New Orleans City Park

State: Louisiana. Type: 1,300-acre urban park in New Orleans, about 50% larger than New York's Central Park. Established 1854, formally named City Park in 1891, making it the 48th oldest park in the U.S. Owned by the City of New Orleans, administered by the nonprofit City Park Conservancy (referred to historically as the City Park Improvement Association). Draws an estimated 5 million visitors a year and ranks as the 20th-most-visited urban public park in the U.S. Address: 1 Palm Drive, New Orleans, LA 70124; phone 504-482-4888.

City Park is a 1,300-acre green space in New Orleans that grew out of the former Allard Plantation, established as parkland in 1854 and formally designated City Park in 1891. It is famous for the world's largest collection of mature live oak trees, some estimated at over 600 years old, including the historic Dueling Oaks where 19th-century duels reportedly took place. The park houses the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, the New Orleans Botanical Garden, the Louisiana Children's Museum, Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, and Storyland, alongside golf, tennis, biking and boating facilities around Big Lake. Hurricane Katrina caused about $43 million in damage to the park in 2005, and it has since rebuilt and expanded its attractions. Today it is administered by the nonprofit City Park Conservancy rather than the city's parks department directly, and draws roughly 5 million visitors annually, making it one of the most-visited urban parks in the country.

City Park is located at 1 Palm Drive, New Orleans, LA 70124, in the Mid-City area of New Orleans, bordered generally by Bayou St. John and City Park Avenue.

New Orleans has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and mild winters; because much of City Park is outdoor green space, the most comfortable weather for walking, biking and boating tends to fall outside the peak summer heat and humidity.

Spring and fall offer milder temperatures for enjoying the park's oak-lined paths, gardens and lake activities, while winter (outside major holidays) tends to be quieter; the park is open daily year-round, so seasonal festivals and events, such as holiday light displays, are also worth checking before planning a visit.

City Park was established in 1854 on land that had been the Allard Plantation, and was formally designated 'City Park' in 1891, making it the 48th oldest park in the United States. Although owned by the City of New Orleans, it has long been administered by a dedicated body (historically the City Park Improvement Association, now the City Park Conservancy) rather than the city's general parks department. Its collection of mature live oak trees, some believed to be over 600 years old, predates the park's formal founding and includes the Dueling Oaks, a site associated with 19th-century duels. Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005 and caused an estimated $43 million in damage to the park; recovery in the years since has included expanded facilities and new attractions.

Visitors can walk or bike among the park's ancient live oaks, ride Carousel Gardens Amusement Park's historic carousel, explore the New Orleans Botanical Garden and the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, visit the New Orleans Museum of Art, take children to Storyland or the Louisiana Children's Museum, golf at Bayou Oaks, play mini-golf at City Putt, or paddle, fish and birdwatch around Big Lake. NOLA City Bark offers a dedicated dog park for pet owners.

Major sites within the park include the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, the New Orleans Botanical Garden with its Pelican Greenhouse, Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, Storyland, the Louisiana Children's Museum, the Dueling Oaks, and Big Lake with its landscaped pedestrian and bicycle path.

City Park sits in the Mid-City section of New Orleans, a short drive from downtown and the French Quarter; Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is the nearest major airport, with rideshare, taxi or rental car the most practical way to reach the park from the airport or from downtown hotels.

The park's own materials describe it as 'Open Daily,' though specific hours were not detailed on the pages fetched for this research; individual attractions inside the park, such as the museum, botanical garden, and amusement rides, keep their own separate hours that should be checked directly before visiting.

Entering City Park itself is generally free, since it is a public city park, but individual attractions inside it, including the New Orleans Museum of Art, Botanical Garden, Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, Storyland, and City Putt, each charge their own separate admission; specific current prices were not confirmed in this research and should be checked on neworleanscitypark.org.

A half day is enough for a walk through the oaks and one or two attractions, while a full day allows time to combine the museum, sculpture garden, botanical garden and Big Lake activities.

City Park sits in the Mid-City neighborhood, with a mix of smaller hotels and guesthouses nearby and a much larger concentration of hotel options a short drive away in the French Quarter and Central Business District.

The park has several on-site dining options, including Café Du Monde, Café NOMA, City Park Snoballs, Filmore in the Oaks, and Parker's Pizza, alongside additional restaurants in the surrounding Mid-City neighborhood.

Bayou St. John runs alongside the park and is popular for kayaking; the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans, including the Audubon Aquarium and St. Louis Cathedral, are a short drive away.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is the primary gateway; within the city, New Orleans RTA streetcar and bus lines serve the Mid-City area near the park, though a car or rideshare offers the most flexibility for reaching the park's more spread-out attractions.

As with any large public park, stay in well-trafficked, lit areas after dark and keep an eye on children near Big Lake and other water features; for any emergency, dial 911.

Comfortable walking or biking shoes, sunscreen and water are useful given the park's size and largely outdoor layout; insect repellent is worth packing given the park's proximity to Bayou St. John and Big Lake.

Because the park is so large, deciding in advance which one or two attractions (the museum, sculpture garden, botanical garden, or amusement rides) to prioritize helps make the most of a visit; renting a bike is a popular way to cover more ground among the oaks and around Big Lake.

Dial 911 for any emergency. The park's general information line, per its official site, is 504-482-4888.

New Orleans City Park - https://neworleanscitypark.org/

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.