Natchitoches Itinerary Day 3......Fort St. Jean Baptiste

 

Our Frugal Family Travelers are taking our readers on a vacation adventure to the Natchitoches, LA area.  Day 1 of our itinerary featured the adventures to be had with your family at Hodges Gardens State Park.  If you missed "Day 1" and want to catch up, "click here".  Day 2 of our itinerary featured our exciting white water adventure on the Kisatchie Bayou in the Kisatchie National Forest.   "Click here" to view this itinerary.

Day 3:
Kids + History = Boring......not for our Frugal Family Travelers and not for your crew either, IF 

you find immersive experiences for them.  Living history can be engaging and fun for both children and adults, if it is interactive!  For this reason we enjoyed our visit to Fort St. Jean Baptiste.  Upon arrival, we viewed the exhibit in the lobby and then a brief film which outlined the history of the Fort.   After this, a short walk was taken to the entrance of the fort, where we were greeted by a man in period costume who gave us an artillery demonstration. From there, we proceeded into the fort, where we made all sorts of discoveries.   Our Frugal Family Travelers particularly enjoyed making sparks with flint to see how fires were started long ago. This is something children can read about in a textbook but truly becomes a real part of them when experienced! From the pictures and video you can see the awesome experience we shared as a family, all while keeping more dollars in the bank!   I won't review all of the historical information about the fort but if you want to read about it before your visit you can always do so on the website.  The Louisiana State Parks system not only features great parks for recreation but numerous historic sites like the one we discovered in Natchitoches, as well.  When planning a trip, I encourage you to examine the state parks and historic sites in the areas you plan to visit!

Tips:

*Pack water sunscreen and insect repellent! 

* Again, consider a purchasing a state park pass.  Click here for details.

Note:  

Be sure and check out the letterboxes in this area! To learn more about letterboxing, click here to read our blog about it!  Coming soon..........Park Hopping is not just for those in Disney World!!!

Directions 

155 Jefferson St

Natchitoches, LA 71457

Click on video to see a highlight from our day!

Viewing the Film

Our journey to the fort begins!

The artillery demonstration work us up for sure!

Exploring!

Feed us please!

(Be sure to click on all highlighted text within the blog for additional information regarding activities, including websites, special instructions and travel directions!)

Disclaimer:

All content provided on Frugal Family Travelers blog is for informational purposes only. The owners of this blog make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.  The owners of Frugal Family Travelers blog do not share personal information with third-parties and are not responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web sites or media without permission.  As with all travel, operating days, times, costs, etc., should be verified prior to departure

A Visit to Vermilionville

If your Frugal Family Travelers love living history as much as our do, then you will want to plan a visit to Vermilionville.   Located in Lafayette and with approximately 23-acres and structures dating between 1665 to 1890, Vermilionville is an amazing representation of Acadian culture.   Local artisans demonstrating crafts, carving, music and other aspects of life for the early settlers, makes this a great "hands on" learning environment that's fun for the whole family!  Our Frugal Family Travelers particularly loved meeting and talking to the carving artisan who was on site and also with a fiddler sharing music.  We really loved the old ferry and ferrying ourselves across the bayou to view another section of the park!

Tips: 
Bring sunscreen and water.  Water fountain is available on site.
Click Here to download a copy of the walking tour guide!
Be sure to check the area for letterboxes!!  To discover more about letterboxing Click Here to read the information previously posted on our blog.
  

Note:

Prices:  Adults (ages19-65+):  $7;  Studnets (ages 5-18): $5; Children under 5 no charge!
Vermilionville allows only service animals on the grounds.Vermillionville hosts special events throughout the year.  Click here  to discover the events to be held in the upcoming months.  Acadian Culture Day is a FREE event at Vermilionville and is on August 2nd, 10:00-5:00.

Directions:

Vermilionville 300 Fisher Rd. Lafayette, Louisiana 70508
(337) 233-4077

(Be sure to click on all highlighted text within the blog for additional information regarding activities, including websites, special instructions and travel directions!)

Disclaimer:

All content provided on Frugal Family Travelers blog is for informational purposes only. The owners of this blog make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.  The owners of Frugal Family Travelers blog do not share personal information with third-parties and are not responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web sites or media without permission.  As with all travel, operating days, times, costs, etc., should be verified prior to departure.

Crescent Park!!

Frugal Family Travelers recently visited the new Crescent Park in New Orleans, LA. in the Mariny/Bywater areas.  This was an accidental find for us as we were driving through the area on another weekend adventure when we stumbled upon this gem!! The park spans 1.4 miles along the mighty Mississippi River from Elysian Fields Avenue to Mazant Street.  Loaded with possibilities for the young and old alike, Crescent Park features areas for walking, jogging, dog running,  biking, bird watching, picnicking  and areas for those who just want to relax and enjoy the view of the river on one of the re-purposed industrial wharves. The city's plans include an expansion of the park which will take it all the way to the Riverwalk!! Our Frugal Family Travelers enjoyed exploring this area but were sad that their bikes were at home!!   This is a great opportunity for your family to get  up close to the river to experience the charm of the "crescent" city.

Tips:

*Pack plenty of water and sunscreen!
*Consider bringing a picnic lunch!
*Don't forget your bikes, like we did!! :)
*The French Quarter and Cafe Du Monde are nearby! Consider having some beignets!

Note: Consider combining this activity with Letterboxing for an even greater adventure with your Frugal Family Travelers.   See our post about Letterboxing for more information!

Directions:  Crescent Park, N Peters St., New Orleans

(Be sure to click on all highlighted text within the blog for additional information regarding activities, including websites, special instructions and travel directions!)

Disclaimer:

All content provided on Frugal Family Travelers blog is for informational purposes only. The owners of this blog make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.  The owners of Frugal Family Travelers blog do not share personal information with third-parties and are not responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web sites or media without permission.  As with all travel, operating days, times, costs, etc., should be verified prior to departure.