Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain

Lake Pontchartrain Tours and Tickets

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At 630 square miles (1,632 square kilometers), Lake Pontchartrain is one of the largest bodies of water in the US. It’s beloved by locals as a place to fish, sail, and swim, and its shores and waters shelter a huge variety of wildlife and marine life—look out for blue crabs, Atlantic stingrays, pelicans, ospreys, and even bull sharks.

  • New Orleans, Louisiana

Tours and Tickets to Experience Lake Pontchartrain

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People Also Ask
Q:Is Lake Pontchartrain worth visiting?
A:Yes, Lake Pontchartrain is worth visiting. Many people like to go there to fish, have a picnic, go on a cruise, or just for a scenic drive. Driving over the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway alone is worth the trip as it’s 24 miles (38 kilometers) long and has good views, especially at sunset.
Q:How long does it take to go over Lake Pontchartrain?
A:Traveling across Lake Pontchartrain on the 24-mile (38-kilometer) causeway takes a minimum of 25 minutes. It can take much longer in bad weather when the speed limit is reduced. It’s the longest continuous bridge over water in the world, and the land disappears from sight at a certain point in the journey.
Q:Is there a ferry across Lake Pontchartrain?
A:No, there is currently no ferry service that crosses Lake Pontchartrain, although there have been in the past. The easiest way of getting from one side of the lake (which is an estuary) to the other is to drive the 24-mile (38-kilometer) causeway. While a ferry doesn’t operate, you can charter boats to take you on the lake.
Q:Is it OK to swim in Lake Pontchartrain?
A:Yes, Lake Pontchartrain is often safe enough to swim in, but you should be careful when you do so. Although the lake (really an estuary) was too polluted to swim in for many decades, it has been significantly cleaned up. However, the water quality can still be too poor for swimming for a few days after heavy rain.
Q:Does Lake Pontchartrain have alligators?
A:Yes, there are alligators in Lake Pontchartrain, but they’re not very commonly seen. Lake Pontchartrain was too polluted and salty for alligators to live in for a long time, but it has since become somewhat cleaner. Wildlife experts believe alligators don’t permanently live in Lake Pontchartrain but sometimes spillover from nearby wetlands.
Q:Are there dolphins in Lake Pontchartrain?
A:Yes, dolphins can sometimes be found in Lake Pontchartrain, but they don’t live there permanently. Despite its name, Lake Pontchartrain is an estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico, so dolphins and other marine animals can come and go. Although the waters are much cleaner than they used to be, they’re still not ideal for dolphins.