A beloved travel destination of visitors with all different types of interests and backgrounds, New Orleans is both distinctive and eclectic. Whether you’re a music lover, history buff, nightlife afficionado, outdoor enthusiast, foodie, or some combination of all of the above, New Orleans is the place for you. Throw in the fact that many of the city’s prime attractions are conveniently located close to one another in the legendary French Quarter neighborhood, and New Orleans is a fun and easy trip just waiting to happen.
New Orleans’ Mardi Gras festivities are celebrated the world over, but regardless of when you find yourself in town, there’ll be an incredible array of exciting activities available to choose from. Bourbon Street is home to one of the most famous stretches of bars, restaurants, and music venues in America. If that’s not electrifying enough for you, you can always whip up your own Cajun or Creole masterpiece during a cooking demonstration class at the New Orleans School of Cooking. What’s more, if you absolutely must get your Mardi Gras fill, the one-and-only Mardi Gras World grants you a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the magic of this one-of-a-kind party all year long.
As famous as New Orleans is for its food, drink, and music, it’s also noteworthy for being home to numerous acclaimed museums. Since it first opened its doors in the year 2000, the National WWII Museum has quickly become one of the city’s most popular attractions, while its neighbor across the street, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, is one of the only facilities in the country devoted to showcasing the multifaceted art of the American South. Throw in the treasures on display at the New Orleans Jazz Museum and we’re still only scratching the surface of New Orleans’ vibrant museum scene.
Few cities in the United States can lay claim to such a diverse history and culture as New Orleans, and that history has been preserved throughout its plentiful cultural attractions. The entire city is rich in this department, but many of the most famous of these preserved and restored cultural attractions are located near iconic Jackson Square. Favorite destinations of this sort include The Cabildo, The Presbytère, and 1850 House, just to name a few.
Some of the most beloved New Orleans tourist attractions include:
Ultimate Swamp Adventures operates a variety of boat tours throughout Bayou Segnette, a state park located just across the Mississippi River from downtown New Orleans. Their most popular offering is a swamp boat tour that takes you on an unforgettable ride through the bayou.
This massive warehouse is where the majority of modern Mardi Gras floats are built. Visitors will have the chance to get up close and personal with floats in varying stages of construction, while learning all about this quintessential New Orleans tradition.
The New Orleans School of Cooking offers cooking demonstrations and hands-on classes that let participants make their own meal under the guidance of a local chef. The school’s General Store sells an assortment of spices, sauces, cookbooks, and kitchen paraphernalia.
Located on the site of America’s first licensed pharmacy just two blocks from Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum contains hundreds of historic apothecary bottles, surgical instruments, and voodoo potions.
One of the crown jewels of historic New Orleans, The Cabildo was constructed by the Spanish in the late eighteenth century. Today it’s an important part of the Louisiana State Museum and home to many priceless artifacts.
The Presbytère, along with The Cabildo, is one of two matching structures that flank St. Louis Cathedral. One of the city’s most historic buildings, today it’s part of the Louisiana State Museum, and features acclaimed exhibits on Mardi Gras and Hurricane Katrina.
1850 House is an elegant row home that has been restored to its mid-19th Century splendor. Its charming museum and shop occupy prime real estate in the Lower Pontalba Building on Jackson Square, right in the heart of the French Quarter.
Located in the historic Old U.S. Mint building, the New Orleans Jazz Museum is home to the largest collection of jazz artifacts found anywhere in the world. It also hosts numerous rotating special exhibits and hundreds of live concerts throughout the year.
The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is home to over 4,000 pieces of art created by artists from the roughly 15 states of the American South. Its permanent collection includes paintings, photographs, and sculptures in an array of styles and genres.
The National WWII Museum honors the memory of those Americans who contributed to the Allied efforts during World War II. Its interactive gallery spaces and educational exhibits tell the stories of why that war was fought and how it was won.