Northshore
This is a land of tall pine trees, bayous, swamps and rivers that begins on the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Experience the country side of life with antique shopping in towns that began as railroad stops, with spring water and local brews, nature and bike trails, and kayaking or floating down a wilderness river.
Engine Number 3
Engine Number 3, a rusting steam locomotive stationed near the main rail line in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, stands as a monument to the town’s history. Once a workhorse in the cypress…
Kayak Artist
Kayak artist Carol Hallock has found an unconventional studio—her small boat drifting along Bayou Lacombe in southeastern Louisiana. From the seat of her kayak, Hallock brings canvas, oils, and brushes…
Northshore Bluegrass
Hearing bluegrass on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain might seem out of place in a state better known for jazz, Cajun, and Zydeco music. But on select Friday nights in…
Biking the Tammany Trace
The Tammany Trace is an easy paved long-distance bike trail in Louisiana that takes you through forests and across rivers and bayous in southern St. Tammany Parish. Tree-lined bike path…
Supermoon
It can be awe inspiring to glance up just before dark and see the full moon rising in the eastern sky and spotting a super moon when our neighbor is…
Varnado Store Museum
The D A Varnado Store Museum is housed in a two-story brick building that has stood on the corner of Pearl and Cleveland Streets in downtown Franklinton, Louisiana, since 1908.…
Poet Laureate
Alison Pelegrin, the Poet Laureate of Louisiana, says she often finds inspiration for her poetry as she takes walks along the Tammany Trace. “I like to pay attention to my…
Alligator Tour
What was once an alligator farm is now an alligator tour, run by Mike Kliebert, who grew up around alligators. It started with his great-grandfather’s turtle farm near Ponchatoula, Louisiana.…
Louisiana Irish Music
a blend of tradition and togetherness Louisiana Irish Music isn’t something you hear every day, especially when considering the popular Cajun, Bluegrass or country tunes often associated with the state.…
Dutch Oven
The cast iron of a Dutch oven seems to create a better tasting dish after you watch the ingredients simmer and steam over an outdoor fire. Many Louisiana state parks…
Louisiana Quilt Trail
The driving tour of the Louisiana Quilt Trail takes you to homes and businesses that display colorful painted quilt blocks. But a closer look at the blocks provides an imaginative…
Tchefuncte River
The great blue herons and white egrets seem to be watching us and keeping their distance as we glide along the tree-lined Tchefuncte River. Our tour of this historic southeast…
Camping at Fontainebleau
Visitors to Fontainebleau State Park regularly flock to the beachfront to watch the gorgeous sunsets over Lake Pontchartrain. campgrounds have reopened – cabins still closed from hurricane ida Get the…
Old Husser School
The old school in Husser has stood for a century. I like old buildings. And they seem even more interesting when they pass the age of one hundred. There is…
Mountain Bike Trails to the Max
A mountain bike trail where you least expect it – in the gentle hills of southern Louisiana. Off-road bicycling enthusiasts have spent the last few years helping to design and…
Twin Steeples
born again with art These two old churches with their twin steeples are among the oldest wooden structures in the southeastern Louisiana city of Ponchatoula. But after sitting mostly unused…
Explore Louisiana’s giant Live Oak trees
They are the grand monuments of the southern landscape, with massive strong arms that support an evergreen crown that can be fashionably draped with Spanish moss. The biggest of the…
Bogue Chitto State Park
Whether you enjoy a lazy float down the river, camping, horseback riding, hiking or tackling extreme bike trails, Louisiana’s Bogue Chitto State Park has it all. And it’s only a…
Nature Trail in Bloom
Spring is the perfect time to visit this nature trail through the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge near New Orleans. Louisiana’s purple wild iris and the white water lily…
Horse Trail Ride
If you’ve ever thought about getting on the back of a horse and going on a trail ride through the wilderness, Louisiana’s Bogue Chitto State Park makes it easy to…
Ponchatoula’s Valentine Chocolate from Elmer
Those heart-shaped boxes of Elmer chocolate that will be given to sweethearts this Valentines Day got their start in the small southeast Louisiana city of Ponchatoula. The production line rolls…
Continue Reading Ponchatoula’s Valentine Chocolate from Elmer
Hiking the Gorge
One of the best hikes in Louisiana is located in Bogue Chitto State Park. The 5-and-a-half mile long Gorge Run Trail loops through pine-covered hillsides and through river lowlands of…
A Beacon on the Lake
From early Native Americans to present day fishermen and recreational boaters, Lake Pontchartrain has a long maritime history. A Madisonville museum has that history on display, including the building of…
A One-Room School in Antique City
Back in the 1800’s, it was not unusual find one-room schools, especially in rural communities. There is one that’s been saved and turned into a museum in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. When…