Crystal-clear water and white sand beaches drew more than 3,000 visitors last summer to Lake Isabel Farm in Bogalusa — each paying either $40 or $55 for entry — and that was during the private lake’s abbreviated inaugural summer season.
With gas and airline ticket prices hitting especially hard right now, owner Anthony Sedlak, operating as Quail Prices LLC, has every reason to expect a banner second season.
Praised by Travel + Leisure as “the prettiest beach in Louisiana,” Lake Isabel Farm spans 422 acres of land, upon which sits a 35-foot deep, 125-acre lake created from a former sand and gravel pit that supported the construction of local roads and hospitals. There’s also a mile-long beach area for lounging, private cabanas available for rent, walking trails, kayaking and volleyball.
New additions for the 2026 season, which opened in April, are seven A-frame shade structures along the beach, two new cabanas that bring the total number to seven, a swimsuit changing room and baby changing station, and a covered grilling and dining area.
For Sedlak, Lake Isabel Farm’s opening last year was the culmination of years of dreaming about life outside the office as a CPA.
“After too many years of white-collar life and city living, the intention was to find a rural investment property to get me back into nature, learn rural and infrastructure development, and to create a meaningful place that others could use as a retreat and reset to reconnect with nature, themselves and others,” he said. “I was seeking a large — maybe about 100 acre —property with a water feature. In my mind, that meant some river frontage or a pond. I didn’t set out to buy over 400 acres with a mile-long private lake.”
The first step was finding the perfect spot.
“I followed the land market casually for years before beginning my search in 2020,” Sedlak said. “After work each day, I spent hundreds of hours searching property listing databases, researching specific properties, then walking them on weekends.”
In the end, the perfect fit almost didn’t happen.
“Lake Isabel was improperly listed and didn’t pop up in most searches; the agent didn’t have a working voicemail and took five times to even get on the phone,” he said. “It then took three hours and a walk across a large, rusted-out pipe above a canal that surrounds the property to figure out how to get into the property during a site visit, as there was no legal or road access.”
Sedlak had finally found what he wanted, but then the real work began.
“I have worked on large, multi-billion-dollar transactions over my career, and this was the hardest purchase and close process I’ve ever worked on,” he said. “It took 40 days of negotiating and eight iterations of the contract with the seller (Weyerhaeuser, one of the largest landowners in North America) to finally come to agreeable terms. Then it was seven months to close, extensive due diligence and environmental testing and a new survey which took nearly three months to complete alone due to the size and number of corners of the tract, but voila, we finally closed in 2021, a few weeks after Hurricane Ida hit.”
Building out the property and launching the project provided a unique set of challenges for Sedlak, who lives and works on the property.
“In the first year alone, it took about six months to even be able to drive into the property, as it was barely accessible on foot at acquisition,” he said.
Sedlak relies on a team of seasonal employees and a long list of contractors to help keep the ship afloat.
“Technically, [I have no full-time employees] but myself and tens of contractors have made this place happen over the years,” he said. “This summer, we will have about 10 to 15 team members. My neighbor, Mr. James (Brown), has been a massive part of assisting on a daily basis, spending years and countless hours alongside me to help build this dream into a reality for others to enjoy.”
Those looking to enjoy a day at Lake Isabel Farm need to plan ahead. Tickets are only sold online and are limited to 100 full-day and 25 afternoon passes. Upcoming dates become available about once every three weeks; the best way to find out about ticket sales is to follow the property on social media.
Day passes are currently available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (with holidays occasionally open throughout the summer). Tickets are $55 for adults over 13, and $40 for children (3 to 12 years old) and seniors (ages 65+). Children under age 3 get in free.
Looking to bring a big group? A solar-powered cabana is included free with a group reservation of 15 or more adult tickets. Cabanas are equipped with fans, furnishings and ice coolers.
Food and drink are not currently available for purchase and visitors are advised that lifeguards will not be provided, so swimmers should take note. Children should be always accompanied by an adult.
Looking ahead, Sedlak said he’s excited about adding a short-term rental property to the property.
“This means, guests and groups will be able to stay with us for a longer period and really take advantage of all of the amenities we have to offer,” he said.
Plans also include on-site farming with eventual farm-to-table dinners, land conservation activities and education, additional recreational activities such as diving and scuba activities, and an events center for weddings, corporate gatherings and more.
“While Lake Isabel Farm is still in its infancy compared to the master plan for the property, I’m proud to say that I have met and already exceeded the vision by being able to welcome so many wonderful guests in and share this unique place,” said Sedlak. “Guests have shared that they’ve been able to unwind and be present, sometimes for the first time in many years.”
Lake Isabel Farm
54254 Cavenham Road, Bogalusa
lakeisabelfarm.com
@lakeisabelfarm
