Best Parks in New Orleans

Top Parks in New Orleans

New Orleans, with its rich heritage and scenic natural spots, offers plenty of parks for relaxation and entertainment. From vast green spaces to unique gardens and lakes, the parks of this city invite guests to immerse themselves in an atmosphere of beauty and tranquility. Let's explore the top parks of New Orleans, where everyone will find something to their liking.

City Park

City Park is one of the oldest and most visited urban parks in the country. This massive park, roughly 50% larger than New York's Central Park, truly has something for everyone. Beautifully restored after Hurricane Katrina devastated the landscape, the park is home to the New Orleans Botanical Garden.

Thirteen acres of lush grounds with 2,000 plants from around the world wind through various city blocks. Also within the complex is the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, featuring over 60 sculptures set along winding paths amidst 200-year-old oak trees, pines, camellias, and magnolias.

Barataria

Barataria offers breathtaking views of Louisiana's wetlands from a state park. The 23,000-acre preserve includes bayous, marshes, swamps, forests, alligators, nutrias, and over 200 bird species.

Hiking trails traverse the preserve. If you want to see local nature in one of New Orleans' most beautiful preserves, this is the right place. And it's not for the faint-hearted, as you'll likely encounter large insects and alligators, as well as birds, amphibians, and lizards.

Audubon Park

If you want to relive your college days or simply toss a frisbee, Audubon Park is the perfect place for that. A short tram ride from the French Quarter will take you to the site of a former sugar plantation and Confederate camp.

Nowadays, it's a magnificent park located right across from Tulane and Loyola universities. Claiming one of the top five picnic spots, Audubon Park is a great place to spread out a blanket, have a sandwich, and people-watch.

Jackson Square

Known in the 18th century as "Place d'Armes" and later renamed in honor of Andrew Jackson, this open square in the French Quarter is a haven for pedestrians and portrait painters.

Horse-drawn carriages pass through this famous landmark, facing the Mississippi River and surrounded by historic buildings, including St. Louis Cathedral and the Cabildo. Grab a coffee and enjoy some sandwiches at the nearby Cafe Du Monde while you're there.

Crescent Park

This brand-new park is located right on the waterfront in Bywater. Stretching 1.4 miles along the Mississippi, it offers unparalleled views and access to the water. Take a stroll, ride a bike, or simply watch the river flow by while sitting on its banks.

Mickey Markey Park

Our list wouldn't be complete without at least one playground. Our choice is Mickey Markey Park, located in the Ninth Ward. The park was closed in January 2011, but in 2013, thanks to funding from the Public Land Trust Fund, the park was reopened. $500,000 was spent on its reclamation and reconstruction. A large grassy area for sports, picnic lawns, and a modern playground have turned it into a beautiful family park.

Louis Armstrong Park

Just steps away from the French Quarter is a public park named after jazz legend Louis Armstrong. Walk through the iconic arched entrance into a historic landscape of sculptures, duck ponds, and open spaces.

The official New Orleans guidebook recommends visiting Congo Square in the southern corner of Armstrong Park, "where slaves and free blacks gathered in the 19th century for meetings, open markets, and African dances.

Lafayette Square

Lafayette Square is a public park that welcomes one and all. Designed by Charles Lavau Trudeau, it is renowned for its wonderful artworks and sculptures installed here, such as statues of Henry Clay and Benjamin Franklin.

Due to its proximity to government institutions such as the United States Court of Appeals, the National Labor Relations Board, and the Federal Reserve Bank, it is filled with office workers during lunch breaks. Lafayette Square regularly hosts concerts, as well as the "Harvest of Music" festival.

Woldenberg Riverfront Park

Woldenberg Park is a 20-acre green oasis stretching along the old Governor's Dock. This riverfront park is located in the heart of the city and is filled with numerous works of local artists.

The park boasts hundreds of beautiful trees, such as oaks, magnolias, and willows. Sit on one of the numerous benches and admire the bustling urban port, second only to Amsterdam.