New Orleans gets all the attention when it comes to places to visit when you are on vacation in Louisiana, but Mandeville, Louisiana, is a little known destination that will soon be at the top of everyone’s must visit list in 2021.

Lafreniere Park, really great around Christmas. Occasionally they have a drive-thru display, but if you’re the more active type, you could walk around to take in the light show. Generally, this is a spacious park that is kid friendly, with plenty of walking trails and a lagoon.

Lakeside Shopping Center, they have the best cheap sunglasses here at a little kiosk in the mall. There is also a chick-fil-a here that I helped open.The mall had a cool looking glass roof. I still shop here even after most malls are closing in America. It’s a great mall and it has tax-free shopping.

Shrine on Airline, this is the stadium where the New Orleans Zephyrs used to play, but the team is now known as the Babycakes. I have lived here my whole life and have never heard the term. Great field if you like baseball. Great place to catch future stars close up. Try and catch a home game on a Friday night, it alone is worth the price of admission.

Jefferson Indoor Range, this place looks like fun.I wonder if people shoot AR15s at this range? This is where I would take my guns if I had a gun on a weekend. Shoot guns inside, in the comfort of the AC. This shooting range is safe and conveniently located.

St Ann Catholic Church and National Shrine, local landmark and a place where many people have gotten married. These are national shrines, so many people come here to pray, reflect, and see how God speaks to them. Maybe someone is searching for God at this place in Metairie. This church is a national shrine, and I’m sure many people have been baptized here.

Jefferson Performing Arts Center, this place shares a parking lot with the Shrine on the airline mentioned above, and it is the place I took a motorcycle safety class from Harley Davidson. The building is very interesting and looks unlike some things in the area. They have many performances here. Things like plays, comedy shows, ballets, and possibly an art exhibition.

New Orleans Saints Training Facility. This is where the Saints practice. Here Drew Brees throws the ball and Michael Thomas catches it.The Saints do not play in this stadium, which is great because you can drive by and see them play sometimes outside. Sometimes, the stadium is even open to the public, so you can see the Super Bowl trophy.

Camp Parapet Monument. When you start out driving, it probably looks like a hill that someone is buried on. It probably has the last resting place of some Civil War general. You can probably arrange to take a cemetery tour. Maybe you’d be able to hear some ghost stories around Halloween time.

Here are some interesting things to do while you are around Mandeville. Skip New Orleans next time. This place has some world-class culture and some amazing restaurants too. They have a famous quarterback in the New Orleans Saints. He serves some pretty good cajun food.