Fontainebleau State Park

Name: Fontainebleau State Park
Address: 62883 LA-1089, Mandeville, LA 70448, USA, New Orleans, LA, US
Telephone: (985) 624-4443
Rating: 4.6

4.6(3,703) New Orleans, LA

Directions Website

About Fontainebleau State Park

Fontainebleau State Park offers a unique blend of natural beauty, historic exploration, and family-friendly activities across its 2,800 acres, with stunning views of Lake Pontchartrain. It stands out for its diverse offerings including a new all-inclusive playground, a splash pad, historic 1829 sugar mill ruins, and both tent and unique over-water cabin camping options. It's particularly valuable for families seeking a comprehensive outdoor experience with varied attractions.

What parents should know

Summarized from real visitor reviews.

Best for: Families seeking a comprehensive weekend getaway with diverse outdoor activities.Parents looking for an accessible and engaging playground/splash pad for younger children.Families interested in combining historical exploration with outdoor recreation.Visitors needing mobility assistance, due to the availability of an all-terrain track wheelchair.**Toddlers to Elementary School Age:** Excellent for young children due to the new all-inclusive playground and splash pad, as well as the sandy beach.

Why families love it

Beautiful park scenery and amazing views of Lake Pontchartrain.
Cabins are available with 4 bunk beds, a master bedroom, a nice-sized private bathroom, and private parking.
Features a new, all-inclusive playground and a splash pad.
A sandy beach is available for family enjoyment.
Offers nature trails and connects to the Tammy Trace for biking.
Historic 1829 sugar mill ruins are situated among towering oaks, adding a unique educational element.

Insider tips

Carefully review all camping fees; budget for a $25 deposit, potential $15 date change fees, and $20 arrival fees, as tent camping can total $60 for two nights.
Do not leave valuable items unattended at your campsite due to reported thefts and lack of effective resolution from management.
If booking a cabin, be prepared to make your own beds upon arrival, even though sheets are provided.
Bring bicycles to take advantage of the park's connection to the Tammy Trace trail.
Explore beyond your immediate campsite to discover the beach, playground, splash pad, and historic sugar mill ruins.

Good to know before you go

Leaving any valuables or personal belongings unsecured at campsites.
Booking without fully understanding the deposit, change, and arrival fees for camping, as costs can accumulate unexpectedly.
This park may not be ideal if you prioritize security for personal belongings at your campsite and expect immediate resolution for issues like theft.
Complex and potentially high pricing for tent camping ($60 for two nights, including a $25 deposit, a $15 date change fee even for tornado warnings, and a $20 arrival fee).
Reports of items (water guns, nerf guns, slime, water balloons) being stolen from campsites, with inadequate management follow-up.

Crowds: Described as 'the most-visited park in Louisiana,' indicating it can be popular, though specific crowd times or issues are not detailed in the reviews.
Value: Tent camping can be perceived as poor value, totaling $60 for two nights, which includes a $25 non-refundable deposit, a $15 date change fee, and a $20 arrival fee, despite offering no electricity or private bathroom. Cabins cost almost $200 a night; sheets are provided but guests must make their own beds. The value of cabins is generally considered good due to amenities like bunk beds, a master bedroom, private bath, and parking.
Food: Not explicitly mentioned in the reviews, but as a state park, it is generally expected that visitors bring their own food for camping and day use.
Accessibility: An all-terrain track wheelchair is available for use by visitors with limited mobility.
Safety: A significant concern regarding campsite safety due to reported theft of personal items (water guns, nerf guns, slime, water balloons) and a lack of follow-up from park management, suggesting potential gaps in security or oversight for campers' belongings. No explicit safety measures like patrols or surveillance are mentioned.

What parents say

Mjpaff

1.0

"The one star is for the beauty of the park & for the people who work there who seem very nice. Both deserve 5 stars HOWEVER how they charge for services and camping is why i say go to another park! I had to move my reservation from last wk to this wk because of a damn TORNADO WARNING! No ones fault. On top of the $25 deposit (i already paid- that i wouldnt get back if i canceled due to a TORNADO warning)i also had to pay &15 to change dates! ASININE! Then $20 more when i got there. So $60 for two nites camping in a TENT! No housekeeping or electric or bathrm- im being sarcastic- ITS A TENT SIT"

a month ago

Johnny White

5.0

"Beautiful trip to take the kids and family out on the weekend. They have cabins with bunk beds 4 to be exact and a master bedroom a nice-sized bathroom your own parking and the view is simply amazing! I highly recommend this place."

a month ago

Carmen Watson

1.0

"I left my kids things at my camp site (water guns, nerf guns, slime, water balloons, etc) before leaving the campsite to go and explore the rest of what Fontainebleau has to offer I seen a person who works for the campsite he was cleaning he ask me if we was done at our campsite I said NO we are here until Wednesday and I proceeded to leave we was gone about 5 hours at the beach I later returned and all of our stuff was gone I was told I was going to be receiving a phone call by the camp manager she has yet to call me it's been two days. If you book don't leave your stuff at your campsite they"

a week ago

Reviews sourced from public Google data.