Adventure in Plaquemine Louisiana

There are many reasons local history buffs and visitors from other states will enjoy the city of Plaquemine.   Our Frugal Family Travelers certainly did and have been spying this little gem for quite some time in hopes of checking it off the bucket list.  The first stop on our journey centered around the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site.   Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, the lock represents a time in Louisiana history when steam boats and later the first air boats traveled from the mighty Mississippi River into Bayou Plaquemine to transport goods.  The  lock was an engineering marvel of its day, due to George Gothais, who in addition to the Lock in Plaquemine, designed the Panama Canal.  Despite the rich history of the lock, its doors closed for the last time in 1962, due the ever increasing size of ships traveling through its gate, as well as the need for a larger lock which came to fruition when the one in nearby Port Allen was constructed. Thankfully, the lock still stands today due to the tireless four year battle of Gary J. Hebert in an effort to preserve this site for future generations.   

In addition to the lock, your Frugal Family Travelers should consider visiting the Iberville Museum (housed in the courthouse ca. 1848), Saint John Evangelical Catholic Church,  as well as the market inside the old Train Depot.  

Also, make a note when traveling that this is close to Nottoway plantation as well as the Madonna Chapel, both nearby just off river road. Side Note: Madonna Chapel was touted by Robert Ripley as the smallest chapel in the world.  

Directions:

Plaquemine State Historic Site 57730 Main St, Plaquemine, LA 70764

Madonna chapel

Iberville Museum

For those looking to explore more Louisiana history and a place to make a splash with your Frugal Family Travelers, click the links below.  Here you will discover other nearby areas to combine with your visit to Plaquemine to create an entire vacation! 

  

Louisiana Rural Life Museum

Liberty Lagoon

Cost:  All activities featured in the post are free.  

Enjoy the pictures below which outline the places featured in the post! 

Historic Lock

Dr’s Office by Lock

Courthouse Museum

Antique Market at the Historic Depot 

World’s Smallest Chapel 

Catholic Church across from Lock

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 before departing.   

14 Free/Low Cost Museums

The Historic New Orleans Collection Gallery Exhibitions are always free, any day of the week.  However, an admission is charged for tours of historic buildings. 

The Bestoff Sculpture Garden in City Park at the New Orleans Museum of Art is free every day.

The Louisiana Children's Museum is free the third Sunday of the month, courtesy of Target.   It is located on Julia Street in New Orleans' Warehouse District.

The New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park is free every Wednesday, courtesy of the Helis Foundation.

The Contemporary Art Center (CAC), in the Warehouse District offers free entry to Louisiana residents on Sundays.

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, offers free admission to Louisiana residents, with a valid I.D., every Thursday from 10-5 p.m. Children under age 5 get in free every day.

The Slidell and GOSH Museums offer daily free admission and are open a variety of days and times.  Visit their website for details. 

The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum in Madisonville, LA offers a low cost admission of $5 per adult, $3 per child/seniors, children 5 and under, free. 

The Otis House Museum in Madisonville, LA offers a $4 admission fee for adults with seniors and children under 12 free.  

The Louisiana Museum of Natural History offers both a textile and natural science museum. Both are open Monday through Friday and are free to the public. Visit their website for details.

The Old Louisiana State Capital is offers a variety of exhibits.  Located in Baton Rouge, LA, the museum is open Tuesday-Saturday with free admission.

The Louisiana Rural Life Museum, located in Baton Rouge is a great way to explore the past.   Adult admission is $9; Children ages 5-11 are $8; Under 5 are free. 

The Mississippi Armed Forces Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday and is free to the public!  Be sure and combine this with a trip to Merit Water Park for a full weekend of adventure!

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(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

Be a Tourist in Your Own Town: Bayou Segnette Wave Pool, BaratariaPreserve-Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve

Our Frugal Family Travelers love hiking and especially love cooling off after the experience to beat the heat of a South Louisiana summer day!  Pair Bayou Segnette State Park's wave pool with a visit to Jean Lafitte's National Historic Park and Preserve to create a full day of adventure or a quick weekend/mini vacation for your family, that's not to be forgotten! 

Bayou Segnette State Park is located in Westwego and offers a great wave pool with an adjacent splash area for the younger travelers.  Other activities available at the park include, camping, boating, canoeing, hiking, playgrounds and picnicking!  Admission into the park is $2  but consider purchasing an annual pass to the state park to capitalize on the extra savings.  Admission into the wave pool is $10 for adults and $8 for children.  

A short distance away is the Barataria Preserve-Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.  This area is managed by the National Park Service and features 20,000 acres consisting of swamps, forests, hiking trails on boardwalks and a visitor center with exhibits.  It's a great place to experience the beauty of the southern swamplands.  Our Frugal Family Travelers particularly enjoyed the overlook of the swamp that is located on one of the boardwalk trails.  We even saw an alligator nesting in its natural habitat.

Tips: 

Bring Towels, sunscreen, water
You may also want to consider pairing this with the New Orleans museum selections , Crescent Park or letterboxing information previously posted on our blog to extend the adventure with your family. -Click highlighted text for more information. 

Note:
Remember that admission to the water park at Bayou Segnette State Park requires $2 admission into the park as well as a wave pool admission.   Consider purchasing a yearly pass to the state park system, which is approximately $80 dollars.  It is good for all travelers in one car and van and good for a year.

Be sure to sign-up for email notifications on our the blog or like us on Facebook to receive future postings!

Directions: 
Bayou Segnette State Park Wave Pool
7777 Westbank Expressway
Westwego, LA 70094

Barataria Preserve-Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve
6588 Barataria Blvd
Marrero, LA

Splash area for Younger Travelers -adjacent to wave pool

 View of the Wave Pool

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park

(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.