Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Earning a Girl Scout Badge with NPS

When we were in New Orleans, we had the good fortune of staying on Decatur St., right near all of the action. A short walk from our hotel, we found the Jean Lafitte Visitor Center for the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park. The entire park consists of 6 different sites, the Visitor Center being one of them. The Visitor Center was a nice little gateway to New Orleans and provided opportunities to learn about New Orleans and Louisiana through multimedia.

As we entered the center, a ranger immediately grabbed the attention of my daughter and presented her with a packet and a challenge. My daughter needed to complete the packet to earn a certificate and a junior ranger badge. Of course, she was up to the challenge!

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Taking it Easy in New Orleans

Last week, we hit the road heading for some warmer weather {thank goodness} and a little time to relax and take in some new scenery. We found New Orleans to be the perfect city for a little rejuvenation after surviving the first few months of school. Staring down a Chicago winter, we truly appreciated the ability to walk around this vibrant city in short sleeves. I will be writing a little more about New Orleans and Louisiana over the next couple of weeks. However, I wanted to give you a little snapshot of our discoveries.

We did not have a huge agenda for this trip. Our main goal was to walk around the French Quarter and just soak in the ambiance. Living life a bit unscripted is such a release. New Orleans truly invites exploration, so you can really enjoy weaving around the French Quarter without a true agenda.

Our New Orleans journey began at Hotel Bienville, on the outskirts of the Quarter. The entrance welcomes you with the magic that is New Orleans!

Halloween is such a day full of magic, whimsy and mystery. So, how fitting that we celebrated in New Orleans! Walking along the streets admiring the decorated balconies is an experience we will not forget. {Unfortunately, my pictures do not give these creations justice!}

 

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