By Elodie Provosty
Photo by Elodie Provosty
New Orleans never sleeps–the city always has something going on no matter what time of year it is. But during the hot and humid summer months, the Big Easy has unmatched energy. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, trying to escape the sun and cool down or enjoy it, New Orleans has something for you to do.
For a lot of people spending summer in New Orleans, it’s all about surviving the 100-degree weather without a heat stroke. A fun solution to this for all ages is to take a dip in one of the many pools and water parks around the city. The New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD) opens public pools all around the city, and many hotels offer their rooftop pools to the public for a fee. Arguably the most popular is the Cool Zoo and Lazy River located at Audubon Park.
“It’s the best place to cool off,” said Chloe Klump, a junior at the Willow High School. “I always take the kids I babysit there because they run around for hours riding the slides, and I can just chill in the Lazy River and still get paid.”
Another popular way to escape the humid heat is to splurge on some New Orleans’ signature sno-balls. These treats are not hard to find, with roadside pop-up stands and unique stores all across the city. With this said, two shops are by far the favorites of the city–Hansen’s Sno-Bliz and Plum Street Snoballs.
“The cream of coffee sno-ball from Hansen’s is by far the best,” said another Willow junior, Graham Williams. “ Especially with toppings like condensed milk and crushed strawberries.”
But enough about cooling off–if you’re someone who won’t let a little heat stop you from having a great time, City Park is a perfect place to spend a day. The City Park Conservancy offers a huge range of activities. You can enjoy nature at the Botanical Gardens or at the Sculpture Gardens, or even visit Wheel Fun Rentals where you can rent boats or bikes to explore the park at your own pace. There are also perennial favorites such as Story Land, Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, and City Putt.
“City Putt is my go-to activity,” Marley Choate, Willow junior, said. “They have two paths– New Orleans and Louisiana. Each takes you through the history and has challenging holes that are all so different.”
Of course, when you’re in New Orleans no matter what season, sampling the cuisine is a must. Whether you’re eating gumbo, po-boys, beignets, red beans and rice, or jambalaya, it’s a challenge to find bad food in the Big Easy. But when it comes to beignets, the top option is Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter, where you can enjoy fresh beignets with a glass of refreshing orange juice surrounded by street performers, art, and culture. The Cafe du Monde at City Park also has performers and is a close second, and you can walk around the park to afterwards to help counter the calories.
Whether you’re trying to escape the heat, enjoy the culture, eat well, or just experience nature, the city has so much to offer in the summer, there’s no chance to get bored. Just make sure you remember your sunscreen.
