New Orleans, LA Hotels

Lost in the tropical storm coverage however is the singular fact that as a cultural city, New Orleans is a crucial component in the fabric of the United States. The Big Easy has a musical and culinary heritage with influence the world over and from Cajun to Creole culture, Mardi Gras to fusion architecture, the city is peerless.

New Orleans History

• National World War II Museum – See historic exhibits and artefacts from the battles of Normandy and D-Day.
• Steamboat Natchez – Take a ride on an authentic Louisiana steamboat.
• LaFayette Cemetery – See the final resting place of many historic Garden District residents.
• Beauregard-Keyes House – Tour the historic French Quarter residence that is nearly 200 old.
• St Louis Cathedral – The oldest active Catholic cathedral in the United States.

New Orleans Art & Culture

• Satchmo Summerfest – This August festival commemorates the music and memory of famous New Orleans resident Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong.
• Mardi Gras – New Orleans’ biggest festival, Mardi Gras, is the city’s signature celebration, featuring parades, floats and extravagant costumes.
• New Orleans Museum of Art – More than 40,000 works of art are on display at this museum located in City Park.
• Backstreet Cultural Museum – A facility dedicated to all things New Orleans.
• Contemporary Arts Centre – Hosts art shows, live performances and dance companies regularly during the year.

New Orleans Shopping

• French Market - A combination of several outdoor markets, including a farmers’ market, a flea market, restaurants and independent vendors.
• Magazine Street – New Orleans’ biggest shopping destination, Magazine Street is home to both eccentric shops and high-end boutiques.
• French Quarter – Browse through unique bookstores and clothing stores or enjoy a meal at one of the quarter’s traditional Cajun restaurants.
• Royal Street – Antique lovers will find the city’s best vintage shops and resellers on this street near the French Quarter.
• Arts District – The hub of New Orleans’ cultural attractions.

Gay & Lesbian New Orleans

• Napoleon’s Itch – One of the most popular gay nightclubs on Bourbon Street.
• Mardi Gras Bourbon Street Awards – Celebrated on Mardi Gras Day each year, this drag queen competition has been held for more than 40 years.
• Café Lafitte in Exile – The oldest bar and nightclub for gay individuals in America.
• Gay Easter Parade – An annual celebration of LGBT culture in the French Quarter.
• Southern Decadence – More than 100,000 people a year come to this festival, nicknamed the “Gay Mardi Gras.”

Attractions

The central hub of tourist interest in New Orleans is without a doubt, the French Quarter. The famous district is home to iconic Bourbon Street, the node of Mardi Gras revelry and notable party spot. With 18th century landmarks in close proximity to historic Jackson Square, a walk through the French Quarter is a virtual step back in time and conjures the prose of Tennessee Williams in A Streetcar Named Desire.

A streetcar ride on St. Charles Avenue offers superb looks at one of the most historic and exceptional areas in urban America. Home to the best collection of 19th century plantation estates in the country, the Garden District of New Orleans is a special place.

A must for Civil War buffs, the Confederate Museum dates back to 1891 and contains one of the most comprehensive collections of war memorabilia from the era.

A location in City Park provides the New Orleans Museum of Modern Art with cushy environs. The beautiful facility has a vast and eclectic collection of art from every corner of the globe.

The area familiar to many as the Arts in addition to Warehouse District is a vibrant, hip part of New Orleans where loft art studios and jazz clubs jostle for space with small bars and restaurants.

Events

The premier Mardi Gras celebration in North America is what New Orleans is famous for. A number of pre-Lent events that begin in January culminate with the massive party and parade on Mardi Gras, held in the French Quarter sometime between February or early March.

Held in February as part of Black History Month, the annual Black Heritage Festival celebrates the special African-American heritage of New Orleans with a slew of concerts, exhibits and other events.

In what may be the best jazz festival in the world, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival draws colossal crowds to the Fair Grounds Race Course every April and May. The site becomes a veritable village for the duration of the festival, with food stalls, crafts vendors and a line-up of musical acts that reads like a Hall of Fame of jazz and popular music legends.

Climate

New Orleans has a humid subtropical climate with brief, mild winters. With hurricane season the main concern for everyone, the late summer months of August and September is the time to avoid the city.

• Winter (December to February) 6-18°C
• Spring (March to May) 12-29°C
• Summer (June to September) 22-33°C
• Fall (October to November) 11-27°C