Rollin' on the Northshore
By Louisiana's St. Tammany Parish
08/11/2008
Enjoy authentic hands-on experiences when you visit Louisiana’s
Northshore. From a swamp tour in the pristine Honey Island Swamp to a safari ride at Global Wildlife Center, we have something for everyone.
Contact Information:
t: view phone 800-634-9443
e: view email tanya@louisiananorthshore.com
w: view URL http://www.tourthenorthshore.com
- Dr.Wagner's Honey Island Swamp Tour
- Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery
- LPB Maritimem Museum
- Global Wildlife Center
Tour Dates:
Number of Days: 3
Day 1
Begin the day by enjoying the outdoors on Dr. Wagner’s Honey Island Swamp Tour, a two-hour narrated boat tour of one of America's most pristine cypress river swamps, led by native naturalist guides. Learn the history, folklore and ecology of the swamp and its inhabitants. Stroll down memory lane when in Olde Towne Slidell Antiques District where you’ll find antiques shops, collectibles, contemporary accessories, gift shops, art galleries and restaurants, all within a short walking distance. Later that day, visit Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum. Feel Louisiana's pride while viewing boat models, highlighted by a video exploring origins and adaptations of local watercraft. Witness frontier life on the bayou and explore the commercial uses of luggers and schooners through dioramas. See a 2/3-scale paddlewheeler theater featuring an award-winning video presentation about Louisiana’s maritime heritage.
Day 2
After breakfast, visit Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery, a unique and exciting attraction! Take a one-hour guided tour of the only licensed alligator ranch in Louisiana that’s open to the public. Learn about the industry from hatchling to handbag; feed gators swimming in crystal clear water or hold a four-footer. Then travel to Downtown Covington and tour Heiner Brau Micro-brewery. Located in a historic spot that was once a popular gathering place across the railroad track of the old Covington train depot, this is one of two microbreweries in the area. While in Covington don’t miss the H. J. Smith's Son General Store and Museum. Family-owned and operated since 1876, the museum houses hundreds of items from the past, including a 20-foot-long cypress dugout boat, cast iron casket, old farming tools, a 1920s gas pump, a hand operated wooden washing machine, and much more. Later, stretch your limbs on the Tammany Trace. A 31-mile “rails to trails” hiking and biking track, the Trace was recently recognized by the White House as a Millennium Legacy Trail.
Day 3
Travel to the Northshore’s Serengeti! Start your day with a tour at Global Wildlife Center, the largest free-roaming wildlife preserve in the United States. This 1 ½-hour guided wagon tour of a 900-acre wildlife preserve offers an up-close glimpse of many rare and endangered animals from all over the world. Head on over to the Mandeville Lakefront and catch a breathtaking view of Lake Pontchartrain and the longest continuous bridge over water in the world!
