Slidell

Slidell is a small city in St. Tammany Parish, one of the Florida Parishes of Louisiana.

Named after the statesman, John Slidell, this town is a growing suburb of the New Orleans area. Since Hurricane Katrina, Slidell and its surrounding areas have seen a tremendous population surge.

Get in
Two Amtrak trains a day pass through. Your other alternative is automobile. Shuttle services that run between the New Orleans airport and hotels on the Mississippi gulf coast may also be available.

Get around
You'll pretty much need a car. There are several unreliable cab services in town, the worst of which is Camelia Cab.

Do
Find a swamp tour in the nearby Honey Island swamp. It will change how you view Louisiana


 * Mardi Gras. Slidell's season celebrations are smaller than the mega-celebrations in New Orleans, but still fun and much less visited by tourists. The main parades don't even interfere with the biggest New Orleans parades; several are 2 weekends before Mardi Gras. The Krewe of Selene parades the Friday evening before Mardi Gras. Offbeat early parades include the "Krewe of Bilge", a boat parade on local waterways, and "Mona Lisa & Moon Pie", known for its silly humor and creative hand made non-motorized floats.

Drink

 * Olde Town - hopping bar scene

Go next

 * Central New Orleans is about a 30 mile drive west on I-10.
 * Mandeville is some 20 miles west on I-12; with Covington and Abita Springs a few miles further to the north.
 * The Mississippi Gulf Coast is some 25 miles east on I-10