Lafitte Greenway
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Lafitte Greenway is a revitalized urban green space, built on a former railroad, offering a unique blend of nature and city life. It provides a long, continuous path for walking and biking across New Orleans, connecting major attractions like the French Quarter and City Park. Families benefit from diverse amenities including playgrounds, sports courts, and public art, making it an excellent free outdoor recreational option.
Key Highlights
- ✓Continuous bicycle and walking path spanning from Basin Street to Carrollton Avenue, ideal for long excursions.
- ✓Features dedicated playgrounds and a 'kids place', catering specifically to younger children.
- ✓Offers various sports facilities including basketball and tennis courts.
- ✓Equipped with outdoor gyms and fitness equipment for adult and teen exercise.
- ✓Showcases scenic beauty with majestic oak trees and 'beautiful houses' along the path.
- ✓Adorned with vibrant public street art, adding a cultural element to the experience.
- ✓Street crossings are enhanced with push-buttons to stop traffic, improving safety for families.
- ✓Convenient bicycle tire inflation stations are available along the route.
Standout Features
- ⭐**Exceptional Connectivity:** Directly links to the French Quarter (south end) and City Park (north end), making it easy to combine with other family outings or use as a scenic route between attractions.
- ⭐**Diverse Activity Zones:** Provides a wide range of free activities in one location: extensive walking and biking, multiple playgrounds, various sports courts (basketball, tennis), and outdoor gyms.
- ⭐**Enhanced Safety at Crossings:** Equipped with push-button traffic stops at street intersections, significantly improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists, especially those with children.
- ⭐**Bike-Friendly Infrastructure:** The inclusion of bicycle tire inflation stations is a practical and highly valued amenity for families on cycling trips.
- ⭐**Aesthetic Appeal:** Seamlessly blends natural beauty (majestic oak trees) with urban character (street art, neighborhood views), offering a pleasant environment for recreation.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Plan Restroom Breaks:** Due to limited on-Greenway restrooms, parents should plan ahead for bathroom breaks, utilizing facilities at nearby businesses or before/after their visit, especially with young children.
- →**Bring Bikes or Scooters:** The greenway is ideal for cycling, with long, continuous paths and convenient inflation stations, making it perfect for families who enjoy biking.
- →**Integrate with Other Attractions:** Leverage the greenway's direct connections to the French Quarter and City Park to create a longer, diverse family outing.
- →**Be Prepared for Off-Trail Amenities:** If you plan on purchasing food or drinks, be prepared to step off the greenway momentarily, as cafes and food places are mentioned as being nearby, not directly on the path.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Parents should be aware of limited restroom access directly on the greenway itself, requiring planning for breaks.
Price & Value
The Lafitte Greenway and its many amenities (paths, playgrounds, sports courts) are entirely free to use, offering exceptional value for family entertainment and recreation in an urban setting. There are no explicit hidden costs mentioned, though families may incur expenses for food/drinks if they utilize nearby off-Greenway establishments due to limited on-site options.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •The greenway is described as 'well-designed and very walkable,' suggesting a smooth, even surface suitable for strollers.
- •It features a continuous bicycle path, indicating it's accessible for bikes and possibly other wheeled mobility aids.
- •No specific mention of dedicated wheelchair accessibility features or sensory-friendly accommodations beyond its general design.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •No explicit policy mentioned regarding bringing outside food or drinks onto the greenway.
- •Reviewers note that you can 'step off the trail to a coffee or food place' nearby, implying no direct food vendors are located on the greenway itself.
🚗Parking Info
- •No specific parking information is provided in the reviews, so parents may need to research parking options near the greenway's access points (e.g., Basin Street, French Quarter, City Park).
👥Crowd Levels
- •The greenway is described as 'bursting with life' and is used for 'recreation with my wife and daughter on the weekends', indicating it's popular and active, but no specific times are highlighted as overly crowded or problematic for families.
🛡️Safety Features
- •**Traffic Control:** A key safety feature is the presence of 'push button to stop traffic' at street crossings, which is highly beneficial for families with children cycling or walking.
- •No mention of dedicated staff supervision, wristband systems, or on-site first aid stations in the reviews.
⏰When to Avoid
- • Families whose primary need is frequent, easily accessible public restrooms directly along their activity path.
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Supernova
December 11, 12 & 13, 2025
Not specified
Supernova returns to the Greenway.
Halloween Spooktacular
October 31, 2025
Not specified
An annual event for families, featuring costumes, activities, and candy along the trail. Takes place from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Easter Eggstravaganza
During Easter
Not specified
A celebration for family and friends outdoors on the Greenway.
Movies in the Park
Twice a year
Not specified
Community movie screenings with family-friendly films, activities for all ages, and snacks before the show.
Market March Madness
Thursdays in March
Not specified
A series of events at the Crescent City Farmers Market featuring live music, an art market, kids activities, a fitness class, and basketball programming.
🍎Food Policy
- • Local food vendors are present at the Crescent City Farmers Market every Thursday.
- • Opportunity to be a food vendor at upcoming Greenway events by filling out a rolling application.
📅Booking Policy
- • Special events and rentals on the Greenway are managed by the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD). For information about rentals, contact NORD at 504.658.3084 or Gerry Rincon at gfrincon@nola.gov.
🚗Parking Information
- • Not explicitly detailed, but directions for arrival are provided: from the Central Business District (Loyola Avenue bike lane to Basin St Trailhead), from Hospitals (Galvez Street 4 blocks northeast/downriver from Canal Street), from Uptown (Norman C. Francis off-street path to Bayou St. John roundabout).
What People Say
What's Great
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Crystal Guidroz
6 months agoLot of beautiful trees, playgrounds, outdoor gyms, rec center, kids place, basketball courts, tennis courts, walking & biking paths.
Louis and Elaine
a year agoLaFitte Greenway is absolutely great! A continuous bicycle and walking path from Basin street all the way to Carrollton Avenue. The street crossings have a push button to stop traffic and so much more. There are bicycle tire inflation stations, workout and fitness equipment, tennis and basketball courts and more. The street art along the Greenway is great. A really nice way to cross the city.
Hannah (莫恩妍)
a year agoWell-designed and very walkable urban greenway in New Orleans. The south end is within walking distance from the French quarter and the north end is walking distance from City Park. Connects multiple neighborhood and parks and passes by a couple places where you can step off the trail to a coffee or food place. Not much restroom access on the greenway itself. Lots of color and character along the way — perfect example of nature and urban life coming together.
Bogdan Adamutiu
10 months agoI had a relaxing walk at Lafitte Greenway, a beautiful green path near the water in New Orleans. It gave me the opportunity to admire the majestic oak trees and beautiful houses.
Sergio Gonzalez
7 years agoAn absolutely stellar addition to the urban landscape of New Orleans. Imagine an old abandoned commercial railroad piercing through the city and through several neighborhoods without being noticed, with the exception of when some crime had been committed. Several houses and warehouses intentionally giving its back to this forsaken yet full of potential open space. A year into it's inauguration, the Laffite Greenway bursts with life, and it's looking better and better with every passing day. A myriad of recently completed commercial and residential renovations and new construction projects as well as other that are being considered are a clear statement that the greenway is here to stay, and that its future couldn't be brighter. I use the bike path for commuting on the weekdays and for recreation with my wife and daughter on the weekends. I absolutely love it.