Field trips
(Sign up will take place at registration. Transportation provided for all field trips.)
Cost: Free. Box lunch under the trees at the Center or travel back into historical Mandeville for lunch. Located on 400 acres of ancient pines and hardwood forest, bounded on the west by Bayou Castine, crossed by a marsh and an active beaver pond - teeming with native animal and plant life - the Northlake Nature Center is St. Tammany's "Secret Garden." The subtle splendor of Louisiana's wetlands is complemented by graceful structures, aged and new. A recent archaeological survey revealed the Center site as home to ancient peoples more than 500 years ago.
Cost: Bikes $20/person/day. Hiking is free. Grab lunch in Louisiana’s scenic southern towns. The Tammany Trace is a scenic recreational corridor composed of a main paved trail, a parallel equestrian trail and other recreational facilities. The Trace is also a wildlife conservation area and educational learning center. The trail makes its way through five historic communities, Covington, Abita Springs, Mandeville, Lacombe, and Slidell, linking various parks and providing beautiful vistas of rivers, bayous and streams from atop 31 railroad bridges. The trace covers 28 miles.
Cost: $10/person. Lunch is offered separately at the plantation restaurant. Antique shopping after lunch in historic St. Francisville, LA. The Myrtles Plantation, circa 1796, invites you to step into the past to experience antebellum splendor. You will see fine antiques and architectural treasures of the South and discover why The Myrtles has been called one of "America's Most Haunted Homes.”
Relax in the giant rockers on the 120-foot veranda or stroll through the lush 10 acres filled with majestic live oaks. The 5000 square foot old brick courtyard is the perfect place to unwind before enjoying a meal at the Carriage House Restaurant.
The Myrtles has been featured in New York Times, Forbes, Gourmet, Veranda, Travel and Leisure, Country Inns, Colonial Homes, Delta SKY and on the Oprah Show, A & E, History Channel, Travel Channel, Learning Channel, National Geographic Explorer, Good Morning America and Sci-fi Ghost Hunters.