Campground recommendations around New Orleans

Delomax02 wrote:

Wadcutter, I was looking into visiting the WWII Museum, now it's defiantly on our list!! Our son has done a lot of reading up on the Marines, but I haven't hear the TUN Tavern story, or Belle Chase, it will also go on our list!!

Here's the link to Mothers Restaurant. Mothers
Fairly cheap place to grab something to eat. Definitely nothing fancy. They have great roast beef and also ham poboys. If can't decide between the roast beef or ham then get the Ferdi. Take time to check out the pictures on the walls and see who all have visited Mothers.

For the TUN Tavern look it up on Wikipedia.org. He'll learn about the history of the USMC and TUN Tavern.

For the WWII Museum here's their website. WWII Museum
Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg had a lot of influence in getting the museum in New Orleans. Initially it was known as the D-Day Museum and was placed in New Orleans due to the major role the New Orleans area played in preparing for D-Day. The Higgins Boat was invented in New Orleans and first tried out on Lake Ponchartrain. The Higgins Boat is the one you see in all the movies during the D-Day landing. The place is now a national museum. Plan to spend a good part of the day there. Lots to see.

Best of luck to your son. And congratulations to his proud parents. This trip will mean a lot to both you and your son but even more so years from now.

We always enjoy Ponchatrane Landing (SP?). They have a web site. We were there this past February. It is only a 15 minute ride from the Quarter. They also have a shuttle that will carry you there for a cost. It is right on the water close to the high rise bridge. It is also very safe for NO.

The joint reserve base in Belle Chase used to be a naval base in the 1970s. My wife Ginnie and I were both in the Coast Guard and got married at the little chapel on the base in 1975.

OK Mom and Dad,
It's time to get out the calendar. Here's the schedule for Mardi Gras in New Orleans for the next several years. For about 10 days prior to that date, New Orleans is one giant alcohol soaked party. I've been there and loved it, but I didn't feel any great need to remove my shirt on the final day. But a whole lot of young ladies felt the need. Must have been the heat. Perhaps your son has heard the stories from his buddies. Just saying.

Thanks everyone!!! After reading the reviews of some of the private ones, they seem questionable, I think our best bet will be the state parks (we love our Michigan ones!!)

As far as him 'choosing' where he gets to go; well, you know this and I know this, but for him it's a wish and I'm not going to miss out on one last vacation to take him there before I turn him over to our great country!!! ;-) :-)

Wadcutter, I was looking into visiting the WWII Museum, now it's defiantly on our list!! Our son has done a lot of reading up on the Marines, but I haven't hear the TUN Tavern story, or Belle Chase, it will also go on our list!!

A HUGE thank you again everyone!!!

All of LA's state parks in the area are very nice. Clean, very nice shower houses, wifi, electric and water hook ups, safe. Fairview Riverside and Fountainbleu on the north side of the lake are both nice. We prefer Fairview Riverside but can't go wrong with either. For a state park closer in there's Bayou Signette SP in Westwego, LA. Also St Bernard SP altho we find getting to Bayou Signette SP a bit easier for us coming off of I-55.
For a soon to be Marine be sure you go to Mothers on Pydras. It's an easy walk from the French Quarter. Mothers restaurant was the hangout for Marines during WWII. It has been designated by the USMC as the TUN Tavern New Orleans. If he doesn't know the history of the Marine Corps yet the TUN Tavern was where the Marines was officially started. The original owners had 7 children who were all Marines.
Also be sure to visit the WWII Museum. Very nice.
You might as well drive by the New Orleans Joint Reserve Base in Belle Chase. That will probably be the only time he'll get to see it during his stay in the Marines.

TucsonJim wrote:

Delomax02 wrote:
he wants to check out the area as he is joining the Marines in August & would like to be stationed there after boot camp.

This tickled me. I hope your son realizes that as a new recruit, he won't have a say about where he's stationed. He will go anywhere in the world that the Marine Corps wants him to.

Please thank him for his upcoming service for me.

Jim

Yeah, this struck me as something a recruiter would tell someone. "You can go anywhere in the world, son".

Delomax02 wrote:
he wants to check out the area as he is joining the Marines in August & would like to be stationed there after boot camp.

This tickled me. I hope your son realizes that as a new recruit, he won't have a say about where he's stationed. He will go anywhere in the world that the Marine Corps wants him to.

Please thank him for his upcoming service for me.

Jim

Another vote for Fountainbleau, or even better Fairview-Riverside Park in Madisonville. Both are north of Lake Ponchartrain. We use to live a few miles from both and they are very nice.

There were a lot of people from NOLA at Buccaneer SP in Waveland MS. It's a bit far, but Poche's in Breaux Bridge was nice as well.