Louisiana

Fontainebleu State Park

Mandeville, Lousiana

"Premium" site 127

"Improved" site 130

Dates:  March 3- 10, 2010 

Location: 62883 Hwy. 1089, Mandeville, LA 70448  Directions: From I-12, take US 190 (exit 63-A) south toward Mandeville. Continue east on US 190; the park is approximately 4 miles east of the city. GPS Coordinates: N 30.34523; W 90.02269.
Our Site Number: 127 and 130 

Reason Selected:   We were visiting with my brother’s family in Slidell, La. 

Setting:  Two campground loops; Old and New.  Both loops have paved sites.  We stayed in the older loop.  Our initial site 127 was a very tight pull through that was  slide to slide with the next site and surrounded by mud puddles.  It was a “premium” site because it was a pull-thru with 50 amps. We moved to site 130 which can not be reserved and is held back by staff as an “emergency site”.  This was a very nice 30 amp back-in site with a view of the forest.
Big Rig Friendly: Big rig friendly but be aware of low hanging branches and tight turns. 

Hook-ups:  Only a handful of sites have sewer hook-ups.  The premium sites are 50 amp. 

Laundry: None 

Price & Discounts:  $16 for an “improved site” with water and 30 amp.  $18 for a “premium” 50 amp pull thru. Other Factors:  Wifi is available in the park and worked most of the time.  They were nearing completion of a new bathhouse in the Old loop.  The New loop has a modern clean bathhouse.  

OVERALL RATING: 6.5 out of 10.

This park has a lot of potential.  However, most of the campsites were swampy and muddy.  Reserve America does not have accurate information on the campsites.  It’s very popular with weekenders and fills fast.  The sites are close together without much privacy. 


A+ Motel and RV Park
Sulphur, Louisiana

Dates:  March 11-15, 2010 

Location: 4631 Hwy 27 South, off I-10; Sulphur, Louisiana just west of Lake Charles, La.
Our Site Number: 56 

Reason Selected:  On our way out west close to I-10.

Setting: A new park with no trees or shade on a man-made pond.  Concrete drives and slabs.  Set behind a single story motel within an industrial area.
Big Rig Friendly:  Big Rig Friendly, with long but narrow sites and 75 ft. pull throughs. 

Hook-ups: 30/50 amp with water and sewer.  Also very good WiFi available at no extra cost. 

Laundry:  Clean and reasonably priced laundry room 

Price & Discounts:  $25 a night with Good Sam Discount.  Weekly and Monthly Discounts 

Other Factors:  Several full time residents in the park scattered about.

Park and bath house was very clean and very convenient to downtown Lake Charles via the interstate. 

OVERALL RATING:  6.5 out of 10.  

Not my type of park.  Very sterile and commercial.  However, it deserves a high rating for convenience, cleanliness and the very good WiFi.   There is a refinery about a mile away that can be noisy at various times.