Abita Springs

Abita Springs is a town in Louisiana, in the Piney Woods of St. Tammany Parish, part of the Lake Pontchartrain North Shore area. It's 10-minutes drive east of Covington, an hour east of Baton Rouge, and an hour north of New Orleans.

The Pavilion was built for the 1884 World's Fair in New Orleans; it was moved to Abita Springs in 1888.

Get in

Access is almost exclusively by private vehicle. From I-12, head north on US-190 to Covington. Then take SR-36 east to Abita Springs.

See

• 1 Abita Springs Brewery, 166 Barbee Rd, toll-free: +1-800-737-2311 ext 2. Sa 1PM and 2:30PM, Su 1PM. The brewery tours include free samples of the brewery's local beers. On Highway 36, just west of town towards Covington. free. 
• 2 Abita Springs Tourist Park. The park features the Abita Springs Pavilion, a large, two-story pavilion once sheltering a spring, built in 1884. It is at the west end of Main St. The park remains open and has a playground and picnic areas. The Abita River runs through it. It is the sight of the Abita Spring Water Festival each October.  
• 3 Abita Springs Trailhead Museum, 22044 Main St, ☏ +1 985-871-5327. Su 11AM–3PM. Free. (updated Jul 2021)
• 4 UCM Museum / Mystery House, 22275 Hwy 36, ☏ +1 985-892-2624. A uniquely weird collection of folk-art, curiosities, and (let's face it) old junk, entertainingly arranged and displayed. 

Do

• 1 Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery, 74645 Allen Rd, Covington LA 70435 (7 minutes drive north east of town), ☏ +1 985-892-3669. Working alligator farm. 

Eat

• 1 Abita Brew Pub, 72011 Holly Street, ☏ +1 985-892-5837. Tu-Su lunch & dinner. 

Drink

• 1 Abita Springs Brewpub, 21084 Hwy 36, ☏ +1 985-892-5837. Daily 11AM-10PM. A full restaurant and pub, offering samples of Abita brews (including their non-alcoholic root beer) and a gift shop. 
• 2 Rosie's Tavern, 22067 Hwy 59 (right by the Pavilion park), ☏ +1 985-809-0454. (updated Feb 2017)

Sleep

• 1 Abita Springs RV Resort, 24150 LA-435, ☏ +1 985-590-3926. Cabins/cottages/campground along lake, with a pool and lounge to engage with other travelers. 

Go next

• Covington – 10-minutes drive west
• Mandeville – on the lake, 15-minutes drive south
• Slidell – 30-minutes drive southeast
• Baton Rouge
• New Orleans