We’re pleased to present the results of our annual nola’s family favorites readers’ survey!
PLAYTIME
1. Favorite indoor play area
1. Bookoo Bounce (bookoobounce.com)
2. Palm Tree Playground (palmtreeplayground.com)
3. The Monkey Room (monkeyroom.net)
2. Favorite outdoor play area/or park
1. New Orleans City Park
2. Audubon Park
3. Lafreniere Park
3. Favorite place for water play
1. Cool Zoo at Audubon Zoo
2. Blue Bayou Water Park, Baton Rouge
3. Lafreniere Park Splash Pad
4. Favorite museum for kids
1. Louisiana Children’s Museum (lcm.org)
2. New Orleans Museum of Art (noma.org)
3. Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium (auduboninstitute.org/visit/insectarium)
5. Favorite family-friendly festival
1. French Quarter Festival
2. Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo
3. New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
6. Favorite Indoor Party Place
1. Bookoo Bounce (bookoobounce.com)
2. Palm Tree Playground (palmtreeplayground.com)
3. Sector 6 (sector6.us)
7. Favorite outdoor party place
- New Orleans City Park
- Storyland & Carousel Garden & Amusements
- Audubon Zoo
8. Favorite party rental
1. About to Bounce (abouttobounce.com)
2. Zoo 2 U (zoo2uparties.com)
3. Any inflatable
9. Favorite birthday party entertainer
1. When You Wish Entertainment, (whenyouwishentertainment.com)
2. Creative Sitters (creativesittersnola.com)
3. Art from the Heart (artfromtheheartevents.com)
10. Favorite summer camp
- City Park Movement & Art (cityparkmovementandart.com)
- Jewish Community Center (nojcc.org)
- Elmwood Kidsports (kidsports.org)
11. Favorite beach destination
1. Destin, Fl
2. Orange Beach, Al
3. Pensacola, Fl
12. Favorite library branch
1. East Bank Regional
2. Lakeshore Library
3. Latter Library
13. Favorite free holiday event
1. Miracle on Fulton Street
2. Celebration in the Oaks
3. Mardi Gras
14. Favorite holiday tea
1. The Roosevelt
2. The Windsor Court
3. The Ritz Carlton
15. Favorite kid-friendly Mardi Gras parade
1. Krewe of Thoth
2. Krewe of Muses
3. Krewe of Little Rascals
16. Favorite place for a mom date/playdate
1. Palm Tree Playground (palmtreeplayground.com)
2. New Orleans City Park
3. (tie) BooKoo Bounce (bookoobounce.com)
Monkey Room (monkeyroom.net)
17. Favorite place to see nature
1. New Orleans City Park
2. Audubon Zoo
3. Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
EATING
18. Favorite sno-ball stand/ice cream/cool treats
1. Sal’s Sno-Balls (504.666.1823)
2. Hansen’s Sno-Bliz (snobliz.com)
3. Plum Street Snoballs (plumstreetsnoball.com)
19. Favorite bakery
1. Haydel’s Bakery (haydelbakery.com)
2. (tie) Gambino’s Bakery (gambinos.com)
Maurice French Pastries (mauricefrenchpastries.com)
3. Sweet Spot (sweetspotnola.com)
20. Favorite bakery or food store for special dietary need
1. Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com)
2. The PeaceBaker (Metairie, temporarily closed)
3. Breads on Oak (breadsonoak.com)
21. Favorite restaurant for kid-friendly dining
1. Chili’s (chilis.com)
2. The Backyard (thebackyardnola.com)
3. Chuck E. Cheese (chuckecheese.com)
22. Favorite restaurant for date-night dining
1. Houston’s (hillstone.com/houstons)
2. Ruth’s Chris Steak House (504.587.7099)
3. Copeland’s (copelandsofneworleans.com)
23. Favorite local grocery store
1. Rouses Supermarkets (shop.rouses.com)
2. (tie) Dorignac’s Food Center (dorignacs.com)
Langenstein’s (langensteins.com)
3. Robert Fresh Market (robertfreshmarket.com)
24. Favorite pizza place
1. Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza (theospizza.com)
2. Reginelli’s Pizzeria (reginellis.com)
3. Mellow Mushroom (mellowmushroom.com)
25. Favorite place for ready-to-go meals
- Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com)
- Rouses Supermarkets (shop.rouses.com)
- Langenstein’s (langensteins.com)
26. Favorite family-friendly seafood joint
- Deanie’s Seafood (deanies.com)
- Salvo’s Seafood (salvosseafood.com)
- R&O’s Restaurant (504.831.1248)
27. Favorite farmers’ market
1. French Market
2. Hollygrove Farmers’ Market
3. Gretna Farmers’ Market
EXTRACURRICULARS
28. Favorite swim school/lessons
1. Love Swimming (loveswimming.com)
2. YMCA (ymcaneworleans.org)
3. Mr. Fish Swimming School (mrfish.biz)
29. Favorite martial arts studio
- XS Martial Arts Dojo (xsmad.com)
- Tiger Rock (tigerrockmartialarts.com)
- NOLA Aikido (nolaaikido.com)
30. Favorite dance studio
- City Park Movement & Art (cityparkmovementandart.com)
- Encore Studio of Dance, Tumbling, Music & Theatre (dancetumblemusic.com)
- Debby Dillehay Dance Studio (debbydillehaydance.com)
31. Favorite gymnastics/cheerleading studio
- Elmwood Gymnastics (elmwoodfitness.com)
- Ivanov’s Gymnastics Academy (ivanovsgymnastics.com)
- Crescent City Gymnastics (crescentcitygymnastics.com)
32. Favorite fitness facility
1. Elmwood Fitness Center (elmwoodfitness.com)
2. The Parks Health & Fitness (theparksfitness.com)
3. Anytime Fitness (anytimefitness.com)
33. Favorite tutoring service
1. Sylvan Learning of Harvey (sylvanharvey.com)
2. The Learning Curve
3. private tutor
34. Favorite speech therapist
1. Gina Knight, M.A., C.C.C.-S.L.P. (504.481.6270)
2. Michaela Accardo, M.C.D., C.C.C.-S.L.P. (504.455.0983)
3. Crane Rehab Center (cranerehab.com)
35. Favorite parenting class/center
1. The Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital (chnola.org/parentingcenter)
2. (tie) Touro Infirmary (touro.com)
ZukaBaby (zukababy.com)
3. East Jefferson General Hospital (ejgh.org)
36. Favorite toddler enrichment program
1. City Park Movement & Art (cityparkmovementandart.com)
2. R.E.A.D. Nola (readnola.com)
3. Gymrompers (gymrompersfun.com)
SHOPPING & SERVICES
37. Favorite bookstore for kids
1. Barnes & Noble (barnesandnoble.com)
2. Maple Street Book Shop (maplestreetbookshop.com)
3. Octavia Street Books (octaviabooks.com)
38. Favorite toy store
1. Toys R Us (toysrus.com)
2. Le Jouet, Inc. (lejouet.com)
3. Magic Box Toys (magicboxneworleans.com)
39. Favorite maternity boutique
1. Motherhood Maternity (motherhood.com)
2. Baby Bump Maternity & Children’s (nolababybump.com)
3. Destination Maternity (destinationmaternity.com)
40. Favorite baby boutique
1. ZukaBaby (zukababy.com)
2. MeMe’s Children’s Wear (504.454.2333)
3. Banbury Cross (504.837.0447)
41. Favorite children’s boutique
1. MeMe’s Children’s Wear (504.454.2333)
2. Banbury Cross (504.837.0447)
3. Pippen Lane (pippenlane.com)
42. Favorite consignment boutique
1. Kid to Kid (kidtokid.com)
2. Once Upon a Child (onceuponachild.com)
3. Swap for Kids (swapforkids.com)
43. Favorite nanny/sitting service
1. Creative Sitters (504.554.1354)
2. Nurture Nannies (nurturenannies.com)
3. Grandma
44. Favorite photographer
1. Twirl Photography (twirlphotography.com)
2. Michelle Bosco Photography (michelleboscophotography.com)
3. Blink Photography (blinknola.com)
45. Favorite place for children’s haircuts
1. Supercuts (supercuts.com)
2. Kids Hair Etc. (kidshairetc.com)
3. Luxe VIP Hair Room (985.288.5588)
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
46. Favorite family physician/internist
- Christopher Lege, M.D. (Crescent City Physicians, 504.897.7999)
- Meredith L. Maxwell, M.D. (Crescent City Physicians, 504.897.7007)
- Jenny Kuo, D.O. (504.648.2500)
47. Favorite OB/Gyn
1. Janet M. Ross, M.D. (Crescent City Physicians, 504.897.8281)
2. Rebecca U. Perret, M. D. (Crescent City Physicians, 504.897.7676)
3. Donna Waters, M.D. (Crescent City Physicians, 504.897.7142)
48. Favorite high-risk OB doctor
1. Ann C. Chau, M.D. (EJGH, 504.456.5446, and Touro, 504.897.8213)
2. Rebecca U. Perret, M. D. (Crescent City Physicians, 504.897.7676)
3. Joseph M. Miller, M.D. (at EJGH, 504.456.5446 and Touro, 504.897.8213)
49. Favorite fertility doctor
1. Lindsay M. Wells, M.D. (Audubon Fertility & Reproductive Medicine, 504.891.1390)
2. Ron Clisham, M.D. (Audubon Fertility & Reproductive Medicine, 504.891.1390)
3. Peter Lu, M.D. (The Fertility Institute, 504.454.2165)
50. Favorite pediatrician
1. Keith A. Collins, M.D. (Collins Pediatrics, Metairie, 504.832.8022)
2. Lauren Hernandez, M.D. (Collins Pediatrics, Metairie, 504.832.8022)
3. John Barbara, M.D. (Metairie Pediatrics, 504.833.7374)
51. Favorite pediatric group
1. Collins Pediatrics (Metairie, 504.832.8022)
2. Hales Pediatrics (504.897.0744)
3. Metairie Pediatrics (504.833.7374)
52. Favorite orthodontist
1. Eric Macaluso, D.D.S. (Brown Family Orthodontics, 504.455.1625)
2. Leeann Evans, D.D.S. (Evans Orthodontics, Harahan & Lakeview, evansorthonola.com)
3. Shannon Simons, D.D.S. (Metairie, 504.887.8480)
53. Favorite pediatric dentist
1. Stephen Holmes, D.D.S. (Uptown Pediatric Dentistry, 504.896.7435)
2. Linda Cao, D.D.S. (Dr. Linda Cao Pediatric Dentistry, 504.207.0314)
3. Kellie Axelrad, D.D.S. (New Orleans Children’s Dental Center, 504.833.5528)
54. Favorite family dentist
1. Diem Duy Do, D.D.S. (Family Dentistry Diem Do, 504.340.9400)
2. Robert Camenzuli, D.D.S. (Camenzuli Dental Excellence, 504.895.3400)
3. Todd Canatella, D.D.S. (Canatella Dental, 504.282.0700)
55. Favorite dermatologist
1. Mary P. Lupo, M.D. (Lupo Center for Aesthetic & General Dermatology, 504.777.3047)
2. Jeffrey C. Poole, M.D. (Poole Dermatology, 504.838.8225)
3. (tied) Felix Bopp, M.D., & Barbara Bopp, M.D. (Bopp Dermatology & Facial Plastic Surgery, 504.455.9933)
56. Favorite plastic surgeon
1. Michael Moses, M.D. (New Orleans, 504.895.7200)
2. John T. Lindsey, M.D. (Metairie, 504.885.4508)
3. Kamran Khoobehi, M.D. (New Orleans & Metairie, 504.304.1248, 504.779.5538)
57. Favorite hospital for having a baby
1. Touro Infirmary
2. East Jefferson General Hospital
3. Ochsner Baptist
58. Favorite hospital for emergency care for children
1. Children’s Hospital, New Orleans
2. Ochsner
3. Slidell Memorial