5 fun places to take the kids

By Dan Copp

Staff Writer

The Houma-Thibodaux area has no shortage of fun-filled destinations for kids of all ages. From beaches to books, families don’t have to travel far to have a good time. Here are five destinations in Terrebonne and Lafourche that are fun for the young and young at heart:

1. The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium’s marine research center in Cocodrie offers a variety of programs that teach children about the area’s rich marshlands and swamps and the unique wildlife that inhabits them. They include field trips, boat rides and a summer camp. Visit LUMCON at 8124 La. 56, call 851-2800 or check its website at cwc. lumcon.edu.

2. The Bayou Country Children’s Museum in Thibodaux offers camps, events and other activities guaranteed to delight. Children can learn as they play on a full-size sugar-cane harvester, spot waterfowl from a duck blind, toss Mardi Gras beads, experience a severe weather or fi re simulation or climb aboard a shrimp boat or oil derrick. Admission is $8 per person. The museum, 211 Rue Betancourt, hosts special events throughout the year and it’s a great place to have your child’s birthday party. Information: call 446-2200 or visit www.bayoucountrychildrensmuseum.org.

3. Check out the beaches at Grand Isle, the summer spot for families near and far. Many own or rent camps along the beach, but you don’t need to do that to have fun on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. Grand Isle State Park has beach tent campsites available starting at $18 a night. The park has a 2- to 5-mile nature trail, and it’s a great place to fish, swim or just relax upon the beach. For information, call 1-888-787-2559 or visit the “parks” section of the state’s tourism website at crt.state.la.us.

4. Not much of an outdoorsman? Local libraries not only house some great works of literature, but they also offer family-friendly events like story times, arts and crafts, computer lessons, trivia contests and book festivals. The Courier and Daily Comet publish regular columns and calendars that highlight coming library events. Visit the library systems’ websites at mytpl.org or lafourche.org for more info.

5. With water all around us, Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes offer plenty of fishing spots. Kids younger than 16 don’t need a license, though the adult accompanying them does, and there are plenty of places to cast your line even if you don’t have a boat. You’ll find a list of great fishing spots in this edition of Living Here.

Photo: Summer campers go kayaking at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium’s DeFelice Marine Center in Cocodrie. [Submitted]