Fun places to take the kids

By Scott Yoshonis

News Editor

If you’re looking to get out and stretch your legs, just catch some rays, or even get some more vigorous exercise, the area offers numerous outdoor spots for residents to use.

From nature trails to birding destinations, Terrebonne and Lafourche have their share of outdoor activities for residents. Here are 10 places to go to enjoy the great outdoors close to home:

1. Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge Nature Trail

Most of this 4,400-acres of marsh and swamp is accessible only by boat. But the nature trail, about a 45-minute walk, gives visitors a chance to glimpse an alligator, blue heron or any number of bird species. From October through May, might spot an American bald eagle. Address: 3599 Bayou Black Drive. Phone: 860-6681. Online: fws.gov/ mandalay.

2. Grand Isle Birding Trail

See more than 100 species of migratory birds stopping off as they fly north for the summer or south for the winter. Operated by the Nature Conservancy, the trail includes forests of moss-draped oak and hackberry trees. To get started, pick up a map at the Grand Isle Port Commission visitors center, 2757 La. 1. Information: (985) 787-2229.

3. LUMCON boardwalk

The 175-yard boardwalk at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium’s research center sends you straight into the marshes of Cocodrie. It runs over ponds that attract nutria, crabs, pelicans, blue herons and roseate spoonbills. It’s a great place to watch the sun set on the horizon. Address: 8124 La. 56, Cocodrie. Phone: 851-2800.

4. Marguerite Moffett Audubon Sanctuary

This boardwalk and observation deck run about 700 feet over marsh and open water that spans 108 acres. The site offers sanctuary to many species of birds, including marsh wren and Seaside sparrows. Much of the swamp and marsh that used to be here have eroded because of saltwater intrusion. It’s a good place to see the area’s coastal erosion problems up close. Address: 7032 La. 56, Chauvin.

5. Lockport trail

The 440-foot-long trail winds

The Lockport Trail guides walkers through large trees in the cypress swamp from 7 a.m.

to 7 p.m., seven days a week. [BAYOU LAFOURCHE AREA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU]

through a cypress swamp, and at the end of the walk, visitors can stop to rest under a gazebo. It’s open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. You’ll find it just north of the Lafourche Career Magnet Center, 6419 La. 308 in Lockport.

6. Houma Geocaching Tour

Originally set up by the Houma Area Convention and Visitors Bureau to attract tourists, the technological scavenger hunt known as geocaching has proven popular among locals as well. Cachers, as those who engage in the activity are called, download an app on their smartphones that gives them details and coordinates for caches, which the cacher then tries to find. The app will also give hints if a cacher is stumped or provide sort of a digital, “you’re getting warmer.” Locate all 21 caches on the tour, and you will receive a signature Houma Travel geocoin. Info online at GeoHouma.com.

7. Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge

A 9,028-acre refuge situated along and on either side of Bayou Teche, an ancient channel of the Mississippi River. The refuge consists of 6 non-contiguous management units, ranging in size from 81 acres to 3,619 acres. The refuge is located at the south edge of Franklin, adjacent to U.S. 90. The Garden City Interpretive Boardwalk Trail is a good place to start, consisting of a trail that leads to an overlook in a cypress-tupelo bottomland hardwood forest. Address: 1725 Willow St., Franklin.

8. Cristiano Ristorante

Not all outdoor activity needs to involve “roughing it.” Several local eateries offer outdoor dining, with a variety of dining experiences. One of the best is Cristiano Ristorante, at 724 High St. in Houma, which features high-end Italian cuisine in a spacious, beautiful patio setting. Reservations recommended at 223-1130.

9. Wildlife Gardens

Walk through a live cypress swamp, with an alligator farm with small to large alligators and a 110-pound loggerhead turtle and nature trails. Bed and breakfast cabins are available in the swamp. Gardens are open Tues-Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. More information is available online at wildlifegardens.com. Address: 5306 N. Bayou Black Drive, Gibson.

10. Lafourche Live Oak Tour

This self-guided driving tour provides a look at some of Louisiana’s oldest living thing and the history behind them. You can begin the tour from anywhere along the bayou in Lafourche Parish. Just pick up a map online at liveoaktour. com/tour-map to find each tree’s name and address. As you follow the oaks’ locations, you’ll discover facts and places that make Lafourche Parish distinct and interesting. You’ll also gain a clearer idea of what makes this area a special place to visit and to live. Info: liveoaktour.com.

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