Pontchartrain Beach: New Orleans' Beloved Lakefront Amusement Park

On the southern shore of Lake Pontchartrain, where the city meets the water, New Orleans had its own version of Coney Island. Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park ran from 1928 to 1983 — 55 years of summer memories for generations of Louisiana families.

The Park

Pontchartrain Beach had everything a great amusement park should have: roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a fun house, and the Zephyr — a wooden roller coaster that became the park's signature ride and one of the most beloved coasters in the South. The park sat right on the lakefront, which meant you could ride the Zephyr with the breeze off Lake Pontchartrain in your face and the New Orleans skyline behind you.

The beach itself was part of the experience. Families came to swim, picnic, and spend the whole day. The park's location made it feel like a genuine escape from the city — close enough to reach easily, far enough to feel like a destination.

Segregation and Change

Like many Southern institutions of the era, Pontchartrain Beach operated as a segregated facility for much of its history, with Black New Orleanians excluded from the main park and relegated to a separate "Lincoln Beach" nearby. The park desegregated in 1963 following civil rights pressure, a change that came late and reflected the broader struggles of the era.

The Closure

Pontchartrain Beach closed in 1983 as attendance declined and the cost of maintaining the aging park became prohibitive. The Zephyr was demolished. The site was eventually redeveloped. For New Orleanians who grew up riding those coasters and swimming in that lake, the closure marked the end of a particular kind of childhood summer.

The Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park Retro T-shirt is for everyone who remembers. Find it in the New Orleans collection.