Our love for the Crescent City seems to deepen with each visit. One of the many, many reasons is New Orleans City Park. This is as magical and unique as the city of New Orleans. The 1,300-acre outdoor oasis has enchanted New Orleanians and visitors alike since 1854. Millions of visitors stroll under the same historic oaks every year. And the picturesque moss canopies have served as the backdrop for dances, concerts and even gentlemanly duels or “affaires d’honneur” for generations.

Gardens

A fabulous amethyst glass sculpture at the entrance to the Botanical Gardens

The Besthoff Sculpture Garden

Today’s City Park offers something for everyone. It is certainly the best city park that we have ever visited. You can stop and smell the roses in the Botanical Garden. Or you can enjoy art in the open-air Besthoff Sculpture Garden. I will be posting more in depth about the amazing Sculpture Gardens soon.

Take a stroll through the sprawling green space or get active on the park’s biking, jogging, and walking paths. You can even practice your serve on one of 26 tennis courts or hit the links on City Park’s new 18-hole golf course.

Carousel

Mansions across the lake at New Orleans City Park

Even a car can be art at City Park!

More of those stunning mansions on the park lake.

The park also offers a host of family-friendly activities, including the one of a kind antique wooden carousel in the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park  which is a hand-carved marvel of “flying horses” that has been a family favorite for nearly 100 years.

Storyland

I’ll always be a kid at heart at the entrance to Storyland

There’s even a Storyland where kids can climb aboard Captain Hook’s pirate ship, follow Pinocchio into the mouth of a whale or scamper up Jack and Jill’s Hill! Fairytales and fantasy come to life before your eyes in City Park’s Storyland. This charming theme playground is a child’s dream come true filled with 20 larger than life storybook sculptures featuring classic fairytale characters.

Tropical Storm Zeta took down this beautiful tree by the lake.

But perhaps the crown jewel of City Park is the world’s largest stand of mature live oaks, which includes a grand oak that dates back nearly 800 years. These unique trees are known for their distinctive sculptural shape – some of the oldest trees have limbs that are twice as long as the oak is tall. I promise you there is no better place in New Orleans to lay down a blanket and read a good book or take a great nap than underneath City Park’s famous oaks.

Paddle boat rentals on the lake

Lots of ducks, geese and beautiful swans along the lake banks and in the water.

Even the paddle boat rentals are pretty white swans!

You can even feed ducks, geese and swans along the lake banks. Or rent a beautiful swan paddle boat for a delightful self propelled cruise.

Equest Farm

Equest Farm at New Orleans City Park

There’s even an equestrian farm!

We seem to be drawn to horses wherever we go.

Steve made a new friend named Frances while he was bike riding at the park!

Frances really loved having Steve’s undivided attention.

There is even a horse farm at City Park. On one of Steve’s many bike rides through the park he discovered Equest Farm. He came back and told me that he had met a very pretty young lady named Frances. Should I be worried? Fortunately Frances is a very beautiful and very sweet horse!

Park History

New Orleans Museum of Art at City Park

The story of City Park was shaped by two major event, the Great Depression and Hurricane Katrina.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Roosevelt Administration invested $12 million in developing the park as part of the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.), which employed 20,000 men and women to build roadways, fountains and even Tad Gormley Stadium. Much of the art found throughout the park originated in the W.P.A. era.

The failure of the federal levee system following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 left 95 percent of City Park sitting in floodwaters for weeks. This inflicted $43 million in damages to New Orleans City Park alone. The public responded with an overwhelming outpouring of support that has funded significant progress in not only repairing, but also improving the park.

Ducks and geese want to scurry…

New Orleans City Park has been 160 years in the making and offers something for everyone on a daily basis. You really have to come see it for yourselves!