Grandchildren Friendly Outings in New Orleans :: 25 Unique Ideas For Your Family

Whether you’re in New Orleans simply to visit your grandchildren or whether you live in New Orleans as a grandparent year round, you may be wondering what activities across New Orleans are family friendly. Maybe your New Orleans grandchildren are out of ideas of their own, or maybe you’re simply looking for a new adventure. Whatever the reason, we are so happy you found this list of outings to enjoy with your grandchildren here in New Orleans!

1. Grab some treats and feed the birds at Lafreniere Park, New Orleans City Park, or Bonnabel Boat Launch. For a special treat, try feeding the ducks cracked corn, fresh peas, or grape halves. Pigeons love corn and barley! The grandchildren can munch on peas and grapes too! {Hint :: there are also sno-balls at City Park and Lafreneiere}
2. Take your grandkids on a day trip to Fontainebleau. Just a short trip over the Causeway, this state park is a favorite with our littles because they have a splash pad, a beach (yes, all the messy sand!) and lots of hiking trails. Admission is only $3 a person, with seniors and kids under 3 FREE. {Hint to grandparents :: sing songs all the way across the bridge, take a picnic and make a day of it}
3. Check out a new local breakfast spot, like Toast in Gretna that has a great outdoor area where the kids can run free. You can make a whole day out of all the activities that you can find exploring the Westbank! From Dough Nyguner’s Vietnamese Bakery, to Crescent City Ninja, to Airborne X – there are lots of hidden gems to discover on this side of the GNO. Take the Algiers ferry back and forth for extra fun!
4. Spend the afternoon making pizzas for lunch at Reginelli’s. The grandchildren will have a blast assembling their personal pizzas. If you visit the Metairie location, they also have a toy room in the back seating area.
5. For another sweet treat, bring your grandchildren to enjoy stuffed sno-balls at Sal’s! Seriously, rainbow sno-balls filled with ice cream? What New Orleans treat could be better?!
6. Take a walk through one of our many nature trails in the area! We have places like the Jean Lafitte Nature Trail & Barataria Preserve that are close and will offer a full day of exploration and fun.
7. For the older grandchildren, ride on a bike taxi through the French Quarter. Bike Taxi Unlimited can carry 3 passengers per bike and are an exciting way to scoot around the city. The kids will love this unique ride through New Orleans, and grandparents will love not having to walk 8 blocks to the French Market!
8. Visit the French Market and participate in the variety of events that they have scheduled, like the Johnette Downing’s Family Music Series that is coming up
9. Take the grandchildren for some pampering! Maybe it’s getting them a new haircut (if you are on the Northshore and have never been to Sharkey’s Cuts For Kids you are missing out!) If you have a girly girl, you should definitely treat her to a day at Southern Swings Nail Bar. Located uptown on Magazine Street, the area is beautiful and the salon is a full southern experience, adorned with old (comfortable!) porch swings you sit in suspended from the ceiling.
10. Take a trip to the new and improved Louisiana Children’s Museum. Educational fun awaits with the all new 8.6 acre indoor and outdoor campus located in City Park. Discover the museum’s five focus areas: sustainability, health and wellness, literacy, STEM, and arts and culture.
11. Head over to Rock’n’Bowl for a fun time for all ages. Split up into teams for a light hearted family competition. After you’ve bowled, you can grab lunch there. Westside Lanes is also great for kids and offer free games throughout the year. Colonial Lanes in Harahan is awesome too! If you are bringing alllll the grandkids, check out their party package and I think its a steal for all that you get for 6 people.
12. The Canal Lighthouse is a really neat attraction right on Lake Ponchartrain that blends hands on learning with outdoor fun.
13. City Park has become a central part of our family’s hangout time! Fishing is a favorite pastime for all generations. City Park offers several spots to fish, including a Fishing Pier on Marconi Ave. Don’t forget your fishing license! Mini golf at City Putt is a tripguaranteed to bring joy (and possibly a bit of competition) to your grandchildren. Visit the Carousel for a nostalgic experience, guaranteed to please grandchildren of all ages!
14. Take your grandchildren on a beignet date at Café du Monde. Together, you can pretend you are eating mountains of snow on boulders at the classic French Quarter spot, or hit up one of the other many locations.
15. Take your grandchildren on a Horse Drawn Carriage ride from Royal Carriages. Bump along with the majestic horses as they trot their way around New Orleans pulling you in an old-style carriage. When it’s cold, they even have blankets to snuggle under. With tours as short as 30 minutes, you can treat the kiddos to a once-in-a-lifetime adventure!
16. Take the grandchildren to Woldenberg Park. You can watch the boats go by on the river together. If they get hot, the grandchildren can cool off in the water feature. There is plenty of room for them to burn off some energy and to talk about the art installations in the area.
17. Streetcar rides are always a hit with our littles. They love the sound of the tracks, the amazing variety of people they get to see, and the wind in their hair. At only $1.25 for adults and $0.50 for kids up to 18, you can’t beat the price.
18. Go see a play with your grandchildren at the Rivertown Theater. Upcoming shows for 2023-2024 season include: Disenchanted, Singing in The Rain, A Christmas Story, and Sister Act.
19. Create keepsakes by painting pottery at Posh Paint Pub. Or channel you inner Rembrandt and head over to Painting with a Twist to create your perfect canvas. The Makery is also a really great place to make all sorts of keepsakes! {Hint::swap completed art with the kids for a fun memory for each of you to have}
20. Have a fancy ice cream date at Creole Creamery! Let your little monsters, er grandchildren, munch on a Cookie Monster while you relax with a Lavender-Honey sundae. With 4 locations, there is one close to almost everyone. Or, for a totally unique Brazilian sweet treat, check out Juliana’s in Lakeview! If desserts are your jam, Mochinut (an Asian inspired donut shop) in Metairie or T-Swirl Crepe are also a fun outing.
21. Round-trip ferry rides from Canal Street to Algiers and back are a unique way to spend time with your grandchildren. They get to see the water, barges, and boats up close. Bring a lovey to occupy the littlest of your group, and the round trip ride takes about 30 minutes. It’s sure to be a lasting memory and provide great views of New Orleans for all of you! This is perfect if you plan to visit the all new Audubon Aquarium or IMAX that was just totally renovated!
22. Play some games at +1 Gaming in Metairie, where they have a slew of brand new board games you can borrow (or rent to take home) with tables to sit & play for free in the store. The bigger grandchildren can experience an incredible array of board games in a whole new way! You can even bring your own and play in the store for a change of pace.
23. Get outside and play! If you haven’t already been inspired by the places we have listed, there are tons of playgrounds to choose from in the area to enjoy the day. We’re so lucky that New Orleans has a plethora of playgrounds to choose from!
24. Sometimes it’s simply too hot or rainy to play outside. Luckily we have several indoor playgrounds to entertain the grandchildren. Sit with a snack and cup of coffee while the littles enjoy themselves at Luv2Play or Nola Kidsground.
25. The Audubon Zoo offers endless hours of fun. From letting them roll down monkey hill, to having a picnic, the different play areas, all the exhibits to explore – and the bonus, Cool Zoo if it is hot to beat the heat! A full day can definitely be made from going to the zoo and it may be the little things, like sharing a piece of Roman Candy that they remember the most.
    
26. Take the grandchildren on a walking tour of the French Quarter with French Quartour Kids! These fun, educational tours will teach you the geography, history and culture of New Orleans in an exciting jaunt about the city. For the littlest grandkids (4-7 years old) there’s even dress up, map reading, and clue following!
27. Kenner Rivertown is always such a fun area to walk around and explore. Take a stroll through Heritage Park and visit Lafitte’s Landing. On Thursdays they have their farmers market setup from 12:00pm – 6:00pm. They, of course, also have the planetarium and observatory, and the Space Science Complex that you can explore as well. Check their schedule and start planning your visit now!
28. Visit a local museum. I wish I had gotten to go with my grandparents to the WWII Museum, I loved listening to my Papaw’s stories when I was young. If that’s not your thing, there are a ton of great museums that you can visit around New Orleans and many of them have free or discounted days for residents. Find that full list here, along with a slew of other budget friendly ideas for your day.
29. Take in some of the city’s art – we have so much to offer. Chu Chi Cho is a great new place, especially for the older grands. It is immersive and they offer workshops as well. New Orleans Museum of Art is always a beautiful museum to go gaze at their current exhibits. Louisiana residents receive free general admission on Wednesdays. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is another one that Louisiana residents receive free general admission on Thursdays from 10AM to 5PM. Contemporary Arts Center has activities for children and  Louisiana residents receive free general admission on Sundays. Want to spend the day outside? New Orleans is know for its art, so why not go check out some of the different murals around town (and snap some great pics!). This map gets updated regularly and there are over 140 different locations that you can preview to plan out your day.

Still need more ideas? We’ve got you covered! Looking for more places to bring the grandkids out to eat? Do they absolutely LOVE burgers? Celebrating a special event? Find even more ideas in our 2023 Guide to Fall Fun in New Orleans!