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Mapping 18 of New Orleans' Public Parks

By Sarah Chase
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By Sarah Chase

There's no denying that Audubon Park, City Park, and Armstrong Park are quite the spectacles of beauty, but today we're going to turn the spotlight on some of the city's parks and green spaces that don't receive the same level of fanfare as the big three. From neighborhood parks to the 135-acre Joe Brown Memorial Park in New Orleans East to a few waterfront destinations, we've mapped out 18 places around town. Have a favorite park that didn't make this list? Don't hesitate to tell us all about it on the tipline or after the jump.

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Markey Park

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Once fenced off in its days as Bywater's unofficial dog park, Markey Park was spruced up last year (in a move that didn't thrill everyone) with new landscaping, benches, and a playground. [photo: Thor Carlson]

3301 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA 70117

Coliseum Square

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In the middle of the Lower Garden District, Coliseum Square has winding paths through green space, sweeping live oaks, and a fountain. The neighborhood park isn't an official dog park but off-leash pooches are a common sight here. [photo: infrogmation]

New Orleans, LA

Palmer Park

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This park in the Carrollton neighborhood, home to the monthly Palmer Park Arts Market, is right on the streetcar line and has a mini-rock climbing wall, a playground for the kiddies, and 5.6-acres of greenery. [photo: infrogmation]

New Orleans, LA 70118

Annunciation Square Park

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A less popular option than its neighbor, Coliseum Square, this Lower Garden District park located across from the Saulet apartment complex still has plenty of green space, plus basketball courts and the occasional soccer match. [photo: infrogmation

800 Race St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Lafayette Square

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The second-oldest park in New Orleans (it was designed in 1788), this 2.5-acre CBD spot is home to the Wednesdays at the Square and Harvest the Music concert series. [photo: wikimedia]

500 Saint Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 585-1500
(504) 585-1500

The Clouet Gardens

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A vacant HANO-owned lot for over 15 years, neighbors stepped in and signed a 10-year lease on the green space in 2011. The charming Bywater plot of land is now a volunteer/donation-run spot with occasional fundraisers and art markets. [photo: Clouet Gardens]

Clouet St., New Orleans, LA 70117

Washington Square Park

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Right on Frenchmen Street and stretching over to Elysian Fields Avenue, this 2.5-acre Marigny park has a playground, benches, green space, and it sometimes hosts music and special events. [photo: nola.gov]

701 Frenchmen St., New Orleans, LA

Brechtel Park

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A 110-acre urban oasis in Algiers, Brechtel Park is known as a bird-watching hot spot. Hours are limited, though, with a 6 p.m. closing time during Daylight Savings time and it costs a buck to get inside ($2 for those who aren't residents of Orleans Parish). [photo: nola.gov]

Louisiana

Alcee Fortier Park

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Dating back to the 1926, this hidden gem at Esplanade Avenue and Mystery Street was named after the prolific author/Romance languages Tulane professor Alcee Fortier, who once owned a chunk of land in this Mid-City area. [photo: infrogmation/flickr]

Esplanade ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Breakwater Park

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A peninsula park that juts out into Lake Pontchartrain. Perfect for star-gazing. [photo: Andrew Madden]

7637-7699 Breakwater Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124

St. Patrick Park

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This Mid-City park is home to kickball leagues and has a softball field and playground.[photo: Matthew Ginger]

4700 Baudin St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Taylor Park

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This space got quite the makeover and is now the site of city-sponsored Fit NOLA and family events, plus movie nights through the New Orleans Recreation Department.[photo: NORD/fb]

Louisiana

Behrman Park

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NORD
New Orleans, LA

Holy Cross Levee

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Okay, so it's not technically a park, but the levee in the Holy Cross neighborhood of the Lower Ninth Ward has spectacular views of the city, a walking path/bike trail lined with benches, and plenty of grass. [photo: infrogmation/flickr]

New Orleans, LA

Joe Brown Memorial Park

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This 135-acre park in New Orleans East has a rec center, ball fields, picnic shelters and when an $8.4M facelift wraps up, the 86-acre nature center will re-open (it's been closed since Katrina) with a planetarium, nature trails, and amphitheater.

Nature Center Dr, New Orleans, LA 70127

Cabrini Park

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This isn't a city-officiated dog park, but for those not cool with the canines probably want to skip over this French Quarter space. [photo: infrogmation/flickr

Dauphine Street, New Orleans, LA 70116

Woldenberg Riverfront Park

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For a break from the Quarter madness, this park has river views, public art, and it's a good place to lounge in the grass and people watch. [photo: sporst/flickr]

1 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130

The Fly

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The Fly, located behind Audubon Zoo along the Mississippi River, is popular with the college sect and is an Uptown hot spot for crawfish boils, picnics, frisbee throwing, soccer matches, and catching the rays. [photo: Bart Everson/flickr]

West Dr., New Orleans, LA 70118

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Markey Park

3301 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA 70117

Once fenced off in its days as Bywater's unofficial dog park, Markey Park was spruced up last year (in a move that didn't thrill everyone) with new landscaping, benches, and a playground. [photo: Thor Carlson]

3301 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA 70117

Coliseum Square

New Orleans, LA

In the middle of the Lower Garden District, Coliseum Square has winding paths through green space, sweeping live oaks, and a fountain. The neighborhood park isn't an official dog park but off-leash pooches are a common sight here. [photo: infrogmation]

New Orleans, LA

Palmer Park

New Orleans, LA 70118

This park in the Carrollton neighborhood, home to the monthly Palmer Park Arts Market, is right on the streetcar line and has a mini-rock climbing wall, a playground for the kiddies, and 5.6-acres of greenery. [photo: infrogmation]

New Orleans, LA 70118

Annunciation Square Park

800 Race St, New Orleans, LA 70130

A less popular option than its neighbor, Coliseum Square, this Lower Garden District park located across from the Saulet apartment complex still has plenty of green space, plus basketball courts and the occasional soccer match. [photo: infrogmation

800 Race St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Lafayette Square

500 Saint Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

The second-oldest park in New Orleans (it was designed in 1788), this 2.5-acre CBD spot is home to the Wednesdays at the Square and Harvest the Music concert series. [photo: wikimedia]

500 Saint Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 585-1500
(504) 585-1500

The Clouet Gardens

Clouet St., New Orleans, LA 70117

A vacant HANO-owned lot for over 15 years, neighbors stepped in and signed a 10-year lease on the green space in 2011. The charming Bywater plot of land is now a volunteer/donation-run spot with occasional fundraisers and art markets. [photo: Clouet Gardens]

Clouet St., New Orleans, LA 70117

Washington Square Park

701 Frenchmen St., New Orleans, LA

Right on Frenchmen Street and stretching over to Elysian Fields Avenue, this 2.5-acre Marigny park has a playground, benches, green space, and it sometimes hosts music and special events. [photo: nola.gov]

701 Frenchmen St., New Orleans, LA

Brechtel Park

Louisiana

A 110-acre urban oasis in Algiers, Brechtel Park is known as a bird-watching hot spot. Hours are limited, though, with a 6 p.m. closing time during Daylight Savings time and it costs a buck to get inside ($2 for those who aren't residents of Orleans Parish). [photo: nola.gov]

Louisiana

Alcee Fortier Park

Esplanade ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Dating back to the 1926, this hidden gem at Esplanade Avenue and Mystery Street was named after the prolific author/Romance languages Tulane professor Alcee Fortier, who once owned a chunk of land in this Mid-City area. [photo: infrogmation/flickr]

Esplanade ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Breakwater Park

7637-7699 Breakwater Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124

A peninsula park that juts out into Lake Pontchartrain. Perfect for star-gazing. [photo: Andrew Madden]

7637-7699 Breakwater Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124

St. Patrick Park

4700 Baudin St, New Orleans, LA 70119

This Mid-City park is home to kickball leagues and has a softball field and playground.[photo: Matthew Ginger]

4700 Baudin St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Taylor Park

Louisiana

This space got quite the makeover and is now the site of city-sponsored Fit NOLA and family events, plus movie nights through the New Orleans Recreation Department.[photo: NORD/fb]

Louisiana

Behrman Park

New Orleans, LA
NORD
New Orleans, LA

Holy Cross Levee

New Orleans, LA

Okay, so it's not technically a park, but the levee in the Holy Cross neighborhood of the Lower Ninth Ward has spectacular views of the city, a walking path/bike trail lined with benches, and plenty of grass. [photo: infrogmation/flickr]

New Orleans, LA

Joe Brown Memorial Park

Nature Center Dr, New Orleans, LA 70127

This 135-acre park in New Orleans East has a rec center, ball fields, picnic shelters and when an $8.4M facelift wraps up, the 86-acre nature center will re-open (it's been closed since Katrina) with a planetarium, nature trails, and amphitheater.

Nature Center Dr, New Orleans, LA 70127

Cabrini Park

Dauphine Street, New Orleans, LA 70116

This isn't a city-officiated dog park, but for those not cool with the canines probably want to skip over this French Quarter space. [photo: infrogmation/flickr

Dauphine Street, New Orleans, LA 70116

Woldenberg Riverfront Park

1 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130

For a break from the Quarter madness, this park has river views, public art, and it's a good place to lounge in the grass and people watch. [photo: sporst/flickr]

1 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130

The Fly

West Dr., New Orleans, LA 70118

The Fly, located behind Audubon Zoo along the Mississippi River, is popular with the college sect and is an Uptown hot spot for crawfish boils, picnics, frisbee throwing, soccer matches, and catching the rays. [photo: Bart Everson/flickr]

West Dr., New Orleans, LA 70118