Things to do in New Orleans Louisiana

There are many fun things to do in New Orleans Louisiana on vacation.

The diverse cross cultural and multilingual heritage make this one of the most unique cities in America. New Orleans is famous for cuisine, music (the birthplace of Jazz), and festivals…especially Mardi Gras.

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see: Best US Cities.

New Orleans straddles the Mississippi River in southeastern Louisiana. The climate is humid subtropical. It usually has mild winters and hot humid summers.

The French Quarter
The French Quarter is the most famous (and oldest) neighborhood in New Orleans. It was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. This area is rich is culture, history and historic buildings.

Many of the buildings were built before New Orleans became part of the United States. One of the most famous streets is Bourbon Street (Rue Bourbon) named after a former royal family of France. Make sure you take time to enjoy some of the famous cuisine, as well as the music such as Jazz, blues, Cajon and more when you visit.

Historic Homes
From grand mansions, to Creole cottages, to the balconies of the French Quarter the architecture reflects the New Orleans multicultural heritage.

If you are interested in unique architecture consider a tour of one or more of the mansions. Some of these landmarks even have guest rooms. By staying there you can experience the beauty and majesty of a bygone time.

Mardi Gras
This world famous carnival has many parades, masquerade balls and king cake (a type of cake associated with festivals) parties. Many of tourists focus their activities on Bourbon Street and the French Quarter.

However none of the major parades enter the quarter because of the narrow streets and overhead obstructions. The major parades originate in the Mid-City and Uptown districts. Mardi Gras celebrations are for about two weeks before Ash Wednesday.

Cruises from New Orleans
New Orleans is a great place to take a cruise from on your vacation. Cruises commonly range in length from four to twelve days. The two primary cruise lines out of New Orleans are: Carnival Cruise Lines, and Norwegian Cruise Lines.

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