Mandeville Staycation :: Close Family Fun
Mandeville is a sweet, sleepy lake town with family-friendly activities perfect for a staycation. A short 24-mile bridge drive away from New Orleans, you can stay over and experience the slower days and outdoor activities. If you’re thinking about taking a trip to the Northshore and looking for some family fun, here are a few of our favorite things.
Staying in Mandeville
There are three bed-and-breakfast options in adorable homes near the lakefront in the part of town known as “Old Mandeville.”
Airbnb also has several options for home rentals in Old Mandeville that you can check out.
The beautiful Southern Hotel is also a fantastic option for an elevated hotel visit with a great restaurant, bar, and courtyard area, which is only about 15 minutes away in Covington.
Things to Do
Fontainebleau State Park is one of our favorite activities. Pack a lunch and bring folding chairs and a small umbrella, a blanket, and beach toys. You can picnic, enjoy the playground, cool off in the splash pad, walk on the pier, and play in the sand on the small beach. The oak grove is beautiful with trees hundreds of years old and perfect for a photo opp! For a few dollars per person entry fee, you can spend all day at the park. (Camping is also an option with tent sites, RV sites, and several cabins – but they book up fast!) If you bring bikes, the grounds are a beautiful place to ride.
Lakefront biking: If you haven’t brought your own bikes, you can rent them at Brooks Bike Rental on Girod Street. Biking up and down the Lakefront, or nearby on the Tammany Trace which connects a few blocks up at the Mandeville Trailhead on Girod Street, is fun and includes two parks and two swing areas for kiddos.
There are also several Lakefront dining areas nearby that are great for families (see below for more!)
The Mandeville Trailhead has a great market on Saturday mornings 10 am – 2 pm, a new splash pad, and a free music series in the spring on Friday nights.
The playground at Koop Drive has two really nice shaded play areas, picnic tables, and swings. Another park that we love is the Madisonville park that is themed around the historic Claribel tugboat, with a great splashpad (about a ten minute drive from Mandeville).
Other outdoor activities include: Family Canoe trips on the Bogue Fayala River or Kayak down Cane Bayou.
Places to Eat
Some of our favorite family-approved dining spots include:
McClain’s Pizza on Girod (indoor/outdoor dining)
Rip’s on the Lake (Lakefront)
Pat’s Rest a While (indoor/outdoor dining on the Lakefront)
Breakfast/Brunch at Lalou
Breakfast/Lunch at Sweet Olive
Nostalgic Candy Store Candy Bank
Frozen Custard Moo Moo’s
Trey Yuen (For a more fine dining experience) – get the flaming appetizer platter
Rusty Pelican for the best burgers (indoor/outdoor dining)
Pyre Provisions for BBQ (indoor/outdoor dining) on the Trailhead
Tandem Coffee for breakfast (or cocktails in the afternoon for Mom and Dad)
Whether it’s just for a day trip or for a weekend getaway, Mandeville is worth the drive. For the large oak trees, abundance of parks, and great dining, consider a family trip to Mandeville this spring or summer!
