Best Things to Do Near Folsom, Louisiana

If you’re hunting for the best things to do near Folsom, Louisiana, start with the Global Wildlife Center, a 900-acre preserve where you ride a covered wagon out among 2,000-plus animals roaming free and feed giraffes and bison right from your seat. Folsom sits on the New Orleans Northshore in St. Tammany Parish, an easy drive from Fireside RV Resort in Ponchatoula, and it makes a perfect home base for a summer full of wildlife, gators, cool river trails, and small-town Louisiana fun. Here’s the short version, then the details.

TL;DR: Six family favorites near Folsom

• Global Wildlife Center (Folsom): wagon safari through 2,000+ animals, about 30 minutes from Fireside.
• Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery (Covington): feed, touch, and hold real alligators, about 40 to 45 minutes.
• Abita Brewery (Covington): a friendly $10 guided tour that comes with a pint, about a 40-minute drive.
• Tammany Trace (Covington trailhead): a 31-mile paved rail-trail plus the Wednesday farmers market, free.
• Northlake Nature Center (Mandeville): quiet trails and a boardwalk over the swamp, about 35 minutes.
• Bogue Falaya Wayside Park (Covington): a shady riverside park with a playground and paddle launch, free.

What is there to do in Folsom, Louisiana?

The top thing to do in Folsom is the Global Wildlife Center, a 900-acre guided preserve with over 2,000 animals from around the world. You climb aboard a canopy-covered wagon for a leisurely ride out among the herds, and with cups of feed you grab before you board, bison, camels, elands, and those long-necked giraffes come right up to say hello. It’s hands-down the most memorable stop near Fireside, and it’s an easy morning out with the family. Cooler morning hours are the sweet spot for the wagon tour, before the afternoon heat settles in.

Admission is affordable, with discounted rates for kids and seniors, and the littlest ones ride free. Prices can shift a little seasonally and are handled through the center’s online booking, so confirm the current rate when you reserve. Feed cups are just a few dollars, and trust us, you’ll want a couple. They strongly encourage you to book ahead to secure your seat. One quick note for the map app: this is Folsom, LOUISIANA, not the California town with the same name. Plan your visit through the Global Wildlife Center website.

Global Wildlife Center is roughly a 30-minute drive north from Fireside, up Highway 445 to Highway 40. Roll in from a morning safari, and the lazy river back at the resort feels awful good in the July heat.

Where can you get up close with alligators?

For a genuine hands-on gator experience, head to Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery in Covington, where a guided tour of about 45 minutes lets you feed, touch, and even hold a live alligator. You’ll walk through the working ranch and hatchery, learn how these Louisiana natives grow, and if you time it right you might catch hatching season, which usually runs from around August into early September. It’s a real reptile-nursery moment the kids won’t forget. Booking online ahead of time gets you a discounted rate, so it’s smart to reserve your spot before you drive over.

Admission is $21 for grown-ups, $19 for seniors and military, and $15 for kids 12 and under, and online bookings come at a discount. Insta-Gator sits roughly 40 to 45 minutes from Fireside.

Is there a family-friendly brewery tour nearby?

You bet it is. Abita Brewery in Covington runs a family-friendly guided tour for $10 that lasts about half an hour and includes a pint for the grown-ups, and guests under 21 come along free. You can also do a self-guided walk-through at no charge. Louisiana’s been brewing here for a long while, and the tour is an easy, low-key way to spend part of an afternoon. It’s close to a 40-minute drive from the resort.

What about free outdoor stops near Folsom?

Some of the top things to do around Folsom don’t cost a dime. The Tammany Trace is a paved rail-trail that runs 31 miles, ideal for biking, walking, or pushing a stroller, and it passes right through the Covington Trailhead. Swing by on a Wednesday and you’ll hit the Covington Farmers Market from 10am to 2pm at the trailhead, or catch the Saturday morning market from 8am to noon in downtown Covington. Fresh Louisiana produce, local goods, friendly faces. It’s a lovely, unhurried morning.

Want more shade and water? The Northlake Nature Center in Mandeville is a roughly 400-acre preserve with more than 8 miles of trails and a boardwalk that carries you out over the swamp and a beaver pond. It’s peaceful, green, and a great place to stretch your legs after a wagon ride or a gator tour. And Bogue Falaya Wayside Park in Covington gives you a shady riverside spot with a playground and a paddle launch on the Bogue Falaya River, so bring a kayak or just let the kids splash and picnic.

How far is each attraction from Fireside RV Resort?

Every one of these stops is a comfortable day-trip from the resort. Here’s how they line up.

You’re not the only one who’s noticed how much there is to do out here. St. Tammany Parish drew nearly 3 million visitors and $1.3 billion in visitor spending in 2023, the third-highest visitor spending of any Louisiana destination, according to Visit The Northshore. Turns out the Northshore is kind of a big deal.

Where should you stay near Folsom?

Set in Ponchatoula, Fireside RV Resort makes a relaxed, family-friendly home base for exploring Folsom and the whole Northshore. We’ve got 165 full-hookup RV sites, plus ten furnished cabins that sleep up to six. You’re a mile off the interstate at Exit 47, so Folsom, Covington, and Mandeville are all a short hop east. After a day out with the giraffes and gators, come back to the lazy river, two pools (one adults-only with a swim-up bar), and a comfy spot to catch the game.

Here’s what really sets us apart: honest, upfront pricing. No resort fee. No site-lock charge. No “community impact” surprise. Just the nightly rate, plain and simple. The sites sit on crushed-limestone pads with full hookups, and the grounds are clean and quiet, with free WiFi throughout, so you get the easygoing camping a lot of the bigger, louder resorts just don’t offer. You can browse RV sites, cabins, and current rates online, and booking is quick and easy.

What’s the best season to visit?

Summer is prime time near Folsom, and it lines up perfectly with a Fireside stay. The Global Wildlife Center herds are out grazing, the Tammany Trace and the farmers markets are in full swing, and the resort pools and lazy river are open and calling your name. Mornings are the coolest window for the wagon tour and the gator ranch, so start early, then cool off at your site once the afternoon heat rolls in. Spring and fall are gorgeous too, but for animals, water, and long daylight, a summer trip is tough to beat. See more nearby ideas on our things to do page.

Ready to explore Folsom and the Northshore? Fireside RV Resort sits about a 30-minute drive from the Global Wildlife Center, a couple minutes off the interstate at Exit 47 in Ponchatoula, an easy run to Covington and Mandeville too. Check dates for an RV site or a cabin and come see why the Northshore is worth the trip.

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