Picnic Spots in New Orleans
Who doesn’t love a nice picnic on a beautiful New Orleans day, which is just about every day in NOLA! Whether on a romantic date, getting the kids outside, or just to escape your own four walls, we’ve got the best spots for you to go in New Orleans when you’re looking to enjoy a nice snack outside with a view. What’s even better, it’s NOLA so take yourself a Geaux Cup of your favorite beverage while you’re at it.
We’ve found the top free places to go for a picnic in the city where you’re sure to find plenty of space to throw down a blanket and enjoy your lovely picnic. Let’s take a look at what we found and the scores we gave. If you feel like we missed a great one, let us know in the comments below.
City Park
Our Score: 49/50
- Free
- Pet Friendly
- Restrooms aren't always the cleanest
Hands down, City Park is the best place to throw a blanket down just about anywhere and enjoy a nice picnic in the park. It is actually one of the largest city parks in America-coming in at 1300 acres. That’s about 50% larger than Central Park in New York City which is only 843 acres. Complete with fountains, statues, gardens, rivers and a large lake, you won’t have trouble picking a scenic spot. I actually proposed to my wife at City Park!
From the the lake, sculpture garden, or just sitting in the oak trees, there’s always an open spot. Sometimes Cafe Du Monde’s location in the park has live musicians performing, and if you go on the weekend you might just catch a Weekend Market between Cafe Du Monde and Storyland.
Storyland is a great place to bring the kids, and for those into art you can pop into the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) which is centrally located in the park.
The Lakefront
Our Score: 41/50
- Free
- Pet Friendly
- Restrooms may be hard to find
The Lakefront is a beautiful stairstep gradient running along the Lake Pontchartrain Coast. It starts at Bayou St John and runs all the way to the New Canal Lighthouse in the West End. You can also stop between the Bonnabel Boat Launch and the West End and sit along the levee. You can’t go wrong picking any of these areas along the Lake Pontchartrain Lakefront to setup for a picnic, with benches and tables scattered all along the way. Many locals walk, run, bike, and skate along the lake, so there will be lots of activity both day and night!
You can pretty much post up anywhere along the lake between popular spots like the Ponchartrain Lake Front Playground to the West End all the way to Bonnabel Boat Launch.
Audubon Park
Our Score: 42/50
- Free
- Pet Friendly
- Plenty of restrooms
- It can sometimes become very busy
Located right by Tulane and Loyola Universities, Audubon Park is one of the most beautiful escapes from the hustle and bustle of the Big Easy.
Jam packed with shady spots under trees, you can post up and watch the ducks with all your picnic goodies. There is a large jogging path that stretches the park, so there are always plenty of activities. This park does close at night, though, so don’t go too late or security will find you and escort you out.
Algiers Point
Our Score: 39/50
- Free
- Pet Friendly
- Restrooms may be hard to find
At Algiers Point, you’ll find beautiful view of the French Quarter as the boats go by along the Mississippi River. During the fourth of July and New Years people from all over the city come to Algiers Point to watch the fireworks. Day or night, it’s always beautiful, with ships rolling by and the city skyline as your backdrop.
It can sometimes be a little sketchy at night in the neighborhood behind the point, but rest assured there are plenty of police that patrol the area and if you are out on the point there will likely be plenty of activity nearby.
