Lively New Orleans

New Orleans is a Louisiana city that sits on the Mississippi River close to the Gulf of Mexico. The city has been nicknamed the “Big Easy”. New Orleans is known for its vibrant nightlife, live music scene especially jazz, and its cuisine. In the late winter, the city fills up with people when it's Mardi Gras time with parades, costumes, masks, and street parties.

The French Quarter is where most tourists head for. The main attraction is the architecture as well as great entertainment and dining. Some of the old buildings date back 300 years. You can see arcades, wrought iron balconies, and re-tiled roofs. There are picturesque courtyards. You can also enjoy places that offer the best of jazz.

In the French Quarter, the most famous street is Bourbon Street which at night turns into a vibrant and loud pedestrian area.

Royal Street has lots to offer from history to fine cuisine to unique shopping. It is also home to some higher-end shops, galleries, and hotels. A notable building on Royal Street is the Court of Two Sisters dating from 1832 and is a restaurant with jazz brunch. Frenchmen Street has good restaurants and is frequented by artists.

Jackson Square is the main square right in the heart of the French Quarter. It was originally called Place d’Armes. In the center of the square, you’ll see an equestrian statue of General Andrew Jackson.

St. Louis Cathedral with cone-shaped spires is a landmark that is located at one end of the square.

The Cabildo dates from 1795 and was the residence of the Spanish government, It is a historic building that today is a museum with an outstanding collection. In this building, the first town council met in 1799 and in 1803 the Louisiana Purchase was agreed to. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum collection focuses on New Orleans history and Louisiana, especially the people of the state.

The whole area is very impressive and laid out along the banks of the Mississippi. There are the Riverboat Docks, the Moon Walk Promenade, and the Millhouse.

Preservation Hall is an old building that is known for jazz music. It features traditional jazz by local artists. The building has limited seating so each day the opening times and events are posted on the door.

The signature event every year in New Orleans is Mardi Gras. Celebrations last for two weeks and end with the finale on Shrove Tuesday which is the day before Ash Wednesday. You’ll enjoy parades, entertainment, and all kinds of festivities. Of interest are the impressively decorated floats that go by during parade time. At this time the French Quarter is packed.

The Blaine Kern Studios takes part in the Mardi Gras every year and is the leading producer of floats in the world. You can take a visit to the studios and see the sculpted props, huge floats, amazing costumes, and all kinds of figures, Guided tours are available and you can see the workshops of the artists and sculptors.

The National WW II Museum has exhibits and documentary snippets that tell the history of WW II as it was fought in Europe and in the Pacific. The museum has three sections. One devoted to the war in the Pacific, one to the war in Europe, and the third a building housing WW II aircraft. In the 4D theater, you can see the film “Beyond All Boundaries” which was produced and narrated by Tom Hanks. As you watch the film the chairs rumble as tanks go by and stage props turn the film into a real sensory experience. Walking through the exhibits you can see short black-and-white documentary-style film segments that show how the items on display were involved in the war. Each visitor is assigned a profile of someone who was in WW II and oral updates are available at stations all through the complex so you can follow the soldier’s progression through wartime.

Also on the premises is the Stage Door Canteen, which features entertainment from the 1940s, with matinees and dinner shows.

New Orleans City Park Includes different attractions like the New Orleans Botanical Garden, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Families with children enjoy the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, Storyland, and the City Splash Water Park. In the park, you can also find tennis courts and an 18-hole golf course. There are lovely places for walking and the park has one of the world’s largest stands of mature live oak trees.

The New Orleans Museum of Art is one of the finest in the South. It features an impressive collection of French and American art as well as African and Japanese artwork. There are also temporary exhibits.

Outside enjoy the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden with over 60 sculptures. You can walk along the paths, lagoons, and live oak trees.

The Garden District is a well-to-do residential area that has lovely mansions, mature trees, and lush gardens. You can explore it on foot or take a guided tour. Along First Street, Camp Street, and Prytania Street you can see elegant 19th-century houses with extensive grounds.

Audubon Park was created on the grounds of what once was the World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition of 1884. In the park are fine stands of oaks, the Audubon Zoo, hothouses, the Audubon Gold Club, some small lakes, and lots of green space for relaxing.

The Audubon Zoo has a selection of domestic and exotic animals. Among the most popular are the jaguars, leopards, giraffes, orangutans, elephants, rhinos, lemurs, and alligators. There is also the rare white alligator. In the summer you can cool off in the splash park called the Cool Zoo.

Take the Steamboat Natchez for a cruise on the Mississippi River. It is a great way to see the city of New Orleans. Harbor cruises last about two hours and include an optional lunch of Creole cuisine, A dinner cruise is also available and includes a live jazz band, buffet-style dinner, and awesome night views of the city.

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is located along the waterfront. It focuses on species found in North, Central, and South America. You can learn about the water creatures that lurk beneath the surface of nearby surrounding waters. Exhibits highlight freshwater fish from the Mississippi River and marine life from the Gulf of Mexico. You can see everything from sharks to stingrays to sea turtles.

The Great Maya Reef is viewed from a 30-foot-long walk-through tunnel that has been designed to look like a sunken Maya City with fishing swimming around the ruins.

The Amazon Rainforest has colorful birds, exotic fish, and even snakes from South America.

Among the popular animals are sea otters and penguins. You can enjoy hands-on experiences with African penguins and have a chance to scuba dive or snorkel the Great Maya Reef.

The Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve has six separate sites in southeastern Louisiana. Two of the sites are in the New Orleans area.

The Barataria Preserve consists of natural levee forests, bayous, swamps, and marshes.

The Chalmette Battlefield preserves the site of the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815. This was a decisive American victory over the British at the end of the War of 1812.

Adjacent to the battlefield you’ll find the lovely plantation-style Malus-Beauregard House with exhibits on the Battle of New Orleans.