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1st Lake’s Moving Guide to the Northshore

The Northshore, named for being on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain, is formally known as St. Tammany Parish. The parish is among the fastest-growing in Louisiana, and several of 1st Lake’s apartment communities are located there. 

Planning a move to the Northshore? You’re in luck. We’ve put together a Northshore moving guide that’ll prepare you to make the most of your new home as soon as you arrive!

Things to Do 

The Northshore is full of things to do, both outdoors and indoors. 

Outdoors

The St. Tammany Trace is a 31-mile biking and walking path that connects five of the Northshore’s communities: Covington, Abita Springs, Mandeville, Lacombe, and Slidell. The Northshore is also near plenty of bodies of water. If you enjoy being on the water, take a kayak or canoe out on Bayous Cane, Castine, and Lacombe, or the Tchefuncte and Bogue Falaya rivers. There’s also Lake Pontchartrain, of course. 

Located on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain is Fontainebleau State Park, a 2,800-acre park that offers camping, hiking, and even a small beach. The nature trail in the park is home to over 400 species that are native to the area.

Indoors

If you’re more of an indoors person, there are lots of attractions for you in St. Tammany. In Abita Springs, the Abita Brewing Company and Abita Mystery House are popular places to visit.

There are also lots of historic sites in the area. The Dew Drop Jazz & Social Hall is home to a stage built in 1895 and hosted performances by Louis Armstrong and other historic jazz players. It now hosts great local music several times a month. Old Mandeville is home to the St. Tammany Trailhead, which features an outdoor theater with seasonal events, as well as the Trailhead Community Market, which takes place every Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Historic Downtown Covington is home to many charming restaurants and shopping locations, as well as the annual Three Rivers Arts Festival held every fall. The festival has been held since 1997 and now attracts over 60,000 visitors to the area.

Family & Kids

The Global Wildlife Center in Folsom is a fantastic place to have a family outing. Located in an area of St. Tammany Parish that is beautiful and sparsely populated, the Global Wildlife Center offers an incredible nature experience. According to the Northshore’s official website: “Global Wildlife is a 900-acre free roaming safari park. Gentle rolling hills and a lake, the absence of predators, and wide open spaces make it a serene habitat for thousands of animals from all over the world. Some of the furry friends you’ll meet at Global Wildlife include camels, giraffes, zebras, kangaroos, deer, bison, and more.”

Nightlife

Ruby’s Roadhouse in Old Mandeville has been the best place to boogie to live music since 1984. If you’re looking for a late night party, Ruby’s is the place for you. Just a few blocks away on the Mandeville lakefront is Barley Oak, where you can have great food and drinks while seated on the balcony overlooking the water.

In downtown Covington, have a cold beer and listen to live music at the Columbia St. Tap Room and Grill. Afterward, check out more music and mingle with the locals at Wharton’s Green Room on Columbia Street. For more nightlife options, check out the Northshore’s official website for the Rhythm & Brews itinerary, which provides some great insight on what to do in the area for fun. 

Let Us Help You Find a Home on the Northshore!

1st Lake Properties has apartment communities all over the Northshore in Mandeville, Covington and Slidell, and we’d love to help you settle into your new home!