We stayed in Mandeville, at Fontainbleau SP. We didn't mind driving across Lake Pontchartrain. Fontainbleau is a beautiful park, we really enjoyed it. I didn't want to be too close to NO but that's just me.
I stayed at a KOA on the west side of town readily available to streetcar to down town. also stayed at KOA in Slidel and took toad to town. If you stay at the one just North of downtown, don't walk to town after dark. bumpy