Kenner brings together historic sites, performing arts, a weekly market and a range of recreational activities. In Rivertown, a historic district spanning twelve city blocks sits along the Mississippi River. There are also replicas in Heritage Park, memorial sites and a theater. If you’re looking for other highlights, you’ll find activities around the lake, sand volleyball and a life-size NASA prototype of the International Space Station. These distinctions can help you choose the themes you’d like to focus on during your stay.
Rivertown: Historic Sites and Performing Arts
Rivertown in Kenner is designated as a historic district and spans twelve city blocks along the Mississippi River. This gives the district a clearly defined historical focus within the city. Heritage Park features replicas of former Kenner establishments, including an old hardware store. Another replica depicts St. Mary’s Church, described as the first Catholic church in Kenner. This description is part of the church’s historical context.
Another memorial site is La Salle’s Landing, where statues commemorate boxers “Gypsy” Jem Mace and Tom Allen, who fought there in 1870. Together, the district, replicas and statues offer different ways to connect with Kenner’s past. For live performances, Theatre 13 presents productions at the Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts. Historic sites and a named performance venue thus offer distinct cultural points of interest.
Market Visit and Spring Festival
The Kenner Market at Veterans Park is open every Thursday from 1 to 6 p.m. A rotating selection of vendors offers fresh and specialty foods, handmade goods and locally made products. The market therefore brings together different kinds of food and goods, without implying that the same offerings are available every week. If you’d like to plan your visit around the market, check its opening hours in advance.
A separate cultural event is the Italian Heritage Festival, held each spring in Rivertown. Unlike the weekly market day, it is a recurring spring event. Check the festival dates before your trip if you’d like to time your visit to coincide with it. Along with the historic sites and Theatre 13 productions, the festival adds a seasonal event to Kenner’s cultural offerings.
By the Lake and on the Courts
Laketown is a 30-acre lakeside recreation area. Activities there include picnicking, cycling and fishing; boats can also be launched there. Visitors can choose from different ways to spend their leisure time: relaxing by the shore, cycling, fishing or launching a boat. Which options interest you depends on the activities you’re looking for in Kenner.
For a different kind of activity, Coconut Beach is a sand volleyball facility with 22 courts. League visitors are invited to join a game or cheer on the players. The facility differs from Laketown both in theme and in the activities offered: sand volleyball is the focus here, while Laketown offers several ways to enjoy the lake.
Space Exploration as Another Highlight
Visitors to Kenner can see a life-size NASA prototype of the International Space Station. The space exploration theme offers a distinct highlight alongside local history, events and outdoor activities. If you’re weighing different interests for your stay, you can consider this visit as a separate activity rather than grouping it with the historic sites or lakeside offerings.
There are several distinct themes to choose from: Rivertown and Heritage Park for historical connections, the market and festival for food and cultural events, Laketown for water-based activities, and Coconut Beach for sand volleyball. The NASA prototype adds space exploration to the mix. This can help you organize your travel interests without treating the different places and activities as one single, connected itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Grand Isle, Harvey, Avondale, Jennings, Westwego, Marrero, Harahan, Gretna
For the overview of the wider region: Jefferson.
