Camping in St. Bernard State Park: Visit Nearby New Orleans!
Just 40 minutes south of the famous New Orleans’ French Quarter sits St. Bernard State Park. Woodlands and wetlands surround this quaint campground, making it a perfect place to stay outside of the city.
With 51 sites to choose from, this campground can easily be utilized as a home base when visiting New Orleans. Or it can be used as a much needed quiet getaway. However you plan to stay here, you’ll love the peace and quiet of this park with great proximity to New Orleans.
Let’s dive into everything you need to know about St. Bernard State Park so you can get the most out of your camping trip here!
Important Links
St. Bernard State Park website
St. Bernard Camping – Book Camping Here
Camping Journal – Never Forget Your Camping Trips Details Again!
Location
Just 40 minutes south of New Orleans, St. Bernard State Park is a great park to camp if you’re looking to explore the French Quarter. It’s also a great place for locals to get away from the hustle and bustle of life if you need some time away from the city.
If you’re looking to have a weekend getaway, St. Bernard State Park is a mere 2 hours from Baton Rouge, LA, 2 hours from Mobile, AL and 3 hours from Jackson, MS. So enjoy your time away from the city and get outside, just don’t feed the gators!
Fees
Like most state parks, there is a daily fee to enter. The fees are as follows for a day visit to St. Bernard State Park.
- $2 per person, age 16 and older
- $1 per person, age 15 and under
If you are camping here, this fee is waived. But if you are just coming to enjoy their playground, splash pad, or hiking trail, you will have to pay.
Hours
St. Bernard is open 365 days a year. The gate closes and locks each evening. If you are planning on camping here, they will give you a code to this lock. But if you are just planning on visiting during the day, make sure you check out the hours below!
Gate Opens
- Sunday through Saturday: opens at 7am / closes at 10pm
Entrance Station Hours
- Sunday through Thursday: open 8am to 5pm
- Friday, Saturday and days preceding holidays: open 8am to 8pm
Pavillion
In St. Bernard State Park, there is a great pavilion that you can rent for $70 per day. This pavilion is equipped with grills/fire pits, and has electrical and water hookups.
You can host the perfect party or picnic here for up to 60 people. Right next to the pavilion is the playground and a splash pad, perfect for all your little ones!
Splash Pad / Playground
The Splash Pad at St. Bernard State Park is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 8am to 8pm. The facilities are closed on Mondays for any maintenance and cleaning. If you have questions, contact the park directly. I would also recommend calling if you want to confirm that the splash pad is open on the day you intend to visit.
Right next to the splash pad is a great covered playground. The area is covered to help beat the heat of summer!
Hiking Options
St. Bernard State Park only has one trail that runs through the back of the park. Known as the Nature Trail, this well-maintained trail is made of dirt. The trail leads you from the back of the campground, to back behind the pavilion.
The Nature Trail is 1 mile long, flat, and easily navigated by following the cut path. We saw many different birds and some small wildlife on our walk here.
Time to Spend Here
Some state parks are huge…St. Bernard State Park is not one of those parks. While this park is a great place to visit and get away for a few hours, you truly can enjoy the entire park in under a few hours.
If you are planning on camping here, I would recommend a weekend if you just want to get away for a little bit. If you are wanting to visit New Orleans multiple days, then stay as long as you think you’ll need! Just remember, the maximum number of days to stay here is 14 days.
Campground
The campground at St. Bernard State Park has 51 paved campsites for you to choose from. Each site has water and electrical hook-ups with a paved pad for your camper or tent. A clean bathhouse is centrally located in the campground loop.
The sites vary in size, so make sure you read the description before you book if you have a larger rig. There is an overflow parking area at the back of the campground if your tow vehicle doesn’t fit.
And if you are camping with your family, there is a large playground and a splash pad across the street from the campground that your kids will love!
Details
Before we dive into the campsites specifically, here’s a quick overview of the St. Bernard State Park details!
- 51 Campsites
- Bathhouse
- Dump Station
- Gated Entry
- Playground
- Splash Pad
- Nature Trail
- Picnic Area and Pavilion
- Bird Watching
Again, this is a fairly small state park. But the quiet location and the proximity to New Orleans make this a great place to camp. And the affordability (even in the busy season) adds to the joy of being able to get away on a budget.
Tent/Camper/RV Sites
Tents and campers of all sizes are welcome at St. Bernard State Park. There is a maximum booking window of 14 days if you want to maximize your time here.
Each site is flat and paved with water and electric hook-ups. There is a provided picnic table and fire ring at each site as well. If you have a larger rig, make sure you are careful to read the details of each site.
Prices
St. Bernard State Park has a few different prices, depending on the night and/or month you are staying.
Firstly, every Friday and Saturday night costs $28 per night. This is regardless what time of year you are staying.
Secondly, Sunday/Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday prices vary depending on the month you are staying. Details are below
- $25/night plus tax, Sun-Thurs, April – September
- $20/night plus tax, Sun-Thurs, October – March
As far as discounts go, there is a military discount, and a senior discount. The daily entry fee is waived if you are camping here!
Our Camping Experience
My husband and I camped at St. Bernard State Park for 2 weeks in February of 2025. We parked on site 17 with our 25 foot travel trailer and had a relaxing time.
There isn’t too much to do at this campground, but we enjoyed being able to easily drive into New Orleans and explore different parts of the city.
The bathhouse was always clean and the dump station was easy to access as we left. The staff was very friendly and the gate was locked each night (we used to code to enter just one night that we got back late).
Our only complaint was how narrow the pads were for our camper. We had to park all the way to the left side of the pad just to have enough room for our stairs.
Conclusion
If you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city while on a budget, look no further than St. Bernard State Park! Or, if you are looking to explore the historic city of New Orleans on a budget, this is also a great place to stay. This quiet park is just 40 minutes away from New Orleans.
With a clean bathroom, water/electric hook-ups, and a few things to do in the park, you’ll love camping in St. Bernard State Park!
As always, if you have any questions feel free to email me at averagewildexperience@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to answer any questions.
-Happy Camping!
Megan C.
Avid hiker and traveler around the US. I've been hiking consistently since I was 18 and I can't wait to teach you my tips, tricks and hiking hacks! Travel and hike with me and my camera.
You May Also Like
Camping in Buck Hall Recreation Area: Affordable Camping Here
Natural Bridge State Park Kentucky: Everything You Need To Know
