Crescent Park

"At Crescent Park from 5 p.m., enjoy a DJ dance party, food trucks, and excellent spots for watching the fireworks." - Travel + Leisure Editors

"Until 2014, the banks of the Mississippi River bordering the city's downtown Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods were essentially unwalkable. The city invested in a large renovation program that's transformed unsightly, post-industrial wasteland into a lovely riverside park. Crescent Park is a mile-and-a-half long and feels very much like a local spot; you're unlikely to find Mardi Gras-beaded tourists here. Grab a bottle of wine and a cheese plate from nearby Bacchanal Wines, and find yourself a grassy riverside spot for an afternoon picnic." - Paul Oswell

"Let’s start big picture here.Until 2014, the banks of the Mississippi River bordering the city's downtown Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods were essentially unwalkable. The city invested in a large renovation program that's transformed unsightly, post-industrial wasteland into a pleasant, accessible riverside park. Crescent Park is a mile and a half long but narrow, so it feels intimate and cozy. It's mainly a space for dog walkers, joggers, and yoga practitioners who want beautiful city and river views as their backdrop. Any standout features or must-sees?The park’s main feature is a nod to the land’s industrial past. Known affectionately by locals as The Rusty Rainbow, the arched Piety Street Bridge is an imposing steel structure that brings visitors from the street into the park, at once suggesting railroads and commercial shipping before landing in a newly landscaped green space. The dog park and the old wharf, now a kind of small urban amphitheater, are also highlights. Was it easy to get around?If the Rusty Rainbow is too much of a challenge, there are public elevators farther along the river to allow accessibility. Inside the park, street names are carved into the running paths to help you navigate. All said and done, what—and who—is this best for?The park feels very much like a local spot, and you're unlikely to find Mardi Gras-beaded tourists wandering around. Grab a bottle of wine and a cheese plate from nearby Bacchanal Wines and find yourself a grassy riverside spot for an afternoon picnic." - Paul Oswell

"New Orleans’s newest public park lies along about a mile and a half of the Mississippi River—a lovely retreat reclaimed from industrial squalor. The main entrance is near the foot of Esplanade Avenue, marked by a boxy footbridge (with elevator) over the railroad tracks, which divide the park from nearby low-slung neighborhoods. While walking along the water, note how the powerful Mississippi's twists and currents require dexterity from a river pilot, as the huge passing barges slide past sideways angling for the bends. At Piety Wharf—a former warehouse location converted into a massive sculpture that invites contemplation—you can cross a steeply arched span (designed by noted architect David Adjaye, and locally dubbed the Rusty Rainbow) into the Bywater neighborhood for a walk back to the French Quarter."

"Crescent Park is the venue for the 9th Annual Pig & Punch NOLA fundraiser presented by The Bon Vivants, with all proceeds being donated to KIPP New Orleans Schools." - Beth D'Addono