Beautiful fountain on the water front at the plaza. Its changed thru the years. You used to be able…read moreto go down and sit in front of the tiles with the water misting you. That was fabulous in the warmer months. Now you can't...benches are long gone. But its beautiful to look at....especially at night.

Wow. It has been a while since this place has been reviewed and man has things changed. This Plaza…read moreis currently under construction and is a wide open waterfront space that overlooks the Mississippi River towards Algiers. It is located between the old ferry terminal and the CityWalk shops. The main feature of the Plaza is a large fountain. It has now changed Its inner portion use to be lined with the seals of the provinces of Spain and you could also be able to walk right down to the fountain. With the renovation, both of those features are now gone. You will also find a Mardi Gras Jester statue here too. This is where one of the river cruise tour boats are docked. I did not see many benches of places to sit here, outside of sitting on the fountain and there is not much shade other than that from the Market Place and World Trade Center. There are paid parking lots, metered street parking and garages available to park, but they are all a short walk. Nothing is really close. There use to be a Fat Tuesday and seafood restaurant here, but that has since gone due to the construction. In 1976, Spain dedicated the plaza to the City in remembrance of their common historical past. It also served as a pledge of fraternity in the future. It was originally named Eads Plaza, after James Eads, the engineer who improved the navigability of the mouth of the Mississippi River. You get one of the best views of the Mississippi River Bridge from here. That is the bridge that connects the city's East and West Banks. Fun fact: This is where the Rex Crew land every year on Fat Tuesday to kick off Mardi Gras Day. The space hosts music concerts, art exhibits, rallys and festivals. I like this park, mostly for what it was in the past and what it can be. Currently there is not much here except the fountain, which is a nice one. I hope that this place reaches it potential soon. It will be awesome again.

What. Is. That? There's a CASTLE over there?…read more Driving over the I-10 bridge from New Orleans back to Biloxi, we spotted it and I had to know what was going on so when I came back a few days later, I went out of my way to visit here. Built in 1981 for the World's Fair, the castle is quite small by castle standards. Only two bedrooms and a one and a half baths on the inside. It is private property so if you're coming to visit, please be respectful and only view it from the street (or the lake). [Review 14204 overall, 1526 of 2020, number 22 in Louisiana.]

As you drive down the I-10, east of New Orleans, you may have a WTH moment. There's a castle off in…read morethe distance (well on Hwy 11). It is a private home, for now, with aspirations for more that never quite materialize. Still the history of the place; it's recent vintage and it's singularity in the swamps of South Louisiana make it something special. You have to love a man with a dream. In 1981, Simon Villemarette decided he wanted a castle. Was it supposed to be at tourist attraction? Or was it just going to be his home? Whichever he built it well. He passed and his family had to sell. Yes it survived Katrina when most buildings did not. The official assessor's description says "concrete castle" so maybe even the K winds were intimidated. Some folks from Virginia owned it from 1995 to 2014, maybe they planned to make an inn out of it (according to news stories at the time), but that never happened. Now the current owners post to the official FB page that they too want to make it an entertainment/photo shoot/bed & breakfast spot. BUT the FB has been saying be patient since 2016. Still it's a fun spot to see. It is private property so don't be a creeper. And I decided this bit of unique architecture should be my review #2400. Enjoy!

From Native Americans to Pontchartrain Beach this area of New Orleans history is long and…read moreinteresting as New Orleans owes a lot of its very existence to Bayou St. John. At the original point where Lake Pontchartrain met Bayou St. John now sits the crumbling remains of an old fort known variously as The Old Spanish Fort, Fort St. John or most commonly just Spanish Fort. The history of this fort goes back before New Orleans existed and it went from being a military installation to a resort for the elite of New Orleans which was transformed into an amusement park for the masses which evolved into Pontchartrain Beach along with entertaining generations of New Orleans residents. The Spanish Fort amusement park was an integral part of the development of New Orleans culture and Jazz history. Notable restaurants in the Spanish Fort park area included Moreau's Restaurant, Noy's Restaurant, Over the Rhine Restaurant and Tranchina's Restaurant. The park eventually was forced to move out of Spanish Fort due to the lakefront land reclamation project of the Orleans Parish Levee Board. The Spanish Fort park reinvented itself and moved nearby onto some of the newly reclaimed land in 1924 and transformed into the first Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park. The first Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park closed in 1938, to move to an even larger location in what used to be Milneburg, and opened in 1939. The Spainish Fort and Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Parks brought joy to thousands of people over many generations. Sadly the amazing history of Spanish Fort along with its important place in the good food, good times and good people history of New Orleans has largely been forgotten by most these days and few even know about the crumbling ruins that remain of the old Spanish Fort of Fort St. John. This is definitely New Orleans history that deserves to be remembered. Fort St. John having been such a huge part of New Orleans history from before the city existed to The Battle of New Orleans and to just being a place of joy for so many is worthy of preservation. My video review is here: https://youtu.be/07HzYNcSGVU

I really like how this has been kept up. Not really kept up as much as left alone and the grass cut…read moreand maintained enough to not let the grass become overgrown or the remains to fall down. The fenced in plot has a unique story. Evidently, one of the soldiers fell in love with a local native American and was killed by the father, the chief of the tribe, when he found out. This used to be a way of moving goods into New Orleans via the water way that leads to bayou St John and into the city. This is a perfect spot for a picnic. There are no grills there, so bring your own food, and remember to take your garbage with you. Wear comfortable shoes, bring a blanket to sit on, there are no picnic tables or benches. Be respectful of the nearby neighbors and their privacy.

Before the Civil War, New Orleans Was the Center of the U.S. Slave Trade The city of New Orleans…read morewas the largest slave market in the United States, ultimately serving as the site for the purchase and sale of more than 135,000 people. In an effort to prevent smuggling, the 1808 federal law banning slave imports from overseas mandated that captains of domestic coastal slavers create a manifest listing the name, sex, age, height, and skin color of every enslaved person they carried, along with the shippers' names and places of residence. One copy of the manifest had to be deposited with the collector of the port of departure, who checked it for accuracy and certified that the captain and the shippers swore that every person listed was legally enslaved and had not come into the country after January 1, 1808. A second copy got delivered to the customs official at the port of arrival, who checked it again before permitting the enslaved to be unloaded. At the Customs House in Alexandria, deputy collector C. T. Chapman had signed off on the manifest of the United States. In New Orleans, customs inspector L. B. Willis climbed on board and performed yet another inspection of the enslaved, the third they had endured in as many weeks. Scrutinizing them closely, he proved more exacting than his Balize colleague. Willis cared about the details. After placing a small check mark by the name of every person to be sure he had seen them all, he declared the manifest "all correct or agreeing.

The United States Customs house was formerly known as the Old Post Office and Customs House and…read morebecame a National Historic Landmark in 1974. Construction began in 1848 and it wasn't completed until 1881 due to multiple redesigns and more importantly the outbreak of the American Civil War. It is one of the oldest federal buildings in the Southern United States. The building sits on an entire city block, bounded by Canal, North Peters, Iberville and Decatur. The builing is actually constructed of brick that is sheathed in granite. The floor plan of the Customs House is arranged around a Greek Revival room known as Marble Hall. This room features Corinthian colums that are adorned with the heads of gods and goddesses. It is simply a marvel to see, and if you're lucky enough to get a tour of the inside, you'll see one of the finest architectural treasures the City of New Orleans has to offer. Some of the ceilings here have to be at least 20-25 feet high.

According to https://neworleanshistorical.org/items/show/658 this is what remains of a…read morefortification built by the Union side of the civil war in 1862. It is largely closed to the public, but I know I would love to explore this place. It is about a mile outside of the current city limits of New Orleans. It is essentially just a powder keg covered by cement, dirt and grass. Still would make a lovely place for a picnic.

Not actually a lighthouse but it still counts. Built in 1924, this was originated as a workshop for…read morethe blind. Today, it's an event space that is available for pop-up shops and art shows. The architecture and design is a complete novelty - there are no ships here in danger of running aground on Camp Street even though the rotating light still works. The architect of the lighthouse was Emile Weil, who also designed the Saenger Theatre. Oscar Gwin Jr. was in charge of construction. The lighthouse portion of the building was modeled after the Milneburg lighthouse, located on the UNO campus where Pontchartrain Beach amusement park was located. It was most recently a glass studio, one of the largest in the South. The three glass ovens are still there. [Review 14140 overall, 1462 of 2020, number 12 in Louisiana.]

I attended a Dinner Lab event in this building last night. And I think the owners are trying to…read moremarket themselves as an event space. The public space is airy and inviting. There is a small room in the lighthouse portion of the building that is accessible. There was also an really nice 2nd story outdoor deck. The space does seem to still be a work in progress. There was room filled with junk that was visible from the main space via windows. The bathroom door either stuck or wouldn't close and there's only 1 which is an issue at a dinner for 50 people. But it's such an interesting space that I hope they can make it work. It's been featured on Roadside America because it's such an unusual building. The lighthouse was added to a boring old building in 1924 when this spot became the Lighthouse for the Blind...which hasn't been here for decades. Most recent business that I can remember was the lighthouse glass studio. So fingers crossed that they can make a go of it...

Longest 24 miles of my life, well technically longest 48 miles of my life…read more Why did I think I was just going to drive on a cute 5 min little bridge. Def should have read the reviews first. My anxiety was through the roof, the bridge felt like it kept going and going with no land in sight. And just to let you know there are turnabouts & emergency shoulders but you have to be escorted by the police. I kept telling myself do not call, you got this. I didn't know how long the bridge went and that's what gave me more anxiety since I had 3 hours to return the rental. And then finding out it's a draw bridge too, wtf! If I had to witness that, I'm parking and call the ambulance for me. I would never be able to cross this bridge at night! Mile markers hallelujah Driving over the bridge during the day hallelujah Draw bridge not opening hallelujah Police and tow trucks visable hallelujah No high winds hallelujah

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the longest continuous bridge over water in the world. It spans…read morethe entire width of Lake Pontchartrain, connecting New Orleans with communities on the north shore. The causeway is actually 2 parallel bridges, with the longer one measuring 23.83 miles. It carries a significant amount of traffic, with up to 40,000 vehicles crossing daily, The bridge is supported by over 9,500 concrete pilings. It features a bascule (movable) span about 8 miles from the north end allowing boats to pass. There have been many accidents on the bridge and lake. The causeway has seven crossovers for emergencies and traffic management. Hazards like fog, wind, and thunderstorms, affect visibility.

Closed to the public but still worth a walk past on your Garden District Tour…read more F. Scott Fitzgerald's Boarding House, located on Prytania and Sixth Streets in New Orleans, holds historical significance as the place where the renowned American writer spent about a month. This is where he reportedly made final revisions to his novel "This Side of Paradise" before departing for Montgomery, Alabama to marry Zelda. The boarding house is cherished by locals who proudly claim Fitzgerald as one of their own.