The Northshore is known as Louisiana’s Easy Escape and easy, it is. Just forty minutes north of New Orleans and an hour east of Baton Rouge and west of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, there’s easy access off Interstate 12. And there’s an easy-to-love blend of natural beauty, thriving downtowns and exceptional culinary flavors. Enjoying the lake is a favorite pastime, whether taking in the views from a park in Mandeville, embarking on a fishing charter from Slidell or paddling out from a beautiful state park. There are other outdoor adventures, too, including a bicycle ride on the scenic Tammany Trace. One of the country’s premier rails-to-trails routes, the 31-mile path weaves between Northshore downtowns and neighborhoods. Overall, there are 80,000 acres of wildlife preserve and green space to enjoy here.
Amid the scenic beauty and outdoor recreation, there is a network of downtowns, each with a smalltown character all its own, that creates a community. The variety of stores, boutiques and galleries in downtown Covington are joined by the quaint personality of Abita Springs’ town center and Olde Towne Slidell’s eclectic mix of shops. The combination includes soda fountains and farmers markets as well as select couture and original art. These towns have a personality of their own but share a welcoming spirit. They celebrate that spirit at local live music venues, free community concerts and storied annual events. They invite visitors to come, sit on their front porch, enjoy their backyard and take a seat at their table. And those who do will not walk away hungry. It’s a table that’s filled with traditional goodness and culinary surprises. There are cherished family recipes and creative culinary twists. Roll-up-your-sleeves seafood feasts are joined by stick-out-your-pinky tea parties. Contemporary chef-driven menus complement specialties passed down through generations. Here, the common denominator is the love that goes into preparing and sharing. Sharing good food. Sharing beautiful places. Sharing a creative spirit and a welcoming community. All this, with the water always within reach. The Waters of the Northshore.
Fast Facts
- The Northshore is made up of a network of communities that flow together to create one vacation destination.
- Visitors to The Northshore are always 15 minutes away from water access.
- The Northshore is New Orleans’ original vacation destination.
- The Causeway is the world’s longest, continuously over-water bridge, which means you have 24 miles to settle in and lap up the lake life.
- Visitors can run, ride or walk their way through five towns, scenic greenspaces and 31 miles of The Northshore on the Tammany Trace.
- The Tammany Trace is Louisiana’s only rails-to-trails path.
- Music has always been in the air, the Dew Drop Jazz Hall is the oldest, virtually unaltered rural jazz hall in the world.
- The Northshore was, for 74 days, part of the rebellious Republic of West Florida.
- Looking to calm nerves and cure ills? The deep-spring water of The Northshore has been sought out since the 1880s and continues to be a source of relaxation, bottled in Abita Beer. Visitors are only 45 minutes from deplaning to destressing.
- Diverse geography, diverse peoples, diverse experiences; The Northshore has been an escape for all to enjoy since well before the 1600s.
Annual Events
Ice Man Dip & Dash, January
St. Tammany Home & Remodeling Show with Certified Louisiana Food Fest, February
Folsom Camellia Festival, February
Not Your Mama’s Gumbo Cook-off, March
Slidell St. Patrick’s Day Parade, March
Maritime Music & Art Festival, March
British Motoring Festival, March
Abita Springs Busker Festival, March
Olde Towne Slidell Spring Street Fair, March
Arts Evening, April
Abita Springs Autism Awareness Day, April
Slidell’s All-You-Can-Eat Crawfish Cook-off, April
Covington Antiques & Uniques Festival, April
Mandeville Food Truck Festival, May
Northshore Pride Parade, June
Larry Brew Fest & Homebrew Competition, June
Light Up the Lake Independence Day Celebration, July
United Way of Southeast Louisiana West St. Tammany Red Beans ‘N’ Rice Cook-Off, July
United Way of Southeast Louisiana East St. Tammany Red Beans ‘N’ Rice Cook-Off, August
Kokomo Stroll, July
Covington White Linen for Public Art, August
Louisiana Food Truck Festival, September
Lago Fest Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration, September
Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival, October
Olde Towne Slidell Fall Street Fair, October
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