I have had this bookmarked for quite some time now and finally made a point to come before things…read morereally heated up for the summer. I did not make it through all of the trails on the one visit I made, but at $5 per visit (or $25 if you pay for the whole year and can do multiple visits), it is not that bad. I plan on doing the annual plan and coming back. It is not too far from the greater New Orleans metro area. I would love to come back for one of their lectures or nature walks. And come back seasonally to see what grows during different seasons. Truely a lovely spot.

TRULY, a gem!…read more Located in the middle of Picayune is this amazing place. It's sort of a nature center just FULL of trails that takes you thru quite a few different ecosystems. The trails take you thru pine savannah where you can find carnivorous plants and beautiful wildflowers in the spring and summer and trails that take you into old growth forest. In the northern part of the arboretum is a nice little gum pond where you can see fish and turtles, and they're also in the process of building a lookout there. In about the middle of the arboretum is a giant pavilion that looks out over another pond. When you check in, be sure to get a bag of turtle food to feed to the turtles in this pond. I promise you, that's the best fifty cents you'll ever spend! I'm not sure if they offer any sort of guided tours, but it's meant to just walk around at your own pace. There are lots of places that have boardwalk and seats to just sit and....enjoy nature. The arboretum DOES have events from time to time like lectures and specific field guides and even native plant sales. I tend to like it when there's no one else there, though, and it seems I have the whole forest to myself. ;) The people who run this place are INCREDIBLY nice and they'll hook you up with a map and all that. They'll even offer bug spray if you forget your own. The daily entry fee of $5 is SO WORTH IT, and you might find yourself going often enough to sign up for a membership. A membership which is even pro-rated according to the time of year you join! They have a nice little gift shop with books and trinkets and all that related to nature stuff and even drinks if you're thirsty. If you're a nature nut like myself, and even if you're a REAL trekker like myself who likes to trek out in the middle of nowhere, you STILL have to check this place out. It's managed well, and it's situated among several ecosystems like I said before and you won't regret it. You'll very easily spend several hours here walking around checking out things like their bee hives, their pollenator garden, the pavilion, the MANY little coves off the trails that lead to waterfront bulkheads that offer great views of the pond, and so many other "little" things that will delight you in so many ways. And of course, botanists will have a field day with the many different plant species to be found here, INCLUDING carnivorous plants like two species of pitcher plant and dwarf sundews! Totally worth spending $5 and a good portion of your day to check it out! Truly a gem of a place.

The Pearl River Wildlife Management Area is great for many reasons…read more 1. It is free to enter if you have a Louisiana hunting or fishing license. If not, don't enter as the game wardens can issue you a citation. You also need to stop at the entrance and fill out a check in/check out form whenever you enter or leave the WMA. 2. There are woods everywhere. If you don't like the woods, there is probably something wrong with you. Spend any amount of time in the woods, and you will be a better human being. 3. There is a shooting range. I reviewed it separately, but I will mention that the road leading to the range is po-boy road. What an awesome name for a road. 4. There are many dirt roads here. If you have a fancy car, or even a trashy car, don't come here. If you are a real American and drive a truck or SUV, you will love driving down these dirt roads. The four reasons I listed are just a few of the reasons why this is a great place to visit. If you're reading this review, I highly recommend you pay a visit to this WMA.

Interesting place, lots of birdlife and swap areas to see…read more Bring your camera, and a fishing pole.

This area has so much to offer: The Tammany Trace is close…read morefor bicycles and hikers!There's a huge playground for the kids! Extensive trails/boardwalks throughout the park! Lots of wildlife, especially birding! Nice picnic areas/tables! Clean restrooms! Beautiful grounds! History galore! Only drawback is no dogs (except service animals) I would recommend this spot for anyone who wants to see splendid natural southern beauty!

An absolute perfect find for kiddos. On a road trip and since we have a 1 and 2 year old, our only…read morestops are picnics with playgrounds. Camp Salmen has that and MORE! Beautiful pavilion with picnic tables, clean restrooms with soap and warm water, and walking trails to explore. The boardwalks are gorgeous! We will be making this a regular stop every time we are down this way.

Great facility for practically any outdoor activity; running, soccer, baseball, softball, tee ball,…read moreracket sports, basketball, volleyball, etc.; indoor venues also ideal for expositions and other group activities.

Many times I had heard reference to Pelican Park during the years I had worked on the Northshore,…read morebut had never visited the place. Then our grandson played a lacrosse tournament there. I was amazed at the size of the park. The soccer fields had been converted to lacrosse (basically smaller nets and slightly different dimensions). I was impressed with the amount of parking that was available. We didn't explore much of the facility, but when they have to post signs directing you around, it is big. Reading the reviews, I wished I had spent some time just driving around and gawking at the place. I'm sure I'll be back for future lacrosse tournaments.

Nice little Park off the highway and easy to miss., turn around at next exit (we did)…read more Entrance near an industrial area, lots of trucks in and out. Nice parking area along the water, with some picnic tables. An information board located near entrance. Some people were just parked (maybe enjoying the view), a Ranger did drive thru. So the area is monitored. A decent trail with a nice boardwalk takes you into the refuge with views of the marsh and water. We were here mid-day so it was quiet. Some birds, and lots of turtles. On way out, net Blair (local birder) and we talked about sightings in area. He told me about a Kingfisher that hangs out over waterway off main road. The Kingfisher was right where he said it would be - we did not stop (lots of trucks) passing by. Nice to talk to locals, especially fellow bird enthusiasts. Worth a stop !!!

Is the hustle and bustle of city life getting you down?…read more Do you find yourself becoming stressed from traffic? Do you need a break? If you answered yes to the above questions, I have just the thing to cure what ails you. What is this miraculous cure you ask? Dirt. That's right friends, good ole 100% American dirt. Get you some. I realize that the words posted above these may seem ridiculous, and for some it won't help, but for me, getting off the road and into nature helps me every time. The Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge is one such place that I recommend you check out. This NWR is located off of the very last exit before Mississippi (Pearl River Turnaround). If you're heading from Louisiana, exit, turn left and drive down the first dirt road you encounter. There isn't really a very good sign, but you'll know it when you find it. As you first enter the NWR you will encounter a very cool railroad bridge. For many, this will be the coolest thing you see, but for me there is much more. The roads through the NWR are dirt and rock only. They are fairly well packed so four wheel drive is not necessary, but I would be reluctant to take a car back here if it is low slung. The roads run for many miles through the middle of the refuge and you are unlikely to encounter any other humans if you go during the week. If hiking is your thing, there are a few trails that I have yet to explore, but they do look promising for a brief nature hike. Each trail has its own parking area which is convenient since parking on the road wouldn't be ideal. The roads here seem to go on forever. I would guess that it took me nearly thirty minutes to drive the entirety of the main road. It ended up at a weird camp type residential area, finally dead ending at a very run down looking trailer. I haven't fully explored all of the roads yet, but it does seem to be a one way in, one way out situation. The hour or so I spent on my first trip invigorated me and I can't wait to go back.

Small park with a walking path!…read more The location is gated, but the main entrance does not shut completely. I recommend having a leash for your pet. The park is located right next to the train track so it may be loud at times. Plenty of parking is available. Nice spot if you are looking to get out of the house.

i like how i can sit anywhere & watch my dog run around without her being out of sight…read more its not huge but its a decent little size lol. i like how its gated & how they have a neat cement walking path

Nice little park with a walking trail. We are visiting the area and wanted a place to get out and…read morewalk the dog. This fit the bill. The trail was busy but we enjoyed a couple mile stroll with the adult kids and the pooch.

This is my favorite of the city parks in Slidell. It has a nice walking path around the ball fields…read moreand the perimeter of the park. There are trails and paths into the neighborhoods around the park if you want to walk farther and explore. The park is popular - there are always people and families around - and it feels safe and friendly, even at night. Sometimes cars drive through the park a little fast, but most are careful and drive slowly. The ball fields have been undergoing some extensive renovations in 2023 and the whole park is being improved overall. There are bathrooms available. They aren't great but are definitely better than nothing.

Aiery Lake is a great place to fish, a great place to camp and a great place to take photos. It is…read morealso a great place for an embarrassing story from yours truly. This area of The Desoto National Forest is a good stopping point while hiking the Tuxachanie Trail. Depending where you begin your hike, this area is either 13 miles or 8 miles from the beginning of the trail. Personally I would rather do my long hike on the first day and the short hike the next day, but either way, Aiery Lake is a good stopping point. There are several areas to camp at Aiery Lake including some closer to the parking area. I think if you get away from the parking area you will have a more enjoyable experience, but if you want to be close to your vehicle, you can be. There aren't many facilities here, but there are actual bathrooms which is much nicer than digging a latrine in the middle of the woods (I know from firsthand experience). The Lake itself is beautiful. On a calm day the surface of the lake looks like glass and gives the perfect reflection of the sky and surrounding wilderness. If you're like me and love the view of objects reflected in the water, this is a must see. My kid thinks it would be pretty neat if I could somehow catch the mirror image of my Jeep reflected on a lake, but I have yet to find a suitable location. The lake here doesn't have vehicle access to the opposite side so I will have to keep searching. I am not much of a fisherman, but based on the number of people fishing, I suspect fishing is pretty good in the lake. If I would have had a pole I would have gladly sat around all day taking in that view, drinking beer and pretending to fish. Since I didn't have any of those items, I just watched others fish. So there are all of the reasons to go to Aiery Lake. Even if you are just passing through, it is a beautiful area and I encourage you to stop. As for this area being the location of an embarrassing story, I am somewhat reluctant to tell it, so please don't ridicule me too badly. Many years ago when I was a 13 or 14 year old Boy Scout, my troop hiked the Tuxachanie Trail. When we were almost to Aiery Lake we noticed two or three similarly aged girls and decided to try and impress them. In my underdeveloped juvenile brain I decided that the way to impress the girls was to use my "talent" of singing. I chose what was quite the popular song at the time and as we approached them I started singing. I must have underestimated the distance between us and them because by the time we passed I had come to part of the song which went a little something like this: "I did it like this, I did it like that, I did it with a wiffle ball bat sooooo I'm on the run, the cops got my gun........". As you can probably guess my lyrics were overwhelmingly unsuccessful in impressing anyone, much less the girls. I don't know if it was my singing, or if they saw some sort of poisonous reptile, but they ran as fast as their legs would carry them in the opposite direction. Later that evening in the camp site we decided a reconnaissance mission was in order. My friends and I walked over to their area and stood in the darkness trying to work up the courage to talk to them. I guess lurking behind a tree wasn't very impressive either as we got the cold shoulder once again. Looking back all I can do is laugh at how awkward and embarrassing the entire experience was. So there you have it. Aiery Lake is a great place unless you're a goofy awkward teenager.

Loved this place for a day hike! The trails are well maintained and there is plenty of parking…read more There are also trash cans and a public restroom at the parking location. They have several large campsites as well right by the lake.

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.

Overall, this particular park is a winner. If you are in the Slidell, Louisiana area,you owe it to…read moreyourself to check this park out. I grabbed a po' boy at a restaurant called Pearl's and came here to enjoy my lunch. I enjoyed chilling and enjoying my lunch. I would definitely recommend Heritage Park.

Not much to add that hasn't already been said by others. This is a great little park to just hang…read moreout or walk or let the kids play. Decent shade. Plenty of parking. The large open green space in the middle is nicely kept. The sidewalks are wide enough to accommodate all the people walking their laps. The bathrooms are decent as public bathrooms go. The city has poured a lot of money into the park over the last few years and it shows. Lots of picnic tables and pavilions. The public boat ramp and the docks have been greatly improved.