Steve and I know the Crescent City pretty much like the back of our hands by now. At this point we like to venture out of the city. So we took a trip to a small town north of Lake Ponchartrain for a visit to the Global Wildlife Center in Folsom LA.
The greeting committee
The opportunity arose to visit the north shore when someone Steve had been working with suggested we meet in person. I did a little digging and found someplace we could meet for lunch in his hometown of Folsom. Neither Steve nor I had even heard of Folsom, let alone been there. But I settled on Geaux Pizza because their menu sounded delicious and it was right on the main road, so it would be easy to find.
Geaux Pizza
Geaux Pizza in Folsom LA
Folsom, LA is a really small town. We passed lots of horse farms, a few heads of cattle and not a whole lot more en route to Geaux Pizza. But the ride was beautiful! First we crossed the entire length of Lake Ponchartrain on the “world’s longest causeway”, which is over 23-miles long. The lake is so vast that you feel like you are looking out at an ocean. It was a gorgeous, but chilly, winter day and the sun bounced across the water like a beach ball.
Geaux Eat!
After passing through the suburban towns of Mandeville and Covington, we arrived in, much more rural, Folsom. Though it was lunchtime, Geaux Pizza was just about empty. Probably because a Coke delivery truck was blocking the entire entrance and parking lot. We got the driver to move so we could park. Our friend was running late, and by the time he arrived there was a line to order.
Yummy Philly Cheese Steak Pizza
Steve and I shared the Philly Cheese Steak Pizza and our friend had the lunch special. The lunch special was a real bargain – 2 slices and a drink for $7! Our pizza was delicious!! The 12-inch pie had a great thin crust that was amply covered in stretchy provolone cheese, thinly shaved steak, sautéed onions, peppers and mushrooms. All of that was anointed with a cheddar cheese sauce.
While we were enjoying our lunch our friend asked it we knew about the Global Wildlife Center very nearby. We had not. So after we said our goodbyes, Steve and I headed over there.
Global Wildlife Center Folsom LA
Rhea pecks for food while deer graze the same field
What a hidden gem the Global Wildlife Center in Folsom LA is! This vast piece of property is home to countless rheas, majestic giraffes, zebras, deer, camels, llamas, graceful antelopes, adorable kangaroos, bison and more. Here the animals roam freely. Wildlife lovers in New Orleans can enjoy their own safari without the expense of a plane ticket.
South American Llama
So this is where the deer and the antelope play!
The wildlife center opened in 1991 and is now home to over 3,500 exotic, threatened and endangered animals from across the globe.
Welcome to Cranky Corners
We passed Cranky Corners in Folsom, on our way to and from the Wildlife Center
Unfortunately, the day we were there was too chilly to take the 75 minute, open air wagon tour. We would have loved to have bought some food to offer them and have them eating out of our hands. But instead we just drove through the 900-acre property a bit and got to enjoy a seeing a whole bunch of deer, a few rheas and a handful of llamas.
Huge horse farm in Folsom LA
When we return to New Orleans next Spring, we vowed to return to Global Wildlife Center in Folsom LA for the full experience.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks