Bigger than Central Park and twice as dreamy, New Orleans City Park is a 1,300-acre wonderland of ancient live oaks, glassy lagoons and storybook corners — the city’s beloved backyard.
Stroll beneath the moss-draped Dueling Oaks, some more than 800 years old, and you will find the elegant neoclassical Peristyle mirrored in Bayou Metairie, the free Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, fishing piers, and miles of walking and biking trails winding through it all.
It is a paradise for families — kids love watching the ducks by the lagoons and running free on the Great Lawn — and for runners, cyclists, picnickers and anyone who needs a deep breath of green.
Practical tip: pack a picnic, bring a ball or a bike, and give yourself a whole afternoon. The park is free and open daily, and there is always one more shady corner to discover.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / mrpolyonymous
