there are extended hours in the garden from 5-8 for an evening with musicians."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"This unique museum was once the apothecary of America’s first licensed pharmacist. Located just steps away from Napoleon House, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum features a quirky array of pharmaceutical and medical memorabilia including antique surgical instruments and apothecary jars containing their original ingredients. Visitors can spend hours among all the medical curiosities and wonders of decades past."

"The Pharmacy Museum has quite an interesting tour – don’t let the name fool you!. It’s all about old school remedies and how they evolved through history, with a local twist."

"The Lower Ninth Ward Living Museum was created to celebrate this neighborhood. So much was lost here during Hurricane Katrina and very few residents have been able to return to their homes even years later. The museum features oral histories from key community members to help keep the stories alive."

"Lower Ninth Ward, naturallyThis neighborhood of New Orleans, East and across the Industrial Canal from the hipster-inflected Bywater, is most notable in the media for two things. Firstly, it was one of the hardest hit by Katrina flooding, and is still one of the last to fully recover."

"Explore the history of New Orleans' historic Lower 9th Ward pre-, during, and post- Hurricane Katrina. Admission is always free."

"Although Marjie's Grill on South Broad grew out of a love story, it's not a hearts and flowers kind of place. On their first Valentine's Day, chef/owner Marcus Jacobs and partner Caitlin Carney were featuring an Offal Valentine's Day menu, with organ meats in the spotlight to inspire canoodling. The pair, who met working together at Herbsaint, opened a sunny little spot on the busy South Broad corridor just off of Canal Street, a savory, homey place where flavors are bold, ingredients are local and "garbage" fish like Sheepshead are proudly featured."

"Marjie’s Grill is the casual Mid City neighborhood joint serving some of the most inventive and mouth-watering food in town. Herbsaint alumni Marcus Jacobs and Caitlin Carney create dishes based on the cuisine and flavor profiles of Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos with a Delta twist. Crispy pig knuckles, head-on prawns with a chili dipping sauce, a melty slow grilled beef, and any specials are not to be missed, but Marjie’s vegetable-focused dishes also shine."

"This Mid-City neighborhood spot, helmed by Herbsaint alums Marcus Jacobs and Caitlin Carney, serves some of the city's most creative food. Expect a mix of Asian and Delta cuisine, like local chili butter gulf shrimp with lemongrass sambal butter and crispy pig knuckles with cane syrup, chilis, and herbs. The restaurant also offers several vegetable dishes as well, like grilled broccoli and braised greens."

"Located at the corner of St. Claude and St. Roch avenues, across from the bright orange Healing Center that includes the New Orleans Food Co-Op, the St. Roch Market first opened in 1875 as just one of the city's many public markets. Restored in 2012 with $3.7 million in public funds, the market now includes 13 vendors including two that offer gluten free baked goods. The Market is an easy walk or bike ride from the French Quarter, and it's just across the street from the Marigny."

"Shuttered by Katrina, the one-time seafood market reopened this spring as a pristine food hall with more than a dozen vendors and abundant counter seating throughout. Among the draws are crab cakes from Elysian Seafood, daiquiris and other cocktails from the Mayhaw and local pecans, okra and raw honey sourced by St. Roch Forage. 2381 St. Claude Ave."

"This late-19th-century city-owned seafood market, which was by and large abandoned after Hurricane Katrina, was reborn as an upscale food hall several years ago. The dilapidated structure was spruced up and the navelike interior painted an..."

"Located in the Broadmoor neighborhood, Broad Street Cider produces handcrafted ciders and meads in small batches with no artificial flavors or added sugars. The dry and semi-dry ciders and meads are gluten-free, unfiltered, unpasteurized and have no added sulfites. Head to the taproom for not only the standard offerings but also limited specialty releases available on draft and to-go in jar fills."

"Address: 2723 S Broad StreetNew Orleans, LA 70125Phone: (504) 405-1854Website. Try a craft brewery experience with a twist at Broad Street Cider. At Broad Street, they’re making hand-crafted ciders and meads in small batches based on apple juice from Michigan and the Pacific Northwest."

"So far, Broad Street Cider is the only cidery in New Orleans. No worries though, they’re pumping out enough variety to keep visitors and locals intrigued. When I visited there nearly a dozen ciders on tap, plus a number of guest taps."

"Courtyard’s doubled its interior space, gussied up the courtyard, and put a damn wine on tap, but don’t worry. It’s still the same laid back dog-friendly joint with plenty of hoppy (and non-hoppy) beers brewed in house as well as guest taps from other breweries. Scott Wood’s brewery has gotten slightly bigger and exponentially better over the past 4 years, and that trend will almost certainly continue."

"So with that being said, I’ve listed out a complete guide to New Orleans breweries. You might notice some of the breweries are lacking in details. Unfortunately those are the ones that I did not have time to visit."

"Head brewer and co-owner Alex Peyroux’s comes from a long time Cajun-French family, and his fiancee and Miel co-owner Janice Montoya descends from Spanish colonies, so the name is both a nod to that cultural blending — as well as the fact that Alex’s beekeeping parents keep them loaded up with Louisiana honey. New Orleans’ 10th brewery will use honey as a fermentation sugar as well as the featured ingredient for several beers in the future."