So much fun to visit City Park in New Orleans on the first day of Spring. (It's actually one of the…read moreplaces that I visit almost every trip to New Orleans.) The park is sprawling. Covering 1300 acres, it is one of the largest urban parks in the US. Bike trails, walking trails, museums, restaurants, sculpture gardens, botanicals gardens and an amusement park for kids. What more could you want? Love art? Check out NOMA. This is often on my agenda. Love the rotating exhibits, Newcomb pottery and collection of impressionist paintings. I use my Graycliff annual pass for reciprocal admission fees. Bonus: One of my besties works here! Want art outdoors? The newly expanded sculpture garden is so beautiful and free to explore. Frank Stella. Yaacov Agam. Beverly Pepper. Take a photo with LOVE by Robert Indiana. Don't sit on Bear with Us by Frank Gehry. Feel free to walk across the Mississippi Meaders Bridge. Take a selfie in the Mirrors Labyrinth. Love to talk a walk here. Sorry, GiGi. No dogs allowed. Love flowers? If you are lucky, you may see tulips or wildflowers. Or visit the New Orleans Botanic Garden. It's also included on the Graycliff Martin annual reciprocal pass. The garden is filled with azaleas, camellias and beds of roses. Love the native Louisiana raised vegetable beds and the butterfly garden. Sit under the oaks on a park bench or a swing to take a rest. Like art? Explore the large collection of Enrique Alfarez sculptures spread throughout the garden. Hungry? Thirsty? This is the best place to visit Cafe du Monde. No lines and the parking is free and so much easier than the quarter. Order a cafe au lait or a hot chocolate with a plate of beignets. Then grab a table with a green umbrella outside to enjoy the sunshine and the famous oak trees in the park. City Park has one of the largest collections of Live Oak trees in the world. Have a kid? Or just feel like a kid? Storyland is so cute! Created by Mardi Gras float makers, it is a New Orleans classic full of whimsy. Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Mother Goose. It is filled with fairy tale and nursery rhyme classics. Fun fact: New Orleans City Park is one of the largest parks in the US. At 1,300 square acres it is almost twice as large as New York's Central Park which is just a little over 800 square acres and does not make the top twenty for size. (But Central Park is still amazing, too!) Parking is free. Or come by streetcar. It stops near NOMA. Thanks for the free flowers on the first day of spring.

I'd recommend City Park to anyone. It's a great spot for walking, running, photo shoots, picnics,…read moreand just enjoying some fresh air. It's very relaxing and a huge plus that you don't have to go far to feel surrounded by nature. There's always plenty of space and you can easily find a place to sit and unwind. I come out here a few times a week for walks and usually on Saturdays with my run club. It's one of my favorite places in the city to reset and stay active.

Water aerobics was great! Instructors are high energy, music is wonderful. Can't wait to come back!read more

The water aerobics classes are so much fun! My accountability partner and I started attending the…read morecourses this past week, and we've had such a blast each and every day! Community members are supportive, inviting and fun of life, and the space is always welcoming and spotless. I highly recommend!

I had the opportunity to be a student of John's tennis lesson, following work one day and it was…read moreVERY informative teaching. Me thinking I had it after laying down my racket for 5-6 yrs. John went into details about the fundamentals of tennis, techniques, handling the racket, spinning the ball, the position you should be on the court, always moving your feet, shuffle to be in position to have an advantage when the ball is headed to you. I did hits for the afternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed it, very much. I picked up some skills/knowledge I never knew from John. He's certainly passionate about teaching and making his players better. I'm excited about a consistent lesson/teaching from him soon. I highly recommend John if you are SERIOUS about having a strong tennis game. Thanks John.

From the owner: Instructional programs to teach athletic development, basic strokes, footwork, dynamic warmup, the…read moretennis game, rules and competition in a friendly environment using age appropriate methods. Low, moderate and high intensity workouts. Programs lead by USPTA Certified Professional Instructors with assistance from other experienced tennis player junior coaches. Tennis ball machines available including the only serving tower machine anywhere in Southern Louisiana.

I like how big. And all of its indoor amenities like basketball courts, pool and indoor track. I…read morewish they would update their gym equipment is like from the early 2000's and falling apart. It takes forever when something breaks for them to fix it. And they need to clean the mold off their vents.

Love this gym! Nice pool. Nice facilities. The staff are super friendly and helpful. Day passes are…read more$13 , but they are doing a summer special for $100 for the summer.

Great place for a fun day with friends under the sun! The price is very reasonable : $25/person for…read more2hrs. The instructor was very nice. She even accepted to take some pictures of us. Highly recommend!

Went here for my birthday, great time, solid amenities, a really well thought out experience.read more

The gym is pretty good but the hours are terrible and almost every time you want to go play…read morebasketball it's the special pickleball time where no one but pickle ballers allowed to use the court.

Expensive, small, time restrictions; close without informing members; When you want to cancel the…read moremembership, you can not cancel there in the gym! You have to send them email and it takes them 30 days to notice.

It is very good if you just want to go out of the house. They have a bar and also a bunch of…read moreleagues always going on!

Came to this place, when I heard it from a local. Didnt get the chance to workout during essence,…read moreso I needed to get a workout in. What better way to do that by playing sand volleyball and having fun at the same time. I'm glad I decided to come here and get about 4 to 5 games in. Now, the place opens at 6pm-12am(everyday). They opening during the evening instead due to the sand being to hot. You pay, $10hr to play. Sometimes during the week, they do have tournaments going on. But its impossible still not to play due to so many volleyball courts. Now if sand volleyball isnt for you. They have large decks for relaxing and watching if you're not playing. Music is always playing. The food at the bar is awesome, great deal and very tasty! They have plenty of TV's as well. Why not quence your thirst over some beer before you get a game in or two. I'll be back for sure Aceofspadesv

In the years after the original War of Independence ended in the 1780s, the young United States was…read morestill defining its borders, its alliances, and its sense of security, which made the British decision to launch a second major conflict all the more jarring. By the time the War of 1812 reached its final act, British forces were striking along multiple fronts, and the last of those pushes brought them to the river plain at Chalmette. This is where Jackson's mixed American force held the line in January 1815, and the battlefield today still feels open enough that you can picture the fog, the rampart, and the long rows of redcoats advancing across the field. The tall white monument rises from the center of the site, with simple ground markings around it that help you read where each side stood two centuries ago. The national cemetery sits just down the road, quiet and reflective, and together the two sites make the story feel immediate rather than distant. It's a quick run from New Orleans if you're a history buff and absolutely worth the trip, a place where the scale and stakes of that final battle come into focus the moment you step out of the car. [Review 317 of 2026 - 95 in Louisiana - 25505 overall]

Day 2 objective was to teach my youngest about War of 1812 and President Andrew Jackson. When you…read morearrive, drive to the visitor center to see the video which does a good job of explaining the arrival of the English via Mississippi and Swamp defense. The restrooms are located behind the visitor center (very clean). You can take the tour at 2:45 pm or see the video and drive in a circle to read the historical markers that tell you what happened. The rangers were nice and welcoming. Finally, you can walk to the levies and see the establishef mansion. You can also visit the military cemetery. NOTE: The park ranger explained that area was devastated and destroyed by Katrina. The visit is free and worth your time.