New Orleans Places of Interest
Cabildo at the Louisiana State Museum
One of the magnificent historic buildings flanking Jackson Square, the Cabildo is the flagship building of the Louisiana State Museum's complex of national landmarks. Opened in 1799, the Cabildo was the seat of Spanish municipal government in New Orleans and the site of the Louisiana Purchase transfer ceremonies and landmark court cases such as Plessy v. Ferguson. Today the museum houses thousands of artifacts and works of art reflecting Louisiana's legacy of historic events and cultural diversity. The Visual Arts Gallery represents the largest collection of 19th century Louisiana portraiture, including works by Spanish painter Jose Salazar and the famous self-portrait of the 19th century free man of color Julian Hudson. The museum's Jazz Gallery houses the world's largest collection of instruments owned and played by important jazz figures including Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke.
The Cabildo is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 AM to 5 PM. It is closed all legal holidays. Admission is $6 for adults and $5 for students, senior citizens and active military. Admission for children ages 12 and under is free. For more information: 504-527-6012
The French Quarter
Home to the greatest Mardi Gras celebration in America, the French Quarter is one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world. Founded by the French in 1718 on the banks of the Mississippi River, the French Quarter, or “Vieux Carre,” is not just the site of a great party, but also of a living history museum of early 18th century Spanish architecture, including America's oldest apartment buildings. Visitors stroll cobblestone streets past intimate brick courtyards and colorful buildings with intricate wrought-iron balconies. Today the quarter is filled with quaint hotels, renowned restaurants such as Arnaud's, Brennan's and Court of the Two Sisters, and Bourbon Street shops and nightclubs offering libations such as a “Hurricane,” a sweet alcoholic drink made from lime juice, passion fruit syrup and rum. The distinctive melodies of legendary Preservation Hall and other famous jazz clubs ride the humid river breezes and remind visitors that there is no other place in the world like New Orleans. The French Quarter is the beating heart of “the Big Easy,” where visitors enjoy the city's passions for music, food and an uncompromising joie de vivre.
National World War II Museum
One of the most popular sites in New Orleans attracting over one million visitors annually, the National World War II Museum is the only museum in the country that highlights all of the amphibious invasions, known as “D-days,” of the war. The New Orleans setting for this distinguished museum is fitting: it was here that Andrew Higgins built the landing craft used in the amphibious invasions, which Dwight D. Eisenhower, commanding general of the Allied Forces in Europe, believed won the war for the Allies. Four interactive, state-of-the-art exhibits combine oral histories from veterans worldwide with artifacts, documents, photographs, rare film footage and hands-on activities. The exhibits walk guests through the war, from “Prelude to War through Home of the Higgins Boats” to ”Omaha Beach through The Nazis Quit.”
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 AM to 5 PM. It is closed Mardi Gras, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is $6 for youths ages 12 and under, $14 for adults, $8 for seniors ages 65 and older, $8 for students with identification, $6 for active or retired military and spouse with identification and free for military in uniform and children under 5. Group discounts are available. For more information: 504-527-6012
Preservation Hall
Parents can bring their children to this legendary New Orleans jazz club, thanks to its family-friendly policy of no drinking or smoking. Preservation Hall opened in 1961 as a sanctuary to protect and honor New Orleans jazz, which had lost popularity to modern jazz and rock ‘n roll. Five nights a week, audiences can listen to both veteran musicians and younger musicians embracing the distinctive sound of New Orleans-style jazz. The hall is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 PM to 11 PM. Music begins at 8:15 PM. Admission is $10 per person.
For more information: 504-522-2841
New Orleans Entertainment
Harrah's Casino New Orleans
Within walking distance from the French Quarter and the New Orleans Convention Center, visitors discover a touch of Vegas at world-famous Harrah's Casino. The casino offers 115,000 square feet of gaming, which includes more than 100 tables and over 2,000 of the newest slot machines, from penny slots to $500 slots. Gamers can also take a break for a delicious meal at one of many restaurants, from the casual deli McAlister's Select to elegant dining at the Besh Steakhouse at Harrah's. Harrah's Casino is open 24/7.
For more information: 504-533-6000
Jackson Square
Formerly a military parade ground, Jackson Square is the center of the French Quarter. The pedestrian mall around the square is New Orleans' largest outdoor art gallery. Artists of all talents stop at Jackson Square daily to display their art on wrought iron fences and to draw portraits of paying customers. Tourists can buy beautiful artwork, have their fortunes told by psychics and Tarot card readers and enjoy the street musicians. Guests can also appreciate the historic buildings that flank this famous gathering place, such as the Louisiana State Museum, St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in America, and the Pontalba Apartments, the oldest apartments in the country. In the middle of the square is an equestrian statue of former president and hero of New Orleans Andrew Jackson.
Magazine Street Shopping
A shopper's dream, Magazine Street is six miles of pure retail heaven, filled with locally-owned boutiques and merchandise hard to find anywhere else. The House of Lounge has feathered fans and slippers to match. Sophie's is a nostalgic trip to an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. Petcetera offers unique indulgences for pampered pets. Local jewelry designer Ruby Ann Bertram-Harker displays her artistic creations at her Magazine Street store. Other shops sell furniture, children's clothing and affordable antiques. For hungry shoppers, Joey K's cooks up local Creole comfort food while upscale Sake Café prepares sushi, and Casamento's showcases signature oyster dishes. For convenience, shoppers planning to spend the day here can buy an all-day pass on the Magazine Street bus for $5
New Orleans Arts District
Formerly known as the Warehouse District, this “Soho of the South” is a vibrant showcase of arts and culture. More than 25 art galleries line Julia Street, the district's main thoroughfare, and adjacent streets. The grand dame of New Orleans' Art District is the Contemporary Arts Center, the first gallery opened in 1976 in the spacious rooms of former warehouses. Today the 10,000-square-foot venue continues to display cutting edge artwork and host an eclectic array of music, theatre and dance performances. Visitors enjoy a Julia Street gallery hop the first Saturday night of every month. The district's galleries are intermingled with chic restaurants and cafes serving everything from fresh seafood at Rio Mar, delicious sushi at Rock-n-Sake and drinks and music at Howlin' Wolf.
New Orleans Restaurants
Acme Oyster House
A landmark restaurant poised at the entrance to the French Quarter, locals and visitors have been drawn to Acme Oyster House's friendly tables for over 90 years. With a marvelous ambiance and world-class seafood from the local waters, the restaurant has won countless culinary awards over the decades including recognition as one of the “Top 5 Raw Oyster Bars” in the country by Fortune magazine. Guests enjoy traditional, reasonably-priced New Orleans Creole favorites, including Acme's world-famous raw oysters, boiled crawfish, Cajun sushi and Seafood Poopa, a French bread bowl filled with seafood gumbo and rice. For dessert, diners must choose among delicious sweets including homemade pecan pie, bananas foster pie and New Orleans bread pudding.
For more information: 504-522-5973
Brennan's Restaurant
Since 1946, Brennan's Restaurant has created some of New Orleans' most famous dishes. Culinary accolades have come from countless food critics and a global clientele that make a special pilgrimage here year after year. Located in the French Quarter, this landmark eatery creates a truly romantic dining experience with candles on the tables and flickering gas lights in the courtyard. The extensive dinner menu includes favorites such as Trout Nancy, Veal Kottwitz and Tournedos Chanteclair. But it's the bananas foster, Brennan's signature dessert, that is most requested by diners. To complement its selections, Brennan's has a 35,000-bottle wine cellar that won the coveted Wine Spectator Award in recognition of restaurateur Owen Edward Brennan. Brennan's popular brunch holds a myriad of delights such as a crabmeat omelet with Hollandaise sauce and Eggs Hussarde, another famous Brennan's original.
For more information: 504-525-9711
Café du Monde
French settlers from the Caribbean island of Martinique first introduced coffee to North America when they arrived in New Orleans in the mid-1700s, and French Acadian immigrants from Nova Scotia brought their special taste for coffee with chicory to Louisiana. Café du Monde is the most famous place in New Orleans to enjoy this Acadian tradition. Opened in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market, historic Café Du Monde is a traditional French coffee shop. Open 24/7, except Christmas, the café has a short but famous menu of dark-roasted coffee and chicory, beignets (square powdered doughnuts), white and chocolate milk, freshly squeezed orange juice, iced coffee and soft drinks. The coffee is served black or au lait – half coffee, half hot milk.
For more information: 800-772-2927
Court of the Two Sisters
Named for Emma and Bertha Camors, two sisters from a 19th century aristocratic Creole family, Court of the Two Sisters is world-famous for its live Jazz Brunch Buffet with an expansive selection of 80 items. As jazz notes float over the trees and cobblestones of the largest outdoor courtyard in the French Quarter, the air is filled with the aromas of spicy Oysters Bienville, Eggs Benedict and many other delectable dishes. This stylish eatery is a perfect setting for a quiet, romantic dinner of Creole specialties such as Veal Oscar and Crabmeat or Crawfish Penne Pasta. The Jazz Bunch Buffet is offered daily from 9 AM to 3 PM.
For more information: 504-522-7261
K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen
K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen opened as a small, no-reservation, relaxed place to eat by Paul Prudhomme and his wife K. It soon became a Big Easy sensation, with nightly lines of people who gladly wait hours for a seat. Now Chef Paul is legendary and his restaurant has expanded to two levels with seating for 200 people and al fresco courtyard dining. Both levels feature an open-air kitchen where diners can see exactly how each delectable dish is prepared. Favorites include the Chicken & Andouille Gumbo, Duck & Shrimp Dulao and Sweet Potato Pecan Pie. K-Paul's offers catering on-site at local, national and international locations.
For more information: 504-524-7394
New Orleans Nightlife
Goldmine Saloon
This unpretentious bar and dance club in the French Quarter is a favorite of locals and lucky tourists who discover it. Reasonably-priced drinks, friendly staff, great music, cool décor and the best arcade and video games from childhood keep people coming back. A great mix of music, from alternative dance, house and mainstream club tracks to classic disco and rap, invites guests to the crowded dance floor. At the bar, guests quench their thirst with the saloon's signature Flaming Dr. Pepper shot. Goldmine Saloon is available for group accommodations.
For more information: 504-586-0745
Mulate's Cajun Restaurant & Dance Hall
Mulate's was the first New Orleans restaurant to preserve and celebrate Cajun culture and make it famous around the world. Directly across from the Convention Center in the Warehouse District, this New Orleans landmark is recognized as the “king of Cajun dine and dance halls.” Seated at red-and-white checkered tablecloths, guests dine on authentic Cajun dishes such as gumbo, jambalaya and seafood etouffee in a down-home friendly atmosphere. Regulars on the dance floor eagerly show newcomers the basics and fun of Cajun dancing. A separate party room can accommodate 200 people for banquet-style dining.
For more information: 800-854-9149
Pat O'Brien's
In a city full of bars, Pat O'Brien's stands out as a Bourbon Street landmark with a raucous piano bar, a regular bar, a patio bar and a courtyard restaurant. The infamous rum-spiked “Hurricane” was invented at this bar and served in a glass shaped like an old fashioned kerosene lamp. Patrons enter Pat O'Brien's by walking down a flagstone 18th century carriageway beneath crossed muskets representing every country that once raised its flag over New Orleans. Outside, Pat O'Brien's Courtyard Restaurant, with its dramatic fire fountain, is a cozy place to dine and soak up the atmosphere. Appetizers include alligator bites, Cancun shrimp and catfish strips. Entrées feature local favorites such as red beans and rice, crawfish etouffee and shrimp creole.
For more information: 504-525-4823
Tipitina's
Tipitina's live music clubs in Uptown and in the French Quarter celebrate the past, present and future of New Orleans jazz rhythm and blues talents. Tipitina's original location in Uptown is dedicated to the late R&B piano great Professor Longhair. A bust of the professor greets visitors at the club's entrance and his likeness also hangs over the stage. Both clubs showcase New Orleans' most beloved artists, such as the Neville Brothers, Dr. John, the Meters and Cowboy Mouth, as well as rising, young talents. National artists such as Wilco, Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails, Lenny Kravitz, Bonnie Raitt and many others have performed at Tipitina's in the past. Show times and ticket prices vary based on performance.
For more information: 504-895-8477
Tony Moran's Restaurant
A French Quarter favorite for over 50 years, Tony Moran's Restaurant features a menu of Italian favorites, such as Lamb Rack Schodaditto and Veal Parmigiana, as well as New Orleans fresh seafood. The restaurant is housed in the Old Absinthe House, a nearly 200-year-old landmark with a notorious history. In the 1870s, the bar sold a proprietary drink Absinthe House Frappe. Popular in Europe, the greenish liquor was eventually outlawed in the United States for causing hallucinations and sometimes death. Today Tony Moran's front-room tavern has the same name, wooden bar and decorative marble fountains that once dripped cool water over sugar cubes into glasses of absinthe. Guests are intrigued by the building's history, as well as staff reports of many sightings of the pirate Jean Lafitte's ghost.
For more information: 504-523-3181
Family Activities in New Orleans
Aquarium of the Americas
Located in Woldenberg Riverfront Park on Canal Street, the Aquarium of the Americas is recognized as one of the country's top 5 aquariums and serves to showcase the aquatic life of North, Central and South Americas. When power failures during Hurricane Katrina decimated the aquarium's collection of more than 7,000 aquatic creatures, aquariums around the country joined together to repopulate its aquatic life. The aquarium re-opened in 2006 to rave reviews with its traditional major exhibit areas of Amazon Rain Forest, Caribbean Reef, Mississippi River and Gulf Coast, which together feature sharks, sea horses, warm-climate penguins, sea otters, a rare, white alligator named Snow and a “touch tank” for close encounters with cow nose rays. The exhibits' dramatic designs immerse visitors in their watery worlds with walk-through viewing tunnels. The Aquarium's Entergy IMAX Theatre features big screen three-dimensional movies such as the award-winning “Hurricane on the Bayou,” “Sea Monsters” and “Dolphins and Whales.” The aquarium is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM. It is closed Mardi Gras, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas.
For more information: 800-774-7394
Audubon Zoo
One of the country's top-ranked zoos, Audubon Zoo uses innovative, natural habitat exhibits to serve as home for over 1,300 exotic animals from around the globe including lions, rare white tigers, orangutans, monkeys, jaguars and endangered white rhinoceroses. Popular exhibits include the Louisiana Swamp, African Savanna, Monkey Hill, Komodo Dragon and Jaguar Jungle. After Hurricane Katrina damaged their exhibit, the zoo's popular sea otters were sent to other zoos, but returned in February 2008 to a beautifully renovated home at the Audubon. Zoo visitors also enjoy special attractions such the children's petting zoo, the endangered species carousel, a rock-climbing wall and a Safari Simulator Ride. Located in Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM. Admission is $7.50 for children ages 2-12, $12.50 for adults and $9.50 for seniors ages 65 and older.
For more information: 866-487-2966
Louisiana Children's Museum
For 20 years, this children's museum has been the perfect family adventure where children learn as they play in delightful, interactive exhibits. Children can shop at a miniature grocery store, pilot a pint-sized tug boat on the Mississippi, serve food at a restaurant or learn the concept of vision in the Eye to Eye Exhibit. The new Fetch Lab exercises little brains and bodies through activities such as wall climbing, and art classes, jewelry-making classes and storytelling are held every week.
The museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Sunday from noon to 4:40 PM and certain Mondays from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. It is closed all major holidays and Mardi Gras. Regular admission is $7. Admission is free for children under 1. For more information: 504-523-1357
Recreation and Outdoors in New Orleans
Audubon Park
With a natural bayou running through it, Audubon Park is a favorite spot to enjoy the special beauty and tranquility of southern Louisiana. The 1,300-acre public park provides ample room for recreation, picnics, cycling and leisurely walks on its many paths. Kids love the park's antique carousel and miniature train. The park's acclaimed Audubon Golf Club features a top-notch golf course designed by Denis Griffiths, and it is currently the only public golf course to re-open in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The park's lush landscape is accentuated by one of the world's largest groups of live oak trees. Other Audubon Park attractions include the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Bestoff Sculpture Garden and the Botanical Gardens.
For more information about Audubon Golf Club: 504-212-5290
Canal Street/Algiers Point Ferry
In continuous operation since 1827, the Canal Street Ferry connects downtown New Orleans with the historic Algiers Point neighborhood on the West Bank of the Mississippi River. The ferry ride lasts just 10 minutes, but it delivers stunning, panoramic views of New Orleans from the water. Algiers Point is a charming 19th century village, filled with stately historic homes. Visitors enjoy strolling its shaded streets and stopping for refreshments at the area's cafes and bars. Ferries leave daily from the West Bank on the hour and half hour beginning at 6 AM. Departures from the East Bank are on the quarter hour and three-quarters hour, the last leaving at 12:15 AM. The ferry is free for pedestrians and bicycles; automobiles are charged $1 for one-way pass with a free return trip.
For more information: 506-376-8180
Historic St. Charles Avenue Trolley
Climb aboard New Orleans' famous green streetcars and take your own tour of the sights of New Orleans' famous St. Charles Avenue. Named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, the St. Charles Avenue Line has been in continuous operation since its inception in 1893 and provides a relaxed and easy way to see how the city looks beyond the French Quarter. The trolley begins in the Central Business District and travels through the historic Garden District, which bursts with gracious 19th century mansions, wrought-iron fences, magnificent gardens and magnolia trees. The tour continues past Tulane and Loyola universities and the Audubon Park in Uptown. An all-day pass, which allows riders to board as frequently as desired, costs $5.
New Orleans Tours
Cemetery and Gris-Gris Tour
Early citizens of New Orleans struggled with a proper way to bury their dead. The high water table made normal below-ground burial impossible, so citizens adopted the Spanish custom of above-ground burial vaults. This created New Orleans' now-famous “Cities of the Dead” – cemeteries made up of row after row of above-ground burial vaults. Gray Lines' two-hour tour takes tourists to the legendary St. Louis Cemetery #1, site of the classic movie Easy Rider. Walking around the cemetery, a licensed tour guide recounts the background of the famous and infamous people who are buried there, including Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Tourists also learn about the evolution of Voodoo and the mysterious ingredients of “Gris-Gris” bags. Guests receive a souvenir bag to take home.
Tours operate daily, March 1 to May 31 and October 1 to November 23, beginning at 9 AM. Tours operate Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, June 1 to September 30, beginning at 9 AM. Tour tickets are $13 for children, $23 for adults and $18.75 for groups of 10 or more people. For more information: 800-535-7786
The Hauntings Tour
Visitors to “the most haunted city in America” will enjoy this two-hour nighttime walking tour of the French Quarter. With New Orleans' colorful history and unique traditions, it's not surprising that so many homes and taverns have been investigated for paranormal events. Tourists visit several haunted sites as a guide recounts the famous ghost stories that have been featured on The History Channel and The Discovery Channel. Guests are not promised to see a ghost while on the Hauntings Tours, but they will certainly visit the places they are most likely to meet one.
The two-hour tour departs nightly at 7 PM from the Gray Line Information Desk on the ground level of the Jackson Brewery. Tickets are $12 for children, $22 for adults and $17.75 for groups of 10 or more people. For more information: 800-535-7786
Honey Island Swamp Tours
Small boats driven by experienced swamp guides take passengers deep into one of the wildest and most pristine river swamps in America on the Honey Island Swamp Tour. Nearly 70,000 acres of Honey Island Swamp comprise the Nature Conservancy's First Louisiana Nature Preserve, a permanently protected wildlife area. Passengers spend two hours enjoying the primitive beauty of the moss-laden cypress trees rising from the water, the sweet smell of wild azaleas in the air and the mystery of wildlife sounds. From the comfort of the tour boat, passengers see alligators, red wolf, deer, cougar, herons, egrets, ibis, various species of exotic birds and the swamp's resident bald eagle.
Tours are offered daily in the morning and afternoon. Tickets are $15 for children and $23 for adults. For an additional $22 for adults and $17 for children, transportation is available to and from New Orleans hotels and includes a narrated, scenic tour of the countryside, including the drive across Lake Pontchartrain, the longest bridge in America. For more information: 985-641-1769
Steamboat Natchez Harbor Cruise
Enjoy a slow and graceful two-hour day cruise from the heart of the French Quarter aboard the authentic Steamboat Natchez. A tour guide provides a live narration of historical facts and highlights of one of the world's most active and romantic ports. Passengers can enjoy an optional Creole lunch and a Calliope concert at 10:45 AM and 1:45 PM.
The Harbor Cruise boards Monday through Sunday at 2 PM and departs at 2:30 PM. The cruise boards Friday through Sunday at 11 AM and departs at 11:30 PM. Cruise-only tickets are $9.75 for children ages 6-12 and $19.50 for adults. Tickets for children ages 2-5 are free. Cruise and lunch tickets are $8 for children ages 2-5, $17.75 for children ages 6-12 and $29.50 for adults. For more information: 504-586-8777
