Audubon Park

Audubon Park in Uptown New Orleans is one of those rare places that makes locals feel lucky to live in their city. A 350-acre urban park draped in ancient live oaks with Spanish moss, it serves as the green heart of the Uptown neighborhood and offers families one of the most beautiful free outdoor experiences in the South.

The park has an iconic quality that even young children absorb — there's something about walking under the cathedral canopy of century-old oaks that feels different from ordinary parks. The main lagoon at the park's center gives the park its postcard look and provides genuine wildlife encounters (ducks, turtles, herons) that kids find endlessly interesting.

For practical family use: the playground area has a spray ground (splash pad) that operates in warmer months and is unequivocally the best thing you can do with a 3-7 year old on a hot New Orleans day. It's free, well-maintained, and surrounded by enough bench seating that parents can watch comfortably. The one-mile paved loop around the park is great for bikes, scooters, and stroller walks.

Magazine Street runs along one side of the park, offering one of New Orleans' best casual dining streets within easy walking distance. The combination of park and Magazine Street makes this a genuinely complete morning or afternoon outing — play, then lunch, without getting in a car.

The Audubon Zoo adjoins the park's back section. Zoo admission is separate, but the proximity makes it easy to combine into a full day. The St. Charles Avenue streetcar stops right at the park, making car-free access from the French Quarter or Garden District straightforward.