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A
Great Scenic Ride Into The French
Quarter:
Flying into New Orleans with your
bicycle? There's an incredible bike
path just half a mile from the airport
that leads into the city. The bike
path is paved and runs along the dike
or levee that protects the city from
the Mississippi River. This is
an easy, car-free ride all the way
through the suburbs into the heart
of the city. Along the way, you'll
see the Mississippi River, freighters,
tugs & barges, local cyclists
and lots of rooftops of single family
residences (as the levee is one of
the highest points in this flat city).
Start
At The Airport
From
the airport, it's very easy to find
the Mississippi River bike path: Exit
the baggage claim area of the airport,
hop onto your bike and pedal out of
the airport Arrivals pickup area.
About 100 meters out of the Arrivals
area, you'll see a traffic light directly
ahead. This busy street is Airline
Highway (US 61). WALK your bike across
this highway and TURN LEFT. Continue
on Airline until you reach Warren
St, then TURN RIGHT. Continue on Warren
until you reach the railroad tracks
(Kenner Ave.). TURN LEFT onto Kenner
Ave and continue on Kenner Ave until
you reach Williams Blvd. TURN RIGHT
onto Williams Blvd. You are now in
Rivertown, a quaint little 19th century
district with shops and a few museums.
Williams Blvd dead ends at the Mississippi
River.
Ride
The Mississippi Bike Path - Car Free
Take your bike up the paved ramp to
the top of the levee. TURN LEFT on
the bike path and begin riding the
path into the city. As you start out
on the path, there is a panoramic
view of the Mississippi River on the
right side and suburban residences
on the left. This scene essentially
remains the same for over 10 miles.
You'll pass a golf course, a sand
pit, a heliport, beneath a bridge
crossing the Mississippi (The Huey
P. Long/Hwy 90), Ochsner Hospital
and the US Army Corps of Engineers
headquarters. The bike path ends in
Audubon Park at a riverfront area
known as "The Fly".
Audubon
Park
From here, you can follow the roadway
that runs through the riverfront park.
The roadway will lead away from the
river, cross a set of railroad tracks
and into Audubon Park (the world famous
Audubon Zoo will be on your left).
The roadway dead ends at Magazine
Street. If you cross Magazine Street,
there is another bikepath directly
ahead. This is a 1.6 mile bicycle/jogging
loop through Audubon Park. Follow
this loop half way until you reach
the wading fountain. TURN RIGHT at
the fountain and proceed about 40
meters to St. Charles Avenue. Directly
ahead of you will be the Tulane &
Loyola University campuses.
From Uptown To The Garden District
& Beyond
TURN RIGHT and ride along St. Charles
Avenue beneath ancient oaks and along
the streetcar route. You can follow
this route all the way to the French
Quarter; however, St. Charles Avenue
becomes progressively more congested.
For a more relaxed route, divert from
the Audubon Park bike path BEFORE
THE FOUNTAIN where the side path intersects
the trail (just prior to Bird Island).
This side path leads to Prytania St.
Bike
along Prytania St. through the Garden
District. After Jackson Ave., you
will be in the Lower Garden District.
Continue cycling on Prytania until
you reach Polymnia St (it's 1 block
after Felicity St.) and make a right.
After riding 1 block, Polymnia dead
ends at Coliseum Square Park (a pretty
pocket park with a beautiful fountain).
Ride the sidewalk/bike path through
this small park until you are at Camp
St., then ride the sidewalk a half
block along Camp St (in the direction
of traffic) until you reach Euterpe.
Pedal along Euterpe St. for 3 blocks,
then turn left onto Annunciation.
Annunciation intersects with Tchoupitoulas
at Andrew Higgins.
Turn
right at Andrew Higgins, go 1 block,
then turn left onto S. Peters. This
will lead you directly through the
trendyWarehouse District to
Canal St and the French Quarter,
St. Louis Cathedral & Bourbon
Street and more small hotels, fine
dining restaurants and live music
clubs than you can shake a stick at
(whatever that means...). Enjoy.
Bicycle
Friendly Lodging Accommodations Nearby
Ashton's
(within 2 miles of the French Quarter
on Esplanade Ave.)
Gentry
House (In the French Quarter near
Armstrong Park & RideTHISbike)
HH
Whitney House (within 2 miles
of the French Quarter on Esplanade
Ave.)
Lion's
(5 blocks from the French Quarter
in the Faubourg Marigny)
Mansion
On St. Charles (on the famed Mardi
Gras parade route)
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