10 Best Fall Day Trips in Southeast Louisiana & the Gulf Coast for Families

There is something almost magical about the first Louisiana morning when you step outside and realize the air is…slightly less offensive.

We aren't talking sweaters and hot cocoa just yet. This is Louisiana, after all. “Fall weather” may simply mean you can stand outside for ten minutes without questioning every decision that led you there.

But we'll take it!

Those of you who know Angie know one thing for sure: she loves a good family adventure! Give her a free Saturday and she’s probably already figuring out where the family can go, what they can see, and—most importantly—where they can eat along the way.

It doesn’t have to be a big vacation, either. Some of the best memories come from those little day trips when you pile everyone into the car, head somewhere you’ve never been (or somewhere you haven’t visited in years), learn something new, eat something good, and come home tired with a camera roll full of pictures.

And after surviving another Louisiana summer, that first hint of cooler weather practically feels like an invitation to GO SOMEWHERE!

So Angie helped us put together a Rock’s-style fall bucket list: 10 family “field trips” within an easy road trip of Covington—with animals, gardens, classic cars, Louisiana history, marine life, vintage treasures, and plenty of opportunities to make some memories along the way.

Some are perfect for younger kids. Some will keep teenagers interested. And a few might have the adults saying, “Okay, this one is really for me.”

So grab the family, pack some snacks, fill up the tank, and start planning your next adventure.

Because around here, we believe your vehicle shouldn’t just get you to work and back—it should help take you to the good stuff, too.

Most are within roughly 100 miles of Covington. We made one deliberate exception: Avery Island. It's beyond our 100-mile goal by road, but it's such a uniquely Louisiana day trip that it deserves the extra miles.

So fill up the tank, grab some snacks, argue over who's controlling the playlist, and hit the road.

1. Go on Safari at Global Wildlife Center — Folsom, Louisiana

Global Wildlife Center

You don't have to drive very far from Covington to feel like you've gone somewhere completely different.

Global Wildlife Center in Folsom encompasses about 900 acres and is home to thousands of free-roaming animals. Instead of walking from enclosure to enclosure like a traditional zoo, families can board a covered safari wagon and travel through the preserve while animals come right up to the vehicle.

And we mean right up to it.

Depending on the animals' moods that day, you might find yourself feeding giraffes, bison, zebras, camels, llamas, elands and other animals while your guide teaches you about them.

That's our kind of field trip.

The standard safari wagon experience lasts around 75 minutes, and Global Wildlife also offers more intimate private tours aboard Pinzgauer vehicles. Families can also look into experiences such as its capybara encounter and kangaroo Walkabout.

Why fall is a great time to go

Much of this adventure is outdoors, so we'd happily trade a 96-degree August afternoon for a breezy October one.

It's especially good for families with kids of different ages because little kids think they're feeding animals, older kids can actually learn something, and adults discover they're just as excited about a giraffe sticking its head near them as the children are.

Rock's Field Trip Tip: Buy some animal feed. Watching the kids carefully ration it for approximately three minutes before dumping half the bucket into one animal's mouth is part of the experience.

2. Spend the Day at Audubon Zoo — New Orleans

If you haven't visited Audubon Zoo in a while, fall is a great excuse to go back.

The beautiful Uptown New Orleans zoo offers everything from African animals and primates to Jaguar Jungle and the wonderfully Louisiana-specific Louisiana Swamp.

It's also a much different experience when you're not trying to sprint from one shady spot to another.

Make this an actual family field trip by having each child choose one animal beforehand and become the family's “expert” on that species for the day.

Special Fall 2026 Events

There's quite a bit happening at the Zoo this fall.

World Gorilla Day is September 19, and Celebración Latina follows September 20 with music, dancing, performances, food and cultural displays.

Then comes one of the Zoo's biggest fall traditions: Boo at the Zoo, October 16–18, 2026.

Friday, October 16 is the new Li'l Boo Friday, geared especially toward younger trick-or-treaters, with daytime activities followed by an early evening outdoor movie. The classic Boo at the Zoo takes place Saturday and Sunday with trick-or-treating, animals, costumes and Halloween activities throughout the Zoo.

That's a pretty good excuse to put on a costume and go see an elephant.

3. Hunt for Treasure at The Lucky Rabbit — Hattiesburg, Mississippi

This one is for the family who likes their field trips a little weird.

And we mean that as a compliment.

The Lucky Rabbit in downtown Hattiesburg isn't simply an antique store. It's roughly 40,000 square feet of antiques, vintage finds, clothing, collectibles, furniture, pop-culture nostalgia and enormous themed displays spread across two historic buildings.

You can go looking for an old license plate and somehow end up taking family pictures inside a recreated TV or movie set.

The displays change, so even families who have been before can find something new.

Make it a fall treasure hunt

Give everybody a small budget and a mission.

Who can find:

The weirdest automotive item?

Something older than Grandma?

The most ridiculous piece of home décor?

Something that used to be in everyone's house?

The best item under $10?

Nobody even realizes they're learning about history.

The Lucky Rabbit is primarily a weekend destination, currently open Saturdays and Sundays. Its First Saturday Street Market adds more than 35 outdoor vendors, food trucks and additional shopping from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. on the first Saturday of the month.

If your schedule lines up, that's the weekend we'd choose.

Rock's Field Trip Tip: Don't plan to “just pop in for 20 minutes.” That's not how The Lucky Rabbit works.

4. Meet Dolphins and Stingrays at Ocean Adventures — Gulfport, Mississippi

Here's one that combines entertainment with a genuinely interesting science lesson.

Ocean Adventures Marine Park in Gulfport is operated by the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, a nonprofit involved in marine conservation, research, education and rescue.

Families can see dolphins and sea lions interact with their trainers, visit a ray pool, explore touch pools, see tropical birds and visit the Discovery Center.

The current 2026 programming includes dolphin and sea lion shows, stingray talks, bird presentations, a Discovery Center and opportunities to feed parakeets.

For families who homeschool—or just have a kid who asks approximately 4,762 questions about animals—there's plenty here to turn into a science day.

Talk about marine mammals on the ride over.

Learn about rescue and rehabilitation.

Compare sharks, rays and bony fish.

Then go touch a stingray.

That's a field trip we'd have gladly taken as kids.

5. Experience Cruisin' The Coast — Mississippi Gulf Coast

Okay, car people.

This one was obviously making the Rock's list.

Cruisin' The Coast celebrates its 30th anniversary October 4–11, 2026, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast basically turns into one enormous rolling car show.

More than 10,000 registered vehicles participated in 2025, with antique, classic and hot rod vehicles cruising the roughly 30-mile beachside stretch of Highway 90.

For 2026, events stretch across Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Bay St. Louis, D'Iberville, Pass Christian, Pascagoula and other Coast communities. The schedule includes cruise-ins, live entertainment, a swap meet, an auto auction and numerous special events.

Best of all for families who just want to watch?

Spectating is free.

Turn it into an automotive field trip

Instead of simply looking at cars, challenge the kids to spot:

A car older than Mom or Dad.

A vehicle from every decade.

The oldest car they can find.

A car with fins.

A station wagon.

A Volkswagen Beetle.

The strangest paint job.

Their dream car.

Rock may need considerably more supervision than the children to make sure he doesn't come home with another project.

Dates: October 4–11, 2026.

See the official 2026 Cruisin' The Coast schedule

6. Explore the New Orleans Botanical Garden — City Park

Fall doesn't have to mean pumpkins and haunted houses.

Sometimes it's just nice to walk outside without melting.

The New Orleans Botanical Garden in City Park is a beautiful option for a slower family day. The roughly 10-acre garden includes formal gardens, sculptures, a conservatory, seasonal plantings and the Historic New Orleans Train Garden.

For families, we'd especially consider a weekend visit because the model trains are typically operated on Saturdays and Sundays.

Fall Garden Festival — October 3, 2026

This is probably the day we'd circle on the calendar.

The Fall Garden Festival takes place Saturday, October 3, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. The Botanical Garden will host more than 50 vendors along with plant sales, educational programs, arts and crafts, cooking demonstrations, live music and gardening experts.

That turns a pretty walk through the gardens into a full-fledged fall outing.

And because you're already in City Park, you can easily stretch the trip into a longer day.

Fall Garden Festival information

7. Spend a Day Under the Sea at Mississippi Aquarium — Gulfport

If Louisiana fall decides to impersonate Louisiana summer—or you get one of those rainy weekends—head to Gulfport and make it an aquarium day.

Mississippi Aquarium gives families a chance to explore aquatic environments and wildlife while sneaking quite a bit of science into the trip.

And Fall 2026 has several special programs worth noting.

The aquarium's Aqua Tots program for ages 3–5 continues through the fall, including stingrays on September 15, turtles on October 20, millipedes on November 17 and seahorses on December 15.

There's also a packed fall calendar that currently includes Mermaids at MSAQ, Family FIN Night, ZZZs by the Sea, Homeschool Days + Learning Labs, Sensory Day and other programming.

For homeschool families in particular, those October 14 and November 11 Homeschool Days are worth investigating.

Bonus idea: Pair Mississippi Aquarium with Cruisin' The Coast in early October and you've got marine biology for the kids and thousands of classic cars for Dad.

Everybody wins.

See Mississippi Aquarium's current events

8. Take a Swamp Adventure Near Slidell

Honey Island Swamp Tours

We live next to one of the most interesting ecosystems in America, yet it's easy to forget how extraordinary it is because…well, it's home.

A fall swamp tour is a great opportunity to change that.

The Honey Island Swamp area near Slidell gives families a completely different perspective on south Louisiana. Instead of visiting animals in exhibits, you're entering their habitat.

Depending on conditions and the day, families can watch for alligators, turtles, birds and other native wildlife while learning about wetlands, waterways, native plants and the role Louisiana's swamps play in our environment.

This is an especially fun “field trip” for Louisiana kids because it gives them a chance to learn about the ecosystem in their own backyard.

Try this with the kids

Before you leave, have everyone predict how many different animal species you'll see.

Bring binoculars.

Keep a list.

And make somebody besides Mom responsible for taking pictures.

Fall's milder temperatures can make being on the water much more pleasant than the middle of summer.

9. Visit the Abita Mystery House + Make an Abita Springs Day

You don't actually have to travel 100 miles to have a memorable field trip.

Sometimes weird is right down the road.

The Abita Mystery House is part museum, part roadside attraction and part giant collection of things that make you say:

“Why does this exist?”

Which, naturally, means kids love it.

It's filled with folk art, homemade inventions, vintage arcade machines, strange collections, odd creatures and wonderfully bizarre Louisiana roadside Americana.

Don't expect a polished museum.

That's the point.

Pair it with a walk around Abita Springs, the Trailhead, lunch and maybe a little time on the Tammany Trace, and you've got an inexpensive local adventure that doesn't require spending half the day in the car.

This is also a fun reminder that a family “field trip” doesn't have to be elaborate. Sometimes the best outings are simply exploring places close to home that you've driven past 100 times and never actually visited.

10. Make the Longer Drive to Avery Island & Jungle Gardens

We're breaking our own rule for number ten.

Avery Island is outside our roughly 100-mile radius by road from Covington, but we're including it because it's one of those Louisiana destinations every family should experience at least once.

And fall is a wonderful time to do it.

Jungle Gardens covers more than 170 acres of Avery Island and combines botanical gardens, wildlife habitat and Louisiana history.

Families can follow the roughly three-mile self-guided driving route and stop to explore live oaks, bamboo, lagoons, marshes, seasonal flowers and wildlife.

One of the most memorable stops is the centuries-old Buddha statue, which arrived at Avery Island in the 1930s.

Then there's Bird City, the historic egret sanctuary associated with conservationist Edward Avery “Ned” McIlhenny.

And yes, this is Louisiana.

There may be alligators.

Make it a full Louisiana field trip

Avery Island becomes even better when you combine Jungle Gardens with the nearby TABASCO experience.

Suddenly you've got:

Botany.

Wildlife.

Louisiana history.

Conservation.

Manufacturing.

Agriculture.

Food science.

And hot sauce.

That's basically an entire school day disguised as a road trip.

Just be aware that this is the longest drive on our list, so we'd treat Avery Island as a full-day adventure, not a quick afternoon outing.

Bonus Fall Idea: Let the Event Be the Destination

One thing we love about fall on the Northshore and Gulf Coast is that you don't necessarily need a permanent attraction at all.

October brings festivals, car shows, farmers markets, pumpkin patches, community events and outdoor concerts throughout Louisiana and Mississippi.

So some weekends, skip the elaborate plan.

Pick a town.

Find an event.

Get in the car.

Explore.

Eat something you're definitely not supposed to eat.

Buy something from a local vendor that you absolutely did not need.

Take the family picture.

Then head home.

Those often become the days everybody remembers.

Before You Head Out: Give the Family Car a Little Attention Too

Of course, we can't send you on ten road trips without putting on our Rock's Tire & Auto hats for a minute.

A 40-mile trip doesn't require the same preparation as driving across the country, but fall is still a great time to take a look at the vehicle that carried you through another brutal Louisiana summer.

Before a season full of family outings, pay attention to your:

Tires. Check pressure, tread and unusual wear.

Battery. Louisiana heat is tough on batteries, and sometimes the damage caused during summer doesn't become obvious until temperatures begin changing.

Oil and fluids. Make sure maintenance is up to date and investigate fluids that are repeatedly getting low.

Brakes. New noises, vibration or changes in pedal feel deserve attention.

Cooling system. Just because summer is ending doesn't mean a coolant leak stopped leaking.

And don't forget the little things—wiper blades, lights and your emergency kit.

You don't need to replace everything before taking a Sunday drive.

You just want to know what's going on with your vehicle.

That's the whole idea behind preventive car care: find things while you still have choices instead of waiting until your car chooses the time and place for you.

Fall Is for Making Memories—Even if It's Still 82 Degrees

One of the best things about living in Covington is how many completely different experiences are within a couple hours of home.

You can feed a giraffe in Folsom.

Hunt for vintage treasures in Hattiesburg.

Watch dolphins in Gulfport.

Walk through a botanical garden in New Orleans.

Spend the day surrounded by classic cars along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Take a boat into a Louisiana swamp.

Or make the longer drive to Avery Island and introduce the kids to one of Louisiana's most unique places.

You don't need an elaborate vacation.

Sometimes you just need a free Saturday, a full tank of gas and somebody willing to surrender control of the playlist.

So when that first little cool front finally arrives, go somewhere.

The Louisiana heat will be back soon enough.

And before you hit the road, if you're not sure whether your vehicle is ready for all those fall adventures, bring it by Rock's Tire & Auto in Covington. We'll help you see what your vehicle needs, what can wait and what you might want to take care of before you load up the family.

📞 985-809-3116



Happy fall, y'all—and happy exploring!

Event dates and schedules were checked for Fall 2026, but special-event details and operating hours can change. Check with each destination before making the drive.