If you are looking for the best things to do in Hammond, Louisiana, then you have come to the right place!
I love Hammond because it checks all the boxes! A beautiful town in the South that holds so much charm. A population of around 20,000 allows the area to feel like a small town while having enough people that you do not feel isolated!
Many trips have made my list of best Hammond activities easy to make! If you are traveling with a group, there is no shortage of options for everyone! There are cute date spots and so much for the history buffs. I already want to plan a trip back!
Located in the Eastern area of Louisiana, Hammond is forty-five miles east of Baton Rouge and 45 miles northwest of New Orleans! This central location makes it easy to see both the capital city and the Big Easy! Let’s dive in and find some things to do in Hammond today!
15 Best Things To Do In Hammond LA Today
Tangipahoa Parish
Tangipahoa Parish is one of my favorite places to visit in Hammond! Located in Southeast Louisiana, this perfect small town gives all the vibes and is home to the Strawberry Capital of the World! With so many annual festivals and every day activities, this should be on everyone’s list of what to do in Hammond!
The Sunshine Studio Creative Arts Center is one of my most recommended things to do in Hammond with kids! The Center is in a cottage (how cute is that?!) and is a place for kids to bring out their creative side. Catching a show at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts is great for older kiddos.
While in Tangipahoa Parish, check out the museums that honor the story of this deeply historical area. This area is a must for any trip to Hammond, LA!
Hammond Square
One of the best things to do in Hammond for adults is a trip to Hammond Square! This is the second largest open air retail center in all of Louisiana! I love that so many of my favorite shops are in one place! Whether I am shopping alone, or spending the day with my mom and sister, this is a must visit for me!
Hammond Square has almost fifty retailers for you to visit! There are some country wide franchise favorites like Target and TJ Maxx, but there are also hidden gems. You can get your hair and nails done, or grab lunch with your friends. This place has it all! A visit to Hammond Square is one of the things to do in Hammond that I really look forward to!
Downtown Hammond
A visit to Downtown Hammond should be top of the list for what to do in Hammond! I always feel like I have stepped back in time. In 2022, Downtown Hammond won the Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA), which recognizes communities for their excellence in comprehensive preservation-based commercial district revitalization!
In their Downtown, you can catch a show at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts, visit the library, or check out one of their many delicious restaurants! This idyllic downtown is one of the perfect places to visit in Hammond!
Swamp Walk
Located in the Joyce Wildlife Management Area is Swamp Walk! This is one of the most popular free things to do in Hammond and for good reason! Living in Florida, alligators are a part of life here, but if you are visiting anywhere that has them, and you have not seen them, I encourage you to try and see some of these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat!
Joyce WMA is mostly a marsh and in 1990, Louisiana Wildlife Fish and Game constructed a boardwalk out over the swamp that gives people the opportunity to see the reptiles and amphibians that call those waters their home. Additionally, there are bald eagles and osprey that nest in the area. Come for the alligators and stay for the abundance of wildlife! Swamp Walk is one of the best activities in Hammond both educationally speaking and will sure to give you plenty of stories!
Lake Maurepas
Lake Maurepas is one of my top picks for best Hammond activities! Located in what is technically the Louisiana Bayou, this round, shallow, brackish lake is fed by four rives! The surface area of the lake is over ninety square miles and the average depth is approximately ten feet. I have to mention that tall cypresses grow out of the water!
This lake is a nature photographer’s dream with osprey, alligators, wood ducks, loons, deer, rabbits, and more! The only catch is that access to the lake is limited to boat canoe, or kayak only as there are no foot trails lakeside.
Lake Pontchartrain
Visiting Lake Pontchartrain is one of my favorite things to do near Hammond! This short forty minute drive will show you more of Louisiana and bring you to one of the best beaches near New Orleans! This lake is the largest inland body of water in the state at 630 square miles, but surprisingly it is actually an estuary! This means that it is connected to the Gulf of Mexico through various bayous and rivers.
At Lake Pontchartrain you can fish and boating, whether on a sailboat or motorboat. If you are like me and do not own a boat, you can rent one here! You can also swim and lay out on the sand! There are five miles or bike baths that you can bike or walk, with plenty of benches to stop and enjoy the lake! If you bring your sweetie, this is one of the most romantic things to do in Hammond!
Downtown Farmers Market
The Hammond Farmers & Artisans Market is one of my most looked forward to free things to do in Hammond! Being able to explore a community of local artisans is such a beautiful way to see who the locals really are.
At the Farmers Market, there are farmers, producers, and artisans that are selling things they have made or grown themselves and that makes it extra special. Some of the goods available are farm fresh produce, plants, flowers, prepared food & grocery staples, fresh fish, meat, eggs, & dairy, artisan trade products, and farm crafts. This will always be one of the best activities in Hammond!
Safari Quest
One of my favorite attractions in Hammond LA is Safari Quest! Do not let the name fool you, there are no wild animals on the premises! Safari Quest is a 3,000 square foot multi-level laser tag arena! But that’s not all! They also have an overhead ropes course adventure, Coconut Climbing Trees and a huge arcade!
There is no height or age requirement in the play arena, only for the ropes course since the participant needs to wear a harness. For this reason, this is one of the best things to do in Hammond with kids!
Baton Rouge
Obviously not in Hammond, but Baton Rouge is only forty-five minutes away! Everyone flocks to New Orleans and I get it. It is seriously one of the coolest cities in the South, but Baton Rouge is honestly one of my favorite things to do near Hammond.
In Baton Rouge, you can tour the State Capital building and then check out the Old State Capitol building which made my list for fairytale castles in the South you should visit! Or if you wanted to get outside, Baton Rouge has some great hiking trails! The quick trip is so worth it!
Louisiana Children’s Discovery Center
The Louisiana Children’s Discovery Center located downtown is one of the more fun things to do in Hammond with kids! Available to kiddos aged toddler to ten years old, the Discovery Center aims to be educational while incorporating a lot of hands-on play.
The exhibits include a shrimp boat, a vet clinic, Middendorf’s restaurant, a rock climbing wall, a hot air balloon, a theater, a music factory, an art station, a bubble station, a dinosaur dig, an excavation pit, and a handful more! The goal is to have fun, safe play activities that improve motor skills, encourage problem-solving, and stimulate the imagination. If you are traveling with kids, the Louisiana Children’s Discovery Center is one of the best things to do in Hammond LA!
One Thirteen Terrace and Bar
Being a small town, there are limited things to do in Hammond at night, but a meal at One Thirteen Terrace and Bar is a must! The menu is locally sourced and the hospitality comes from the heart. I have a pretty limited diet, so I am going to share what my friends and family love when they come here! The prosciutto bruschetta appetizer tastes like you are in Italy!
For dinner, it is hard to beat their Hawaiian Ribeye which has a homemade Hawaiian marinade and a grilled pineapple. The Duck Confit is also delicious. For dessert, I recommend the Vanilla Crème Brûlée because it is served with berries, and surprisingly, mint!
One Thirteen also has a delicious weekend brunch menu! Dinner here is one of the laid back romantic things to do in Hammond Louisiana!
Gnarly Barley Brewing
Literally grown from someone brewing beer in their garage, Gnarly Barley Brewing is now brewing delicious craft beers out of a 14,000 square foot facility! Enjoying some beer in their taproom is by far one of the best things to do in Hammond for adults!
Did I mention earlier that the garage brewery was next to a half pipe? No wonder why one of their core beers is called Skater Aid! This crisp Pilsner has a light malt base and a clean and bright crisp finish.
The Catahoula Common is an American Lager named after the state dog of Louisiana! If you are feeling a little adventurous, the Korova Milk Porter is a Baltic Oatmeal Milk Porter has a sweet coffee and chocolate flavor.
Drinks at Gnarly Barley Brewing is one of the great things to do in Hammond at night.
Painting with a Twist
One of the things to do in Hammond at night that I always recommend is Painting with a Twist! This is your typical wine and paint place, but everything that they teach turns out so cute! I think what makes this place special is their special event nights. Notably, they have themed trivia nights! from wizards to space nights and nineties coffeehouse trivia, you are sure to find a topic that would be fun for you and a group of friends!
They also have a Paint Your Pet night which I think is so cute! They also host everything from bachelorette parties, to kids parties, and family days! Check out Painting with a Twist for one of my favorite attractions in Hammond LA!
Tangipahoa African American Heritage Museum
If you are looking for things to do in Hammond today, I highly recommend the Tangipahoa African American Heritage Museum. This museum is a top recommendation for me because their purpose is to tell the story of African Americans in all their permutations: family life, Civil Rights movement, arts and entertainment, inventions, sports, medicine, architecture, politics, religion, law, and technology instead of limiting them to one thing.
There are eight galleries and over twenty original murals within the museum. The original art has all African-American artists and you can really see and feel how their culture comes to life. A visit to this museum is one of the more important things to do in Hammond LA.
Cate Square Park
Definitely a classic choice, but one of the best things to do in Hammond is a visit to Cate Square Park. There is something about being outside in a developed area that just feels nice. The park is 2.1 acres large and covers an entire city block. There is a playground for the kids, a gazebo area to eat lunch, and plenty of grass to spread out and play a game of soccer or just lay out and read.
Located in the heart of downtown Hammond, there are plenty of places nearby to grab lunch or coffee! Whether you are by yourself or with a group, Cate Square Park is one of the fun things to do in Hammond for a few hours!
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