Barking on the Bayou in New Orleans, Louisiana
- Luie Boone
- Jul 6
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 5
This vacation destination is a part of our second series of blog posts titled K9 Kind.
New Orleans, Louisiana—a city that knows how to let the good times roll, and they don't mind if your dog rolls right along with you. It's a place where you can wander through colorful neighborhoods, soak up live music and culture, and indulge in some seriously tasty food without ever having to leave your four-legged sidekick behind. Luie Boone thinks any city that lets him join the fun (and maybe, hopefully, definitely, score a beignet if he plays his card right) is his kind of vacation spot.
Do you want to know one of the best ways to enjoy New Orleans? It's by hitting the parks with your pup! This city is full of green spaces where you and your dog can wander tree-lined paths, stretch your legs, or just lounge around and soak up the natural beauty. Whether you're after a slow stroll or an all-out zoomie session, there's plenty of room to roam. New Orleans is a walkable city, and it's totally normal to see both locals and visitors out exploring with their dogs right by their side!
Grabbing a bite in New Orleans isn't just about the food. Although, let's be real, the food is to die for. It's also a full-on cultural experience, and, luckily, it's an experience that your dog can come along for the ride for. Plenty of local spots, like Flamingo A-Go-Go and Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant, welcome pups on their outdoor patios and even offer pet-friendly menus. Flamingo A-Go-Go serves up Mutt's Mash and Doggie's Delight. Luie Boone's not making two trips; he's ordering both dishes in one sitting like a true fur-die (foodie). And over at Lucy's? Well, Luie Boone will talk more about that tasty spot later, but let's just say their "Sur-Fur" menu has some tasty options, too. Good food, good company, and belly rubs? That's the New Orleans way.
New Orleans isn’t just parks, patios and food. There’s plenty of dog-friendly fun to keep your pup busy. Open-air markets happily welcome leashed dogs, and they’re packed with local vendors, live music, and mouth- watering food smells (which Luie Boone says is very important). And throughout the year, the city throws festivals and events where dogs aren’t just tolerated, they’re basically VIPs. It’s the perfect chance to soak up the culture while your pup sniffs everything in sight, makes a few new furry friends, and maybe scores a head scratch or two.
Whether Luie Boone's chasing new smells, wearing a snazzy tinseled garland like the pup below, doubling-dipping in doggie menus, or plotting how to accidentally snag a beignet, one thing is absolutely clear: New Orleans knows how to show a pup a good time!
Paws Rest Here
Luie Boone paw-selected this perfect vacation rental for your stay in New Orleans, Louisiana. Check it out below!
Rental Name: Les Bon Temps
This rental has 5 bedrooms with 7 beds and 3 baths.
Photos courtesy of Stay Redamo
It features the following amenities:
Tucked in between Mid-City, Bayou Saint John, and the Lafitte Greenway
Close to the red streetcar line, which brings you to City Park Ave and the French Quarter
Outdoor entertainment area
Plenty of outdoor seating options
Gas grill
Outdoor TV
Outdoor bar and kitchen (Luie Boone votes for bottomless dog treats over bottomless mimosas!)
What does Luie Boone think of this rental? He woofed:
Les Bon Temps? That's the name of the rental my paw-rents say we'd be staying at in New Orleans, but honestly, I have no idea what the heck it means. Sounds fancy, right? I figure it is French for "More treats, please," but, apparently, it means, "Let the good times roll." And you know what? I'm totally on board with doing that at this rental. It has a big backyard, which is practically my own private dog park perfect for zoomies. It's near City Park, the Jazz Fest fairgrounds, and something called the Lafitte Greenway. I don't know where those places are exactly, but they sound like perfect spots for long walks, new smells, and maybe even a squirrel chase or two. Inside, the house has tons of comfy napping spots. I plan to try out every single sleeping option, just to be fair and thorough. There's also a big living area and outdoor kitchen with a grill, bar, and TV. If something falls off the grill, I'm on it faster than you can say "beignet." Now, apparently, my humans have to pay a $250 dog fee for me. They say I should get a job to cover it, but I already have a job and it's being the bestest boy ever! Anyways, the fee seems reasonable considering they'll probably need to vacuum up half of my body weight in fur. So, let the good times roll—or as they say in New Orleans, laissez les bons temps rouler!
Paws Venture Here
Woldenberg Park
At the Woldenberg Park, you can walk your pal next to the mighty Mississippi River. Be sure to enjoy the ships floating by and the interesting sculptures that dot the landscape near the docks. You and your pooch can also enjoy a picnic on the grass or on one of the benches.
Couturie Forest
At the Couturie Forest, you can bring your canine companion on a walk through tranquil woodlands that span 60 acres and feature waterways, native trees, and diverse bird and wildlife.
Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge
Visit this wildlife refuge to to see bottomland hardwoods, freshwater and brackish marshes, lagoons, canals, borrow pits, and natural bayous. The American alligator is a common sight at the refuge! Luie Boone has a cousin named Gator, but those actual gators? He's all for wildlife, just preferably the kind that won't eat him for lunch.
Audubon Park
At Audubon Park, you and your pup can marvel at and enjoy the ever-beautiful oak trees, lagoons, and expansive green space.
The French Quarter
The French Quarter, located in the heart of New Orleans, is the city's oldest and most iconic neighborhood. It has a combination of great food, beautiful architecture, and live music. Luie Boone will love this place!
City Park
This is a 1,300-acre park. Here, you and your pooch can check out great attractions, including the New Orleans Botanical Gardens, the Singing Oak, Storyland (a fairytale theme park for kids), the Labyrinth in City Park, and the Festival Grounds Workout Pod.
Metairie Cemetery
Metairie Cemetery encompasses 17 acres and contains 9,000 tombs, which date back to the 1800s. It encompasses the graves of nine governors, twelve New Orleans mayors, and six state Supreme Court justices. The cemetery is one of few cemeteries that allows dogs. Amongst the monuments, your pup can enjoy sniffing lizards and squirrels.
Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant
This quintessential surfer’s joint serves tacos, burgers, a variety of seafood, and specialty mixed cocktails. Their indoor/outdoor seating welcomes all puppy pals and they even have a "Sur-Fur" dog-friendly menu! Enjoy their weekly Waggin’ Wednesdays featuring specials, such as the Lucy’s Puppy Popsicle.
Luie Boone's Pet Peeve about
New Orleans, Louisiana
There's just so much to love about this vacation destination, but there's one thing that's got Luie Boone's leash in a twist. He woofed:
Beignets, brass bands, and a whole city full of new smells? Count me in! I was so ready to sniff every sidewalk crack, shady patch of grass, and crumb that I could find... until I caught a whiff of something a lot less exciting: Snakes! And these aren't the harmless, slithery-but-shy garden snakes that I'm used to back in Wisconsin. Nope. We're talking the hissy, bitey, venomous kind that could turn my tail-wagging adventure into an emergency vet visit faster than you can say "laissez les bons temps rouler." Down in New Orleans, I learned that snakes like to hang where you least expect. And the sneaky part? They usually see you way before you see them. Some of these snakes, like cottonmouths and copperheads, are no joke. One chomp, and it's lights out or, at least, cone-of-shame time for pups like me. So, here's my dog-to-dog advice: Skip the thick grass, steer clear of the water's edge, and stick to the trail—or better yet, stick close to your hooman's side. We all know they carry the best treats anyways. New Orleans has plenty of sniffs worth chasing, but, trust me, snakes aren't one of them.
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