New Orleans is a Louisiana city on the Mississippi River, near the Gulf of Mexico. Nicknamed the "Big Easy," it's known for its around-the-clock nightlife, vibrant live-music scene and spicy, singular cuisine reflecting its history as a melting pot of French, African and American cultures. Embodying its festive spirit is Mardi Gras, the late-winter carnival famed for raucous costumed parades and public partying.
Attractions
National World War II Museum: This extensive, heart-wrenching museum presents an admirably nuanced and thorough analysis of the biggest war of the 20th century. And its exhibits, which are displayed in three grand pavilions, are amazing. Wall sized photographs capture the confusion of D-Day. Riveting oral histories tell remarkable stories of survival. A stroll through the snowy woods of Ardennes feels eerily cold. The experience is personal, immersive and educational.
City Park: Live oaks, Spanish moss and lazy bayous frame this masterpiece of urban planning. Three miles long and 1 mile wide, dotted with gardens, waterways. Bridges and home to a captivating art museum, City Park is bigger than Central Park in NYC, and it’s New Orleans’ prettiest green space. It’s also a perfect expression of the forests and Louisiana wetlands that are the natural backdrop of the city.
St Louis Cathedral: One of the best examples of French architecture in the country, this triple spired cathedral is dedicated to Louis IX, the French king sainted in 1297; it’s a most innocuous bit of Gallic heritage in the heart of an American city. In addition to hosting black, white and Creole Catholic congregants, St Louis has also attracted those who, in the best New Orleans tradition, mix their influences, such as voodoo queen Marie Laveau.
Jackson Square: Sprinkled with lazing loungers, surrounded by sketch artists, fortune tellers and traveling platforms, and watched over by cathedrals, offices and shops plucked from a Parisian fantasy, Jackson Square is one of America’s great town greens and the heart of the Quarter. The identical, block long Pontalba Buildings overlook the scene, and the nearly identical Cabildo and Presbytere structures flank the impressive St Louis Cathedral, which fronts the square. In the middle of the park stands the Jackson monument – Clark Mills’ bronze equestrian statue of the hero of the Battle of New Orleans, Andrew Jackson, which was unveiled in 1856.
Presbytere: The lovely Presbytere building, designed in 1791 as a rectory for the St Louis Cathedral, serves as New Orleans’ Mardi Gras museum. You’ll find there’s more to the city’s most famous celebration than wanton debauchery – or, at least, discover the many levels of meaning behind the debauchery. There’s an encyclopedia’s worth of material on the krewes, secret societies, costumes and racial histories of the Mardi Gras tapestry, all intensely illuminating and easy to follow.
Accommodation
La Belle Esplanade: New Orleans is a beautiful city, rich in history and magic. We live on Esplanade Avenue, a street that is rich in history and magic, even by New Orleans standards. We love where we live. As goodwill ambassadors for this magical city we call home, we open our boutique inn to voyagers who are seeking more than what is found in the guidebooks.
Hotel Villa Convento– tucked away steps from the French Market and Mississippi River in the heart of the French Quarter, the Hotel Villa Convento is a warm and cosy guest house, offering guests and the personal service of seventh-generation Ner Orleanians, the Campios.
Le Pavillion Hotel: Le Pavillion is a New Orleans French Quarter hotel offering guests a deluxe experience. From our standard hotel rooms in the Presidential Suite, guests enjoy wonderful amenities and services in a beaut6iful setting. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, our hotel is furnished with exquisite antiques and works of art. No detail has been spared, from the marble staircase to the crystal chandeliers. Room amenities include modern touches like flat panel high definition televisions and climate control. Dine in our signature restaurant, The Crystal Room, or in the comfort of your guest accommodations.
Royal Sonesta Hotel: with a stay at Royal Sonesta Hotel, you’ll be centrally located in New Orleans, steps from New Orleans Musical Legends Park and minutes from Historic New Orleans Collection. This 4-star hotel is within close proximity of New Orleans Pharmacy Museum and Cigar Factory and Museum.
Weather
New Orleans, LA, gets 59 inches of rain per year. The US average is 37. Snowfall is 0 inches. The average US city gets 25 inches of snow per year. The number of days with any measurable precipitation is 106. On average, there are 216 sunny days per year in New Orleans, LA. The July high is around 91 degrees. The January low is 47. Our comfort index, which is based on humidity during the hot months, is a 22 out of 100, where higher is more comfortable. The US average on the comfort index is 44.
For up to date weather in New Orleans visit our partner site World Weather Online.
Clothing
Lightweight layers and breathable fabrics – Yes, unless you want to be drenched in sweat before noon.
Wearing a hidden travel wallet because you’re worried about theft – No. Crime here isn’t as much of an issue as most people think. That being said, keep your wallet slim and within reach at all times – use your head.
Ideal for…?
New Orleans has so many things to do at really cheap prices. Some of the best hotels are at such affordable prices.
Visitors to New Orleans would never be bored; you would simply be stuck on deciding where you will go next.
Anyone on a budget or looking to learn about the history of New Orleans would love it here!