The Spring
Artesian spring water
The flowing artesian spring at the center of town is the source of the Abita Springs name and the reason the community formed here in the first place.
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
Abita Springs, Louisiana
A small town built around the artesian spring that gave it its name — with a brewery, an Opry house, and bed and breakfast rooms a short drive from the river towns.
Welcome
Where Nature Performs Miracles
“Where Nature Performs Miracles” — the motto carried by Abita Springs.
Abita Springs sits in St. Tammany Parish, north of Lake Pontchartrain and roughly 45 minutes from New Orleans. The town grew up around the artesian spring whose waters were long used for medicinal purposes by Choctaw Indians, and it still keeps the character of a small, walkable village.
After the 2010 Census, Abita Springs had a population of less than 2,400 residents. Homes built in the early 1900s still stand along the streets near the spring, and the water, the brewpub and the music venue draw visitors from across the parish.
Abita Springs grew out of the artesian spring that gave the town its name, and it still carries the character of a small place shaped by water. Choctaw Indians long used the spring's waters for medicinal purposes, and visitors continue to come for the same reasons today, drinking from the spring, wandering the downtown streets, and slowing down in the shaded parks that sit beside the river towns of St. Tammany Parish. The motto "Where Nature Performs Miracles" reflects that sense of place, where the natural landscape of the Northshore is treated as the main attraction rather than a backdrop.
Today the Abita Springs area is known for more than its water. A working brewery, a country music hall with an Opry house, and a collection of bed and breakfast rooms give the town a full day-trip and weekend itinerary, while nearby Fontainebleau State Park, the Global Wildlife Center, and the fishing and crab piers around Lake Pontchartrain extend the sightseeing circuit. Within the wider parish, Covington, Mandeville, Madisonville, and Slidell each offer their own historic districts, antique shops, and farmers markets, all linked by scenic trace and bike trails through the marshy Northshore landscape.
What to see
Highlights of Abita Springs
The spring, the brewing tradition and the Opry are the three things most visitors come for.
Brewing
Abita Brew Pub Restaurant and Brewery
Abita Brew Pub Restaurant and Brewery is a well known stop in town, pairing local brewing with a full restaurant menu.
Music
Abita Springs Opry
The Abita Springs Opry is the town’s home for country, gospel and Cajun music performances.
Lodging
Bed and breakfast rooms
Bed and breakfast rooms are available in and around Abita Springs, making the town an easy base for a few days of exploring the parish.
At a glance
Abita Springs facts
- Motto: “Where Nature Performs Miracles”
- Population: fewer than 2,400 residents after the 2010 Census
- Known for: artesian spring, Abita Brew Pub Restaurant and Brewery, the Abita Springs Opry
- Setting: north of Lake Pontchartrain, 45 minutes from New Orleans
- Nearby: Madisonville, Covington and the Tchefuncte River
Nearby
Keep exploring St. Tammany Parish
From the spring, continue to the wetlands and the river towns that make up the rest of the parish.
Wildlife
Big Branch Marsh
One of only eight wildlife refuges in Louisiana, with trails, fishing and blue crabbing in Lacombe.
River
Tchefuncte River
The scenic waterway at Madisonville, with fishing spots for blue cats, bass, bream and crappie plus waterfront dining.
Plan
Attractions
An overview of state parks, wildlife areas, shopping, golfing, tubing, fishing and dining across the parish.
Questions about visiting Abita Springs?
Send a note and we will point you toward the right town pages, local history and library listings for the parish.