Discover Slidell: Water, Swamp and Olde Towne

Slidell combines waterscapes with a city experience that can also be explored on foot: Olde Towne’s walkable downtown is home to shops and restaurants. There are also colorful murals, a museum about the city’s history and a seasonal boat parade. Swamps and bayous reveal another side of the area. When looking for a vacation rental, it’s worth first considering whether culture and a city stroll or nature and water will shape your stay.

Waterscapes and nature experiences

Slidell lies where Lake Pontchartrain ends and the lake continues toward the Gulf via a deepwater channel. Honey Island Swamp also shapes the landscape: it is described as one of the least altered river swamps in the country. Nearly 70,000 acres of the swamp form a permanently protected wildlife area and the Nature Conservancy’s first nature preserve in Louisiana.

A narrated nature tour offers a different way to experience the landscape than a self-guided city walk. Honey Island Swamp Tours offers personalized, narrated tours into the 250-square-mile Honey Island Swamp. The backcountry around Slidell also includes bayou-filled landscapes that are particularly well suited to canoeing. Nature-minded travelers can therefore choose between two distinct experiences: a narrated tour or paddling.

Olde Towne, murals and history

Olde Towne Slidell combines shops and restaurants with a walkable downtown. On a self-guided tour, you can explore its colorful murals. This makes a city stroll a discovery experience in its own right: you choose your own route through downtown instead of joining a narrated nature tour.

The Slidell Museum collects, researches, preserves and shares Slidell’s history. A city notice dated September 22, 2025, listed admission as free. Check current visitor information before your visit. The museum offers another way to explore the city’s history alongside the murals; together, these attractions are a reason to set aside time for Olde Towne and local culture.

During Mardi Gras season, the Krewe of Bilge Boat Parade takes decorated boats along Slidell’s waterways. Unlike the self-guided walking tour, this experience is seasonal and takes place on the water. If you want to include the parade in your travel plans, schedule your stay around Mardi Gras season and check the specific event dates.

Choose your trip style and vacation rental

For a different perspective from a bike trail, there’s the Tammany Trace: this 31-mile rail trail passes through communities and natural landscapes on Louisiana’s Northshore and is suitable for cycling. Slidell is also at the junction of Interstates 10, 12 and 59. You can take this road access into account when planning your arrival.

When searching for a vacation rental, it helps to decide on your trip style first. Someone focusing on city history, murals and restaurants will plan differently from someone mainly interested in a nature tour or canoe trip. The parade adds a seasonal focus.

Explore more destinations: Mandeville, Pearl River.

Return to the main travel overview: St. Tammany Parish.