Outdoor and Nature Things to Do in New Orleans

New Orleans has a reputation for staying up late and indoors, but the city and the wetlands around it are full of outdoor things to do. If you want sun, water, and wildlife instead of another bar crawl, you have options ranging from a free walk in a 1,300-acre park to a guided kayak trip through alligator country. Here is how I would spend the outdoor part of a New Orleans trip, ranked roughly by how memorable each one tends to be.

Kayak the swamp

This is the one I would not skip. A guided kayak swamp tour drops you into the Manchac and Honey Island swamps, the wetlands that make this part of Louisiana what it is. At Crescent City Kayak the tour runs about 2 hours, costs $65 per person, and meets at 740 N Rampart Street. Because you are paddling instead of riding a loud boat, the wildlife stays put. Alligators on logs, great blue herons, egrets, ibis, turtles stacked on branches, and now and then an eagle. The cypress trees and Spanish moss handle the scenery.

Go in the morning if you can. Morning light is best on the water and the air is cooler before the afternoon heat sets in. If you are visiting in a particular season, a little planning helps, and the rest of this list works around whatever the weather is doing.

City Park and Audubon Park

If you want free and easy, the city has two big parks worth your time. City Park is larger than Central Park, full of ancient live oaks, lagoons you can paddle, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the Besthea Sculpture Garden. Audubon Park, uptown near the river, has a flat 1.8-mile loop popular with runners and a golf course, plus the zoo next door. Both are good for a slow morning or an afternoon that does not cost a dime.

City Park for oaks, lagoons, art, and space to wander.
Audubon Park for an easy loop walk or run and quick zoo access.

The Mississippi River and the levee

You can walk or bike the levee path along the river for miles. The Crescent Park stretch in the Bywater and Marigny gives you skyline views, an arched pedestrian bridge, and a quiet spot to watch the working river go by. It is one of the few places in the city where you feel how big the Mississippi actually is. Sunrise and sunset are the good windows here.

Wildlife refuges and trails

South of the city, the Barataria Preserve in the Jean Lafitte park system has boardwalk trails through marsh and swamp where you can spot gators, snakes, and birds on foot. It is a good complement to a kayak trip if you want more wetland time without getting back on the water. North of the lake, the Northlake Nature Center near Mandeville has shaded trails and its own slice of cypress swamp.

Build a whole outdoor day

The trick to doing New Orleans outdoors in any season is stacking the active stuff in the morning and saving the slower stuff for the heat of the afternoon. A morning on the water, lunch, then a shaded park walk is a clean, full day. If you are planning a longer stay, the 3-day itinerary that gets you outside shows you how to thread several of these together without burning out.

If your visit lands during carnival, do not assume everything is parades. The things to do during Mardi Gras season besides the parades guide leans hard into the outdoor and quieter options, which is exactly what you want when the streets get loud. And if you want to know what a first trip into the swamp actually feels like before you go, read what to expect on your first New Orleans swamp tour.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best outdoor activity near New Orleans?

For most visitors the standout is a guided kayak swamp tour on the Manchac or Honey Island swamps. It gets you close to alligators, herons, and cypress in a way no other New Orleans activity does. Our tour runs about 2 hours, costs $65 per person, and meets at 740 N Rampart Street. City Park and Audubon Park are great free options if you want to stay inside the city.

Can you do outdoor things in New Orleans in summer?

Yes, you just go early. Summer in New Orleans is hot and humid, so the smart move is to be outside in the morning. A morning swamp tour beats the worst heat, and morning light is best on the water anyway. Bring water, sunscreen, and a hat for anything you do midday.

How far is the swamp from downtown New Orleans?

The Manchac and Honey Island swamps are within an easy drive of the city. We meet at 740 N Rampart Street, right by the French Quarter, so you start downtown and head out from there. Plan your day around the tour time and you will be back in the city with plenty of afternoon left.