Bounce House Rentals at Audubon Park
Yes, you can — with a permit. Here's exactly how it works.
Audubon Park allows bounce houses with a permit. Audubon Nature Institute requires a permit for any event with a bounce house or a crawfish boil. The permit fee is $75 for gatherings of 25 or more in Audubon Park or the Riverview, and $150 at the Tree of Life regardless of size.
Park facilities are available 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and events cannot start after 5:00 p.m. Submit your reservation at least a month ahead.
Source: Audubon Nature Institute — Shelter Rentals & Permits. Fees and rules change; confirm at (504) 212-5420 before booking.
How to book an Audubon Park party, in order
- Pick your date and a backup. Weekend shelters go fast in spring and fall.
- Check our availability first. There's no point pulling a permit for a date we can't cover. Call us or check online.
- Reserve the shelter and pull the permit with Audubon Nature Institute — at least a month out. Tell them you're having a bounce house so it's on the permit.
- Send us the permit. We'll issue an additional insured certificate naming the park, which is usually what they want on file.
- Party starts before 5:00 p.m. Build your timeline backward from that.
The 5 p.m. rule catches people out
Events can't commence after 5:00 p.m. and lighting is limited after dark. For a kids' party that usually means a late-morning or early-afternoon start — which is also the smart call in a New Orleans summer.
Power: every park requires a generator
Park shelters have no usable power, so a generator is required — and it comes from us. You can't bring your own or run a cord from a car.
It's one generator per inflatable. Two units means two generators. Generator rental is quoted with your order.
This applies to every park we deliver to, not just Audubon. A blower has to run continuously the entire time the unit is up — if power stops, the unit is flat in under a minute. Factoring the generator in at quote stage is the difference between a party that runs and one that doesn't.
What it costs on our side
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Park location fee | $35 |
| Additional insured certificate (required for parks) | 4.5% of order |
| Generator — one per inflatable, required at all parks | Quoted with your order |
| Audubon permit, 25+ guests | $75 (paid to Audubon) |
| Audubon permit, Tree of Life | $150 (paid to Audubon) |
Minimum order amounts apply depending on availability. Call for your date.
What we bring to Audubon
- Bounce houses and combo units for kids' birthdays
- Water slides — check with the park on water use at your shelter
- Obstacle courses and interactive games for bigger groups
- Free setup and takedown, sanitized after every use
Common questions
Do I need a permit for a small bounce house at Audubon Park?
Yes. Audubon requires a permit for all events with bounce houses, regardless of guest count. The $75 fee threshold applies to gatherings of 25 or more; a bounce house triggers the permit requirement on its own.
Do I need a generator at Audubon Park?
Yes. Every park setup requires a generator and it has to be rented from us — one generator per inflatable. There is no reliable outlet at park shelters, and a blower has to run the whole time.
Can I do a water slide at Audubon Park?
Water use at a specific shelter is the park's call, not ours. Ask when you pull your permit and tell us what they say — we'll bring a dry unit instead if needed.
How far in advance should I reserve?
Audubon recommends at least a month. We'd say further out for spring weekends and any Saturday between March and May.
What if it rains?
Cancel with us at least two days before your event and everything you've paid becomes a raincheck, good for three months and usable once. Inside two days, payments are forfeited.
What about City Park instead?
City Park prohibits bounce houses entirely. Here's the rule and the alternatives.
Check your date before you pull the permit
Takes two minutes and saves you a $75 mistake.
Call 504-467-9424 Check availabilityLast reviewed August 2026. Permit fees and park rules are set by Audubon Nature Institute and change without notice — confirm at (504) 212-5420.