Exploring Harahan, Louisiana With These Top 7 Things To Do

Diya
Posted Aug 11, 2017
| 4 min read

Housed within the Jefferson Parish in Louisiana, Harahan provides the comfort and peace of a small-town life on one hand and offers a bevy of interesting activities to keep you on your toes on the other. From outdoor adventures to peaceful spots, indoor sports to quaint pubs, and intense shopping spaces to beautiful historical sites, the charming town has something for everyone. Some small towns are just not very sleepy after all!

Here are some popular activities that keep things perky and interesting in Harahan.

1. Mississippi River Trail



Open for hikers and bike riders alike, the trail is a system made up of unpaved and paved pathways that run parallel to New Orleans’ Mississippi River channel. These paths offer dynamic and diverse landscapes - some feature rural residential areas and farm lands, some go past modern neighborhoods while others take you through the city’s pier and industrial sections. Much loved by both locals and tourists, Mississippi River Trail also goes past local points of interest like Oak Alley Plantation, Eastbank Bridge Park, Jefferson Park, and St. Joseph Plantation, among others. Walk or bike through these trails that offer a constant change of scene that keeps your outdoor moments really exciting.

Mississippi River Trail

Address: Mississippi River Trail, Harahan, LA 70123, USA

2. Old U.S. Mint




This historic site steeped in rich history is known to be the only building in the US which has served both as a United States and a Confederate Mint. Established in 1835 as a financial backup for the development of the western frontier, this major minting machine now houses a number of amazing permanent exhibits, one of which is the New Orleans Jazz Museum featuring documents, instruments, and memorabilia surrounding the evolution and history of Jazz. Along with other constant exhibits like Newcomb Pottery and Crafts and The Mississippi and the Making of a Nation, there are other rotating ones and an interesting Historical Center. This is the best place for keen researchers and curious travelers to learn more about the fascinating stories of a glorious past.

Old U.S. Mint

Address: 400 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116, USA

Website: Old U.S. Mint

3. Elmwood Shopping Center




Even when you’ve run away to a small city for a breather, shopping is always a priority. Elmwood Shopping Center is your one-stop solution when it comes to buying gifts for family, hitting the spa, indulging in Daiquiris, or picking up some new clothes for yourself. Housing a wide variety of popular retailers, alongside lots of restaurants and bars, this is clearly the go-to shopping destination for locals and tourists alike.

Elmwood Shopping Center

Address: 1200 S Clearview Pkwy #1166, New Orleans, LA 70123, USA

4. Adventure Quest Laser Tag




A full-blown adventure and gaming zone, Adventure Quest Laser Tag promises an action-packed fun-filled day for both adults and children. With the space offering countless activities like laser tag (because, name!), cosmic golf, bumper cars, arcade, and a human maze, you’re in for one of those exhilarating days where you simply cannot keep track of time. Located in Elmwood Shopping Center, this gaming zone is one big non-stop party where you can showcase your ninja skills as well as implement your sharp mind. So if things get too ‘peaceful’ for your liking, you know exactly where to head to.

Adventure Quest Laser Tag

Address: 1200 S Clearview Pkwy #1106, New Orleans, LA 70123, USA

Website: Adventure Quest Laser Tag

5. Big Easy Billiards (Sports Bar)



For a fun evening filled with amazing cocktails, delicious bites and, of course, a game of billiards, head to this highly popular sports bar that holds billiard events all year round. With a well-stocked bar and a room full of billiard tables, the buzzing place is easily the haunt locals flock to after work. Despite plenty of seats, Big Easy Billiards gets houseful pretty quickly. So if you want to get a taste of a small-city-run bar, get to this hotspot a bit early to enjoy your drinks amid a sports-loving environment.

Big Easy Billiards

Address: 5608 Citrus Blvd # E, New Orleans, LA 70123, USA

6. House of Shock



Warning: this one is for the brave hearts only. The public haunt (pun intended) is said to be seasonal, covering the weekends of October for obvious reasons. Set against intense horror themes, the house features a pyrotechnic stage show with professional actors, post which the guests are led through heart-pounding, suspense-building sets meant to scare the living daylights out of you. This horror fest comes in the form of a zombie-infested graveyard, a morgue, a funeral parlor, and a butcher house. After a fair bit of blood stains and loud screams, the Church of Satan comes into the picture and, finally the chainsaw-clad actors will have you running out of the door for dear life. The scary yet entertaining spook-house is actually a lot of fun and it’s definitely a must-do, at least once.

House of Shock

Address: 319 Butterworth St, New Orleans, LA 70121, USA

7. Oak Oven


Highly popular among the local community, this contemporary Italian restaurant’s elevated cuisine has filled the glaring gap in the neighborhood. Cloaked in a warm, friendly ambiance, the popular joint is lauded for its top-notch handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, fresh seafood, and organic salads, which go hand in hand with a vast selection of beer and wine. From extremely humble beginnings, Oak Oven has now blown into this highly rated Italian place that has won a lot of hearts alongside a fair number of prestigious awards. Head down to this busy little place featuring an extraordinary kitchen that’s constantly belting out some of the most flavorsome dishes found in the whole of New Orleans.

Oak Oven

Address: 6625 Jefferson Hwy, Harahan, LA 70123, USA

Website: Oak Oven

Indulge in some small-town madness in Harahan

Tucked away in Jefferson, this small city is full of little surprises that’s bound to keep your stay interesting. For romantic couples on a holiday, Harahan features quaint rentals to laze away the days in peace and seclusion and, at the same time, offers plenty of fun things to do for big families that keep the adults amused and kids engaged. This comfort zone is just the place to break the mundane monotony of life and spend stress-free days infused with fun, food, frolic, and complete relaxation.

Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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