When my wife and I rolled into Bayou Segnette State Park with our 16-foot vintage Fiber Stream, we were immediately struck by the natural beauty surrounding us. Nestled among cypress trees and tranquil waterways, the park felt like a world away from the urban chaos, yet we knew the vibrant energy of New Orleans was just a short drive across the river.
Setting up camp, we couldn’t help but feel like we’d stumbled upon the perfect balance — a peaceful escape into Louisiana’s wetlands, with the excitement of the French Quarter within easy reach. It was exactly the kind of experience we look for, blending nature’s serenity with a taste of city adventure.
Our Personal Experience at Bayou Segnette State Park
Location: Westwego, Louisiana – part of Greater New Orleans
GPS: 29.88747, -90.16177
Price: $20/night + $6 reservation fee (no way around it, it’s tacked on to online, phone in, and walk up reservations). We stayed three nights and averaged $22/night with extra fee.
Date/Temp: We stayed at Bayou Segnette for three days at the end of March. The high was 80 and the low was 65.
Amenities: The park offers electric and water hookups at all sites. They also provide wooden decks with picnic tables, a free laundry facility (two washers, two dryers), and free wifi. There’s a dump station at the campground entrance, but the line was too long for us.
Noise: We were at Bayou Segnette during Easter weekend and spring break – so, the grounds were swamped with families. It was noisy during the day, but most campers kept quiet after 9pm.
Wifi/Cell: The park-provided wifi was unusable. We couldn’t load a single page with it. Our AT&T and T-Mobile service was great. We were able to stream music and movies without any interruptions.
Grocery/Errands: We went grocery shopping at Piggly Wiggly, it was well priced and less than a mile away. There’s a Winn Dixie, post office, fresh fish market, and many restaurants within a few miles of the park.
Dog Friendly: Bayou Segnette is very dog friendly. Our site was large enough to allow River to stay outside on a long line and we were also able to hike on the mile-long trail with her.
Entertainment: Downtown New Orleans – only 12 miles away – provided all the entertainment we were looking for. Check out our video of exploring the city!
Bayou Segnette State Park Insider Tips
#1 – Enjoy the onsite hiking trails! They are often overlooked because the city offers so much. We loved the swamp vibes the trails haave.
#2 – Uber into the city. This will be a slight premium in price as opposed to driving, but you’ll still have to pay for parking if you drive. Also, if you have a big tow vehicle…those don’t work well on the historic streets.
#3 – Bayou Segnette State Park is VERY family friendly. If you don’t like kids & families, try another campground!
Would We Camp at Bayou Segnette State Park Again?
So, would we camp at Bayou Segnette State Park again? Probably, why not?! It’s the ideal mix of nature and city access, offering the peace of a secluded campsite with the thrill of New Orleans just minutes away.
Whether you’re craving a quiet afternoon by the bayou or a night out in the French Quarter, this spot has you covered. For us, it felt like the best of both worlds, and we wouldn’t hesitate to set up camp here again for another round of Southern charm and city excitement.
We’ll Help You Find the Best Free Camping in the USA
You should give it a try!
As a matter of fact, these free campsites are yours to enjoy. Every time you pay federal taxes, you’re contributing to these lands.
Become a FREE CAMPING INSIDER and join the 100,000 campers who love to score the best site!
We’ll send you the 50 Best Free Campsites in the USA (one per state). Access the list by submitting your email below:
Hey guys, thanks for the great read. That’s where Mike and I plan on staying and that is our first destination when we hit the road in 80 weeks.
Hope and Mike
Hey! We hope y’all have an awesome time. Can’t wait to see you on the road 👍🏻
We can’t wait either. Don’t forget about our driveway in January:)
We stayed there when we camped outside of NOLA for our 15th wedding anniversary two and a half years ago. Even though it was December (and colder than normal) we really liked the park and it was a perfect place to escape the city while close enough to catch the ferry without any problems! Last Thanksgiving we stayed at Tickfaw State Park (the blog post is somewhere on my WordPress account) and while it was an hour drive to take the kids to NOLA for the day, that is also a very nice park.