Lemurs, Gators, & Bears...Oh, Audubon Zoo!

That time we were all in New Orleans, Louisiana... and I made Chelsea, Chris, and Mariah go to the zoo with me so I could see all the animals :D

After a few fun filled days exploring around New Orleans, it was the morning of our final day and I was itching to visit City Park and ride the only operating coaster in New Orleans. The Zoo was also something I wanted to do, but since both things were "my" things, I didn't wanna push the idea on the rest of the group... So I picked City Park over the Zoo because, well, roller coasters... Since our stop at City Park wasn't that long... We still had some extra time before heading back toward Florida, and our lovely ocean front hotel in Panama City Beach. So we ended up visiting the Zoo after all. :D yaayyy!

Woo, the Audubon Zoo!

HIPPO FOUNTAIN!

Just inside the gate is the 'Cool Zoo' a small water park area within the Zoo itself

With a splash fort and a couple of slides... and a giant gator head, replacing the typical tipping bucket.

There is also a small lazy river attraction. Cool Zoo is an extra fee on top of the main entrance fare so we skipped it (plus, we had planned an actual beach day for the following day).

 Gottesman Family Endangered Species Carousel

Sno-Ball!
Our second time encountering them. I got Nectar with Cream, recommended by some local lady in line next to me.

The Zoo is also home to a 44 foot tall ropes course called the Kamba Kourse.
It's also an up-charge, so we skipped it.
Oh right, and there are animals here too!

We started off walking into the Asian Domain area of the Zoo and were greeted by this lovely Amur Leopard, aww

!!!
And this Sun Bear who was the freakin' CUTEST!
He was just sitting up and waving his paws around <3 <3 <3

Whistling Ducks, quack quack?

Caribbean Flamingo, almost hidden behind the restrooms just past the entrance.

One of the boardwalks in the South American Pampas area of the zoo.

This... Macaw
(cawl, caw!)

Mariah's nightmare....
AKA, a boardwalk over a swamp filled with Gator <3

Uh.
This... thing.

Leucistic Gator!
(and just as at Gatorland (and Fun Spot), hes not Albino since he has blue eyes)

Little baby American Alligators

A Nutria... Not Nutella.

This.. Tortoise

A Louisiana Black Bear!!!
I pretty much stood watching him do his thing while the rest of my group got a snack or something. haha
:3 :3 :3 

Black Crowned Night Heron
yup

Shh, Mr. Lazy Raccoon is ready for a nap.

Giraffes's's's doing their thing.

An..uh.. Eland.

<3 Komodo Dragon <3
Clearly, the coolest in the lizard family.

Red River Hog
(oink oink)

A Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur <3
(lemur lemur lee-mur!)

Photo of a Peacock for Deka...

Sir Hiss?

There were also a whole lot of these Giant Live Oak everywhere <3
(and Spanish Moss too)
Annddd....

I MET THIS GOAT!
(at the Watoto Walk petting zoo)
...And because it seems to be a requirement for Zoos and Theme Parks to have them now...
I'll end my post with this...

Audubon's Dinosaur Adventure!

Because modeled Dinosaurs are essential.
(rawr)

So the Audubon Zoo ended up being pretty big. Since I didn't think we would really make it here, I didn't look into it. I had no idea it would have had as many animals as it did or be so nice. They even have a road-tram called the Swamp Train that is a hop on / hop off shuttle to get you around the Zoo. Had we known how much walking we would end up doing, I'm sure we would have gotten the passes for it. haha. But it was for sure worth the stop and I'd love to visit it again if I ever came back to New Orleans.
(just, maybe on a day that was a bit less humid!)
After leaving the Zoo we grabbed a quick lunch (at Popeyes!) and started off on our drive, just short of 5 hours to Panama City Beach. In the early planning of this trip I suggested having a beach day somewhere halfway between NOLA and Orlando for the return trip. A way to try cut the nine hour drive up and also let us have a, well, beach day.
(maybe someday, when I'm not being lazy... I'll toss up a quick post on that too)

Yup

Carousel Gardens Amusement Park (and Storyland)

Carousel Gardens Amusement Park  / City Park / Storyland
yaayyy! Did you really think I was gonna drive all the way to New Orleans and not try and ride a coaster /// go to an amusement park along the way?

Our final day of our trip to NOLA featured my plans. After packing the car and leaving our amazing hotel we drove down to City Park, stopping at some random locals cafe where we ate outside on the patio and I made nice with a puppy. After eating we arrived at a rather busy City Park... and after accidentally off roading in Mariah's car.... We parked at Carousel Gardens. Chelsea and Chris didn't care about going into the small amusement park, so they spent their time just exploring around the rest of City Park itself... While me and Mariah acted like little kids.
Woo

Woo, Carousel Gardens Amusement Park!
Opened in 1891, its the oldest amusement park in Louisiana and the 13th oldest in the US.

It also has Live Oaks and Spanish Moss... everywhere... Oh, and a few rides hidden between them!
:D

The parks star attraction, and namesake is the 1906 Antique Carousel, next summer it will celebrate its 110th anniversary!

It sustained some pretty heavy damage from Hurricane Katrina but has since been fully restored
and was rather beautiful.

There's also a nice looking Scrambler

A Fun Slide

And a Wacky Shack fun house.

Monkey Jump kiddie drop tower.

     The Musik Express was one of the few clearly adult rides built in the park.

Construction Zone was a pretty beefy looking kids ride.

The parks Eli Ferris Wheel was new, I'm not sure if it replaced an older model or not. But it was new.
It was also one of just two rides we rode at the park.
(We would have done the train too, but we didn't have time)

The New Orleans city skyline, and Mercedes-Benz Superdome, seen from the top of the wheel.

It also went around a few times more than Mariah wanted.
 Haha

Tilt-A-Whirl with the G5 cars

Uh... the Potty's 
Oh yeah, and there is one other ride here...
...The reason I made everyone come to Carousel Gardens in the first place!

The all new, for 2015....
LADYBUG ROLLER COASTER!

And incredibly thrilling Zierer built Force Two model, that sends riders around the course 3 times per cycle.

This coaster opened in February although was meant for 2014. It replaced the parks older Tivoli Medium model built in 1988 but damaged during Hurricane Katrina.
(it did reopen for a season or so, before sitting idle for a few years, and then being fully removed)

And while not the biggest or baddest coaster around, its pretty fun for what it is, and for the age group its designed for, its perfect.
(And I wish I had a local community park with a coaster in it growing up!)

City Park also has the world's largest collection of live oak trees, some older than 600 years. And was founded in 1854, making it one of the oldest parks in the US. Most of the trees are absolutely covered in Spanish Moss.
Right next to Carousel Gardens Amusement Park in City Park, is Storyland, a small  fairy tale themed playground that Mariah and I walked around for a little bit.

Walking in, the first thing we saw was this awesome looking Dragon slide... that we both rode :D

There was also this... Uh, 'never in America' stepping stone path in the river. <3

Pinocchio... and his whale.

This random rocket... thing.

Annddd... the Cow that jumped over the Moon!

Yup.

And.. Uh, Ladybug Coaster video (via Vine) - Video

Woo