Oh, the Places You'll Go!

An iron bridge spanned the bayou separating the parking lot from the wooded trail, where the muffled songs of birds were the only accompaniment to the crunch of gravel beneath our shoes. I adjusted my baby backpack carrier and prepared to open the car door, breaking the serenity of nature with the excited squeals of a nineteen-month-old. 

We were the first of the unconventional hiking group to arrive at Couturie Forest, a wooded area tucked away inside New Orleans’ City Park. It didn’t take long for the other cars to roll in and children to start tumbling out, many toddling toward the social group throwing rocks into a shallow puddle. 

After giggly hugs and the obligatory group photo, the toddlers took off across the bridge. The older ones raced ahead in a mad dash to explore the beyond, while the crawlers casually brought up the rear. Armed with snacks and baby wipes, we parents were prepared to spend the better half of the morning making new friends while watching our children discover the great outdoors. 

This motley crew constituted the local arm of Hike It Baby, a parents’ group dedicated to getting families outside. Founded by Shanti Hodges in Portland, Oregon, in the summer of 2013, Hike it Baby groups are now to be found in more than 150 cities, including three Louisiana chapters in New Orleans, St. Tammany Parish, and Lafayette. 

Monika Baudoin heads up the New Orleans branch, where she and her son, Franiu, lead children and their caregivers on weekly hiking tours in and around the city. An avid hiker in her native Poland, Baudoin was looking for similar opportunities to get outdoors after moving to Louisiana six years ago. While training for a hike of the Grand Canyon, she was pleasantly surprised to find a number of trails in the local area. 

“When I had a baby, though, I wasn’t sure how to approach an outdoor lifestyle. Then I discovered Hike It Baby in June 2015 on Facebook. I was observing the Facebook group, and I thought it would be a great match for what I like to do. There was a branch in Lafayette already; but when I saw there was nothing in our area, I decided to start one in New Orleans,” said Baudoin. 

She began her training right away, taking an online course that taught her the goals and values of the organization. Now, only nine months later, Baudoin is an experienced lead, offering hikes most weekends and occasional weekdays. She introduces her groups to outdoor sites, such as the Barataria Preserve, Bayou Segnette State Park, and Big Branch National Wildlife Refuge, or organizes hikes in urban settings like cemeteries or the Crescent Park in Bywater.

“We go places I didn’t know were here,” said Lee Kyle, father of toddler hiker Wilder. He gestured at the surrounding Couturie Forest, “I mean, look at this. It’s in our own backyard.”

All hikes are listed by city on the Hike It Baby website, which provides details on location, meeting spot, carrier or stroller appropriateness, and even whether the location boasts a changing table. Hike leaders also post information and photos on their local Facebook pages. 

To encourage hiking year-round, the organization now offers a Hike It Baby challenge five times a year, for which families sign up to hike thirty miles in thirty days. The small fee to register is one of the organization’s regular strings of income, and registrants are entered to win prizes from sponsors.

Anyone and everyone are encouraged to attend, from siblings to grandparents; often even dogs are allowed to come along for the fun. Founder Shanti Hodges emphasizes that Hike it Baby is not just for babies. “Hike It Baby is focused on getting families out into nature from birth on. We start you with a good habit and on the right path when you have a newborn, infant, or toddler; and then as you connect with other families with kids in your age group, you continue on,” said Hodges. “Older kids will often be the ‘hike leads.’ In Portland, we have an 11-year-old girl who hikes with her mom and little brother, and she tends to be the Pied Piper for all of the toddlers and leads and corals them on hikes.”

Hodges created Hike It Baby after wanting to get outside with her new-mom support group. As others joined and word spread, they started hiking on a regular basis. Today, there are 163 branches in five countries and more than 63,000 member families represented on Facebook. An average of fifty hikes take place every day nationwide.

“I was originally looking to get out of the house and found an amazing, supportive community,” said Erika Brown, lead for the Lafayette branch and mother of three. “Hike It Baby has been amazing for my family. My kids have made new friends, my one year old is in love with being outside, my four year old is able to burn off some of that energy while actually using her imagination, and my husband is able to spend more quality time with our kids.”

Brown’s group gets together for weekly coffee walks, where they walk around Lafayette’s River Ranch neighborhood after grabbing a coffee to go. They meet at parks, walk at the zoo, and hike at Palmetto Island State Park, Acadiana Park Nature Station, Lake Martin, and Avery Island. Plans are in the works for their first group camping trip.

“This group is about getting our kids out, exploring their world on trails or sidewalks, and doing it together,” said Brown. 

Details. Details. Details.

There are three Hike It Baby chapters in Louisiana: One in St. Tammany, one in Lafayette, and, of course, one in New Orleans (look them up at hikeitbaby.com). If there isn’t a Hike It Baby chapter in your area or if you’d like to explore some greenspaces farther from home, load the tribe up for a weekend away. We’ve got a few kid-friendly suggestions to round out your hiking adventure. 

ACADIANA

The city’s Girard Park, located near the ULL campus, recently added a splash pad and boasts other amenities, including rock climbing, two large playgrounds, tennis courts, a basketball court, a walking trail, and a small lake where very well-fed birds beg for bread. 500 Girard Park Drive, Lafayette, La. 

Hub City Diner: A diner with a ‘50s vibe near Girard Park. Don’t miss the milk shakes and malts at this local favorite. Plus, with hot dogs, burgers, and curly fries, there are plenty of options kids will accept. 1412 South College Road, Lafayette, La. (337) 235-5683. hubcitydiner.com.

Prehistoric Park: Life-sized dinosaurs, some of them animatronic, appear along the winding, wooded trail at this prehistoric-themed park. Read about the park, and the nearby Cajun Palms RV Resort—if your family enjoys the RV lifestyle—online at CountryRoadsMag.com. 1135 North Barn Road, Henderson, La. (337) 981-3466. prehistoric-park.com.

Consider the Children’s Museum of Acadiana for some hands-on learning disguised as fun. 201 East Congress, Lafayette, La. (337) 232-8500. childrensmuseumofacadiana.com.

NEW ORLEANS

Everyone’s been to the zoo (we imagine), but have you been to the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium? Don’t underestimate the number of minutes that a beetle can hold an otherwise-active child’s attention. 423 Canal Street, New Orleans, La. (504) 581-4629. auduboninstitute.org/insectarium. 

City Park is an oft-overlooked resource right in the middle of the city. There are the typical playgrounds and wide-open spaces, but the park also boasts the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, Botanical Garden, Storyland, and the Big Lake, where bikes (some that can even accommodate six people) and paddleboats are available for rent. Read about all the kid-friendly resources at neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/just-for-kids.

Juan’s Flying Burrito (juansflyingburrito.com) is a great place for Mexican and margaritas, and there’s plenty of ambient noise so no one notices the kids acting up; there are three locations. For lots of outdoor, kid-friendly seating—if not for the amazing poboys—try Parkway Tavern (parkwaypoorboys.com). And you can’t go wrong with hot dogs; try Dat Dog (datdognola.com) for options that will satisfy all ages. 

NORTHSHORE

Always popular and the closest thing to a wildlife safari you’ll get in Louisiana, visit Folsom’s Global Wildlife Center. 26389 Louisiana 40, Folsom, La. (985) 796-3585.  globalwildlife.com.

The Northshore boasts many wildlife refuges and state parks within easy reach of one another. But the one that stands out recently is Fontainebleau State Park, which re-opened its cabins after a three-year hiatus. Overnight accommodations at Fontainebleau include twelve cabins, 126 RV campsites, thirty-seven tent sites, two group camps, and a lodge. fontainebleaustatepark.com. 

Observe, touch, and even hatch gators at Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery. 23440 Lowe Davis Road, Covington, La. (985) 892-3669. insta-gatorranch.com.

Bop’s Frozen Custard in Mandeville, the only Louisiana location of this Mississippi icon, serves up rich, creamy custard. We’ve heard tell the Snappy Turtle draws folks from near and far to the Northshore. 2660 Florida Street, Mandeville, La. (985) 727-5003.  bopsfrozencustard.com.