If you’re taking an RV to New Orleans this summer, here’s the catch nobody mentions: the city has almost nowhere to park it. Downtown wasn’t built for big rigs, and the closer you get to Bourbon Street, the tighter and pricier it gets. The fix most RV travelers land on is simple. Base up on the Northshore, an hour north of the Quarter, and drive in for the day.
Where should you park an RV for a New Orleans trip?
Base on the Northshore and visit the city as a day trip. The Northshore is the run of towns north of Lake Pontchartrain, around Hammond and Ponchatoula, and it’s where most RVers set up for a New Orleans visit. You get space, quiet, and full hookups, and you’re still close enough to be standing in the French Quarter inside of an hour. Downtown spots are scarce, and the close-in ones tend to be cramped and pricey. A site outside the city gives you somewhere settled to sleep, which counts for a lot after a long, hot day on Decatur Street.
How far is the Northshore from downtown New Orleans?
About 50 miles, or an hour in normal traffic, by way of I-55 and I-10. Once you’re in town, the Superdome, the Garden District, and the Quarter all sit within a few minutes of each other, so one drive covers most of a day’s sightseeing. The trip back trades city noise for a dark, easy night at camp. You can map the drive on our hours and directions page.
Why base outside the city instead of in it?
Room and value. A big rig needs space to pull in, level, and hook up, and downtown lots almost never have it. Out on the Northshore you get a full site with 30- and 50-amp hookups, shade trees, and paved roads laid out for RVs. Pricing is simpler, too. At Fireside there’s no resort fee, no site-lock fee, and no reservation service fee at checkout, and the summer rate runs $35 to $45 a night Sunday through Wednesday into August, depending on the site. After a day of walking the Quarter in July, a pool, a lazy river, and a shaded spot to grill dinner are worth a lot.
What else is there to do near New Orleans this summer?
A good bit of it sits closer to camp than to Canal Street. The city brings the Quarter, the food, the live music, and the Garden District, and the official New Orleans visitor guide is a good place to map out a day. Around the Northshore you’ll find swamp tours, the Global Wildlife Center, and Lake Pontchartrain for a morning on the water. Baton Rouge and LSU are about 45 minutes the other way down I-12 if you want a second city on the same trip.
Is summer a good time to RV near New Orleans?
It is, if you plan around the heat. South Louisiana summers run hot and sticky, with afternoon thunderstorms that tend to blow through fast. Do your walking early, then head back to camp for the worst of the afternoon. A shaded site and a pool earn their place in July and August, which is a good argument for an out-of-town base over a downtown lot.
Making Fireside your New Orleans basecamp
Fireside RV Resort sits off Highway 445, about a mile from I-12’s Robert exit (Exit 47) in Ponchatoula, roughly an hour from the French Quarter. It’s family-run and built for quiet, clean camping: full hookups, cabins for anyone in the group who left the RV at home, and pools and a lazy river for the days you stay around camp. If New Orleans is on your summer list, put your base on the Northshore and make the city the easy part. When you’re ready, pick your dates.
Frequently asked questions
About 50 miles, roughly an hour by I-55 and I-10.
Few, and the close-in ones run tight and pricey. Most RV travelers base on the Northshore and drive in for the day.
Yes. Full 30- and 50-amp hookups with water and sewer, on pull-through and back-in sites.
