Experience New Orleans Attractions - Jazz to Jambalaya
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Go shopping at the world-famous French Market, experience the New Orleans Museum of Art, see starfish at the Audubon Aquarium, and cheer for the New Orleans Saints as they grace the gridiron at the Superdome. When sun sets, the Crescent City is alive with the sounds of jazz beating out of legendary clubs.
Stroll through the historic streets of the French Quarter, sip on a hurricane and dance to the rhythms of jazz, blues, and Zydeco. Surrounded by the sights and sounds of New Orleans, Chateau Bourbon is your oasis of hospitality in the French Quarter.
St. Patrick's Day, 2011 in New Orleans -
Since the turn of the 19th century, New Orleans has been celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Today, there is no shortage of annual parades and parties both before and after March 17th. It begins five days earlier on March 12th with the Irish Channel St. Patrick's Day Club Mass and Parade, which begins at noon at St. Mary's Assumption Church on Constance Street. The following day is the Metairie Road St. Patrick's Day Parade at 11 a.m. in front of Rummel High School on Severn Avenue. On March 17th, there are two big events: Parisol's St. Patty's Day Party at 11 a.m. in the Irish Channel and the Downtown Irish Club Parade beginning at 7:00 p.m. on the corner of Burgundy and Piety. On March 19th you can enjoy the St. Joseph's Day Parade at 6:00 p.m. in the French Quarter and on March 20th the Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade takes place at noon in the suburb of Metairie.Experience New Orleans
French Quarter -
The cultural soul of New Orleans, the historic French Quarter is over 100 square-blocks of dining, shopping, entertainment, art and architectural treasures. Stroll 300-year old streets to restaurants, music clubs, shops, markets, historic landmarks and art galleries. A cultural love child of old Europe, the Caribbean and the South, New Orleans' original colonial neighborhood is a carnival of red-hot jazz, food, and frivolity. Explore famous attractions such as Jackson Square, French Market, and St. Louis Cathedral.See artists, musicians, and street performers light up the streets. Hop on the Steamboat Natchez and cruise down the Mississippi River. Celebrate at the French Quarter Fest and Mardi Gras. Take a walking history tour or Haunted New Orleans tour to the secrets of the Vieux Carre. Dance to jazz music from legends like Louis Armstrong and drink a New Orleans hurricane. Visit www.FrenchQuarter.com.
Bourbon Street -
The nightlife Mecca of New Orleans, world-famous Bourbon Street keeps the French Quarter action alive and kicking! Lined with hundreds of restaurants, bars, nightclubs, music venues, shops and galleries, Bourbon Street is year-round festival of fun, food and festivity in the middle of the French Quarter.Stroll down Bourbon Street and feel the party vibe at the many bars and clubs that stay open until the wee hours. Sop at every corner and hear live music and the hottest New Orleans jazz. Enjoy a hurricane at Pat O'Brien's, sing Karaoke at Cat's Meow, try your luck at Harrah's Casino, look up to the balconies for beads, or dance till dawn at Bourbon Street Blues. Called the birthplace of jazz, Bourbon Street is a decadent New Orleans party!
Jackson Square -
Located along the Mississippi River in the French Quarter, Jackson Square is a popular destination in New Orleans. A tribute to Andrew Jackson, the historic square is home to an open-air artist market and the statue of General Andrew Jackson on his bronze horse. At Jackson Square you can shop for original art, hear live music, visit historic buildings, grab a bite to eat and see the originalLouisiana Purchase.
Surrounding Jackson Square are wonderful shops, restaurants, bars and museums, including Jax Brewery Shopping Mall, French Market, St. Louis Cathedral, and Washington Artillery Park - a beautiful river overlook. Hop on one of the many horse-drawn carriages and enjoy a 30 minute-tour of the French Quarter.
French Market -
For over 200 years, the historic French Market has been a community place of cultural diversity. Located in the French Quarter at the edge of the Mississippi River, the French Market offers shopping, cuisine, entertainment, and music in the historic atmosphere of America's oldest market. An open-air shopper's paradise, the French Market's Community Flea Market offers aisles of clothing, antiques, art, jewelry and crafts.Walk five blocks of specialty shops, restaurants, art galleries, bars and a farmer's market with fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. Savor the aromas of chocolate, hear the sweet sounds of the sax, and stop by the original Cafe Du Monde (www.cafedumonde.com) for beignets and coffee. Visit www.frenchmarket.org.
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas -
Set along the Mississippi River, adjacent to the French Quarter, Audubon Aquarium is an amazing destination in downtown New Orleans. Aquarium of the Americas features 10,000 animals and deep-sea creatures from the underwater worlds of the Caribbean Sea, Amazon Rainforest, Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico.Walk beneath the colorful Caribbean Reef, feed a stingray in Adventure Island, journey to the Mississippi River and see a white alligator, and touch a baby shark at the Touch Pool. Gaze at fascinating creatures like sharks, stingrays, penguins, and sea otters. Relax in front of the 400,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico exhibit, showcasing stingrays, sharks, a school of blue runner, and a green sea turtle named King Mydas. Visit www.auduboninstitute.org/aquarium.
Audubon Insectarium -
New Orleans' top attraction for kids, Audubon Insectarium is North America's largest museum devoted to insects. Located on Canal Street, this museum celebrates the world of bugs with 13 galleries that house thousands of live and preserved specimens that highlight Earth's largest animal group.Wander through a mysterious Louisiana swamp, participate in an award show for bugs, be amazed by hundreds of butterflies in the tranquil Japanese garden, touch live bugs in the Field Camp in a tropical jungle and experience the multisensory theater. Shop in the Audubon Flea Market or grab a bite at the Termidor Tiny Termite Café. Visit www.auduboninstitute.org/visit/insectarium.
Audubon Zoo -
Located in Uptown New Orleans, Audubon Zoo houses exotic animals from around the globe, and offers entertaining animal encounters and presentations, lush gardens, and fun rides. This innovative zoo features natural habitat exhibits, such as the award-winning Louisiana Swamp and Jaguar Jungle. See the endangered whooping cranes, Amur leopards and orangutans, white tigers Rex and Zulu, and the mysterious white alligators.Don't miss the sea lion and elephant presentations. Ride the Swamp Train and Endangered Species Carousel, experience the high-tech Safari Simulator Ride, brave the Rock Climbing Wall, journey back in time at Audubon's Dinosaur Adventure and swing by the Zoofari Café and Audubon Marketplace. Visit www.auduboninstitute.org/visit/zoo.
St. Louis Cathedral -
Overlooking Jackson Square, Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France is the oldest Catholic cathedral in the country and home of the Archbishop of New Orleans. Dating back to 1727, St. Louis Cathedral is a historic place of worship and one of New Orleans' treasured landmarks. With its triple steeples towering above its historic neighbors - Cabildo and the Presbytere - and the Square, the impressive cathedral is the spiritual heart of old New Orleans.Tour the cathedral or find tranquility at St. Anthony's garden, an oasis behind the towers of St. Louis Cathedral. The lacy iron fences around St. Louis Cathedral are lined with art on display and artists who paint your portrait. Visit www.stlouiscathedral.org.
Morial Convention Center -
Located along the Mississippi River, walking distance of the French Quarter, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center host's the city's most prestigious business events, conventions, trade shows and expos.The sixth largest convention venue in the country, the center features 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space, 12 exhibit halls, 40 high-tech meeting rooms, two luxurious ballrooms, and a 4,032-seat auditorium. Among the top 10 for hosting the most national conventions and tradeshows annually since 1985, MCCNO is a powerhouse event destination surrounded by New Orleans' top attractions, dining, entertainment, and art galleries. Visit www.mccno.com.
New Orleans Museum of Art -
The city's oldest fine arts museum, New Orleans Museum of Art houses over 30,000 objects of world art spanning 4,000 years. NOMA's 46 galleries features a permanent collection acclaimed for extraordinary French and American art, photography, glass, and African and Japanese works. Reflecting its cultural heritage in New Orleans, NOMA has an impressive collection of French art, including treasures by the French Impressionist Edgar Degas.NOMA's master works include paintings and sculptures by Picasso, Braque, Dufy and Miro. The Arts of the Americas collection has many objects from the Mayan culture and paintings and sculpture from Peru. The beautiful Sculpture Garden features 50 sculptures by the 20th Century's master sculptors, set among winding paths, lagoons and live oaks. Visit www.noma.org.
Steamboat Natchez Riverboat Cruise -
Cruise down the Mississippi River and enjoy New Orleans food and music. An icon of New Orleans history, Steamboat Natchez Riverboat Cruise is a festive journey down the Mighty Mo, where you will hear the music of its calliope (a musical instrument powered by steam atop the steamboat) and enjoy authentic New Orleans cuisine.Stroll through the French Quarter and follow the sounds to the river. Hop aboard the Steamboat Natchez, which has been rolling down the river for a 100 years, for a daytime cruise or dinner/jazz cruise featuring the Dukes of Dixieland. Visit www.steamboatnatchez.com.
Riverwalk Marketplace -
Home to the city's unique sights, sounds and tastes, Riverwalk is the popular shopping attraction in New Orleans. Nestled along the Mississippi River in the heart of downtown New Orleans, adjacent to the Morial Convention Center and Audubon Aquarium, Riverwalk is a half-mile of local and national retail shops, great restaurants and fun entertainment venues. As you shop along the beautiful Riverwalk, see the Mighty Mississippi, try beignets and feel the beat of swinging New Orleans jazz.Louisiana Superdome/New Orleans Saints -
Opened in 1975, the spectacular Louisiana Superdome is the world's largest steel-constructed dome arena. The Super Dome presents major sporting events, concerts, conventions, trade shows and family shows. The Super Dome is home of the NFL's New Orleans Saints, one of the most successful football teams in the National Football Conference, Nokia Sugar Bowl Football Classic, and many prestigious sporting events and concerts.The Dome has hosted more Super Bowls than any venue in the nation, and holds the world record for attendance at an indoor concert - 87,500 people for the Rolling Stones in 1981. Get tickets at www.superdome.com & www.neworleasnsaints.com.
New Orleans Streetcars -
New Orleans Streetcars have been part of the city's transportation since the early 19th century. These vintage electric streetcars are a fun way to get around and tour New Orleans' historic neighborhoods. The Canal Streetcars run 5.5 miles from the Mississippi River to City Park Avenue and along North Carrollton Avenue, and carries people to downtown's shops, restaurants, art galleries andentertainment venues.
A journey into New Orleans history, the famous St. Charles Avenue Streetcar runs along St. Charles Avenue, from Canal Street downtown, past the Arts and Warehouse District, through Uptown and the Garden District, past Tulane, Loyola and Audubon Park, and ending in the old city of Carrollton. The most popular place to catch this streetcar is at Canal and Carondelet Street in the French Quarter. The Riverfront Line takes you to the French Market, the riverfront, Aquarium of the Americas, Riverwalk Shopping Center and Morial Convention Center. For streetcar stops, go to www.norta.org.
St.Charles Avenue -
One of New Orleans' most famous thoroughfares, St. Charles Avenue is home of the world famous St. Charles Streetcar Line. The oak tree-lined boulevard features hundreds of mansions along the Uptown section and historic Garden District, and is one of the main routes for the Mardi Gras parades.Starting from Canal Street, St. Charles runs up through the New Orleans Central Business District, Uptown New Orleans, reflecting the crescent curve of the Mississippi River and continues to the Carrollton neighborhood, ending one block above Carrollton Avenue at the foot of the Mississippi River levee.
Harrah's New Orleans Casino -
Enjoy gaming and entertainment in downtown New Orleans. With its festive New Orleans atmosphere, Harrah's New Orleans Casino features 100 action-packed table games, from poker to roulette, 2,000 of the hottest slots, the largest poker room in the South, electrifying entertainment, sizzling nightlife and delicious cuisine, including fine dining at Besh Steak and Bambu.Enjoy New Orleans' nightlife at Masquerade, a hip club with a sleek 42-foot media tower displaying the most sophisticated lighting show in the nation, dance floors, hot music, live performances, table games and slots, and the ultra-cool Ice Bar. Visit www.harrahsneworleans.com.
Chateau Bourbon New Orleans, A Wyndham Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana (LA)
