Sitting by the Tchefuncte River watching the boats go by is not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The historic Otis House at Fairview-Riverside State Park is also available for tours. Nature greets you at Fairview-Riverside State Park Take a walk among the massive live oaks along Water Street.
Hugging a stretch of the Tchefuncte River in St. Tammany Parish, the tiny town of Madisonville blends old and new in picturesque fashion. Just an hour's drive from Baton Rouge and a mere 40 minutes from New Orleans, it's perfect for a day trip, and a relaxing one at that.
Although its 2022 population was just shy of 1,000 people, it may seem like more on any given favorable-weather weekend. That's when visitors and residents are likely to launch their boats for a day of fishing and recreation on the 70-mile-long Tchefuncte, which drains into nearby Lake Pontchartrain. Others fish from land or just boat watch, as yachts parked alongside waterfront mansions are taken out for an afternoon spin.
Others are drawn to the town for its atmospheric riverside dining spots. But that's just the beginning. A former cell in the old jail, now part of the Madisonville Historic Museum It's worth it to plan your trip on a weekend, as that's when the Madisonville Historical Museum, 211 Cedar St.
, is open for touring from noon to 4 p.m.; admission is free.
Not only does it contain treasures galore from the town's past, its director, Iris Vacante, is a font of knowledge. The museum building, constructe.