Right between Mandeville and Slidell is an area of 27.5 square miles that bends alongside a scenic waterway. The town of Lacombe is part of St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana and faces the Bayou Lacombe. Because it is near the water, those who love to go kayaking or fishing can easily paddle along the bayou or join one of many fishing charters.
Many people know Lacombe because of its famous Lacombe Crab Cook-Off. Every June, the oaks at John Davis Park are host to this festival that boasts the flavor of southern Louisiana - the freshest seafood, a melting pot of music, the best venue, and lots of southern hospitality. The spirit of competition is alive when the cook-off starts. Individuals and groups struggle to come up with the best crab dish while spectators look on, smacking their lips in anticipation of the mouthwatering dishes. You'll find everything crabby, from boiled crabs to soft-shelled crab poor boys. Besides the food, the cook-off provides a venue for everyone to have fun and really feel the sense of community that living in Lacombe, LA real estate brings.
Those with children will have no trouble keeping them entertained. Nearby is the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge which is a diverse habitat of sandy beach, marsh, and plants. Explore the 15,000 acres by hiking, biking, and paddling on a canoe. The Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, Brown Pelican, and Bald Eagle are endangered species that find refuge here. If you are lucky you just might spot them.
Learning opportunities abound even outside the classrooms of Chahta-Ima Elementary School and Bayou Lacombe Middle School. By visiting the Bayou Lacombe Rural Museum, which is the cultural center of Lacombe, they learn about the community and learn to appreciate the finer things in life.
