Tag: Lake Pontchartrain

Exploring the Best of Louisiana’s Northshore This Summer

Louisiana’s Northshore offers far more than a quick getaway across Lake Pontchartrain, according to this travel article from Visit the Northshore. Throughout the summer, St. Tammany Parish blends peaceful waterways, moss-covered forests, locally owned restaurants, wildlife encounters and lively community traditions into one easy-to-explore destination. With communities such as Covington, Mandeville, Madisonville, Slidell and Abita Springs located within a short drive of one another, visitors can experience several sides of the region without spending most of their vacation on the road. The official Visit The Northshore website also helps travelers plan around seasonal events, outdoor attractions and local businesses.

Summer afternoons practically call for something cold. Shops across the parish serve Louisiana-style snoballs, handmade ice cream, milkshakes and nostalgic soda-fountain treats. Hoodoo Ice Cream in downtown Covington, the Old Town Slidell Soda Shop and Honey’s Snoball Shack in Abita Springs offer convenient stops between outdoor adventures. Community markets also bring together seasonal produce, baked goods, prepared foods and regional crafts. The Covington Farmers Market, Mandeville Trailhead Community Market and Abita Springs Art and Farmers Market give visitors a chance to support growers, cooks and makers from across the area.

The area’s waterfront parks provide another way to slow down and enjoy Louisiana’s natural beauty. In Mandeville, Fontainebleau State Park stretches along the shore of Lake Pontchartrain, surrounding visitors with live oaks, wooded trails, sandy lakefront areas and the ruins of a historic sugar mill. Nearby Madisonville offers Fairview-Riverside State Park, where the Tchefuncte River creates a peaceful setting for picnics, camping and waterfront relaxation. Together, the two parks make it possible to experience both the lake and river environments that shape the Northshore.

Travelers who prefer to explore from the water have plenty of choices. Canoe and Trail Adventures offers paddling opportunities on Cane Bayou, a calm waterway flowing between Fontainebleau State Park and the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. Kayaks and canoes also carry visitors along the Bogue Falaya River near Covington, while rentals around Slidell open portions of Bayou Liberty. Farther north, the Bogue Chitto River provides a scenic setting for tubing, canoeing and kayaking through St. Tammany and Washington parishes.

Food remains central to any Northshore visit, especially during Tammany Taste of Summer. Held throughout August, the annual culinary celebration features special menus and offers from participating restaurants across the parish. Visitors can also enjoy meals beside the water at restaurants overlooking the Tchefuncte River, Lake Pontchartrain and Bayou Bonfouca. After dinner, a free concert, community market or seasonal performance can extend the evening, with the Northshore’s events calendar providing updated possibilities throughout the summer.

A summer trip can always be among the cypress trees of Honey Island Swamp, one of the Northshore’s most recognizable natural landscapes. Guided excursions from companies such as Cajun Encounters carry passengers through narrow waterways where alligators rest near the banks, turtles gather on logs and egrets search the shallows for food. Rather than resembling the exaggerated swamps often shown in movies, Honey Island reveals a quiet ecosystem filled with dense greenery, reflective water and abundant wildlife.

Back on land, the Northshore’s trails and animal attractions add variety to the trip. Cyclists and walkers can travel portions of the Tammany Trace, a paved route connecting several Northshore communities through shaded stretches of forest. Visitors can also meet Louisiana alligators at Insta-Gator Ranch and Hatchery near Covington or see giraffes, zebras, camels and other animals at Global Wildlife Center in Folsom. Those seeking a quieter nature experience can follow the short trails and observation areas at Big Branch Marsh, where pine forests and wetlands support numerous bird species.

The Northshore’s appeal ultimately comes from its balance. One day can include a swamp tour and a shaded trail, while the next can bring paddling, shopping, wildlife encounters and a waterfront meal. Instead of functioning as a checklist of disconnected attractions, the region creates a distinctly Louisiana summer experience—one shaped by bayous, local flavors, small-town character and plenty of reasons to remain outdoors.

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Restoring a Landmark: Lincoln Beach Project Gains Momentum

The long-awaited master plan for the restoration of Lincoln Beach in New Orleans has finally been unveiled, offering a detailed vision for how the historic site will be transformed. According to this article from Nola.com, once Lincoln Beach is fully operational, it will offer not only scenic access to Lake Pontchrtrain but also a restored piece of New Orleans history. Among the highlights of the draft proposal is the reimagining of the 1950s-era Carver House Restaurant, which will be converted into a dining space that pays homage to the beach’s past, along with a museum dedicated to telling the story of Lincoln Beach as a beloved recreational escape for Black residents during the Jim Crow era.

The draft master plan is the result of an 18-month collaborative effort that included community input and was led by the nationally recognized design firm Sasaki and Associates. The project, which has been in discussion for decades, finally appears poised to move forward. Located on Hayne Boulevard in New Orleans East, Lincoln Beach was officially closed in 1964 following the passage of the Civil Rights Act, which ended the segregationist policies that had originally necessitated its creation. For years, the site remained abandoned, even as community groups and volunteers continued to clean and visit the beach, often at personal risk, due to safety concerns raised by the city.

Greg Nichols, a representative from the City Hall Office of Resilience and Sustainability, noted that the community’s primary desire has been clear throughout the planning process. According to Nichols, residents simply want access to the beach restored in a safe and simple way. This feedback shaped the focus of the plan’s first phase, which centers on reopening the site with minimal but critical infrastructure.

The initial phase is projected to cost between $17 million and $23 million and is already funded through a combination of city-issued bonds and federal grants, including allocations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Nichols expressed confidence that the federal funds will remain secure despite broader national budget cuts.

Key components of phase one include addressing the complex and currently unsafe access routes. Today, visitors must traverse a busy four-lane road, a seawall, and railroad tracks to reach the beach. The plan proposes draining the long-flooded pedestrian tunnel once used for entry and constructing an elevated pedestrian bridge that will safely connect the parking area to the beach. Additional features include the partial reconstruction of the parking lot, the establishment of a new beachside restaurant, and the demolition of decaying waterfront structures.

A central feature of the master plan is its focus on climate resilience. Recognizing the environmental threats facing the area—such as rising sea levels, hurricanes, and heat waves—planners have incorporated numerous adaptive measures. Most new buildings will be elevated on pilings, and facilities closer to ground level, such as restrooms and shower areas, will be built with breakaway walls to reduce storm damage. To mitigate extreme heat, designers will integrate shaded areas, tree canopies, and misting stations throughout the property.

Nichols emphasized that the draft plan not only sets forth a vision but also outlines actionable steps toward making Lincoln Beach a sustainable, accessible, and culturally significant destination. The city is actively pursuing additional funding sources and exploring revenue-generating features like the restaurant to support ongoing operations.

To ensure long-term management and sustainability, the plan proposes establishing a dedicated nonprofit or conservancy to oversee the site’s upkeep and activities. Public feedback on the plan is encouraged and will be accepted until June 2. Following the comment period, the city plans to select a contractor, with construction expected to begin by late 2025 or early 2026. If all goes according to schedule, Lincoln Beach could reopen to the public as early as 2026 or 2027

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