Spring-Summer 2024 Visitor Guide

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Reunion dancing
#TammanyReunions

St. Tammany Parish Reunions

Three Day Itinerary 

Located 40 minutes north of New Orleans' French Quarter, The Northshore, St. Tammany Parish is an easy escape from the Big Easy. Family reunions will find myriad sights and activities to appeal to family members of all ages. From waterfront state parks to safari adventures, abundant flora and fauna at Honey Island Swamp to baby alligators at Insta-Gator Ranch, not to mention shopping galore, there’s an activity for everyone in the family to enjoy.

Planning Assistance Button

Meet and Greet

Day 1 - Meet and Greet,
Louisiana Northshore-style!

Host a meet and greet at one of our St. Tammany hotels. Introduce your family to The Northshore with complimentary welcome bags filled with name tags, T-shirts and The Northshore visitor information, provided by the St. Tammany Parish Tourist Commission. Bring everyone together to play ice breaker games to get to know each other, and eat, drink and be merry.

There are plenty of laugh-out-loud off-site activities in St. Tammany, too, where you can reconnect with your family and your inner child. Want to have an Instagram-worthy photo-op? Hold baby alligators in your hand at the touch pool at Insta-gator Ranch and Hatchery. Wiggle a camel’s hump or get eye to eye with a family of giraffes as you feed the animals on a safari adventure at Global Wildlife Center.  Board flat-bottom boats to voyage through the pristine Honey Island Swamp and meet alligators, wild boar, raccoons and numerous bird species in the wild.

 

Giraffes at Global Wildlife

 

Large Reunion group

Day 2 - Group Gathering Opportunities, Shopping and Special Events in St. Tammany

Plan a gathering at a scenic St. Tammany waterfront location, where you can enjoy a crawfish or shrimp boil, BBQ or other Louisiana delicacies. Fontainebleau State Park is a favorite destination, offering a sandy beach and splash pad for the kids, and hiking and kayaking opportunities for the more adventurous. Be sure to check out Fontainebleau’s Group Camps, raised cabins that offer a full kitchen and dining hall, elevator and dormitory-style sleeping accommodations. The Pontchartrain Yacht Club is another venue ideally located across the street from the Mandeville lakefront’s playground and splash pad. 

Get the bargain hunters ready, because it’s time to shop! Find treasures as you stroll through the antique shops, boutiques and local art galleries of historic downtown Covington, Olde Towne Slidell, and Old Mandeville. You'll also want to head over to Fremaux Shopping Center, a mecca of department and specialty stores.

St. Tammany’s free farmers markets located in Slidell, Abita Springs, Mandeville, Covington and Folsom are great places to mingle with local families and farmers while you sample prepared foods and delicacies like Delta tamales, freshly squeezed juices, baked goods, Italian fig cookies, and stuffed artichokes all to the sounds of live music. Most markets are held on weekends; see the schedule on our Farmers Markets page.

The Northshore also offers tons of free events, from community concerts to festivals, so be sure to check our event calendar and try to schedule your reunion to take advantage of them. The Mandeville Family Reunion is a special annual event celebrated Memorial Day weekend, held Saturday on the Mandeville lakefront near Lafayette Street. Tents, banners, gas grills and ice chests are welcome for this memorable occasion, with plenty of live music to keep families dancing. If you don’t feel like cooking, there’s also plenty of food and drink available for sale.

Visitors play on the beach at Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville

Shopping in Mandeville

Bayou Paddle Co

Banquet event

You’ll want to head back to your comfortable hotel after your busy day exploring St. Tammany to rest and refresh. Plan an evening of festivities at one of our elegant off-site venues. There are numerous places to host a banquet reception all around St. Tammany, including Benedict’s Plantation or Fleur de Lis Event Center in Mandeville, The Greenwood, a Southern Hotel property north of Covington, and Palmettos on the Bayou, Patton’s, or Trinity’s in Slidell. 

Day 3 - Departure Day of Faith – C'mon back next year!

The weekend isn’t over 'til you take ’em to church! Spread the joy, love and faith as you attend one of our local churches for a wonderful sendoff. Many area churches will include a welcome message on their program or entertain requests for favorite family hymns if you contact them in advance. 

Benedict's

Testimony

"St. Tammany Parish Tourist & Convention Commission office helped make our family reunion in Mandeville, LA an unforgettable event! Our family reunion planning committee could not have asked for a more gracious and informative group of people. They provided valuable assistance for hotel group rates, information regarding tours, restaurants, historic sites, and even welcome bags for attendees. These resources certainly made the process of organizing such a large event less daunting and afforded us more time to focus on fun and family. I highly recommend contacting them for any event you may host in St. Tammany Parish.   

Sincerely,

Nedra Blount "