Our extended time in Sulphur Springs, Texas meant we needed to change our planned itinerary in order to be in New Stanton, Pennsylvania for our reservation there. With about 10 days to get there we figured out that the best route allowed for a bonus visit to NOLA, along with a few days to see our son and daughter in love.
Welcome to Louisiana!
We actually drove straight through from Texas to NOLA, over 500 miles, which we very rarely do. It was an exhausting trip but worth it!
White Mulberry Bush at the rest stop in Shreveport Louisiana
This was, by far, our shortest visit to New Orleans that I can remember. We had just enough time to eat three of the most iconic New Orleans foods and visit with our dear friend Melissa, the manager of the RV park that we’ve been staying at for the past 5 years. Our visit was brief but wonderful!!!
Visiting our favorite location of Café Du Monde in City Park
After some much needed rest, we awoke ready for our favorite guilty pleasure breakfast – beignet from Café Du Monde. The location that most visitors to the Crescent City go to is the one in the French Quarter. It usually has a very long line and parking can be a nightmare. But after living in NOLA for months at a time we have learned that the best location of Café Du Monde is in City Park. The scenery is gorgeous, there’s plenty of parking and tons of tables both inside and out. Plus if you have the time you can stroll through the magnificent Sculpture Gardens there for free!
One of my favorite guilty pleasures!
For dinner we picked up Muffuletta at Central Grocery, that we devoured after warming them in the oven to make the cheese all ooey and gooey.
New Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor
Gorgeous Lake Pontchartrain
A gorgeous summer day for boating!
Our dear friend Melissa’s beautiful sailboat.
The next day we spent visiting with Melissa. We finally got to see her wonderful sailboat at the New Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor. We were wowed by this gorgeous and huge marina on Lake Pontchartrain. Melissa promised to take us out for a sail when we return in December. In fact she’s planning on docking her boat where we will be staying at New Orleans RV Resort and Marina, so we can be together everyday. So much to look forward to!
First half inhaled!
The other half of my glorious, fully dressed fried oyster Po’ Boy at Domilise’s
After we dropped Melissa off back at the RV park, we went for an early dinner to the very best place for Po’ Boys – Domilise’s on Annunciation Street. This time we both had their amazing Fried Oyster Po’ Boys fully dressed. Just writing about it makes my mouth water. Those crusty French breads are filled to overflowing with plump, sweet oysters that are fried to perfection with a crispy coating. Joining the party is lettuce, tomato, pickles, remoulade sauce. I always top it off with a few shakes of Louisiana Crystal hot sauce. Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm It’s a good thing we will be back in NOLA in a couple of weeks because now I’m really jonesing for a taste of sandwich perfection!!!
As we drove away from New Orleans we were very happy that we had made this bonus visit to NOLA.
Get me to the Batmobile!
Holy Batmobile Robin!
The very cool interior of the Batmobile
On our way to an another bonus visit, this one to our son and DIL’s, we stopped for fuel and had a surprising and fun encounter. Filling up at another gas pump was the BATMOBILE. The owner even showed us that the car plays the theme song from the Batman franchise. Cool beans!
As an FYI, we have stayed at Three Oaks and a Pine RV Park in New Orleans East for the last 5 years. This stay will be the last time that we will park there. It has always been a pretty bare bones park. It offered the basic amenities with men’s and women’s showers and laundry facilities that didn’t always work. In 2025, when Melissa became the manager, things seemed to be improving. And Melissa was so warm, friendly and welcoming that we have become friends forever. But right after our visit in June the owners fired Melissa and hired a homeless alcoholic to run things for a lower salary.
The park never really felt totally safe due to gun shots ringing out on the other side of the park fence each and every night. The neighborhood is sketchy at best. Lots of hookers and drug dealers roaming the streets outside the security gate. There was even someone gunned down and killed right in front of the park during one of our stays. But the monthly rate was the cheapest around, so we put up with all of the negatives.
However the park has deteriorated even further. We have learned that the people staying there are not people we would want to associate with. They are unsavory characters in run down RVs.
Steve and I have decided that saving a few dollars is not worth the risk. So at the beginning of December, when we return to New Orleans, we will be staying at the New Orleans RV Resort and Marina. We stayed there in 2010 when it was pretty new. Now it’s huge! It’s on a tributary of Lake Ponchartrain so there’s a marina, houseboat rentals, cabin rentals, laundry, pool, convenience store, souvenir shop and restaurant in addition to lots of RV sites. We will be there for 2 months and we can’t wait to get there!!!
