Nestled on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, Fontainebleau State Park has provided countless Louisiana residents with a peaceful paradise where they can go to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. As someone who grew up near this state park, I spent many days here as a child. Now that I’m older and still within driving distance, I decided to come to spend a day here, and you know what, it’s just as beautiful as I remembered.

Fontainebleau State Park is a 2,800-acre park located in Mandeville, Louisiana.

Driving from New Orleans, it took less than an hour to hop across the Causeway and make my way over. As with all Louisiana State Parks, admission is $3 per person, a deal when considering how large the park is. You can stay here all day if you’d like, and once you see how beautiful it is, you’ll want to.

Just driving into the park is mesmerizing.

Once you get past the gate, there’s a long, windy road that’s peppered with canopies of ancient oaks and towering pine trees. The Spanish moss swaying from the oak’s branches was an instant mood booster.

One of the first things you’ll come across when you drive in is the ruins of the old sugar mill.

Bernard de Marigny, the founder of Mandeville, owned and operated a sugar mill in the mid-1800s.

Though slowly being reclaimed by Mother Nature, it’s a historic reminder of the land’s past.

And one of the main reasons Fontainebleau State Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Have you ever wondered how the park earned its name? Marigny named the land after a forest near Paris that was known for its beauty.

Once I parked, I had to take a walk down to the pier to take in the view.

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, so naturally the park was busy with families barbecuing and swimming. I even saw a few folks fishing.

The park is nestled around three different bodies of water: Bayou Cane, Bayou Castine, and Lake Pontchartrain.

Only in Louisiana can you go from swamps to sunbathing in the same place, which is probably why I love this park so much. You get a little bit of everything here: history, beaches, fishing, and the marsh.

The pier is often a prime fishing spot, but I was lucky enough to have it all to myself.

On a clear day, you can see the skyline of New Orleans on the other side of the lake. This is also a great spot to catch a sunset. I didn't have a chance to stay until dusk, but trust me, they are striking!

As you walk back down the pier, you can see the beach to your left.

A popular spot on a hot sunny day, for sure! I thought about pulling up some sand and soaking up some sun, but first, I wanted to hit the trails.

There are a few different trails at Fontainebleau State Park, and the Tammany Trace runs straight through the park, too.

I decided to take the 4.5-mile Cane Bayou Track, which was surprisingly empty, considering how many cars were in the parking lot. It’s a lovely little trail that’s heavily wooded, making you feel a million miles away from everything. I only saw three other nature lovers in the hour I was on the trail -- surprising for a Saturday afternoon!

Informative signs pepper the trail, letting you know what’s what.

The diverse ecosystems at the park provide the perfect habitat for wildlife to thrive here. Although I didn’t get a picture, I did see one deer along the trail, and the sounds from the songbirds in the trees provided a welcome soundtrack to the hike. Full disclosure, there was one spider web I walked into that briefly turned me into a black-belt karate master, but that was my fault as I had found myself hugging the side of the trail for photo opportunities. Stick to the center of the trails and you’ll be spider-free.

Between the splash pads, playgrounds, and ample sprawling green space, it's easy to see why it's such a popular park.

If you want to make a weekend of it, you can rent a campsite. Sadly, the park received major damage from Hurricane Ida in 2021, and the waterfront cabins took a serious hit and have yet to reopen.

One of the most popular attractions of the park is the beach, so I headed back that way after the trail.

When you can’t make it to the Gulf, the bleau will do! I don't think that's a saying (yet), but it should be! It was a popular day for beach bumming, and there were even more people keeping cool in the lake. The water is surprisingly shallow, so you can wade out quite a bit and still be less than three feet.

Just past the beach, there’s a hidden gem that’s just as awesome as I had remembered.

A popular location for professional photo shoots, this cypress-studded bank feels like an enchanted mangrove swamp.

Even though it’s right next to the beach, you’re far enough away to feel like you’re in your own little island.

It’s a lovely spot to sit for a spell and watch the water splash on the cypress knees, and that's exactly what I did. What a picturesque little spot! Bring some snacks and enjoy lunch with one of the most beautiful views in the state.

Explore additional areas of the park by checking out my video below!

For more information, visit the Fontainebleau State Park website. If you've ever visited this beloved state park, share your memories with us in the comments!

To discover more incredible boots-on-the-ground adventures across America from our team of local travel experts, check out all of the articles in OnlyInYourState’s Everyday Explorers series. What destinations would you like to see featured next on OnlyInYourState’s Everyday Explorers? Tell us where we should go on our nominations page.