About New Orleans
One of the greatest deals in history occurred in April 1803 when Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States under the Louisiana Purchase. Since then, Americans, French, Creoles, and Africans helped shape the future of the lively melting pot of cuisine and culture known as New Orleans.
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Overview
The city is home to some of the friendliest people and spiciest food on the planet. The heart and soul of Louisiana, The Big Easy is known for jazz, Mardi Gras and the graceful verandas of the French Quarter.
Ride a streetcar and explore the city’s lively past. New Orleans is truly a feast for the senses, from Chef Paul Prudhomme’s renowned blackened redfish topped with jumbo lump crabmeat and BBQ oysters plucked fresh from the sea to the lively music of the French Quarter and fragrant gardens and plantations of the Old South.
Taste delicious local specialties such as gumbo, crawfish etouffe and spicy jambalaya at one of the many James Beard award-winning restaurants. When the sun goes down, the city comes alive with great food, music and entertainment to fit every taste and budget. Spice up your evening with authentic N’Orleans jazz and let the good times roll!
What To Do
Listen to cool jazz in some of the area’s hottest clubs on Frenchman Street or at Preservation Hall.
Visit New Orleans’ unique Audubon Zoo, featuring a fun waterpark and Gator Run.
Take an educational Plantation tour through the fascinating Antebellum South or stroll through Royal Street’s eclectic antique stores, art galleries and boutiques.
Quench your thirst for knowledge with a tasty history lesson at the New Orleans Drink Lab.
Visit the Louisiana State Museum’s Cabildo and Presbytère in the historic French Quarter to uncover rare artifacts.
View the Old U.S. Mint. Sample some Cajun/Creole cuisine following an open demonstration at the New Orleans School of Cooking.
New Orleans is a great starting point for a variety of Mississippi River cruises to famous destinations and cities along the river.
When to Go
The best time to visit New Orleans is during the spring and fall. Most of the area’s festivals, such as Mardi Gras, occur between February and May, when the weather is cooler. Summer is hot and humid, with temperatures hitting the 90s F. Whenever you visit, it always feels like a holiday in New Orleans.
Fast Facts
Jazz was born in New Orleans.
One of Tennessee Williams’ most famous plays, “A Streetcar Named Desire,” is set in New Orleans' historic French Quarter.
Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville founded the city, which he named Nouvelle-Orléans after Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, the Regent of the Kingdom of France, on May 7, 1718.
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