Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Return to the walkway and, facing City Park Avenue, turn right, then walk
one block to Anseman Avenue. Enter the park on Anseman through the
Pizzati Gate, and cross the Anseman Bridge over Bayou Metairie, one of the
many lagoons that wind through the park. The bridge, built in 1938 to re-
place the original 1928 structure, is named in honor of Victor Anseman, who,
as the park's first executive committee chairman and volunteer manager,
earned the title “Father of City Park.”
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At Dreyfous Avenue, turn right and continue walking past two of the park's
most historic landmarks—the Peristyle and the Popp Bandstand. The Peri-
style, a Neoclassical open-air pavilion with a colonnade, was built in 1907 as
a party place. It has undergone numerous renovations over the years, and
today it is one of the park's most popular wedding and photo-taking venues.
The Classical Greek-style Popp Bandstand went up in 1917. Designed by
noted New Orleans architect Emile Weil, it features 12 granite columns
topped with a bronze dome. In its infancy, it served as an outdoor theater for
some of the earliest moving pictures, and dozens of musicians, including
John Philip Sousa, have performed here over the years. Between the Peri-
style and Popp Bandstand is the Stanley Ray Playground, which features
swings, slides, and climbing contraptions.
Across from the Peristyle is the Goldring-Woldenberg Great Lawn, a 3-acre
green space that opened in 2010 as part of the park's master plan. Adorned
with palms, brick pathways, swings, pavilions, and a fountain, the lawn is
frequently the site of concerts such as the Louisiana Philharmonic Orches-
tra's annual Swing in the Oaks.
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Continue down Dreyfous past the Casino Building, a Spanish Mission-style
structure built in 1913. Today, it's home to Morning Call, a 24-hour café
known for its café au lait and sugar-laden beignets but which also serves
Louisiana dishes such as jambalaya and red beans and rice.
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Continue on Dreyfous, cross the bridge, and turn left onto Dueling Oaks
Drive. This will take you to Collins Diboll Circle, adjacent to the New Or-
leans Museum of Art. At the circle, turn right; then make another right onto
Lelong Avenue, walk to the end of the block, and cross Lelong in front of the
park's Wisner Boulevard entrance. Walk back toward the museum on the
other side of Lelong. To your right is Big Lake, which opened in 2009,
providing park-goers with yet another opportunity for recreation. The lake is
surrounded by 25 acres of wildlife and wetlands and paths for jogging, walk-
ing, and biking. Both boats and bikes are available to rent.
