Summer vacation is officially here! It is time to keep the kids busy and active while making memories at the same time. I am excited to take my family on some great adventures this summer, in and around New Orleans with this list of 100+ things to do in New Orleans with kids, including day trips, water activities, free and cheap activities, and much more!
New Orleans Museums
- Check out the art at New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park, which is free to Louisiana Residents on Wednesdays
- Learn how to keep our waterways healthy at this famous New Orleans historic landmark and museum on the Lakefront at The New Canal Lighthouse.
- Explore the Contemporary Art Museum which is free to Louisiana residents on Sunday's from 11 am – 5 pm.
- Check out all the art at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.
- Let imaginations run wild at the Louisiana Children's Museum.
- Take a tour of Mardi Gras World while learning the history of Mardi Gras.
- Learn some history at the WW2 Museum.
- Learn some history at the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum.
- Celebrate the history of jazz at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.
- Explore the history of Carnival at the Arnaud’s Mardi Gras Museum. Open during restaurant hours seven days a week.
- Participate in Mardi Gras by visiting the Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture.
Indoor Things To Do In New Orleans With Kids
- Think outside of the box while trying to escape at one of the local Escape Rooms.
- Watch a movie at the Imax at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.
- Shop and let the kids play at The Riverwalk Play Area.
- Barnes and Noble Metairie and Westbank have story time that includes an activity on Saturday mornings at 11am.
- Bowl strikes at a local bowling alley – Rock N Bowl, Colonial Lanes, AMF Kenner, Westside Lanes, or Fulton Alley, to name a few.
- Play some games and have some lunch at Dave and Buster's.
- Get creative at Posh Paint Pub.
- Paint your own pottery at Chez Clay.
- See a live jazz performance at Preservation Hall.
- Watch a movie at the Prytania Theatre or at the AMC Clearview.
- Go skating at Airline Skate Center.
- Be a bookworm and visit Faulkner House Books right off of Jackson Square.
- Pretend to be an astronaut at the Kenner Planetarium and Space Science Complex.
- Play at JAMNOLA
- Make some art at Painting with a Twist. Check out the calendar to see when they offer kids walk-in classes.
- Watch a play at Rivertown Theatre, Jefferson Parish Performing Arts Center or the Saenger Theratre .
- Play around on the indoor playground at Luv 2 Play Metairie or at NOLA KidsGround
- Make some crafts and listen to storytime at the Children's Resource Center-New Orleans Public Library.
- Join the summer fun happening at the Jefferson Parish Libraries during their summer reading program!
- Play at the Kids Castle in Lakeside Shopping Center
- Jump around at Candyland Inflatable Party Palace
- Create some wall art at The Shard Shop in Nola
- Play laser tag, throw axes, and have fun at the new Game On in Kenner.
- Play laser tag and more at Adventure Quest in Elmwood.
- Jump high and do fun activities at Skyzone Metairie or New Orleans.
New Orleans Playgrounds and Parks
- Pack a picnic and have lunch at the playground in City Park.
- Play Disc Golf at Lafreniere Park.
- Explore the Sculpture Garden in City Park.
- Take in what nature has to offer on the nature walk in LaSalle Park.
- Take a bike ride and see all the beautiful oak trees in Audubon Park.
- Watch all the boats in the Mississippi River at Woldenberg Park.
- Play some sports and check out the new playground while viewing the Mississippi River at The Fly
- Play around and watch the streetcars go by at Palmer Park.
- Take the dog for a walk and play at Crescent Park, this 20 acre park is located on the Mississippi River and has bike paths, a dog run and more!
- Step back in time at Kenner's Heritage Park, located in Rivertown this park has the cutest little chapel, a replica of a 1930's gas station and more. Open Saturday's from 11 am – 3 pm.
- Watch the Sunset and all of the sailboats in Lake Pontchartrain at the Lakefront Park.
- Become a junior ranger at the Jazz Historic Park in the French Quarter.
- Play at one of the many playgrounds located throughout New Orleans,Jefferson Parish and Kenner.
- Skateboard at Kenner Skate Park. Located in Wentwood Playground on the corner of W. Loyola and Loyola.
- Go on a hike at Couturie Forest in City Park.
- Discover all the birds and other animals at the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge.
- Hike the trails of the Barataria Preserve
New Orleans Zoo and Animal Encounters
- Take a tour of the swamps with a Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour
- Check out all the fish and the insects at the newly remodeled Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium.
- Ride some horses at the Cascade Stables.
- See all the animals at Audubon Zoo.
- Feed a giraffe at Global Wildlife Center
- Learn about animals, growing your own vegetables, and farming at Sugar Roots Farm and Grow Dat Farm.
Outdoor Things To Do In New Orleans With Kids
- Stroll through Jackson Square and the French Quarter and check out the local artist and performers.
- Explore nature and play in the gardens at City Park Botanical Garden, free on Wednesdays to Louisiana Residents.
- Catch some fish in Lake Pontchartrain.
- Learn about all the different plants and take a tour of Long Vue House and Gardens. Free to Louisiana Residents on the first Sunday of every month from 1-5 pm.
- Take a walk along the banks of Lake Pontchartrain on the levee starting in Bucktown or by Bonnabel Boat Launch.
- Walk or bike along the Mississippi River. The levee path goes from the Todd Shipyard site in Algiers to the Huey P. Long bridge.
- Ride the Lady Bug and other rides at the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park in City Park
- Get a hole-in-one at City Putt in City Park.
- Take a kid-friendly walking tour of New Orleans.
- Go for a boat ride in the Mississippi River on the Creole Queen.
- Take a carriage ride through the French Quarter.
- Visit the site of the Battle of New Orleans at the Chalmette Battlefield.
- Explore Music Box Village, an interactive village of musical architecture
- Rent the bikes or canoes at City Park and explore the park differently
- Speed around at NOLA Motorsports.
- Rent a paddleboard and explore Bayou St. John at Bayou Paddleboards.
- Kayak through the Manchac Swamp.
- Feel Brave by taking a Cemetery or Ghost Tours around the city. They have many to choose from.
- Be a tourist and take a city tour on the double-decker bus at City Sightseeing New Orleans.
- Zipline over the Maurepas Swamp.
Food Adventures In New Orleans With Kids
- Be a chef and make your own pizza at the Pizza Shoppe.
- Chose a different snoball stand every week and try a different flavor each time you go.
- Eat beignets at Cafe Du Monde.
- Sample sweet treats and watch candy being made at Southern Candymakers in the French Quarter.
- Satisfy your sweet tooth with some ice cream at Creole Creamery.
- Create your own pizza and ice cream as part of the Kid's Table Cooking Series at Acorn Cafe.
- Experience the culinary side of the city at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.
Free and Cheap Activities In New Orleans With Kids
- Tour and learn some history at the St. Louis Cathedral.
- Take a streetcar down St. Charles.
- Explore the Audubon Nature Center.
- Visit the French Market and check out the local artists and farmers
- Create a scavenger hunt around the city and incorporate some history.
- Stroll around the French Quarter and check out all the famous architecture around the city
- Walk around the Garden District and explore all of the homes and gardens that are National Historic Landmarks.
- Experience great views of the city on a Ferry Ride.
- See the stars at the Gretna Observatory, located behind Gretna Junior High on Gretna Blvd and is open on Monday and Wednesday Nights from dusk to 11 pm in the summer and dusk to 10 pm in the winter.
- Make a wish in the fountain while looking at all of the Mississippi River ships at Spanish Plaza.
- Window Shop and grab some lunch on Magazine Street.
- Go to the Farmers Markets in Old Metairie, Gretna, and New Orleans
Splash Pads and Waterparks In New Orleans for Kids
- Have some water fun at Blue Bayou or Gulf Island Water Park.
- Cool off at the Lafreniere Park Splash Pad.
- Cool down and relax in the lazy river at the Cool Zoo in the Audubon Zoo.
- Get wet at the splash pad at Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville.
- Have a fun water day with friends at the Ormond Splash Pad in Destrehan
- Play in the fountains in front of the Aquarium at Waldenburg Park
- Splash around in the wave pool Buccaneer Bay in Waveland, Mississippi
- Take a swim at one of the NORD Pools
Road Trips Near New Orleans You Can Take With Kids
- Pick Blueberries at Ride More Berry Farm in Covington.
- Play at the Children's Museum of St. Tammany Parish in Mandeville
- Take a tour of Abita Brewery (yes, kids are allowed) and have lunch at the Abita Brew Pub afterward.
- See how Tabasco is made with a tour of Avery Island.
- Check out the mysteries at Abita Mystery House.
- Get hands-on at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center in Gulfport or the Louisiana Discovery Center in Hammond.
- Learn about stars, planets, and much more at the Infinity Science Center on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
- Take a road trip to Pensacola to watch the Blue Angels Practice.
- Spend the day at White Sands Day Lake Beach.
- Take a boat ride to Ship Island in Biloxi.
- Explore all the exhibits at the Bayou Country Children's Museum in Thibodaux
- Visit and tour the Whitney Plantation museum in Edgard, LA. Or one of the many plantations that line River Road, such as Destrehan Plantation , Laura and Oak Alley Plantation.
- Take a trip down to the Grand Isle to play on the beach and visit the butterfly dome!
- For only $3 per person you can go play on the beaches of Lake Pontchartrain, splash around the water playground or take at hike at Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville.
- Hike the trails at Northlake Nature Center.
- Take a hike, visit the nature center and cool off on the splash pad at Tickfaw State Park
- The galleries and exhibits at the Louisiana Science and Art Museum in Baton Rouge are perfect for kids!
- Take a tour of the USS KID in Baton Rouge and find out why she was called “Pirate of the Pacific”
- Take a trip back in time and see what life was like in 18th and 19th century LA at the Rural Life Museum.
- There is hands on learning for all ages at the Children's Museum of Acadiana in Lafayette, while you are there stop by the science museum for interactive science fun.
- Older kids will love zip-lining through the trees at Zip N Fun Adventure Park in Gulfport Mississippi
- Explore a WWII Battleship in Mobile, Alabama with a tour of the USS Alabama
- While you are in Mobile visit the Gulf Coast Exploreum filled with over 150 interactive exhibits.
- Ride rides and make a splash at the Gulf Coast's only amusement park – OWA! Bring your swimsuits so you can enjoy the waterpark as well!
- Learn about the nation's Naval Aviation history at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida
- Knock Knock Children's Museum In Baton Rouge
- Visit the dolphins at Ocean Adventures
What are you doing today?
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