Discovering the Cultural — and Quieter

Making Memories

By Sue Strauss photos by author

Discovering the Cultural — and Quieter — Side of New Orleans

By stepping out of the party scene, RVers will find a wealth of history and natural places to visit and photograph in and around one of America’s oldest cities.

The front of Oak Alley plantation grounds in New Orleans

Oak Alley’s historic grounds and plantation can be seen from the Greater River Road drive— a historic drive from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. This plantation is named for its distinguishing visual feature, an alley created by a double row of southern live oak trees about 800 feet long. The oak alley runs between the home and the Mississippi River. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark.

ew Orleans, Louisiana, is one of the most eccentric and vibrant cities in North America. Known for its amazing food, live music and warm southern hospitality, festivals abound in New Orleans, including the French Quarter Festival, Satchmo Summer Fest, and Mardi Gras — the greatest “free show” in the world. And yes, you should attend Mardi Gras at least once.

But while the city is alive with plenty of glitz, music and fun watering holes, there are numerous historical and cultural points of interest that are worth visiting during your RV travels.

In the winter of 2019, my husband and I were planning a trip across the southern United States, with stops in many of the major cities, including Phoenix, Houston, New Orleans and Atlanta, to name a few. I own a “Passport To Your National Parks, Collector’s Edition” book, which lists pertinent information and maps on national parks, national battlefields, national monuments and more. It was in the Passport book that I discovered Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.

As I soon learned, New Orleans history plays an important part in the establishment of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. The city was founded by the French in 1718 by the governor of French Louisiana, Jean Baptiste Le Moyne; located at the mouth of the Mississippi River, New Orleans became the busiest port city in the Gulf of Mexico. During this time, a French pirate and privateer named Jean Lafitte became known for his smuggling in the area. Men who worked for Lafitte were called Baratarians, because the waterways they used for smuggling — essentially swamps and bayous — were located in the Barataria. Merchants and planters often came to the Barataria and purchased goods from these smugglers. In the 1760s, France ceded Louisiana to Spain; it reverted back to French control in 1803 and was later sold to the United States through the Louisiana Purchase. Jean Lafitte, for his part, later traded his pirate life to become a patriot who fought heroically for the U.S. in The Battle of New Orleans.

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve actually consists of six physically separate sites, covering nature, preserves and swamps and New Orleans history, including the War of 1812 and the aforementioned Battle of New Orleans. One of the park’s six sites is located in the heart of New Orleans in the French Quarter. The Jean Lafitte Historical Park and Preserve Headquarters and French Quarter Visitor Center has exhibits that highlight south Louisiana culture, nature and history. Admission is free, but there is no parking available.

Chalmette Battlefield, another site at the park and preserve well worth a visit, is where the Battle of New Orleans was fought. This campaign, fought in January of 1815, was the last battle of the War of 1812 and was an American victory over the British. Andrew Jackson led the American troops and was aided by Jean Lafitte, whose knowledge of the area was of great help to the Americans. Located 6 miles downriver from the French Quarter, Chalmette Battlefield offers guided tours of an 1815 battlefield, a reconstructed American rampart, the 100-foot-high Chalmette Monument, a visitor center and annual reenactments. The visitor center houses fabulous exhibits and artifacts from the area and movies detailing the Battle of New Orleans. In addition to touring the battlefield, you can also tour the Malus-Beauregard House. This 1830s mansion overlooks the site of the Battle of New Orleans and is open for self-guided tours. Also located on this site is a 100-foot-high memorial obelisk. From an observation deck at the top of this monument, visitors can view the entire battlefield and its surroundings, including the Mississippi River and, just five miles away, the city of New Orleans.

Chalmette National Cemetery also sits adjacent to this site. Established in 1864 near the end of the Civil War, the cemetery was first called Monument Cemetery until its later distinction as a national cemetery. This resting place holds the remains of Civil War casualties and veterans, as well as those soldiers from the War of 1812 to the Vietnam War. More than 15,000 soldiers are interred here, laid in rows between the Live Oak Trees, that have stood here almost as long. An audio tour is available.

The Chalmette Battlefield visitor center is located at One Battlefield Road in Chalmette, Louisiana. A large parking lot can accommodate anything from cars to RVs and admission is free. If you don’t have a car to drive out to the battlefield, you can hop on the Creole Queen paddlewheel boat from downtown New Orleans. A 2.5-hour narrated cruise departs the Outlet Collection at Riverwalk on Poydras Street and cruises to the battlefield park. Cost for the Creole Queen boat ride to the battlefield is $36 per adult roundtrip or $53 per person including lunch.

Chalmette Battlefield monument standing tall above the treeline amidst the gravestones

Veteran gravestones lined under southern oak trees at the Chalmette National Cemetery

This 100-foot-tall memorial obelisk is often called the Chalmette Monument. The monument was completed in 1908 and stands on land known as Chalmette Battlefield. Visitors can climb the stairs inside this monument, up to an observation deck that overlooks the entire battlefield and its surroundings. Chalmette National Cemetery was established in 1864, with more than 15,000 headstones marking the gravesites of veterans of the Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII and the Vietnam War. Four graves actually hold the remains of American soldiers who fought in the War of 1812.

The Barataria Preserve is yet another site of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. This site would interest those of you who enjoy wildlife and nature, but the site also has a great deal of history surrounding it. The preserve is located in Marrero, an approximate 30-minute drive from the French Quarter. The Barataria Preserve encompasses 26,000 acres of Louisiana’s wild wetlands and features eight miles of boardwalk and hard-surfaced trails for visitors to tour and get a better look at the preserve’s swamps and bayous. Birding is a popular activity at this site, as well as viewing wildflowers and plants. The site has a visitor center and offers daily ranger-led walks and presentations. Admission to this part of the national historical park and preserve is free. Boat tours of the preserve are also offered by a private company, Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours & Airboat Tours.

Cypress tree knees in the Barataria Preserve swampland

Strange formations of cypress trees known as knees push up through the swampland in Barataria Preserve. Moss hangs from the branches of cypress trees and hidden creatures hide beneath the water and mud. Walk along the boardwalks in this preserve, which is one of the best examples of Louisiana’s wetlands.

A recently-constructed cabin floating on the bayou at Bayou Segnette State Park

Imagine fishing right off your porch! Cabins that float on the bayou are available for rent at Bayou Segnette State Park. These recently constructed cabins can accommodate up to eight people per cabin, and provide everything you need including cooking utensils, dishes and bed linens.

The remaining three sites of this national historical park and preserve all lie to the south and west of New Orleans and are a one- to three-hour drive from the French Quarter. The Acadian Cultural Center focuses on Acadians, a French-speaking North American culture that included settlers deported from Canada who moved to Louisiana. This cultural center in Lafayette focuses on stories of the Cajun culture. The Prairie Acadian Cultural Center, in Eunice, offers ranger programs and ranger-guided boat tours of the area. This cultural center also offers free Cajun cooking demonstrations. Meanwhile, the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux focuses on the stories of Acadians and the Cajun culture and their music and offers walking tours. Admission to these three cultural centers is free.

While visiting New Orleans and the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, we camped at the very nice Bayou Segnette State Park in Westwego, Louisiana. A 20-minute drive to the French Quarter of New Orleans, this park sits southwest of the city on the west bank of the Mississippi River. Interestingly, while the park is not far from the urban center of New Orleans, it features access to amazing swamp and marsh wetlands. The park offers a wealth of activities ranging from birding and wildlife viewing to hiking, boating, kayaking and canoeing. Fishing is also a very popular activity in this park, and it offers saltwater- and freshwater-fishing opportunities. It also has a wave pool, open Tuesday through Sunday, with daily entrance fees costing between $8 and $10.

A Great Blue Heron wading through the wetlands at Bayour Segnette State Park

Wildlife abounds at Bayou Segnette State Park and birdwatchers will be entertained for hours. This Great Blue Heron was wading through the wetlands in search of its next meal.

Bayou Segnette State Park’s campground offers 98 large premium campsites, including handicap accessible sites, a laundry room and dump station. Sites are very wide with varying lengths — many of which will easily handle RVs up to 45 feet — include 50-amp service and water and are available with prices ranging from $30-$33 per night (weekday or weekend) during peak months of April through September. The campground is open year-round, with reduced rates from October to March. Bayou Segnette State Park also honors America the Beautiful Senior Pass and will give a 50% discount on camping fees to these cardholders. Sixteen cabins are also available for rent at the park — the cabins actually float on the bayou and provide guests with all of the essentials, including cooking utensils, dishes and linens. Pet-friendly cabins are even available. Cost of these cabins range from $150-$175 per night, with a two-night minimum required. Campground reservations can be made by going to the Louisiana State Park’s website at: www.louisianastateparks.reserveamerica.com. A state park call center (877-226-7652) is also available for those wishing to make their reservations by phone.

While camping at Bayou Segnette State Park you might want to consider taking a historic drive to explore the area. The Greater River Road Drive covers a 70-mile stretch of highways between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, which hugs the Mississippi River. Along this route, you will be able to view historic homes and plantations that once belonged to highly influential landowners, including the Destrehan Plantation, one of the oldest plantations that dates back to 1787. We took this historic drive and toured Oak Alley Plantation, which got its name from the alley or path created by a double row of live oak trees, as well as the Laura Plantation, a restored Creole plantation. The road takes you through areas that highlight Creole and Cajun cooking, so give yourself plenty of time to taste the food and experience this unique area of Louisiana.

Suzanne Strauss

Suzanne Strauss and her husband, Rich, have been full-time RVers for about four years. They started out camping on weekends in a pup tent; eventually, they bought a small single-axle travel trailer to “test the waters” and fell in love with RVing. Now living most of the year in a diesel-pusher motorhome, they ply the roadways in search of beautiful, interesting and “off the beaten path” places.

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