Things to Do in Laplace

Each spring, Frisco Fest welcomes more than 100 Louisiana crafters and artists to the picturesque grounds of the San Francisco Plantation, creating a unique environment where regional history and modern creativity converge. Setting up shop in the shadow of centuries-old live oaks, participants peddle everything from handmade jewelry and pottery to homemade jams, and master gardeners host plant-advice clinics to impart tips to green thumbs looking to revive once-lush landscapes or get their azaleas accepted into a private college.

Each year, activities that occupy the big curiosity and little hands of children abound, such as pony rides, petting zoos, and rock climbing, and adults detour from the crafty wares long enough to enjoy a classic-car show and live music by Leroy St. Pierre. Local chefs sizzle up piquant piles of Cajun and creole cuisine to tempt artistic appetites of all ages, and competitive appetites are twice-satisfied during a Chef's cook-off and cracklin contest.

At Positive Changes Now, professional hypnotist Liz Pagani helps clients work through personal issues and difficult periods in their lives. During 45- to 60-minute hypnotherapy sessions, clients concurrently experience deep physical relaxation and keen mental focus. Hypnosis sessions may improve recipients' abilities to speak animal languages and overcome negative aspects of their lives, such as poor weight control, low self-esteem, smoking habits, insomnia, and anxiety. From chronic pain to phobias, the caring specialist works with the client to amend any type of condition or issue and keeps all sessions private and confidential.

Clouds of fog roll through darkened halls, concealing mercenaries tracking their target’s movement. Before their trap can be sprung, the unthinkable happens: their vests begin to vibrate as a giggling child yells, "Got you!"Laser Tag of Baton Rouge's family-friendly laser-tag sessions thrust players aged 7 and older into similar faux combat, peppered with flashing lights and thumping music. Players race through a 7,500-square-foot multilevel arena brandishing Gen 6 laser-tag weapons that dole out precise shots and automated score updates. Special scenarios challenge players to work cooperatively toward a shared goal; for instance, in the Fugitive mission, one or two targets must escape a group intent on their capture.

Between bouts inside the arena, players can test their gaming skills at the center's arcade, which is filled with contemporary and classic machines. Each game is outfitted with the Power Play system, a swipe-card-and-sensor combo that tracks remaining game credits, relieving players from the hassle of endlessly fishing for quarters. The arcade also leads to an observation deck that looks onto the laser-tag arena, giving spectators a giant's-eye view of the combat below.

Within the springy confines of Space Walk’s Vertical Rush, tykes ricochet like excited electrons across tunnels, slides, and climbing walls. The springy obstacle course is one of hundreds housed inside Space Walk of Greater New Orleans’ 43,000-square-foot facility. Though those bounce houses typically measure 15’x15’, the facility can supply revelers with inflatables that measure up to 23-feet tall.

To ensure safe gravity defiance, trained bounce experts help parents hone in on an inflatables that suits tykes’ ages, interests and varying Buzz Aldrin impersonations. Additionally, the staff not only delivers and sets up houses, but happily trains party throwers in proper bounce-house technique, along with scrubbing down the houses before and after use.

Let the name fool you—BooKoo Bounce is all about bouncing. The 8,300-square foot climate-controlled indoor playground boasts ten inflatable attractions spread across two arenas. Primarily designed for ages 2–11, the hop-friendly attractions range from air-filled basketball hoops and Batman-themed slides to obstacle courses ripe for crawling and racing. Kids can also flock to the spacious bounce houses that look like colorful castles and birthday cakes, perfect for kids who dream of being royalty or moving into a baked good after college.

While their young ones play, parents can relax in a lounge area where a pair of high-definition televisions stays tuned to the latest in major sports.

Coral Reef's instructors help fledgling divers to fall in love with scuba diving, guiding students as they master buoyancy-control skills and environmental awareness. The scuba teachers oversee divers as they advance from beginner to master scuba diver in small and private classes at their PADI five-star facility, where water shimmers in both indoor and outdoor pools. Additionally, instructors teach specialized skills such as cave diving, rescue diving, and how to become a certified scuba instructor. They also pull up their anchors to take regular diving trips to exciting, watery locals such as Panama City Beach and William Howard Taft's tub.