RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Louisiana >> Saint Tammany Parish >> Bel Air >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Bel Air, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Bel Air and the surrounding area.

  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Bel Air:
    • 30.262139, -89.733394
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Bel Air
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a parish-by-parish basis. We have selected Saint Tammany Parish as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Saint Tammany Parish
    • Since Bel Air is near Orleans Parish and also Hancock County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Orleans Parish
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Hancock County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Bel Air

Communities Also Named Bel Air ...

We found seventeen communities that are also named Bel Air.

Within Louisiana, the name Bel Air is unique.

Beyond Louisiana, we know of seventeen communities that are located in the United States.

  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Alabama
      • Houston County
      • This Bel Air is located in Houston County and lies 263 miles [423.3 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Houston County community of Bel Air.
      • Jefferson County
      • This Bel Air is located in Jefferson County and lies 289 miles [465.1 km] to the northeast of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Jefferson County community of Bel Air.
      • Mobile County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Alabama community of Bel Air [Mobile County].
    • California
      • Los Angeles County
      • This Bel Air is located in Los Angeles County and lies 1,693 miles [2,724.6 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Los Angeles County community of Bel Air.
    • Florida
      • Seminole County
      • This Bel Air is located in Seminole County and lies 519 miles [835.2 km]<1> to the east of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Seminole County community of Bel Air.
    • Georgia
      • Glynn County
      • This Bel Air is located in Glynn County and lies 493 miles [793.4 km]<1> to the east of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Glynn County community of Bel Air.
      • McIntosh County
      • This Bel Air is located in McIntosh County and lies 498 miles [801.5 km] to the east of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the McIntosh County community of Bel Air.
    • Kentucky
      • Clark County
      • This Bel Air is located in Clark County and lies 620 miles [997.8 km]<1> to the north northeast of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Clark County community of Bel Air.
    • Maryland
      • Allegany County
      • This Bel Air is located in Allegany County and lies 889 miles [1,430.7 km]<1> to the northeast of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Allegany County community of Bel Air.
      • Harford County
      • This Bel Air is located in Harford County and lies 990 miles [1,593.3 km] to the northeast of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Harford County community of Bel Air.
    • North Carolina
      • Nash County
      • This Bel Air is located in Nash County and lies 790 miles [1,271.4 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Nash County community of Bel Air.
      • Scotland County
      • This Bel Air is located in Scotland County and lies 675 miles [1,086.3 km] to the east northeast of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Scotland County community of Bel Air.
    • Tennessee
      • Maury County
      • This Bel Air is located in Maury County and lies 401 miles [645.3 km]<1> to the north northeast of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Maury County community of Bel Air.
    • Texas
      • Harrison County
      • This Bel Air is located in Harrison County and lies 314 miles [505.3 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Harrison County community of Bel Air.
    • Utah
      • Weber County
      • This Bel Air is located in Weber County and lies 1,453 miles [2,338.4 km]<1> to the northwest of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Weber County community of Bel Air.
    • Virginia
      • Fairfax County
      • This Bel Air is located in Fairfax County and lies 927 miles [1,491.9 km]<1> to the northeast of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Fairfax County community of Bel Air.
      • Stafford County
      • This Bel Air is located in Stafford County and lies 894 miles [1,438.8 km] to the northeast of the Bel Air that is located in Saint Tammany Parish.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Stafford County community of Bel Air.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Bel Air ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Bon Village
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Bon Village is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bon Village
  • Cross Gates
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Cross Gates is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Gates
  • Fountain Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Fountain Park is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountain Park
  • Foxhollow
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Foxhollow is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foxhollow
  • Gum Bayou Landing
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Gum Bayou Landing is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gum Bayou Landing
  • Harmony Heights
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Harmony Heights is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony Heights
  • Kings Point
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Kings Point is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Point
  • Lake Gardens
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Lake Gardens is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Gardens
  • Lake Shore Village
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Lake Shore Village is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shore Village
  • Lake Village
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Lake Village is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
  • Lincoln Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Lincoln Park is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Park
  • Ozone Pines
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Ozone Pines is located in Saint Tammany Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ozone Pines
  • Continue List   (6 more) ...
    • Palm Lake
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Palm Lake is located in Saint Tammany Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palm Lake
    • Pine Shadows
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Pine Shadows is located in Saint Tammany Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Shadows
    • Pinecrest
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Pinecrest is located in Saint Tammany Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinecrest
    • Quail Ridge
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Quail Ridge is located in Saint Tammany Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quail Ridge
    • River Gardens
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • River Gardens is located in Saint Tammany Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Gardens
    • Willow Wood
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Willow Wood is located in Saint Tammany Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Wood

How Far From Bel Air to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers, Almanacs & Directories that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Bel Air to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Bel Air and extending to:

  • Covington, which is the Seat of Saint Tammany Parish, lies 26 miles [41.8 km]<1> to the northwest. If you could walk a straight line from Bel Air to Covington, with an average speed<3> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take just about two full days to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take just over a day.
  • Baton Rouge, which is the State Capital of Louisiana, lies 85 miles [136.8 km] to the west (W). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take less than two hours, a buggy would take most of three days and walking would take 5 days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 934 miles [1,503.1 km] to the northeast (NE). Driving would take most of two days, a buggy would take 37 days and walking would take 53 days.
  • The shortest distance<4> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,831 miles [10,993.4 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<5>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 7,536 miles [12,128 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 5,414 miles [8,713 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>'

Footnotes ...

<1>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Bel Air) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<2>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Bird Creek to see Pete ... Bird Creek is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Bel Air could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong parish. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<3>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<4>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Bel Air to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Bel Air. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 30.2621, Longitude: -89.7334       In this case, the coordinates for Bel Air have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<5>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 315.155 degrees.
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 310.559 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 312.042 degrees.