Summertime is a great time for sunshine, smiles, and seeking new adventures! Looking for some fun places to explore that aren’t too far from home? We have put together a list of parks in the Greater New Orleans area that you should check out this summer!
Lafreniere Park is located in Metairie, Louisiana, and has several different attractions. From the walking path, playground, dog park, splash pad and more, the possibilities of fun are endless! Even more family fun awaits at Lafreniere Park’s Annual Uncle Sam Jam! This great event takes place in the park on July 4th weekend with music, food, and fireworks. Each Wednesday, the park hosts a Farmer’s Arts Market! You can find local vendors with unique gifts, fresh produce, and more!
Throughout the year, there is always something to fun going on at Lafreniere Park. From events to outdoor activities like running on the jogging trail or play on one of the sports fields. The 155-acre park also has several picnic shelters, playgrounds, a lagoon, a carousel, and a disc golf course!
Want to live within walking distance of this beautiful park? We have our Lafreniere, Breckenridge, White Water Creek, Orange Park, and Wildflower Apartments that are just a few steps away from here!
Play right next to Lake Pontchartrain at the Bonnabel Boat Launch Park. It is the perfect place to catch the sunset, or sunrise for early birds, over the water. Walk or bike along the Lakefront Trail, an over 9 mile-long paved path, that goes from Metairie to Kenner.
Visit the newest addition the park, the FitLot Outdoor Fitness Park. The Fitness Park is 1400 sq. ft. of shaded, safety-surfaced space that includes a combination of cardio, strength, balance and flexibility equipment designed for use by those of all abilities ages 13+. To learn more about FitLots and their locations click here.
Take a closer look at the Lake by utilizing the boat launch! It also has a dog park so your furry friends can enjoy the day with you too. A play area makes it a fun stop for the whole family.
Head to Bucktown for more outdoor fun! Walk along the newly renovated, 1,000 foot long Bucktown Marsh Boardwalk and learn about the plants and wildlife through its informational signs. Pack a picnic and enjoy under one of the covered pavilions. There’s lots of green space with a beautiful lakefront view to stretch your legs! The pier is a great fishing spot so bring your poles and bait.
Our residents at Breakers, Surf Rider I & II, and Park Oaks can take a short drive to easily access this fun spot!
Wally Pontiff Jr. Playground used to be known as Metairie Playground. It is one of the oldest public playgrounds in Jefferson Parish, with its development starting as early as 1945. In 2003, the park was renamed to honor Wally Pontiff, Jr., who played baseball at the playground before his college athletic career at Louisiana State University. To learn more about Wally’s story and the Wally Pontiff, Jr. Foundation, you can visit the website.
You can find several sports fields, a track, a gym, and a couple of tennis courts at the park. Your fur-ever friends are welcome too! They can enjoy the dog park that is on-site as well. With a meeting center, picnic shelters, and a bird sanctuary, there are many ways to stay entertained here!
A quick drive away from here is our Rosedale, Boardwalk, Severn Pointe, and The Crossings Apartments.
Home to the Kenner Pavilion, a popular outdoor rental space, the park has a quarter-mile walking path for its visitors to enjoy. A couple of picnic shelters and playgrounds, including a handicap-accessible one, make this a great spot in West Jefferson Parish to stop by! Don’t forget the pup – there’s a dog park they can play in too.
Walking or taking a short drive is easy for our residents of Lakes of Chateau North & South, Harper’s Ferry, and Falling Water Apartments.
Looking for the best happy hour spots in the Metairie/New Orleans area? We have composed a list that is perfect for your summer bucket list!
Located in Lakeside Shopping Center, this Creole Cuisine concept offers some of the best happy hour selections, every day from 2 pm – 6 pm.
Enjoy 1/2 off pizzas, $5 select wine glasses, $5 call cocktails, $6 premium and specialty cocktails, $3 beers, and $7 appetizers! They also have weekly specials, that you can find here.
With 2 locations, heading to The Boulevard for an afternoon of fun is easy and convenient! Enjoy daily deals, Monday – Friday from 3 pm – 6 pm at their Metairie location near Clearview Center or their location in Elmwood Shopping Center. Daily specials include $7 small plates, $3 beers, $7 wells, and 1/2 off select glasses of wine! Check out Wine & Dine Wednesday to enjoy half off select bottles of wine and Martini Thursdays to enjoy $5 martinis!
Looking for a place with a view? Check out The Blue Crab, located on Lakeshore Drive in New Orleans! Happy Hour is from Tuesday – Thursday 4 pm – 6:30 pm. Specials include $1 off draft beer, $3 house wine, and half off all well and call brands! While you’re there during happy hour, enjoy some $5 bite-size appetizers.
You are sure to score a hole-in-one with this next happy hour suggestion! At Loft 18, located on Metairie Road, enjoy food and drink specials Monday – Friday from 3 pm – 6 pm. Specials include half-off draft beer, $3 domestic & imports ($15 buckets), house red and white wines are 50% off and $3.50 house singles and delicious food options starting at just $4!
Got a sweet tooth? Our next suggestion will fill all of your happy hour needs! Wednesday thru Friday from 5 pm – 7 pm, enjoy a wide selection of cocktails and wines for just $5, grilled cheese for $7, and a BBQ empanada for $5. You won’t want to leave The Bakery Bar without trying some delicious do-bites from Debbie Does Doberge!
If you’re from New Orleans, chances are you’ve heard of Larry Morrow or at least heard of his restaurant! New Orleans native, entrepreneur, and entertainment event curator opened this delicious restaurant with his mom in April 2018. This mother-son duo brings you delicious New Orleans and authentic Korean dishes daily and their happy hour is one you won’t want to miss! Happy Hour at Morrow’s is Monday – Friday, 4 pm – 7 pm and specials include $5 cocktails, $5 wine, $3 beer, $7 frozen drinks, and 50% off select appetizers.
What’s better than complimentary salsa, chip, and bean dip? Happy Hour of course! At Casa Garcia, located in Metairie, this hidden gem of a restaurant offers happy hour specials Monday through Thursday from 3 pm to 7 pm and Friday from 3 pm to 6 pm. Enjoy $5 margaritas and $3 draft beers!
If you are a resident, you will love this next restaurant! Bobby Hebert’s located in Metairie is one of our Resident Rewards partners. At 1st Lake Properties, we have created a program called Resident Rewards to offer exclusive discounts from local businesses to our residents.* To check out the discount from Bobby Hebert’s, visit the resident portal and log in! If you aren’t a resident, don’t worry, Happy Hour is for everyone! Enjoy 1/2 drinks Monday through Friday from 2 pm to 6 pm. They also have monthly dinner specials that you can find on their Facebook Page!
Headed downtown and want a place to hang? The Mill Nola is perfect! Patio seating available for those pet lovers. Each day, The Mill Nola offers a drink of the day for just $6 in addition to their $6 drinks available during happy hour! Happy Hour at The Mill is from 3 pm to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday! If you’re looking for a new brunch spot, we highly recommend you add this to your list!
Located on St. Charles, this Creole-inspired restaurant offers a lively atmosphere and some of the freshest seafood straight from the Gulf of Mexico! Happy Hour is every day from 3 pm – 6 pm and includes $1 – local raw P&J oysters, $8/half dozen and $15/dozen fried oysters, and all wines by the glass, draft beer and specialty cocktails are half off!
Pizza Domenica offers specialty, gourmet pizzas with a unique mix of toppings! Enjoy half-off pizza, beer, and wine during their happy hour which is Monday – Friday from 3 pm to 5 pm! Their Mid-City location is pet friendly and the tables at the magazine location also welcome pets!
May is National Moving Month and we have all the tips and tricks you need right here! Whether you are moving across the country or right down the street, our guide is here to help. Our biggest tip is to get ahead of the curve and make your action plan.
Organization is key when moving down the street or across the country! Start by finding some boxes. To get your items from your old place to the new one, having boxes will help keep everything together. As you pack, make sure to label the boxes by room. Check out this article from the Unpakt Blog for tips and tricks on labeling and staying organized!
While you’re packing, try to purge items you don’t need or use anymore. Have you ever heard of the Marie Kondo method? If an item doesn’t spark joy, get rid of it! Check out tips from Marie Kondo on how to pack for the big move efficiently here.
Some of your items might not be ready for trash just yet. Instead, consider donating your gently used items or even selling some of them to make a few bucks!
Places like Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Vietnam Veterans, are always accepting donations! If you’re a Louisiana resident check out Pick Up Please, which has a directory of places that will grab donations from you.
If you think you could make some money by selling your items, consider organizing a yard sale or even making a post on Facebook Marketplace.
Don’t forget to keep all your important documents in one spot. Misplacing or losing track of your most important items or documents can be stressful! Instead of giving yourself a headache, dedicate one or two boxes for everything important, and be sure to keep those boxes to the side to allow for easy access.
Making a plan can help give you a smooth transition. Set up your furry friends or little ones to be watched for the day so they don’t get under your feet during the move. Our residents enjoy special discounts through our Resident Rewards program with discounts from places such as the Dog Stop, Homeward Bound, and the YMCA. All of which offer doggy daycare or childcare options!
Let your various service providers know you will be moving. You should change, cancel, or set up transferring all services a couple of weeks from move-in day! We recommend our friend’s down at Cox Quick Connect for your internet services. Are you local and need help installing things? The Installation Experts, another Resident Rewards partner of ours, are ready to help too.
Starting with one room at a time can make the move easy. Pick a little bit to do each day so you aren’t overwhelmed when the move day pops up. Planning ahead can give you a little work each day but a lot less stress overall!
Last but not least, here are a few things that you might not have thought to do.
Make sure you cover your assets by getting rental insurance. Read all about the importance of it here! Interested in getting yourself covered? We partner with State Farm to get our residents the best deal through our Resident Rewards program!
When you first move in, take photos of your place when it is completely vacant. These pictures will be helpful to keep for your own records. We also recommend taking photos of your old place for the same reason!
Leave your place sparkling by doing a deep clean! No time to clean? We have another Resident Reward partner who can help out – The Cleaning Authority!
Make sure to update your family and friends with your new address. This would be a good time to forward your mail and update your info for all your bills as well.
Ready to move but don’t have a new space lined up? We can help you find your dream apartment home, visit or call us today!
If you or someone you know owns a business who would like to be featured in our Resident Rewards program, email us at info@1st-lake.com or complete this form.
It’s Monday in New Orleans and everywhere you go, Red Beans and Rice are what’s being served. Dating back to the 19th century, New Orleanians and Louisianians alike have gathered around a large pot of Red Beans and Rice for Monday dinners. Traditionally, ham was served on Sundays in New Orleans and the leftover ham bone would be used the next day for flavoring. There are many ways to prepare a Red Beans and Rice dish. Some use sausage, some use pork, some with rice, and some don’t use anything but the beans! No matter how it’s cooked, you know it’ll be good!
When Governor John Bel Edwards signed his proclamation that Monday, March 22 will be a statewide Red Beans and Rice Day, we headed straight to Bobby Hebert’s Cajun Cannon restaurant, where our residents get special discounts! If you’re a resident of any 1st Lake Properties community, login to the resident portal to access your 15% off coupon!
Chef Karlton prepared two heaping servings of red beans with a bed of rice and a yummy roll. Following their staff’s recommendation, we also got a plate of their fried chicken on the side. We loved their suggestion and learned the secret to their unique fried chicken – it was battered in fish fry!
Looking for a smaller portion? Bobby Hebert’s Red Beans and Rice is served as a side or appetizer!
It’s Mardi Gras, y’all! This year Mardi Gras may look a little different, but that hasn’t stopped Louisiana from parading! Hundreds of houses across the New Orleans area are participating in The Krewe of House Floats, and the official map can be viewed here.
A lot of our communities at 1st Lake Properties, are just minutes away, so we planned an entire day for you and your family to celebrate Mardi Gras this year! You can see our favorite houses on the map below, or by clicking here!
Our map starts at Bella Ridge South, our newest community in River Ridge.
To kick off the day, head on over to Beads by the Dozen. Grab a fun bead, a boa, maybe a wig for the pup, whatever speaks to you! After grabbing your Mardi Gras essentials, head to PJ’s coffee for their amazing King Cake Latte, and then get on the road!
We recommend taking the Earhart expressway to the first stop, on Zimpel street. Continue on the route to one of our favorite houses on Fern titled, “Snacking in Place”.
Next up, visit St. Charles Ave and see favorites, like DINOgras, Maison Maskerade, The Animal House, The Flower House, and more!
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Take a quick break after visiting the houses on St. Charles, for some Popeyes! Because what is Mardi Gras without some delicious fried chicken. Next on the map is Magazine St., where many businesses and residents also decorated! One of our favorite houses is the Mardi Gras Chatter house on Valence Street, which has common Mardi Gras sayings on display!
The last house that you can’t miss is called: The Moira Rose, which is located on Canal Street in Lakeview near City Park.
Finish off the perfect day by visiting City Parks Float in The Oaks. Floats in the Oaks will open Thursday, February 4th through Sunday, February 14th.
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
