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

"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."

"You could take a New Orleans river cruise on the Steamboat Natchez, grab a drink at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, visit Louis Armstrong Park, or take a class at the New Orleans school of cooking, to name a few. Better yet, for the best of both worlds, choose a half day tour option from among the most popular New Orleans day trips and spend the other half of your last day back in New Orleans."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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 park was created in 2014, when a formerly derelict area of the city near the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods was targeted for redevelopment. The park runs along the river; it is 1.4 miles long and is spread out over 20 acres. The main attraction in the park, apart from the pleasant green spaces, is the Piety Street Bridge."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"Formerly the plantation of Etienne de Boré, the father of the granulated-sugar industry in Louisiana, this large, lush patch of greenery…"

"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!"

"– 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."

"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."

"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)."

"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."

"The turquoise and white awning is the first sign of good taste at this flagship of the Brennan family, housed in a gorgeous Victorian mansion in the Garden District since 1880. Sporting a decor that combines whimsy with elegance, Commanders is a dressy spot, no shorts or t-shirts and jackets are preferred - but not required - for gents at dinner. The kitchen, where Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme started and chef Meg Bickford now presides, delivers Haute Creole specialties including oysters with absinthe and skillet seared gulf fish."

"Address: 1403 Washington AvenueNew Orleans, LA 70130Phone: (504) 899-8221Website. World-class chefs like Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme have graced the kitchen of this landmark restaurant. In existence since 1893, Commander’s Palace features “haute Creole cuisine” and a “dirt to plate within 100 miles” policy that contributes to its legendary status as one of the city’s great dining establishments."

"Garden District Not all classic New Orleans restaurants live in the French Quarter. Uptown in the Garden District, right across from Lafayette Cemetery No.1, is the famous Commander’s Palace. You might recognize the former head chef’s name: Emeril Lagasse, who helmed the Palace’s kitchen in the '80s, long before “Bam!"

"As of October, every Thursday at Bywater American Bistro is officially date night, with a three course pre-fixe dinner for two and welcome cocktail on offer for $70 (excluding tax and gratuity). Nina Compton’s newer restaurant, located on a quiet corner at the border of Bywater and Marigny, has added distanced sidewalk seating since reopening and also offers takeout. Date night menu changes weekly."

"The quality of the food, for me, is the fancy part of dining out. It’s in the ingredients and the preparation. Bywater American Bistro sources quality ingredients, the food is prepared very well in a technical sense, and the flavors are incredible."

"Chef Nina Compton’s Bywater restaurant is open for takeout and delivery, serving a revised menu along with limited daily specials. Call the restaurant directly or order here, 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday."

"While temporarily closed during the pandemic, Manning’s Sports Bar and Grill is the quintessential place to watch the game in NOLA. It’s home to more than 30 flat-screen TVs, two 13-foot mega-screens, a sports anchor desk, a recliner dining section and unique memorabilia from Louisiana’s first football family. The pub grub of sandwiches, burgers and wraps takes on a Creole flair, and there are 24 beers on tap (plus plenty of brews in a bottle)."

"519 Fulton St., (504) 593-8072; www.facebook.com/manningsnola. An Archie burger is an Angus beef patty topped with bacon-onion jam and pimiento cheese and is served with fries. Reservations accepted."

"(1201 Royal St.) Verti Marte is open 7 days a week, 24 hours, and delivery is available. Like Quartermaster a couple blocks away, it’s strictly a to-go operation, serving a heavily local clientele and offering a mind-bogglingly extensive menu of breakfast specialties, sandwiches and po-boys, entrees, and even desserts. You’ll see the Quarter workers stopping in for fried shrimp po-boys, BLTs, and Verti Marte’s Philly Cheese Steak."

"If you’re looking for another late night food takeout in New Orleans, Verti Marte is it. The corner shop is open 24/7 so you can literally swing by whenever. My friend and I stumbled in drunk at 2am and just told the guy behind the counter to give us two boxes of food – one regular and one vegetarian."

"It looks like a convenience store inside, but in the back is a group of the finest sandwich craftsmen New Orleans has ever known. Their masterpiece: the shrimp and oyster po-boy."

"If a few days of fried seafood and rich Creole sauces is wreaking havoc on your constitution, head to The Green Fork in the Lower Garden District, a stone's throw from Seed, another healthful eatery. The Green Fork specializes in fresh juices amped up with the likes of bee pollen and hemp protein, all designed to do a body good. Nibble on healthy snack options like kale chips hummus and chick pea salad."

"The theatre was originally built in 1906 and completely renovated in 2011. The venue is now used for concerts, plays, films, corporate events, and private parties."

"Bon Ton is one of the first New Orleans food places serving authentic Cajun food of Lafourche Parish. The restaurant opened in the 1900s and located at Magazine Street has a casual ambience with gingham tablecloths and wrought iron furniture, but the food is of fine dining standards. The Bon Ton Café is located in a historic building which is best suited to its historic story."

"Red Fish Bon Ton is a grilled fillet topped with lemon butter and jumbo lump crabmeat and garnished with fried onion rings. Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Fri."

"The atmosphere feels like a classy southern comfort dinner table. I promise this is the best meal you will have in New Orleans. It was also the best service – thanks Beth!"

"The gist: This lovely little restaurant from Nick Lama recently got a beautiful renovation, and the Sicilian food here is as good as ever. The food: Enjoy the homestyle touch on dishes like the octopus, a short rib lasagna, or the portobello ravioli. As always, the daily specials are still worth eyeing up, too."

"I came here the other day for happy hour and had an incredible time...I want to relive this meal over and over again. Until you've been to Avo, you have no idea what you're missing out on!!"