Rent a Bus to UNO Lakefront Arena: The Complete Transportation Guide

If you are moving 20, 40, or 56 people to a concert at UNO Lakefront Arena, the question that quietly decides your whole night is simple: where does everyone meet, and how does the group get to the door together? The arena sits out on the lakefront, away from the streetcar lines and the French Quarter foot traffic — which is great for the view and the free parking, and a headache if your crew is trying to split into four rideshares and regroup at the gate.

This guide lays out the plan in plain terms, using the arena's own published directions, then walks through everything else a group trip needs: which vehicle fits your party, what shapes the price, and how the drive in from Metairie, the Quarter, or the Northshore actually goes. We're Party Bus New Orleans, and the lakefront run is one we know cold.

It's written for the person in charge of getting everyone there together, on time, and without the parking-lot scramble after the encore. Tell us the date and the headcount and we'll handle the route.

What and Where Is UNO Lakefront Arena?

UNO Lakefront Arena — often just called “the Lakefront” — is a multi-purpose arena on the East Campus of the University of New Orleans, right on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain at 6801 Franklin Avenue. It opened in 1983, seats 8,785 for basketball, and reconfigures for concerts to hold anywhere from 1,500 to more than 10,000 depending on the stage setup.

It's the home court of the UNO Privateers men's and women's basketball teams, and after a $20-million-plus rebuild following Hurricane Katrina, it now runs high-definition videoboards, LED ribbon panels, and a sound system that has made it one of the city's go-to mid-size concert rooms. Disney on Ice, touring artists, comedy nights, graduations — the calendar runs the full range.

Here's the thing about the location: it's beautiful and it's quiet, which means it doesn't sit on top of a parking garage downtown. Your group is coming to a lakeside campus on the edge of Gentilly, and that geography is exactly why one coordinated bus beats a convoy of cars trying to find each other in the dark.

Where Your Bus Drops Off and Picks Up

This is the part most rental pages gloss over. The Lakefront isn't a tight downtown venue with a fixed bus spot painted on the curb — it's a campus arena ringed by open lots, and where your bus waits depends on the event and the crowd. So let's go straight to the source.

Per the arena's own directions page, event parking is spread across the lots right around the building, a short 2-to-4-minute walk to the doors. On a busy show, a big vehicle like a charter bus drops your whole group close to the main entrance, then waits in the lot until you're ready to head out — no one's hunting for a meter, and no one's walking back to a car parked half a mile away on a side street.

You can reach the arena's main office at 504-280-7171 for questions about a specific event, and rideshare pickups go to a set spot at the main gate. When you book with us, we confirm the exact drop-off and pickup point for your event date and crowd size, because a sold-out concert and a weeknight game handle traffic differently.

Why Confirm the Plan When You Book

Lot assignments and how people enter shift from show to show, and the lakefront roads can back up right when the doors open and everyone arrives at once. Any guide that promises a fixed “pull up to door X” is guessing. When you book with us, we set your group's meet point and timing around the actual event — arrive early enough to beat the gate rush, and head out smoothly after the lights come up.

That's the difference between a page written once and a plan that's right for your date.

Getting There: Routes and Drive Times

One reason a bus makes sense here is that the Lakefront pulls in from every direction — the Quarter, Metairie, Kenner, the Northshore, even Baton Rouge — and the approach roads funnel down to Franklin Avenue near the end. Drive times below are typical estimates; we confirm live routing for your event day, since concert traffic and I-10 construction can shift things.

A few route notes we keep in mind, straight from the arena's directions:

• Coming from the east (Slidell, the Mississippi line): take I-10 West toward New Orleans and exit at Franklin Avenue, exit 238A, then it's about 2.5 miles to the lake.
• Coming from the west (Metairie, Kenner, Baton Rouge): take I-10 East to I-610 toward Slidell, exit Franklin Avenue (exit 4), and run the same 2.5 miles north to the water.
• The local shortcut: the arena itself suggests that anyone who knows Lakeview and Gentilly take Lakeshore Drive and come in from the lake side to skip most of the arrival traffic — the kind of thing we just handle for you.

Which Vehicle Fits Your Group?

The right vehicle is the one that seats everyone and matches the vibe of the night — a basketball game and a sold-out concert with a pre-show party are two different rides. Here's how the fleet breaks down for a Lakefront run.

For a concert, a party bus is the obvious pick — sound system, lighting, room to stand — so the night starts the moment everyone boards, not when the opener takes the stage. For a graduation, a game, or a corporate group, a minibus or full-size charter bus keeps up to 56 people in one vehicle with a clean, climate-controlled ride out to the lake. Tell us the headcount and the occasion and we'll match the bus to the trip instead of the other way around.

What It Costs and How Pricing Works

Group bus pricing isn't one set number, and any honest company will tell you that. Your quote depends on a handful of clear things:

• Vehicle size — a 14-passenger van and a 56-passenger bus are different rates.
• Total hours — how long the bus is yours, including the wait through the show.
• Round trip vs. one-way — most concert and game nights are round trips with the bus standing by.
• Pickup distance — a Mid-City pickup is closer than a run out to the Northshore.
• Date and demand — a big-name concert weekend books faster and earlier than a quiet weeknight.

Here's something worth knowing. Parking at the Lakefront is famously roomy — large lots wrap the building — but a group splitting into five or six cars still means five or six tanks of gas, five or six people who can't fully relax, and one car almost always getting stuck in the exit line while the rest wait. One bus rolls all of that into a single, predictable quote and keeps the whole party together from the first pickup to the last drop.

The fastest way to a real number is to tell us your group size, your date, and your pickup point, and request an instant quote. We'll price it openly against the things above — or call us at 504-264-9422 and we'll talk it through.

Trips We Book to the Lakefront

Different groups, same goal: everyone arrives together, relaxed, and ready before the doors open. A few of the trips we book most often out to UNO Lakefront Arena:

• Concert groups. The marquee reason to book a bus — pre-game the show on the ride out, skip the parking shuffle, and roll home together without anyone driving.
• Privateers basketball and college nights. Alumni groups, student sections, and family blocks heading to a game on the East Campus.
• Birthday and bachelorette parties. A concert at the Lakefront makes an easy centerpiece for a night out, with the celebration starting on the bus.
• Corporate and team outings. Move a whole department to a show or an event on one bus, on a schedule that respects everyone's time.
• Graduations and family events. The arena hosts ceremonies too — one bus gathers out-of-town family from their hotels and delivers them to the door.

Bus vs. Rideshare vs. Driving for a Group

The Lakefront gives you plenty of ways to arrive — drive and park free, split into rideshares, or carpool. They each have a place. Here's the honest comparison for a group.

The math is simple. As soon as your party outgrows two or three cars, the hassle of separate vehicles — different arrival times, the surge fares after the encore, the slow crawl out of the lot — outweighs the convenience. A single bus turns a headache into a non-event, and nobody in your group has to skip the night to be the one who stays sober and drives.

Booking and Timing

Booking a bus to the Lakefront is straightforward, and a little planning makes it smooth:

1. Request a quote with your group size, pickup point, the event, and your date.
2. Confirm the vehicle and meet point. We lock in the right bus and the up-to-date drop-off plan for your show.
3. Set the timeline. We build in a buffer so your group beats the gate rush going in and isn't stuck in the load-out crawl coming out.

A few timing questions we hear constantly:

• How early should we arrive? The arena suggests 30 to 60 minutes before doors for parking; on a bus, we time it so you walk in without the wait.
• Can the bus wait during the concert? Yes — the bus stages in the lot and is right there when the show ends.
• Can one bus do multiple pickups first? Absolutely — we can swing by several hotels or homes and gather the whole group on the way out.
• How far ahead should we book? The sooner the better for a popular concert weekend, when the best vehicles go first.

Ready to lock in your date? Get in touch for an instant quote and we'll confirm every detail before the show.

Why Groups Rely on Us for the Lakefront

The lakefront is home turf. We know the Franklin Avenue approach, the I-610 exit, the Lakeshore Drive shortcut the arena itself recommends, and how the lots load and unload on a sold-out night — so a run that stresses out a first-timer is routine for us. That local knowledge is what turns a chaotic concert exit into a smooth one.

Beyond the road, what our group customers value is reliability and a fleet that fits the job: vehicles from sprinters to 56-passenger buses, clear pricing with no surprise add-ons, and a team that nails down the details so the organizer can stop worrying and start enjoying the show.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly does the bus drop us off at UNO Lakefront Arena?

Right by the main entrance, with the bus then waiting in the surrounding event lots until you're ready to head out. The arena sends all parking and arrivals through the lots that ring the building, a short 2-to-4-minute walk to the doors, and we confirm your group's exact drop point for your event date.

What's the address and who do I call about an event?

UNO Lakefront Arena is at 6801 Franklin Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70122, on the University of New Orleans East Campus. For event-specific questions, the arena office is 504-280-7171. For your bus, reach us at 504-264-9422.

Will the bus wait during the show or game?

Yes. The bus waits in the lot through the whole event and is right there when the lights come up, so your whole group heads out together instead of scattering across the lot.

How big a group can you carry to the Lakefront?

Anywhere from a small crew in a sprinter to a full 56-passenger group on a charter bus. We match the vehicle to your headcount and the occasion — a party bus for a concert, a clean bus for a game or graduation.

Is parking really free at UNO Lakefront Arena?

The arena is known for its large on-site lots, though fees and availability can vary event to event, so check the venue for your specific show. Either way, on a bus you skip the lot hunt entirely — one drop at the door, one pickup after.

Can you pick up our whole group from different spots first?

Absolutely. One bus can swing by several hotels or homes around New Orleans, Metairie, or Kenner and gather everyone before heading out to the lake.

Ready to Book Your Group's Ride?

Skip the rideshare surge and the after-show parking crawl. Tell us your group size, your date, and which Lakefront event you're headed to, and we'll send a transparent quote and confirm exactly where your bus will be waiting. Get your instant quote today or call us at 504-264-9422 — and let the night start the moment your group steps on board.