Living in St. Bernard Parish
Why people love living in St. Bernard Parish.
Small-town neighborhoods right next door to New Orleans. Here is what makes the parish home, and the places locals love in Chalmette, Arabi, Meraux and Violet.
Why St. Bernard
Close to the city, with a community feel.
About 15 minutes to downtown
From Arabi and Chalmette, the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans are about a 15-minute drive, so city jobs, games and nights out are close by.
Trash pickup twice a week
Parish garbage collection comes twice a week.
A real community feel
Neighbors know each other, church fairs and school fundraisers fill the calendar, and there is a festival or free concert most months of the year.
New places on the way
Chick-fil-A and Rouses are both coming soon, adding to the restaurants and shops already here.
Festivals & events
Something to look forward to all year.
- Los Isleños Fiesta · early March. Music, food and dancing celebrating the Canary Islands settlers who came to St. Bernard in the 1700s, at the Los Isleños heritage site on Bayou Road.
- Louisiana Crawfish Festival · late March. A parish tradition since 1975, with crawfish, live music and rides at the Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette.
- Tomato Fest · April. Three days of food, rides and music celebrating Creole tomato season at Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Chalmette.
- Sippin’ in the Sunset · spring and fall evenings. Drinks, music and neighbors at the historic Aycock Barn, hosted by the Old Arabi Neighborhood Association.
- Wind Down Wednesdays · spring and fall. Free outdoor evening concerts put on by the parish.
- Sugar Fest · October. An Old Arabi celebration at the Aycock Barn, hosted by the Old Arabi Neighborhood Association.
Dates change from year to year, so check with the organizers before you go.
Things to do
Parks, history and the outdoors.
Chalmette Battlefield & National Cemetery
Site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans, now part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, with the Chalmette National Cemetery next door.
St. Bernard bike path
A paved path for walking, running and biking, with bridges over the water.
Parks and ball fields
Val Riess Sports Complex, Bluebird Park and Torres Park, with fields, youth sports and room to play.
Los Isleños Museum
Historic buildings and exhibits telling the story of the parish’s Canary Islands settlers.
Docville Farm
A historic farm in Violet that hosts events throughout the year.
Fishing at Shell Beach and Hopedale
Popular inshore fishing spots a short drive down the parish.
Our towns
Where we work.
Chalmette
70043 · Our office
The parish seat and home to our office on Jackson Blvd. Mostly single-story homes from the 1950s through the 1970s, many rebuilt or renovated since 2005, close to the battlefield, parks and the parish’s main shopping.
Local favorites: Rocky & Carlo’s · MeMe’s Bar & Grille · Today’s Ketch Seafood · Gerald’s · Beignets & More
Arabi
70032
Right at the Orleans Parish line and the closest part of St. Bernard to downtown. Old Arabi, near the river, has shotgun doubles, Craftsman bungalows and raised cottages, plus neighborhood events at the historic Aycock Barn. Farther from the river, Arabi looks more like Chalmette.
Local favorites: Kitchen Table Cafe · Pirogue’s Whiskey Bayou · Arabi Food Store · Stella Maris Cafe & Grocery · The Coffeehouse
Meraux
70075
Between Chalmette and Violet along St. Bernard Highway and Judge Perez Drive, with a mix of mid-century homes and newer construction, often on larger lots.
Local favorite: Crave
Violet
70092
The gateway to lower St. Bernard, with some of the parish’s lowest entry prices and easy access to Docville Farm, Los Isleños and the fishing down the parish. The planned Louisiana International Terminal is expected to bring port jobs to the area. Mike’s study on the port and home values →
Local favorite: Charlie’s Restaurant
New Orleans & the metro
Orleans · Jefferson · St. Tammany
We take select sales and management work in New Orleans, Metairie, Slidell and beyond, especially in the neighborhoods closest to St. Bernard. For other areas we’ll connect you with an agent or manager we trust.
Thinking about moving to St. Bernard?
Talk to an agent who lives here. We’ll tell you what each neighborhood is like and help you find the right home.