Take it Outside 31 Horseback Riding Bogue Chitto State Park Bogue Chitto Horse Rentals offers 1-hour or 2-hour guided tours along the park’s winding equestrian trails. Relax with tubing, canoeing, kayaking or fishing from the shoreline of the slow-moving Bogue Chitto River. Urban Getaways Bayou Segnette State Park This New Orleans area park, well known for its wave pool and playground, is an awesome destination for families. Hikers enjoy views of the cypress-tupelo swamp on foot, and overnighters choose from scenic RV spots or tent sites. Watersports Cypremort Point State Park A half-mile-long beach runs the length of this south-Louisiana getaway, offering opportunities for swimming, kitesurfing, windsurfing, fishing and just plain hanging out. The marshes near the beach give hikers and campers a chance to spot deer, red foxes and even black bears. Chemin-A-Haut State Park Families flock to Chemin-A-Haut for the park’s swimming and wading pools, dozens of picnic sites, rustic footpaths and the 8-mile equestrian trail overlooking Bayou Bartholomew. Looking to get on the water? Paddle over to check out “The Castle”-a towering 1,000-year-old cypress tree. Fontainebleau State Park Fontainebleau, on the outskirts of Mandeville and a short drive from Slidell and Covington, sits on the grounds of a former sugar plantation—the mill is still partly intact and open to visitors. Check out the expansive pier on Lake Pontchartrain, a sandy beach, water playground and a portion of the 31-mile-long Tammany Trace bike trail. Grand Isle State Park Grand Isle is Louisiana’s premier spot for weekend warriors looking to dip their toes in warm Gulf of Mexico waters. Beach camping is popular, as are the Grand Isle Migratory Bird Festival and the International Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo. Lake Bistineau State Park Enjoy horseback riding and disc golfing in this enchanting tupelo-cypress forest. Rent flat-bottom boats, canoes and kayaks and paddle out to Sandy Island or Snake Island, or stay closer to camp and relax by one of the swimming pools. St. Bernard State Park This is the perfect day trip or overnight excursion from New Orleans, with picnic tables, barbecue grills, and a water playground and swimming pool for the kids. Short hiking trails crisscross the park, and RV campsites are available for overnight guests. Lake Claiborne State Park Dive deep into the crystalline waters of this natural beauty, where fishing and waterskiing are held in equally high regard. The park offers guided tours, and you can learn about this unique ecosystem at the on-site nature center. Journeys of Historic Proportions Louisiana history is alive in every corner of the state. Historic Structures • Audubon, St. Francisville • E.D. White, Thibodaux • Kent Plantation House, Alexandria • Longfellow-Evangeline, St. Martinville • Rosedown Plantation, St. Francisville • Plaquemine Lock Military History • Centenary, Jackson • Fort Jesup, Many • Fort Pike, New Orleans • Fort St. Jean Baptiste, Natchitoches • Forts Randolph & Buhlow, Pineville • Locust Grove, St. Francisville • Mansfield, Mansfield • Port Hudson, Jackson • Rebel, Marthaville #OnlyLouisiana @LouisianaTravel Native American History • Poverty Point World Heritage Site, Pioneer
Louisiana Travel Guide Louisiana Sunshine Magazine 2021: Page 31
